Yard-O-Led mechanical pencils

Yard-O-Led: The Most Traditional Writing Instruments You’ve Never Heard Of

Yard-O-Led is not exactly your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill brand name. And it’s especially not an everyday, run-of-the-mill luxury brand name. However, although Yard-O-Led is an unusual name, it also happens to be a very practical one as it states right up front precisely what made it famous.

Döttling’s Morosini safe open

Are Watch Winders Good For Anything?

A client recently asked me if there are any benefits to using automatic watch winders. The short answer is that I have two viewpoints on watch winders. Click to learn the pros and cons as I see them.

Swatch Touch Zero One

Swatch Group Gets Serious About Connected Watches, Plans Launch Of New Products Late 2018

Swatch Group and CSEM (Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology) announced on February 5, 2017 that the two entities have collaborated to develop a Swiss made “ecosystem” for “connected objects.”

The Quest For My Ultimate Fountain Pen Part 3: The Luxury Brand Period

After obtaining a Delta Dolce Vita Oversized at the conclusion of my Italian period, I was a very happy man. The pen served me very well, and I was in love with the looks as well as the writing experience that it provided. As usual though, while I wasn’t looking for a replacement, it happened anyway. But this time with some very famous brands.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Amvox 1 Alarm in platinum

Complete Overview Of The Jaeger-LeCoultre Amvox Line

In 2016, Richard Mille announced it was the new watch partner to carmaker Aston Martin, effectively taking over the spot that Jaeger-LeCoultre had occupied for 12 years. Which makes this a great time to review the sporty Jaeger-LeCoultre Amvox line.

Derek Pratt’s H4 showing the completed movement and Charles Scarr’s piercing and engraving

Making The Escapement, Remontoir, And Timing For Derek Pratt’s Reconstruction Of John Harrison‘s H4, The World’s First Precision Marine Chronometer (Part 3 of 3)

This is part 3 of a three-part series about Derek Pratt’s reconstruction of John Harrison’s Longitude Prize-winning H4, which was the world’s first precision marine chronometer. This article was first published in ‘The Horological Journal’ (HJ) in April 2015, who we thank for graciously granting permission to republish on Quill & Pad.

Eleuterio earrings in yellow gold and ruthenium from the Couture collection

The Most Glamorous Night In Watchmaking: Eleuterio Filigree Jewelry At The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2016

I am a big fan of Portugal and Portuguese culture. I was therefore pleased to discover recently that the art of the filigree technique in jewelry, one of Portugal’s own traditional arts, is the main idea behind a luxurious 90-year-old jewelry brand called Eleuterio. And even more pleasing: I wore some of Eleuterio’s lovely jewelry to watchmaking’s biggest night, the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

A finished diamond pallet beside a match head for Derek Pratt's John Harrison H4 reconstruction

Making The Diamond Pallets For Derek Pratt’s Reconstruction Of John Harrison‘s H4, The World’s First Precision Marine Chronometer (Part 2 of 3)

Here we present the second part in a three-part series about the making of Derek Pratt’s reconstruction of John Harrison’s H4. This part was written by Carl Murray of Frodsham. This article was first published in ‘The Horological Journal’ (HJ) in March 2015, who we thank for permission to republish on Quill & Pad.

Grayson Tighe Zirconium Dong Son fountain pen

Pen Maker Grayson Tighe And Watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin Utilize Creative Dong Son Theme

It’s not just the Đông Sơn drum theme of these two quite different collector’s items by watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin and pen maker Grayson Tighe that caught my eye: it was more than that, it was the actual pieces themselves inspired by the indigenous people of the Red River Delta of Vietnam.

What a beautiful theme to decorate such rare and interesting objects with.

Reconstruction of Jhon Harrison's H4 by Derek Pratt, which was finished by Frodshams (image courtesy British Horological Journal)

Derek Pratt’s Reconstruction Of John Harrison’s H4, The World’s First Precision Marine Chronometer (Part 1 of 3)

Here we present the first part in a three-part series about the making of Derek Pratt’s H4 reconstruction. This part was written by Roger Stevenson, chief watchmaker at Frodsham. This article was first published in the ‘The Horological Journal’ (HJ) in February 2015 and we thank them for the gracious permission to republish it on Quill & Pad.