No longer a prototype, the production version of Naissance d’Une Montre, Le Garde Temps on display at SIHH 2016

The Schmidt List: Signature Movement Screws – Reprise

The components of a mechanical watch movement are little more than a series of springs and wheels held together by plates and/or bridges. No matter the configuration, complication or finish, the ensemble is secured by the humble movement screw. So it’s a pleasant surprise that several watchmakers have boldly ventured beyond the thread and the slot to reimagine the movement screw.

Inside Maxim's restaurant in Paris

Maxim’s: Dining At The World’s Most Famous Restaurant

In all the years she had been going to Paris, staying in swanky hotels and eating cuisine prepared by the famous chefs who populate Paris, it never once crossed Elizabeth Doerr’s mind that she could actually just make a reservation and go to Maxim’s. Recently she did just that and shares her experience with us here.

Parting shot: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronographs in white gold

Behind The Lens: Two 1815 Chronographs From A. Lange & Söhne

Can you imagine buying a watch bracelet and then searching for the right watch to pair with it? Seems a bit far fetched, but that’s exactly what a good friend of GaryG’s did a few years ago. And it led to him purchasing two beautiful 1815 Chronograph models from A. Lange & Söhne.

Cloudburst Wines

Cloudburst: The Ultimate Unicorn Wine

Wine lovers all enjoy the chance to drink a unicorn wine, and bottles from Australia’s Cloudburst are nothing if not that. Ken Gargett tells the story of an unusual winery with an unusual attitude and certainly unusual, though excellent and rare, wines.

Romeo Y Julieta Tacos Edición Limitada 2018

Romeo Y Julieta Tacos Edición Limitada 2018 Cigars: An Old-Fashioned Smoke Built For The Long Haul

The last of the 2018 Limited Editions has just crossed Ken Gargett’s path: the Romeo y Julieta Tacos Edición Limitada 2018. And while in recent years there have been overwhelmingly positive reviews for most of the Limited Editions, the Tacos has had a very mixed response. But, most importantly, what does Ken think?

F.P. Journe Parfum d'Ambiance

F.P. Journe: The Scent Of Success

As we might expect from F.P. Journe, the parfum d’ambiance created for use in its boutiques is a thing of beauty: a clever compilation of light floral notes on a woody, cedar base. It is the base that provides its longevity, while the floral notes tone it down. The result is a contemporary composition brightening up the room and working effectively in light doses as a great interior perfume should. But why should we care?

1907 Heidsieck Monopole Gout American

1907 Heidsieck Monopole Gout American: After Perfect ‘Cellaring’ In A Shipwreck, It’s The World’s Most Expensive Champagne

Heidsieck Monopole Gout American 1907 is the world’s most expensive champagne. This is the famous “shipwreck champagne” and it has a truly extraordinary story to tell, much more interesting than simply the prices it has achieved.

Foursquare Rum: Compelling Texture And Great Length, Though Lacking A Swashbuckling Name

Foursquare from Barbados offers a fine range of different rums, including some vintage bottlings that do not hit the shelves until they have had at least a solid decade of aging in barrel. Ken Gargett describes what else this interesting producer with a long history in the Caribbean has to offer.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reversos on the wrist at the 2014 ovarian cancer awareness event

Wristshots: The Story So Far, What Works And What To Avoid – Reprise

If you like watches at all, you have certainly seen wristshots and perhaps you have even posted a few of your own. Like the selfie, wristshots seem to be ubiquitous these days. But where did wristshots come from, why do they exist, and what are the pitfalls to look out for? GaryG shares a few tips on what he has learned works and what doesn’t.

Krug Vintage 2002 champagne

Krug Champagne: A Story Of Krugists Earning Five Cases Per Year Every Year For The Rest Of One’s Life And Wine Tasting Like “. . . Angels Have Descended From Heaven”

Anyone who expresses even so much as a fleeting interest in great wine will soon come across Krug, for many the greatest champagne of all. And there are champagne lovers and then there are devotees of Krug: Krugists. Ken Gargett doubts that any other champagne, any wine, has a word to designate their adoring fans. Here he explains why.