MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual on the author’s wrist at SIHH 2016

Collectors Speak: Picks And Pans Of SIHH Week 2016

It’s already been six consecutive years that I’ve had the delightful experience of going through SIHH week with several of my closest friends. Our closing discussions centered around four questions, which were focused more tightly on SIHH itself this year due to the inclusion of nine independent watchmakers: what watch did you think was best of show at SIHH? What was the worst watch of the show? What watch displayed at the show would you buy if money were no object? What watch did you see on display that would you buy with your own money?

Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision on the wrist

Complete List Of Prize Winners In The 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The evening of Thursday, October 29, 2015 played host to the red-carpet gala evening in Geneva for the presentation of prizes in the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. We will be sharing our thoughts and insights on the winners of the big night, and why those not so lucky may have missed out. But without further ado, here are the brands and watches that went home with a well-deserved trophy.

h Week, I happened to notice what was on the wrists of my neighbors (this caliber of watches was not unusual for many of the visitors of the exhibition)

Dubai Watch Week: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

The inaugural Dubai Watch Week (DWW) has just closed its doors. And what a week it has been: sunny days filled withintroductory watchmaking classes, informative and often entertaining discussion panels, conversations with CEOs and watchmakers, and a multitude of watch collectors and aficionados enjoying all the event had to offer. But before we take a look at what was good about DWW, let’s get the “bad” and the “ugly” out of the way first.

Watchmaking Masterclass with Lang & Heyne CEO Marco Lang at Dubai Watch Week

Initial Impressions Of Dubai Watch Week

Quill & Pad is in Dubai for the exciting inaugural event known as Dubai Watch Week. Dubai Watch Week (DWW) targets both local and international watch collectors and aficionados with five different sections of activity. So far, these have been popular and busy. “Dubai Watch Week is a first for the Middle East and an incredible initiative by the Seddiqi Group,” said Maximilian Büsser of MB&F of the event co-organized by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24-Secondes Vision

Video: An In-Depth Look At The Greubel Forsey 24 Secondes Vision

Greubel Forsey’s timepieces usually have much of the movement on display on the dial side, which is all the better to appreciate the beauty of its design and sublime hand-finishing. But the 24 Secondes Vision is altogether more discreet and it does not fully reveal its magic until it is turned over. That’s where the micro-mechanical ballet beneath the transparent dome takes place.

Tourbillon watches pre-selected for the 2015 GPHG. Clockwise from top left: Antoine Preziuso Tourbillon of Tourbillons, Blancpain L-evolution C, Tourbillon Carrousel, Bovet 1822 Braveheart, MB&F Horological Machine N°6, Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Anchor Tourbillon and Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision

Quill & Pad’s Predictions For The Tourbillon Category Of The 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The six pre-selected finalists in the Tourbillon category of the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève are: the Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Anchor Tourbillon, Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision, MB&F HM6 Space Pirate, Antoine Preziuso Tourbillon of Tourbillons, and the Bovet 1822 Braveheart. Here are our picks and why.

Tourbillon watches pre-selected for the 2015 GPHG. Clockwise from top left: Antoine Preziuso Tourbillon of Tourbillons, Blancpain L-evolution C, Tourbillon Carrousel, Bovet 1822 Braveheart, MB&F Horological Machine N°6, Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Anchor Tourbillon and Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision

Complete List And Photos Of All Pre-Selected Watches In The 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has just published the list of 2015’s pre-selected watches in the run-up to the big red carpet event in Geneva on October 29. The pre-selected watches will go on a world tour that includes stops in Hong Kong, Seoul, Dubai, Geneva, and London in October and November. But enough preamble, let’s have a look at the watches that are now in serious contention to take home big prizes this year.

Close up of the dial of the Greubel Forsey Quantième Perpétuel à Équation. At 6 o'clock you can see the small indication for the leap year (B for bisextile, which is French for leap year). To the left of that is a 24-hour display, with areas in red (around midnight) indicating that it isn't possible to set the calendar

Mechanical Computers From Then To Now: Greubel Forsey Quantième Perpétuel à Équation

Calculating large numbers is a pain if all you have handy is your brain and a pencil. This is why people have created systems and objects to make the process easier. The Greubel Forsey Quantième Perpétuel à Équation has a mechanical computer that calculates the dates for the perpetual calendar and equation of time. This is a complete departure from the traditional perpetual calendar mechanism.

Don’t worry about the names: just enjoy Greubel Forsey’s Invention Piece 1

Why I Bought It: Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1

Seems it wasn’t that long ago (in reality, it was close to a year ago) that I wrote my first “Objects of Desire” article about the watches of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, finishing with: given the prices of their watches I was unlikely to be able to buy any of the ones I truly lusted after anytime soon. My observation at the time was “go big or go home.” As you will see, I’ve ended up going big and am now the proud owner of a Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1.

Video: Stephen Forsey On The Art Of High-End Finishing At Greubel Forsey

Today’s watch components are produced with relatively high levels of finishing straight from the machine, so having company artisans, watchmakers, and technicians spend hours, days, weeks, and even months beveling and polishing might seem like a waste of time (and money).

In this video by The Watches TV, Stephen Forsey explains why superlative hand-finishing is such an important element in the timepieces of Greubel Forsey.