1957 Aston Martin DBR2, Laguna Seca

Pebble Beach Classic Car Week 2014: The Enthusiast Collector Goes To Car Heaven

If you are a watch enthusiast or know people who are, I am sure that it has not escaped your notice that watch nuts are often car nuts and vice versa. Generalities aside, I can tell you that in my specific case I have been car crazy for as long as I have been a watch fanatic.

A close up look at the dial of the Patek Philippe Advanced Research Reference 5550P Perpetual Calendar

Behind The Lens: Patek Philippe Advanced Research Reference 5550P Perpetual Calendar

Welcome to the second installment of “Behind the Lens.” This time, our subject is the Patek Philippe Advanced Research Ref. 5550P, a truly lovely perpetual calendar with some interesting technical twists.

Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Mr. Daniel Roth in pink gold (photo courtesy Guy Lucas de Peslouan)

The Watch That Changed My Life: The Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon By Daniel Roth

Many watches hold a special significance for their owners. The watch I am chronicling here didn’t just change someone’s life, it changed MY life: the Jean Daniel Nicolas Two-Minute Tourbillon by Daniel Roth.

Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon Technique

Objects Of Desire: Greubel Forsey

In the “Objects of Desire” series, I’ll be looking at pieces that fall into the latter two categories – a mix of unobtanium and timenotrightium, as my Quill & Pad colleague Joshua Munchow might say. And, where better to start on the topic of desire than with the watches of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey?

Central triple-axis tourbillon of the Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon

Why I Bought It: Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon

This is the first in a planned series of “why I bought it” articles that will unfold here over time. Of course, there will be photos – and lots of them – but I hope you’ll find my commentary on a collector’s mindset and the motivations, delights, and possible misgivings behind each individual transaction interesting, too. Let’s start the series off with a bang: the Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon.

A happy momement. Your author collecting his Simplicity from its creator, Philippe Dufour.

Why Philippe Dufour Matters. And It’s Not A Secret

“I have no secrets as past watchmakers had. There are graveyards full of secrets and that’s enough.” –Philippe Dufour, 2014

Have you heard of Philippe Dufour?

Chances are, if you have been collecting watches for any significant period of time, his name is well known to you. If not, let me enlighten you.

F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain with remontoir d’égalité

Behind The Lens: The F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain

As part of my “enthusiast collector” role here at Quill & Pad I will be taking a look at watches that strike my fancy, and sharing the visual results with you along with a few observations on photography, the watches themselves, and the collectors who own them.
Let’s get started, shall we? Our subject for this episode: the F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain with remontoir d’égalité.

Blue Merit by Grieb & Benzinger

An Enthusiast Collector’s View Of The Grieb & Benzinger Blue Merit

De gustibus non disputandum est, as they say: there is no arguing about taste! In particular, I’m not one to tell people what they can do with their belongings. If you, for instance, want to take your Ferrari, paint it pink, and put a giant Hello Kitty decal on it, that’s your privilege. That doesn’t mean that I have to like the item in question. In this instance, I am referring to the Grieb & Benzinger re-interpretation of the classic A. Lange & Söhne Pour le Mérite Tourbillon christened Blue Merit.

A. Lange & Söhne Double Split after refurbishment

Why You Can’t Afford To Buy Your Watch If You Can’t Afford To Break It

GaryG’s first rule when it comes to collecting is to avoid setting too many exclusionary rules. With watches, I believe that it’s the passion that separates collectors from investors and accumulators. Which brings him to another rule: deriving the full enjoyment from the things you own.

Watchmaker assembles the Vostok-Europe Lunokhod 2, the first to use a Soprod movement, in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photo courtesy Tim Temple Imagery

A Short History Of The Russian Watch Industry And Where It Is Today

When it comes to manufacturing in Russia and Eastern Europe, the typical items that most often spring to mind tend to be nesting dolls, Fabergé eggs, amber jewelry and many of the world’s best-built fighter jets and machine guns.