As the resident gentleman of Quill & Pad, Martin Green feels that the time is soon approaching to write an obituary announcing the death of the dress watch. He thinks that its passing is coming and it’s not an isolated event, but it still hurts.
Marketing material for the modern mechanical watch almost always includes a description of the the movement’s frequency. You may have even sensed that the higher the frequency, the more accurate a movement gets. But is this entirely true? Ryan Schmidt shares what he has learnt here.
Several months ago, Ian Skellern published a provocative article taking issue with the current state of online watch journalism. Specifically, he criticized what in his view is the low quality and repetitive nature of what we see online. But are things really uniform and uniformly bad or are there distinct types of online sources and content? GaryG wonders how we think about the different business models and value propositions of watch sites, and what it tells us about how the future may unfold.
Why watches? Ask what makes a watch enthusiast tick and the idea of the “soul” of a watch might well feature in the response – the idea that something elevates the watch from a cold object of engineering to something of greater import. Here Ryan tracks “soul” down and gets contemplative on its nature along with some very special imagery.
GaryG loves independent watchmaking and independent watchmakers; one of his great joys as a collector is having the feeling that, in a small way, he is supporting their efforts. So he put some thought into why independent watchmakers struggle in a business sense and how they can remain relevant in changing market situations.
Date windows on wristwatches can be a touchy subject. Many feel they are downright ugly and destroy the look of a good watch, while others swear by them as the most useful and affordable complication. Whatever camp you may be in, the date function can be the cause of considerable grief, particularly the rapid set mechanism.
My colleague Derek Weinberg shared his views on Quill & Pad recently regarding the way he sees things in the modern watch industry (spoiler alert: he is deeply saddened). Joshua once held similar beliefs, however today he sees things differently.
As Martin Green became ever more impressed by the performance of the Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, he also found himself ever-enamored by its little quirks and the variety of watches it has been tapped to power. Here he outlines the history of a classic automatic movement.
In the society we live in, a society of technology-driven mass production and digital revolution, Derek Weinberg reflects on how a mechanical timepiece has evolved from a functional object serving as a faithful companion in a busy life to a collectible object satisfying its owner from behind a pane of glass.
Based on the most popular releases of 2017, it is possible that the almighty tourbillon may about to be usurped by something new and rather old at the same time: the chronograph. In this installment of Joshua Munchow’s “Here’s Why” series, he explores why the chronograph is the new tourbillon.