The dials appear to burn when first placed in the oven

Why Do Ulysse Nardin’s Dials Look So Good? Because Donzé Cadrans Authentically Fires Enamel

The first timepiece Donzé Cadrans and Ulysse Nardin worked on together was in the early 1980s: the complicated jacquemart-outfitted Hourstriker San Marco with its vibrant blue, which was the first enamel dial of the modern incarnation of Ulysse Nardin and perhaps of the Mechanical Renaissance. Follow us on a visit to Donzé Cadrans and learn about the unique 300-year-old process this one-of-a-kind dial maker utilizes to make its aesthetic elements.

Maurice Lacroix Roue Carrée in red gold

Round, Schmround! The Maurice Lacroix Square Wheel Cube

A gear is a toothed wheel that meshes with a similar toothed wheel or rack to create rotational movement. Ever since the first Maurice Lacroix Roue Carrée with non-circular gears came out in 2010 I have lusted over the odd set of gears visible above the dial, so being able to finally have some time with an example was very cool for me.

Hands, hand-made: the Voutilainen Observatoire

Does Hand Finishing Matter? A Collector’s View Of Movement Decoration

Many of you are likely to have come across at least a few heated discussions of “finishing,” a topic that seems to fascinate, and divide, watch enthusiasts. Like many people, my starting point for serious watches was with a well-priced brand long known for its expertise in developing movements, justly viewed as offering good value for money – but not necessarily for the refinement of its movement finishing, at least on its less expensive pieces. What have I learned since then?

Wristshot of the Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Éclipse

The Moon Of Your Heart: Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Éclipse

We keep making the moon phase complication because we love to look at the moon. One timepiece that keeps that romance alive, not to mention beauty, is the Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Éclipse. This watch captured my heart when I first saw it, and it continues to hold sway over me.

Tag Heuer Mikrogirder

Jean-Claude Biver Restructures LVMH Watch Brands; TAG Heuer CEO Stéphane Linder Resigns. Coincidence?

On December 11, 2014, TAG Heuer CEO Stéphane Linder announced the resignation of his position after only 18 months at the post. Having been at TAG Heuer for 21 years, Linder was elevated to his current position after previous CEO Jean-Christophe Babin relocated to sibling brand Bulgari. What is the master strategy behind this and other moves at LVMH as orchestrated by Jean-Claude Biver?

‘In Search of Truth (Truth Booth)’ by Hank Willis Thomas at Art Basel Miami 2014

Impressions Of Art Basel Miami 2014

Art Basel Miami is not just contained to an indoor fair hall but spread around Miami’s South Beach, adding another colorful layer to this glitzy, at times glamorous, city in south Florida. Collins Park is also filled with colorful art. Take a look around Art Basel Miami with me now and see my original photography.

A Theo Jansen Strandbeest on the beech during Art Basel Miami 2014

Audemars Piguet Partners Art Basel Miami And The Locomotive Strandbeests By Theo Jansen

Audemars Piguet is much more than a sponsoring partner of the Art Basel fair; at the Miami Beach Art Basel exhibition, the brand from Le Brassus staged a spectacular exhibition of Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests right on the famed beach.

Jules Audemars Chronometer in pink gold

Discovering A New Friend: Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Chronometer With AP Escapement

The high-frequency 6 Hz Audemars Piguet Escapement burst onto the block in more ways than one. First off, and probably most significantly, it is of the direct impulse variety. This latter element was only made possible thanks to improved precision now available in manufacturing combined with a two-hundred-year-old design inspired by Robert Robin’s escapement of 1791.

It is easier to appreciate the details in this large scale Montblanc nib

The Height Of Fine Writing: On Location With Montblanc Fine Writing Instruments

Making the nib of a fountain pen – the point of the instrument that directs the ink – does not differ much from working precious metals to be used as watch components, but it does entail a heck of a lot of work done by hand. The nib alone needs about 40 steps until completion; making a whole pen, including barrel, cap, feed and, of course the nib, takes about 200 individual steps.

The distinctive label of Mumm champagne

Guillaume de Seynes Of Hermès On Wristwatches And The Power Of Orange

Quill & Pad speaks with Guillaume de Seynes, member of the Hermès family and now managing director in charge of manufacturing and equity investments, to understand the brand’s corporate philosophies and history in watches a little better. De Seynes, previously in charge of the timepiece division, was the force behind supplier acquisitions such as the group’s stake in movement maker Vaucher.