Thierry Lombard and Mathias Beche driving a sensually sculptured 1953 Aston Marin DB3

The 2014 Mille Miglia Day-By-Day

The 2014 Mille Miglia runs for four days from 15 through 18 May 2014. Thursday, the 15th of May, 2014 is day one of the 2014 Mille Miglia. While there are regular checkpoints, marshals and police, it seems like anything goes; anyone can join in the race – while it’s called a time trial, the Mille Miglia is to all intents and purposes a Gumball Rally-type road race.

Porsche 550RS driven by Friedrich Scheufele and Jacky Ickx in the 2010 Mille Miglia. Image courtesy V12GT.com

Quill & Pad At The Mythic Mille Miglia

Only a few sporting events are fortunate enough to transcend the confines of their sports. But for these special few, their name and reputation evoke powerful associations, even among those who care little for the sport itself.

And when it comes to endurance racing in historic cars, one name stands above all others: the Mille Miglia in Italy.

Micro-cables suspending the movement of the Richard Mille RM 027

Rafael Nadal, The World’s No.1 Tennis Player; The Richard Mille RM 27-01, The World’s Most Expensive Sports Watch; And The Ion Tiriac Trophy, The World’s Most Complicated Tennis Trophy

The Mutua Madrid Open is a young tournament; it crowned just its thirteenth winner on May 11, 2014. This winner happens to be world number one Rafael Nadal. And Nadal was wearing an evolution of the ground-breakingly ultra-light RM 027. In lightness as in its $690,000 price tag, this watch breaks all kinds of records.

El Castillo at Chichen Itza

The World’s Biggest Man-Made Calendar: El Castillo At Chichén Itzá

Contemplating the 30-meter-high ancient pyramid at Mayan archeological site Chichén Itzá in the blazing Yucatán sunlight, I was awestruck by the structure’s complexity. Not just because of the pure historical ramifications of the pyramid and temple , but also because of its timekeeping capabilities. Chichén Itzá’s most famous structure was actually built to be the world’s largest calendar And this at a time when calendars didn’t even exist!

All gold on earth came from outer space

How To Make Gold. Warning: Don’t Try This At Home!

The most common choice for classic dress watches has to be gold, but have you ever wondered where that gold originally came from? And by “originally” I’m not referring to a gold mine on earth but the original source of the gold even before it arrived on our planet. Spoiler alert: it involves an explosion, a very big explosion!

Roland Iten R8SC buckle

A Tale Of Belt Buckles Starring Sylvester Stallone, Roland Iten . . . And Me

For those of you not aware of who, or what, Roland Iten is then the two words − though not the only two − you need to know are “belt buckles.” High-end belt buckles. Belt buckles crafted like a high-end watch. Belt buckles crafted like a very high-end watch. Crafted so well that both Sylvester Stallone and I are big fans.

Unique piece Manu Propria fountain pen for Quill & Pad

How Urushi Lacquer Has Seeped Into Watchmaking. And How You Can Win A Unique Writing Instrument!

Angular Momentum may be known to the watch enthusiast as the boutique brand having produced such colorful and unique timepiece lines as the Axis, Time Explosion, Tec & Art, Color-Tec (which featured an innovative and colorful “mosaic” steel), and Eglomisé (“reverse painting” in French).

Hideaway Bay, Coral Sea, Whitsundays, Australia

Give Me Five! The Stunning Whitsundays In Australia

For those living in the Northern hemisphere, which I guess is the majority of you, here are a few photos that will hopefully help chase away the winter chill and damp, at least for a few minutes anyway.