Stephen Forsey (left) and Robert Greubel

Greubel Forsey Celebrates 10th Anniversary And I Reminisce Back When . . .

In ten years, Greubel Forsey has presented the Double Tourbillon 30°, the Opus 6 for Harry Winston, the Tourbillon 24 Secondes, Invention Piece 1 (another of my all-time favorite watches), the Quadruple Tourbillon, the GMT, the Double Balancier and lastly the Quantième Perpétuel à Équation du Temps.

Jaeger LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Lady for the Ovarian National Cancer Alliance

Love, Loss, And Watches: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Tribute

This hobby ostensibly centers on the watches, but in reality it’s all about the people. The first person in this story is friend, fellow collector, and photographer Howard Parr. Inspired by the memory of his late stepmother, Libby Parr, and her courage in the face of ovarian cancer, Howard undertook a photographic journey to capture images of other women who are fighting ovarian cancer. The resulting images are both beautiful and inspiring.

Tomas Berdych and Rolex court clock via Instagram

Time For A Contender: Meet Tomas Berdych, The Tennis Champion With A Passion For Watches

Just about every top tennis player can boast a significant watch sponsorship. Just about everyone that is, except for the one who knows the most about timepieces: world number six Tomas Berdych.

Brightly colored model of a tourbillon escapement designed by Nicholas Manousos

Focus On Technology: 3D Printing, What Is It Really?

I went to the theater recently and saw a typical raunchy comedy called ‘Neighbors.’ Much to my surprise, I saw something I cannot remember ever seeing in a mass-marketed movie: a 3D scanner and 3D printer being used by the main characters in a funny circumstance. (For said circumstance, please watch the movie because it cannot be discussed here.)

Yevgeny Khaldei's original photo of the Soviet flag being raised on the Reichstag, the German parliament building in the center of Berlin

Heartbeat: Historic Yevgeny Khaldei Photograph In Leica Exhibition

Last week I visited the Leica factory and spent some time admiring an exhibition placed in the spacious foyer of this massive new factory building called “36 aus 100” (“36 from 100”). This image of the soldier wearing two watches – perhaps very, very briefly reminding me of the late Nicolas G. Hayek’s penchant for wearing two timepieces – caught my attention.

The Armin Strom team trying their hands at the casino

Monthly News Roundup May: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Panerai, A. Lange & Söhne, Girard-Perregaux And More

Quill & Pad’s monthly news roundup for May includes Rolex, Patek Philippe, Panerai, Girard-Perregaux, A. Lange & Söhne at the Concorso d’Eleganza in Italy, new Chrono Hawk chronograph by Girard-Perregaux, Armin Strom at the casino, the Monegasque from Roger Dubuis, impressive auction results, Skeleton Tourbillon by DeWitt, Breva Génie 02 does the Patrouille des Glaciers, MB&F sponsors the A.H.C.I., the 2014 GPdG calling for entries, and much more.

Leica Monochrom Leitzpark

Leica Celebrates 100 Years: A Factory Tour In Wetzlar, Germany

Wetzlar, Germany is to optics like La Chaux-de-Fonds is to Swiss watchmaking. In fact, with Leica’s focus on handcrafting and precision, it could almost be part of the watch industry itself.

Small format photography as we know it today – also known as 35 mm – was born a century ago in Wetzlar, when Oskar Barnack made the very first Leitz camera.

GoS Bifrost matching Damascus steel watch and knife set

Gustafsson and Sjögren GoS: Swedish Independents Forge A Horological Bridge With Bifrost

Quill & Pad has the honor to introduce the new GoS (Gustafsson and Sjögren, the “o” stands for “and” in Swedish), “Bifrost” Damascus steel watch and knife set, named for the famed rainbow bridge that the Norse Asgardians used to reach Midgard (earth).

Leica camera and photo of the Valbray EL 1 Chrono. Image courtesy Olga Corsini

Leica’s Very Special Limited Edition EL 1 Chrono With Valbray

Côme de Valbray, co-founder of Valbray watches, is the perfect example of the typical Leica customer. An avid amateur photographer for many years, the trained engineer perfectly understands and appreciates the luxury camera brand. Leica celebrated its centennial in May 2014 with a number of amazing new elements: inauguration of a brand-new factory building housed within a complex called the Leitz Park, a number of special new products and, of course, the Valbray EL 1 Chrono.

MCT Sequential Two S200 in red gold

Evolution, Chocolate Cake, And The MCT Sequential Two. What?

The MCT Sequential Two S200 is a great example of product evolution as it has minor adjustments and major feature changes all in one. It makes the user immediately aware of why it is different from its predecessor, and to the seasoned watch nerd it provides more tidbits of excellence should the desire for inquiry be there.