Louis Armstrong playing trumpet in 1953, wearing his prized gold wristwatch

Jazz And The Syncopation Of Fine Mechanics

Rebellion takes on many forms – like jazz music, which at one time represented an extreme deviation from musical tables and conventional styles of music – perhaps as much or even more so than rock and roll. What timekeepers did these musical giants prefer to wear? And which brands pay tribute to them today?

Hennessy Paradis Imperial

Hennessy Paradis Imperial Cognac: Ethereal, With Great Length And Complexity, Yet Balanced

Top-shelf Cognac: perhaps no more divisive drink exists. However, by any measure, Hennessy Paradis Imperial is a superb Cognac with finely balanced flavors and magnificently packaged. It is definitely worth the search.

You don’t need a garage: a selection of chronographs from GaryG’s collection

Collecting Watches And Cars: What’s The Same And What’s Different?

Cars and watches, watches and cars: they do seem to go together! Scratch almost any watch lover and you’re going to find a car lover just under the surface. GaryG talks with his pal “Enzo” in this interesting discussion about the similarities and dissimilarities of car and watch collecting.

TVR Griffith 2018

TVR Is Back From The Brink Of Death And Racing Towards Le Mans With Rebellion

Some car brands are so quintessentially English that they can only be developed in the United Kingdom. TVR is a prime example of this, however despite more than its share of dark times, the company is on a roll again, having recently launched a new Griffith – and a new partner for World Endurance Racing in Rebellion.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost And Rare Whisky: Hype Or No Hype?

To many, big must be bad. How often have we heard Johnnie Walker demeaned? Quite why is hard to fathom. Johnnie Walker Blue is a very fine whisky, and now we have something even more special: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare. But is this expensive bottle overhyped or that good?

1971 DRC Romanée-Conti (photo courtesy Christies)

The World’s Best Wine? No Contest: Romanée-Conti By Domaine De La Romanée-Conti

There is one wine producer that has taken on almost mythical status in recent years: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. And one of its wines, Romanée-Conti, stands out above all others. Many wine lovers, perhaps most, consider it to be the very best wine in the world. I’m one of them.

Eric Clapton’s Rolex Daytona Reference 6263 Oyster Albino (photo courtesy Phillips)

The (Not So) Complete Story Of Rock And Roll And Watches: Ramp The Volume Up To 11!

The mechanical watch works just like a metronome, with its isochronic balance maintaining a steady rhythm and the delicate tick-tock of its pallet jewels providing a rhythmic beat to our oft-frantic lives. If we ramp up the power and swap the metronome for a drum kit and a few electric guitars we have rock and roll! But which watches do rock-and-roll icons wear?

Parting shot: Boucheron bespoke tiger cufflink and Philippe Dufour Simplicity

GaryG Goes To Paris To Pick Up Custom Boucheron Cufflinks Or How I Spent My Summer Vacation (Archive)

Ah, Paris! City of Lights. For the watch collector, it’s a great place to visit with boutiques aplenty, some owned and operated by the major brands; high-end mega-stores like Bucherer; and smaller independent retailers like Chronopassion and Dubail. Gary took a quick weekend trip to Paris and while there he took the opportunity to pack in as much fun as possible. Come along and bienvenue!

The Fabergé Rosebud Egg from 1895 (photo courtesy The Forbes Collection)

Easter Special: A Brief History Of Fabulous Fabergé Eggs (Archive)

When they hear the name Fabergé, most people immediately think of imperial Easter eggs. This is logical because even today the breathtaking craftsmanship and detailed execution of these objets d’art are the stuff of legends.

Not in GaryG’s collection: the Rolex Daytona 116595RBOW introduced at Baselworld 2018

The Bling and I: Collecting Jeweled And Decorated Timepieces

Watch collecting should be fun! Yes, it’s important to show the proper respect for the designers and makers of the watches we all love, but at the same time I think it’s completely appropriate to go beyond somber and traditional daily watches and give a bit of free rein to one’s desire for more flamboyant timepieces.