Watch collector Quentin R. Bufogle was determined to add a piece to his collection harking back to those dust-strewn days of early Las Vegas, a time when the occasional tumbleweed still ambled along what would one day become the famous Las Vegas Strip. And he found it in a 1946 Bulova Aviator B. Here’s how and why.
After a week on the wrist, Chris Malburg had some issues with Grand Seiko’s Blue Snowflake Reference SBGA407. Even so, he pulled the trigger. Here Chris explains how he fixed those issues and why this watch just might deserve a place in your collection too.
Dr. William Julien, an experienced watch collector, sent us a link to a video that he and his son, William Alexander Julien, made about the journey of his commissioning of a bespoke Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire. The nine-minute video is very moving and beautifully filmed and edited. I highly recommend that you pour yourself a glass of your favorite tipple and hit play: it will not disappoint.
Wouldn’t it be splendid to have everything your heart desired? Well, it’s a nice fantasy but it’s not going to happen for GaryG. And, besides, he’s not so sure that the experience of “selling to buy” isn’t actually a significant part, albeit a bittersweet one, of the collecting experience. Find out why here.
Roger Smith holds a special place in the pantheon of independent watchmaking, both on his own merits and as the man who worked most closely with the legendary George Daniels. While any Smith watch is rare, this particular Series 2 is unique: it’s the only watch in stainless steel that Smith has yet produced.
Love them or hate them, one thing that most collectors know is that tourbillons are very expensive. That’s all changed with Patria’s Brigadier Tourbillon Subscription Edition costing ‘just’ CHF 18,000 for a beautifully hand finished Swiss Made tourbillon.
Many think that the Rolex Submariner is the first modern dive watch, however that crown belongs to the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, which became the blueprint for all modern divers’ watches.
Watch enthusiasts traveling into Switzerland, Germany, Japan, China, and the United States are targets of opportunity for border customs police. Here Chris Malburg shows how to avoid paying more in duties and taxes than necessary and the embarrassment of being suspected of smuggling legitimately purchased watches.
After reading article after article discussing the virtues of Patek Philippe’s Nautilus, it became clear to watch enthusiast and Quill & Pad reader Perry Heim that none stated a self-evident truth that appears obvious to him. In this “letter to the editor” Perry explains in detail what he finds so appealing about the Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5711. And he stacks the Nautilus up against some serious contemporary contenders.
GaryG won’t soon forget the pre-opening independents party at Baselworld in 2019 where Kari Voutilainen wasted no time in showing him and a few friends a breathtaking timepiece: his 28ti, number 0, in titanium. Gary shares what happened next here and how it resulted in him photographing this unique piece.