I have a fairly narrow frame of reference when it comes to buying watches for myself: my taste runs to independents, in-house movements, and superlative hand-finishing. So why on earth am I sitting here typing about the Corum Bubble, which is from a big (for me) brand and outfitted with an ETA 2892 movement with an industrial finish? Well, this is why I bought it.
In my 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.
Döttling is a safe manufacturer. But these are not your run-of-the-mill safes, as the workshop specialized in the bespoke was founded in 1919 as a small locksmith shop by Markus Döttling’s great-grandfather, Ernst Döttling.
The products in Döttling’s Legend line start life as vintage safes discovered by the Döttling team. Beautiful refurbishing of the piece in old-world manner allows every aspect of it to be fitted out for its future owner.
The latest Legend is a safe with a fascinating history starting in nineteenth-century Italy with Victor Emmanuel II and his great love, Rosa Vercellana . . .
When someone says “I’m no prude,” it is pretty easy to imagine what typically comes next: a prudish commentary on some aspect of modern society or youth culture. I like sex. There we go! To the point and leaves no doubt as to intent, I’d say. That said, I typically try to keep my interests in sex and watches somewhat distinct. But does the industry at large?
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?
Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. This was a day of soulful heartbreak as I knew I would sorely miss his voice. Elvis owned a number of wristwatches. Good ones. He liked watches, which anyone can still guess because in almost any photo of The King it is not hard to spy an interesting timepiece on his wrist. So in honor of the day of Elvis’ passing in the year he would have turned 80 were he still alive, I’d like to take a peek at some of the watches he’s owned, as well as one watch he not only owned but helped make famous: the Hamilton Ventura.
“What, another watch?” she almost screamed in disbelief no sooner than I had opened the front door to our little love nest. Rewind to last week. I had been looking for a Roger Smith Series 1 for some time now, and Jones, my watch dealer, happened to finally locate one. I thought that I had played it pretty safe, so I really don’t know how she could have noticed. But then what happened next changed the rest of my life.
For Quill & Pad’s themed “Ladies’ Week” in my role as resident collector, my thoughts turned immediately to that other collector in my life: my charming wife. MrsG is perhaps most enthusiastic about her collection of Southwestern Native American arts and jewelry, but let’s get started with a look at her interesting watches, which include excellent examples from Jaeger-LeCoultre, Blancpain, Alain Silberstein, Audemars Piguet, and more.
Talking to Eric Singer about watches is like cramming four months’ worth of casual shop talk into one hour: Singer is really, really into watches. One of rock’s hardest working drummers, he has played with acts like Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Lita Ford, and Gary Moore as well as Kiss. In addition to a love of music, Singer inherited a love of timepieces from his father; his extensive collection illustrates his passion for the subject.
One evening while we were sipping away at his ex-wife’s stock of 1945 Pétrus, my buddy Slippery Steve and I contemplated a few of the essential questions in life, the kind that rarely find a real answer. Where do I come from? Is there life after death? Can I wear brown shoes after 6:00 PM? Is my Audemars Piguet a fake? Following on that conversation, Slippery Steve and I offer you six easy ways to recognize if your watch is fake. No prior knowledge needed and entertaining photography guaranteed!