American clockmaker Rick Hale’s new Wind & Water has a lot of nerdy mechanical and horological tidbits to geek out over, not to mention some fun woodworking details that add another level like a timber grasshopper escapement (with wooden pallets, naturally). But it’s the fluid design and immersible craftsmanship that is bound to take your the breath away.
GaryG loves independent watchmaking and independent watchmakers; one of his great joys as a collector is having the feeling that, in a small way, he is supporting their efforts. So he put some thought into why many independent watchmakers struggle in a business sense and how they can remain relevant in changing market situations.
The Latin phrase “in memoriam” is often used in place of “in memory of.” And to my mind, people also use it to signify departed who may be gone but shouldn’t be forgotten. Every year people working in the watch industry pass away, and brands come and go. Elizabeth Doerr highlights a special few of those we lost in 2020.
Russian independent watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin’s holiday-themed Santa Wristmon is appropriately seasonal. And whatever you may think of Chaykin’s parade of themed faces in the wake of his ultra-successful Joker, you have to admit they’re really cute. They make Elizabeth Doerr smile every time she sees one. This one might give you all the feels at this time of year, too.
It’s no surprise that MB&F would create a special limited series of Legacy Machines honoring Jules Verne and the type of retro-futurism found within his novels. Yet this project is also the artistic child of master engraver Eddy Jaquet who has worked with MB&F for the last decade and was the driver behind the focus of each piece on and how to realize it. The results of these eight unique timepieces are simply spectacular.
“I have no secrets as past watchmakers had. There are graveyards full of secrets and that’s enough.” – Philippe Dufour, 2014
The Linde Werdelin Octopus Blue Sea, a collaboration between Danish boutique brand Linde Werdelin and Sweden-based James “Black Badger” Thompson, pushes lume to the limit. When the lights are out it’s high time for this watch to light up! Find out how right here.
Sometimes you just want to be festive without being “too much,” right? Well, Elizabeth Doerr has got just the six watches for your wearing pleasure this holiday season – all of which would look great and proportionate on every wrist regardless of gender. And all of which do not go overboard on the sparkle, yet do not fall short in radiant elegance.
The Urwerk UR-220 is an evolution of the popular UR-210, featuring the now-iconic Urwerk satellite display for the hours and minutes. And it’s one more tangential celebration of Einstein’s theory. “The Falcon Project” is the nickname for the first variation of the UR-220, which sees the return of some legacy details from other models and the addition of some small changes to the function and aesthetic of the watch overall. Joshua Munchow takes a closer look.
At Baselworld 2018 young boutique brand Akrivia launched its Chronomètre Contemporain, the very first timepiece in the Rexhep Rexhepi Collection. To say that Joshua Munchow is impressed is an understatement, but there is more to it: this watch could represent a new, diverged direction for the independent watchmaker.