The year 2015 marks Caran d’Ache’s 100th anniversary. And to celebrate, the company has delved into its century-long history and collaborated with a Swiss jewelry craftsman to create the limited edition Spirit of Switzerland, an ornately engraved writing instrument made to last for several lifetimes.
There has been a lot of talk and promises made by the watch industry about ceramics and their use in timepieces, so it would seem that a primer on the subject might make us much more informed consumers.
The America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, first became a serious topic in the world of watches back in 2003, when Audemars Piguet became the partner of Cup challenger ‘Alinghi.’ In this thirty-fifth edition of the America’s Cup, we see a number of watch brands involved aside from principal sponsor, Louis Vuitton. Beginning with Ulysse Nardin, the timing partner of Artemis Racing.
In this article I look at why high end watches cost so much by examining one of the most important factors. To answer this question, there are quite a few reasons, including low production numbers (mass manufacture brings prices down) and high complexity, but the one I will focus on here is hand-finishing, because unlike low production numbers and high complexity, ultra-high-level hand-finishing is not usually easy to appreciate.
It occurred to me one day, while explaining to a visitor to my “office” how the machine “knows” where the part is, that many people have very little exposure to the machinery that literally builds so many wristwatch components today. So for your reading pleasure, I break down the basics of milling machines and turning centers, the multi-axis machines that have become a cornerstone of modern fabrication in the watch industry.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming may not be on the bucket list of many except the keen fly fishermen among you, but here are five reasons why nature lovers and photographers might consider a visit: stunning scenery, animal life, Yellowstone National Park, Brakeman burgers, and the northern lights. September is my favorite time to visit Jackson Hole because the summer tourists have thinned, the trees are starting to dress for fall, and the animals move down from the mountains to eat in warmer climes.
Richard Mille is an extreme automobile enthusiast. That is not a secret. In fact, you could almost say that Mille’s brand has been built around his love of automobiles and racing. So, it was a natural fit for the brand to partner with car event specialist Peter Auto in recreating the Chantilly Arts & Elégance classic car show.
In my view, every successful independent watchmaker has elements of a “house style” that may attract some buyers and put off others, but nonetheless sets him or her apart. And, at the highest level, this style goes beyond “branding” to become an expression of the personality and artistic vision of the creator. In the picturesque Swiss town of Thun, Beat Haldimann and his small team distinguish themselves by focusing on technical virtuosity of the highest order, as typified by the Haldimann H1 Flying Central Tourbillon.
While on holiday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming I thought that I would take advantage of the moonless, clear sky and try my hand at shooting a time-lapse series of photos of the stars rotating. I set up my Canon 5D Mk III on a tripod pointing roughly north with the following settings: Lens: 35 -70 mm set to 35 mm; F: 4.0; ISO: 1600 and shutter: 30 seconds. This is the big surprise that I got!
A visit to Dallas, Texas gifted me with a surprise: I came across a very large painting simply entitled ‘Watch’ at the Dallas Museum of Art. Further inquiry into its painter, Gerald Murphy, revealed a fun historical anecdote and a bit of a mystery. Why did Murphy paint a giant Cubist impression of two watches in 1925, and which watches were they?