Montecristo Línea 1935 (L-R): Dumas (49 x 130 mm), Maltés (53 x 153 mm), and the Leyenda (55 x 165 mm)

Montecristo Línea 1935 Leyenda Cigar: The Closest Thing To The Second Coming?

The long-awaited, much-hyped, and very much debated line of premium cigars Línea 1935 from the house of Montecristo is finally hitting the shelves. The Línea 1935 range is very much aimed at the pinnacle: these are high-priced cigars for special occasions. But how do they smoke? Ken Gargett has specific opinions on this.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class 2019: Some Icons Simply Refuse To Die

While you would be forgiven for not noticing, for the very first time in its longstanding career the Mercedes G-Class has been completely redesigned. Martin Green explains how the “brick” has been improved and why it will still appeal to fans of the traditional vehicle.

Bollinger RD 2004 champagne

Bollinger RD 2004: When It Came To Champagne (And Much Else), Madame Bollinger Had Excellent Taste

What a wonderful champagne the Bollinger RD 2004 is. It has a glorious level of richness. It is complex with dark fruits, mushrooms, nuts and florals, and notably lemon blossoms. Its impressive length and wonderfully seductive texture make it a wine to search out.

Independent art: Tourbillon Souverain from F.P. Journe

Behind The Lens: The F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain (Archive)

As part of my “enthusiast collector” role here at Quill & Pad I will be taking a look at watches that strike my fancy, and sharing the visual results with you along with a few observations on photography, the watches themselves, and the collectors who own them.
Let’s get started, shall we? Our subject for this episode: the F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain with remontoir d’égalité.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso with impressive rock setting

Diamond-Set Watches: Who Knew Fine Craftsmanship Was So Complicated?

Adding a few diamonds to a watch: how hard can that be? As it turns out, stone setting is a lot more difficult than many appreciate. Diamond-setting watches requires the expertise and craftsmanship of about half a dozen highly skilled craftsmen, each a master of their craft.

Silicon: A Closer Look At The Material That Unleashed A Refreshing Range Of Haute Horlogerie Ideas

Following the recent article on silicon balance springs by watchmaker Ashton Tracy called ‘Is Silicon Here To Stay In (Rolex) Watch Movements?’ Timothy Treffry decided to take a closer, more technical look at the intriguing silicon material from which the components are made.

Love at first shot: A. Lange & Söhne Double Split captured with the Hasselblad X1D

Behind The Lens: Shooting Watches With The Hasselblad X1D-50C

GaryG ordered a Hasselblad X1D and received it just in time to use it for some candid portraits during Baselworld 2017. He had never shot a medium-format camera before, and the resolving power, color rendering, and ability to seemingly wrap light around a subject completely blew him away. So when Hasselblad announced that it would be offering a 120 mm macro lens for the X1D, he was among the very first to sign up. But did it make a difference in his watch photography?

Chopard perfume Magnolia au Vétiver d’Haïti

Chopard: From Haute Horlogerie To Haute Parfumerie

Chopard has been in the perfume business for more than 20 years, but now with the founding of Chopard Perfumes, the Genevan brand takes full control of its scents and immediately kicks things into a higher gear with four new products based on sustainably sourced ingredients.

Glenmorangie Signet whiskey

Glenmorangie Signet: Rooted In Pictish Design And Worth Seeking Out

Islay whiskeys may hold pride of place for Ken, but there are many other whiskys he thoroughly enjoys, and the offerings from Glenmorangie, at home in Scotland’s Highland region, are among them. Especially the delightful Signet.

Breguet Marine Equation of Time Marchante Ref. 5887

Equation Of Time: What Is It And What’s The Attraction In A Watch?

In its simplest form, the equation of time is defined as the difference between the time displayed by the position of the sun (as by a sundial) and the time displayed by any modern clock or watch. But that’s just the beginning, and watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains more.