Who could argue that Patek Philippe has produced many the world’s most exquisite watches? Whether it may be the 3940 in white gold, the steel 1518, or the first Nautilus, reference 3700/1A, this colossus of a brand has manufactured an abundance of truly exceptional timepieces. The basis of my visit with Patek was to take a look at two very special, very desirable pieces from Baselworld, watches that I believe will go down in history as nothing short of spectacular.
Read MoreThe Tudor Heritage Ranger is one of the most practical, simple and infrangible watches around. Back in the 1950’s, as Rolex’s Explorer started to transform into the legendary 1016, Tudor created their own variation of the Explorer: the Ranger. Throughout the years ensuing the launch of the Ranger, trends in watches changed, causing Tudor to basically ditch the original Ranger design for something a tad more modern. Finally, after a considerable amount of time, Tudor has revived the Ranger and, this time, the Ranger is no one hit wonder.
Read MoreToday, I would like to introduce the most recent creation by Cartier, the Calibre de Cartier Diver Watch. This watch is indeed amazing, but had a totally unexpected release earlier this year. As most know, Cartier has produced some of the upmost exceptional masterpieces of jewelry and horology in the world, but within the 167 years of Cartier’s existence, the Calibre de Cartier Diver is the only serious diver’s watch in the company’s timekeeping lineage.
Read More“Slowhand” is back in the auction scene with another watch for sale that was, at one point, owned by a very controversial figure, following Clapton's ownership. No, it’s not a 2499, but it’s still an exceptional watch for any hardcore watch guy. This watch is an anti-magnetic chronograph by Rolex, circa 1950.
Read MoreFSOT is pretty self-explanatory. For Sale Or Trade, usually referred to as FSOT, is a start-up company with the intention to ease the processes of buying, selling, and trading new and vintage watches. Although there are many places on the world-wide-web to complete all of this watch bartering, nothing comes close to FSOT. Today, I spent time with the two guys that lead (and founded) this awesome operation, Scott Grossman and Faisal Jamil.
Read MoreMy current dream watch is the Patek 3940. It’s doesn’t surpass estimates, it doesn’t set records; it doesn’t raise all the paddles in the room, but who cares? The 3940 is hands-down one of the coolest Pateks out there. Here, today at Christie’s, I witnessed the sale of, essentially, the perfect 3940. This wristwatch is a complete set and includes everything from the original presentation box to even the tags and literature on the watch. You name it, this watch has it.
Read MoreWithout a doubt, I can surely say I’ve got a keen eye for watches of merit. Today, at Christie’s, I tried on everything from a steel ‘72 Daytona with a once black dial that had wondrously aged into a rich deep-brown tone, to an oddly shaped Serpico y Laino signed Patek that I, honestly, did not even know existed. These watches may break sale records, along with a couple dozen more, but the quality of a wristwatch does not hinge on the number of digits you have to write out in your checkbook to acquire that piece. Naturally, I wandered over to the “no reserve” case to get a sense of what was being offered to guys like me who, let’s just say, haven’t the luxury of throwing down a stack of cash on a new addition to their collection. In this “no reserve” case were some pretty astonishing watches that I would never expect to see...
Read MoreThe Rolling Stones have recently partnered with Zenith to create a two hundred and fifty piece limited edition of the El Primero Chronomaster. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time a rock band, or a band of any genre, has collaborated with a high-end swiss company to produce a line of musically inspired watches.
Read MorePhilippe Dufour is the creator of some of the world’s most unornamented, but sophisticated wristwatches. For my readers who are not familiar with who this “living legend" is, I’ll give you a quick history lesson. Born in the mid-20th century, Dufour was raised in Vallee, Switzerland, a paradise for watchmakers. At the age of 15, he left his home and studied horology at the Sentier, developing his passion while he was quite young (sounds like someone we know?) Dufour had been so superbly trained at his school that he was approached by Jaeger-LeCoultre to join them as a watchmaker, where his mentor at the time, master watchmaker Gabriel Locatelli, helped to open many doors for the young Dufour.
Read More2014 is a year like no other. We’ve seen everything from the thinnest repeaters (JLC), to the thinnest tourbillons (Bulgari), to the overall thinnest wristwatches (Piaget). But one aspect I must bring up, considering it has had such an influence on the aesthetic part of watchmaking, is the integration of ceramic into the design of watches. Whether you look at the AP Royal Concept GMT Tourbillon or the Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronometer Lunar Dust Ceramic, it seems as if ceramic is consuming the “industry.”
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