A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 black-dial and stainless steel case

Behind The Lens: Rare Lange 1 Limited Editions – Reprise

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In this edition of ‘Behind the Lens,’ GaryG pays tribute to the introduction of the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 25 years ago on October 24, 1994. He brings us stunning images of two very special variants of the classic watch: the rare Cellini limited edition, of which only 25 were made for the New York City retailer, and the even rarer stainless steel Lange 1, which was not a limited edition per se but is certainly a (very) limited sort-of production watch.

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

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

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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.

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Two watches associated with Walter Lange: unique steel Homage watch (left) and yellow gold A. Lange & Söhne Pour le Mérite Tourbillon

Behind The Lens: GaryG’s Favorite Photographs From 2018

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GaryG roughly estimates that he has included around 400 photos in his 2018 articles, in turn culled from thousands of initial shots. He found it both enjoyable and a little difficult to select his favorites for the year, but has managed to squeeze it down to his favorite 24 photos, all first shown on Quill & Pad during 2018.

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Hip to be square: shaped Jaeger-LeCoultre watches in the author’s and his wife’s collections

How To (And Not To) Photograph A Watch – Reprise

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One of the great pleasures GaryG has of being a contributor here at Quill & Pad is that it gives him an excuse to set aside other priorities on a regular basis and immerse himself in the world of macro watch photography. Along the way, he has been asked by a number of folks to reveal techniques that he uses to create the images you see in his articles, so here he shares some of his tips.

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Distinguished pieces: Patek Philippe 5078P and 5074P minute repeaters

Behind The Lens: Patek Philippe Reference 5074P Minute Repeater (Reprise)

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GaryG looks at, and listens to, Patek Philippe’s splendid References 5074P minute repeater. He considers the 5074P to be one of the finest contemporary wristwatches; it is a piece that awes him every time he handles one. And now you can look at it in every detail right here.

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Which one for you? Invention Pieces 2 and 1 by Greubel Forsey

Mothers Of Invention: Behind The Lens With Invention Pieces 1 And 2 By Greubel Forsey

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GaryG was delighted to take possession of an Invention Piece 1 with its inclined double tourbillon, while a good friend of his replied in kind with a purchase of the quadruple-tourbillon Invention Piece 2. Ever since, he has been dying to get these two gorgeous monsters side by side in the light tent. And the time has finally come!

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Unmistakable style: Haldimann H1 Flying Central Tourbillon

Behind The Lens: Beat Haldimann’s H1 Flying Central Tourbillon (Archive)

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In GaryG’s view, every successful independent watchmaker has elements of a “house style” that may attract some buyers and put off others, but nonetheless sets him or her apart. And, at the highest level, this style goes beyond “branding” to become an expression of the personality and artistic vision of the creator. In the picturesque Swiss town of Thun, Beat Haldimann and his small team distinguish themselves by focusing on technical virtuosity of the highest order, as typified by the Haldimann H1 Flying Central Tourbillon.

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Rhapsody in stainless steel: Patek Philippe Reference 5950A-001

Behind The Lens: Patek Philippe Ref. 5950A-001 Split-Seconds Chronograph (Archive)

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Given GaryG’s musings on these pages about the relative roles of rarity and complication in driving the value of a watch, he thinks it appropriate to dedicate this “Behind the Lens” entry to a piece that is both complicated and limited in production: Patek Philippe’s Reference 5950A. What’s so special about this watch? Well, first of all it’s a split-seconds chronograph. What else?

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Day and night: two unique Kari Voutilainen chronographs

Behind The Lens: Two Unique Masterpiece II Chronographs From Kari Voutilainen

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A generous friend recently offered GaryG the opportunity to shoot his white gold Kari Voutilainen Masterpiece Chronograph II so that Gary is able to share photos of both his custom pink gold Chronograph II in comparison to his friend’s custom white gold version.

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Soul you can touch: Philippe Dufour Duality

Behind The Lens: Philippe Dufour Duality (Archive)

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For this edition of Behind the Lens, GaryG shares a series of photographs of one of the great watches of our time, the Philippe Dufour Duality. The Duality, with its linked twin escapements, was originally planned for production in a series of 25 watches. In a turn of events that seems almost unbelievable today, a lack of initial demand eventually led Dufour to limit production to just nine pieces.

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