Perpetual Calendars: What They Do And What Most Of Them Don’t Do

Chris Malburg highlights some of the finest examples of perpetual calendar watches today and dives into their history.

Why I Bought It: Konstantin Chaykin Joker – Reprise

When I encountered Konstantin Chaykin’s Joker, whose “face” is literally just that with two googly eyes showing the hours and minutes with their respective pupils and a lolling red tongue displaying the phase of the moon. I was transfixed. And moments later I placed my order. Find out why right here!

The author’s first November auction purchase: A. Lange & Söhne Pour le Mérite Tourbillon

Why I Bought It: A. Lange & Söhne Pour Le Mérite Tourbillon – Reprise

When the hammer came down at the Phillips auction late 2016 and GaryG had become the new owner of an A. Lange & Söhne Pour Le Mérite Tourbillon, the feeling was one of complete joy, representing the culmination of a multiyear chase. What makes this particular watch so special in so many ways to him?

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with blue Tapisserie dial

Trends: Not All Watches Are Created Equal – Reprise

Trends rule a larger part of our lives than many of us wish to admit. Sometimes we follow trends consciously, but often we are subconsciously influenced in the choices we make. All brands perform a delicate tightrope walk, but they differ in how successful they are. Let’s take a look at how trends affect or don’t affect now-iconic timepieces.

Getting Through The Great Lockdown Of 2020: A Collector’s Guide To Solitude

These are tough times. People around the world are fighting for their lives against the novel coronavirus, and far too many have already lost the battle. However, as GaryG explains, as with many other challenges in life, there is one sure-fire solution to lift the spirits: watches!

Van Cleef & Arpels Pierre Arpels Heure d’ici & Heure d’ailleurs for Only Watch 2015

The Retrograde: One Of My Favorite Complications – Reprise

The retrograde indication is one of Joshua Munchow’s favorite “Because We Can” (BWC) complications. Gears are an amazing invention and have allowed watchmakers to make incredible creations. Simple gear systems leave a multitude of openings for creativity. Look at some great retrogrades here.

2012: RIP Ladoire

Would You Buy A Watch From A Defunct Brand If The Price Was Right? Here’s What You Should Consider – Reprise

Let’s be honest: nobody needs a high-end mechanical watch. That we want one is based on the different levels of how a particular watch appeals to our emotions. And in the heat of passion, we sometimes tend to forget that, as in any normal industry, companies sometimes cease to exist for a panoply of reasons. What should you consider if you own, or would still like to own, a watch made by a now-defunct brand?

A pre-owned Omega Speedmaster on the wrist (photo courtesy Bob’s Watches)

Decoding Omega References: 14 Magic Digits And Codification Tables Revealed – Reprise

Many watch enthusiasts dream of owning at least one timepiece by Omega. And maybe even a second or a third. The Swiss brand definitely ranks among the most popular watch firms. To give you an idea of the overwhelming variety in the current Omega watch world, Sabine Zwettler has put together a guideline for reference numbers.

The OG: the author’s Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire with silver dial

Why I Bought It: Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire – Reprise

There are some watches you fall for the moment you see them. Sometimes that initial infatuation passes and you move on to the next temporary obsession, but then there are those instances in which the more you see, talk about, and learn about a piece and its origins the more you resolve to save up to buy one. For GaryG, the Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire was one of the latter.

Attention to detail: Alexa Meade paints the Jules Audemars Equation of Time

Becoming Horological Art: My Transformational Experience With Alexa Meade And The Audemars Piguet Equation Of Time – Reprise

It would be relatively easy, and pretty interesting, for GaryG to tell you the story of his two days one summer with artist Alexa Meade and her team. And he’ll get to that, but there’s more: the flood of sensations and emotions that came from considering why time and space are so important to him and from inhabiting a work of art that melded GaryG’s vision of himself with the artist’s interpretation and self-expression. But what does any of this have to do with watches?