Elizabeth Doerr was particularly pleased to receive a copy of ‘Konstantin Chaykin: Haute Horlogerie With Russian Soul’ and to discover it was expertly written by Alexey Kutkovoy, both of whom she has known and respected for many years. Her verdict? “There is nothing left to say but ‘spectacular’.”
Ken Gargett recently had the good fortune to partake in a wine-tasting lunch with well-heeled friends and judge who brought the best wines. The best (though there was some controversy) was a 1989 Krug champagne. But there was no debate over the best red: a 2010 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany. Here he shares some of the fascinating history of Biondi-Santi and its wines.
In no particular order, Elizabeth Doerr shares eight random facts that she found interesting, entertaining, and/or educational that are mined from Quill & Pad articles published in 2021. Enjoy!
There was a time when viewers didn’t consciously pay that much attention to what kind of wristwatches movie characters wore. This often meant that actors wore their personal watches on set, sometimes even when it didn’t suit the movie. Today placing a wristwatch in a big film is big business, which also changes the types of timepieces characters now wear.
For many watch enthusiasts, it is probably not a stretch to say that fine timepieces are often enjoyed with a fine glass of bubbly. So without further ado, here are five much-heralded prestige champagne releases from the stellar 2012 vintage that stand out for their extraordinary “taste.” Just in time for you to toast the start of 2022!
Hervé Deschamps has described the Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs as “the quintessence of Chardonnay with the brilliance and rarity of a yellow diamond.” Ken Gargett thinks it’s hard to argue with that. Here he explains why and shares his experience with the 2006 vintage.
Ken Gargett describes the Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet 2018 as beautifully refined, elegant, and powerful with the structure and fruit to last and improve for another 10, 20, or 30 years. An exquisite Cabernet, one of Australia’s best, and his score reflects it. Here Ken also gives us more than ample background on Wynns, the premier producer in Coonawarra, South Australia.
In honor of ‘The King’s Man,’ the next instalment of the entertaining Kingsman film series, which is finally getting released, Elizabeth Doerr takes a look at the watches that starred in each of the three films – three watches that are as diverse as if they had come from Marvel’s multiverse!
How time flies! It seems like only yesterday that GaryG penned an article about wristshots. But that was back in 2015. And in 2017 that he posted thoughts and images on how to – and how not to – take watch photographs for sharing. It seemed to Gary that it’s about time for an update on both – as while some things remain the same, much has changed.
To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of its founder, Jaquet Droz commissioned a big, beautiful book written by Swiss historian Dr. Sandrine Girardier. Elizabeth Doerr reviews ‘The Worlds of Jaquet Droz’ here.