Tourbillon Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

Just look at the contenders in this heavyweight Tourbillon division: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique, Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, Grönefeld Parallax Tourbillon, Montblanc Villeret ExoTourbillon Rattrapante, TAG Heuer Carrera MikroPendulum Tourbillon, and the Blancpain Villeret 12-Day One-Minute Flying Tourbillon. Our panel just managed to reach a majority decision, but it was a close race.

Striking Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

The complications are getting ever more difficult and chiming watches are really at the crossroads of art and craft. Pre-selected in the Striking category are the Hublot Classic Fusion Cathedral Tourbillon Minute Repeater, Claude Meylan La Répétition 5, Urban Jürgensen & Sønner Tourbillon Minute Repeater Regulator, Christophe Claret Soprano, Bulgari Ammiraglio Del Tempo, and Breguet Classique La Musicale.

The pre-selected calendar watches in the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

Calendar Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

The pre-selected Calendar watches in the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève are as varied as they are superb: the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar Terraluna, Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar, Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Planetarium, Breguet Classique Tourbillon Quantième Perpétuel, Zenith Captain Winsor Annual Calendar and the Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Eclipse Ivory Enamel. Which would you choose?

Chronograph Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

Our panel picks their favorite chronographs from those pre-selected in the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. There is a very strong line-up of chronographs this year: Montblanc TimeWalker 100 Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon, Chopard L.U.C. 1963, Tudor Fastrider Black Shield, Zenith El Primero 410 and the De Bethune DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon.

Preselected watches in the Men's category of the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

Men’s Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

Here’s what our panel thinks of the Men’s watches pre-selelected for the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève: Breguet Classique Chronométrie, Urban Jürgensen & Sønner Central Second, MB&F LM 101, Tudor Heritage Black Bay, Omega Seamaster 300, and the Bulgari Octo Finissimo. This category only allows men’s watches that do not have extra complications.

GPHG 2014 Ladies High-Mech

Ladies High-Mech Pre-Selected: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

The Ladies High-Mech category is for “women’s watches that are remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity.” The key words here being “mechanical creativity and complexity.” Our panel believes there is going to be a landslide and for good reason: nothing holds a candle to a certain highly complicated timepiece created for ladies.

Pre-Selected Ladies: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

The watches in the Ladies category of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève can only feature two of the following functions at most: date, power reserve, classic moon phase, and a second time zone. The watches may be adorned with a maximum of 5 carats of gemstones.

Horogasm Tan with Michael Tay of the Hour Glass and independent watchmakers Kari Voutilainen, Laurent Ferrier, Philippe Dufour, and Roger Smith. Photo courtesy www.LaurentFerrier.ch

Watch Passion Smackdown! Enthusiast Collectors Meet Journalists

As our regular readers know by now, my role here at Quill & Pad is to share my perspectives as an enthusiast collector. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a lively exchange with a number of friends on just that topic, and as it became very interesting, I’ve decided to share an abridged version of it with you.

L-R: Andreas Strehler, Elizabeth Doerr and Joshua Munchow

A Round Table Discussion Of Baselworld 2014

By now you may have noticed that our post-fair round table discussions will become somewhat of a tradition. So without further ado, we present you the opportunity to hear a few well-known journalists in the world of horology share their impressions of Baselworld 2014.

Montblanc Homage to Nicolas Rieussec lume shot

Unexpected Answers: A Round Table Discussion Of SIHH 2014

This coming Monday will be the start of the 2015 edition of the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) in Geneva, although our coverage will begin on the weekend with a few of the independent brands. To get you in the SIHH mood, here’s another look at our recap of last year’s exhibition.

Did you ever wonder what it sounds like when journalists get together among themselves and chat about impressions from a week-long watch fair? If so, wonder no more because here we’re providing you with the opportunity to listen in on some private conversations between well-known tastemakers of both the print and online worlds right here at Quill & Pad.

Welcome to our post-SIHH 2014 discussion in which we bring you some of the best and most educated opinions in our industry on the fair, the mood and the watches we saw right here!