While my friends’ paths into serious collecting have been fairly diverse, I started with Jaeger-LeCoultre, which opened my eyes to the world of fine watchmaking and served as the foundation for my ongoing fascination with horology. Take a look at hishistory collecting fascinating timepieces by this Swiss brand.
Sotheby’s will auction four watches by George Daniels, three from his personal collection that were originally auctioned in 2012 and a very rare 1999 Millennium wristwatch. Get the full story on these pieces right here.
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.
Post-war United States boasted unique market conditions that allowed for diamond-set men’s watches from a variety of brands to thrive. Martin Green takes us on a journey to discover how and why diamond-set watches became part of the American Dream.
Quill & Pad contributor Simon Cudd has seldom worn a standard original strap on any watch he has ever owned. He has now teamed up with Giles Ellis, founder of Schofield Watch Company, to create original, bespoke straps under the name Schofield + Cudd.
Connoisseurs, as I wrote previously, want to connect with their watches, desiring an object to behold and cherish for its beauty, rarity, or complexity. Enthusiasts, on the other hand, like to wear their watches, use their watches, and maybe even abuse their watches when they utilize them as the tools they are.
Here is an entertaining little story about me, my Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and a bunch of guys around a poker table – a story I’m sure many watch guys and gals can relate to.
Once in a while on the collector forums, a question is posed: is there anyone in the collector community who has never, ever, owned a Rolex? As a general rule, respondents to these queries tend to express disbelief that such a creature could possibly exist given the quality and ubiquity of the brand’s watches. Well, folks, I’m here to tell you that such people do exist, and that I’m one of them. How could it be?
New York, New York! Teeming metropolis, center of commerce and culture, and for two dizzying weeks in July 2017 the epicenter of the watch-related world as Patek Philippe’s Grand Exhibition shone a spotlight on the past, present, and future of haute horlogerie. Read on to find out why I think this exhibition was so important.
I love watches made by small independent artisans because they fully embody the vision of their makers, who have put blood, sweat, and tears into creating them. Among the independent brands, De Bethune is most probably my favorite. In fact, no probably about it: De Bethune is my favorite. After close to a year of thought, I finally approached the De Bethune team to discuss a customized Maxichrono. Here’s how it played out.