Uneven power delivery is a dilemma that watchmakers have always faced, causing a continual challenge to find the perfect micro-mechanical solution. One of the solutions in the search for constant force in the seventeenth century was the chain and fusée. But what’s it doing in some modern watches?
For wine lovers, there is not much more exciting than being in on the ground floor for the release of a new label, especially one that aspires to the highest quality. Being of severely limited quantities adds a tiny bit of a thrill as well. With all that in mind, Ken Gargett predicts that the new Roam Napa Sleeping Lady Cabernet Sauvignon and its first vintage, 2015, will be a welcome addition to the ranks of cracking Cabernet.
The Swatch Tresor Magique might have a platinum case, but it looks like something Harry Potter would have appreciated wearing while attending classes at Hogwarts. However, there is more that is even notable about this watch, which Martin Green divulges here.
The resemblance between the Hysek Design Colonne du Temps and a Romaneque column is more than just fleeting, especially since it has the word column in its name. Released at Baselworld 2018, this clock marks the return of Jorg Hysek, a prolific watch designer and founder of an eponymous brand, who has spent the last two years sailing his boat in quasi-retirement.
GaryG looks at, and listens to, Patek Philippe’s splendid References 5074P minute repeater. He considers the 5074P to be one of the finest contemporary wristwatches; it is a piece that awes him every time he handles one. And now you can look at it in every detail right here.
Standing before his eyes was the most perfect of God’s creatures, a wonderful mix of Audrey Hepburn and Penelope Cruz. What Makes Me Tick thought his heart had skipped a beat, and he heard the chimes of every single minute repeater Patek Philippe had ever created – all chiming at exactly the same time! Six months later the gentle creature and he were married. This extraordinary story reflects the marvelous world of vintage watches: finding the rare bird, linking it to a story, and never letting it go.
Martin Green (and many others) considers the regular version of the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down to already be one of the best and most beautiful current-production chronographs money can buy. Martin is however sure that the Lumen element only adds to its charm – by day and by night!
Individual champagnes rarely seem to attract the pre-release anticipation that we sometimes see with other wines. Ken Gargett thinks that perhaps the 1996 Krug was the last release that really generated serious excitement before it hit the market and he doubts that any champagne has created such interest since then – until we come to the 2008 Louis Roederer Cristal.
The astronomical Bovet Récital 22 Grand Récital continues the story of the Récital 18 Shooting Star (2016) and the Récital 20 Astérium (2017), all three conceived with the idea of creating world views as seen from the sky. And in a nice touch, it was the sky over Bovet’s home in the Château de Môtiers near Fleurier that was the inspiration for all three of these magnificent watches.
Black aventurine is a relatively recent invention and few brands – perhaps just one – have incorporated the material in watches as yet. One exception is astronomical specialist Christiaan van der Klaauw, which recently released a black aventurine dial on the already incredible Planetarium. Joshua Munchow explains what makes this black material so special.