l was highly skeptical before my first presentation of the Alexandre Meerson Altitude. This felt like a small new brand wanting to waltz into a market dominated by venerated old names with sky-high reputations. Good luck with that, I thought. To my surprise, though, I was quite impressed by the sense of dramatic subtleties and eye for detail these watches display.
I had the extremely good fortune to be a guest of Jaquet Droz at a stunning Béjart Ballet performance in Tokyo in late 2014, where I became a huge fan of the extraordinary troupe. But why do I find it so important for luxury brands to support the arts? Jaquet Droz and the Béjart Ballet provide an excellent example.
Patek Philippe watches in stainless steel are the hot thing among vintage collectibles. Phillips’s auction house, whose watch division is spearheaded by Bacs & Russo, has set four world records for stainless steel Patek Philippe watches over the last two years. A new find coming up in the Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR could possibly break the current record of almost $4 million. Check out that Patek Philippe Reference 1518 right here.
This possibly intergalactic, underwater, time-traveling machine is actually the business end of a CNC lathe at the Uhren-Werke-Dresden manufacture in Germany. Let us know what you think this machine might really be for in the comments. May the force be with you.
My personal quest for the ultimate fountain pen began unexpectedly and over the following decades I learned many things, including: nothing compares to writing with a gold nib! Join me on part 1 of my personal fountain pen journey, which includes an inherited piece, a demonstrator, over-the-top colors, and cloisonné enamel.
Girard-Perregaux’s Neo-Tourbillon with Three Bridges is a relatively profound re-issue of an old favorite. While it retains the original codes and architecture of Constant Girard’s oeuvre, the major changes that have occurred have to do with the shape of the bridges, the crystal, and the completely redesigned caliber.
In the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Elegance Sartoriale collection the patterns are truly the stars of this collection, not just because they are taken right from the folds of fashion, but because they are all incredibly difficult to engrave due to their complex designs. Every single line is engraved by hand on a rose engine lathe using guilloché.
The Swatch Group released its half-year report for 2016 on July 21. The good news is that the Swatch Group has not laid off or fired even one employee despite the decrease in profit, a strategy that I believe will pay off in the end. Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek talked to Swiss television about the current situation, and he explains that his mood remains optimistic.
This week is easy, because today I’m giving you the caption: “Nice watch, duck!” What watch was “duck” wearing and why? I’ll give extra points for the best suggestion for his favorite watch and why in in the comments below.
The first Manufacture Royale was founded during the Age of Enlightenment by French writer, historian, and philosopher Voltaire (1694–1778). Launched in 2010, the modern Manufacture Royale inherited Voltaire’s independent spirit: the aim was to create a brand ahead of its time while expressing the same sort of offbeat humor the great poet was famous for.