Russell Sheldrake Buying watches in London comes with a few stereotypes – with security being one of the big ones. It is one of the biggest topics of conversation around collector circles in the British capital. But there is also a sense that the boutiques that line the famous Bond Street are impenetrable fortresses for the ultra-wealthy and super collectors that mere mortals can’t even dream of getting an allocation at. And while that might be the case in some instances, it certainly doesn’t represent the entirety of watch shopping in this city of over eight million people. There is…

Bearing an equestrian motif in typical Hermès style, the Arceau Robe Légère has a dial in paillonné enamel. Inspired by the silk scarf of the same name, the dial depicts horse composed of thin layers of delicately formed silver leaf on a dark blue enamel base.Initial thoughtsPaillonné is a relatively uncommon technique in watchmaking, and even when employed in watches it’s usually traditional in style. The Arceau Robe Légère, in contrast, has a modern, slightly whimsical feel, as is typical of Hermes’ house style, which sets it apart from most executions of paillonné enamel.Granted, the equestrian motif is familiar and employed again…

Borna Bošnjak At times, a slow week goes by, and as a result, the Friday Wind Down can be the perfect place for a funky watch story that you might not have otherwise come across. This week, however, was the complete opposite, with almost too much going on in that seven-day span that it’ll be hard to do it all justice. First-time winner Aidan Heslop and eight-time (in a row) champion Rhiannan Iffland. Image courtesy of Dean Treml We start off in Sydney, where the finals of Red Bull’s Cliff Diving World Championship would come to a close. I had…

Borna Bošnjak Maybe you’re just getting into watches, or maybe you’re already a seasoned enthusiast. Whatever the case is, I’d bet that in your daily watch browings, you usually come across two types of watches – quartz and mechanical. And if you fall into the enthusiast category, you’re already likely familiar with how those two came about, especially when it comes to quartz and the well-known story of the quartz crisis. But of course, just like with the advent of any new technological advancement, the transition wasn’t as smooth as going from mechanical to quartz overnight – and it’s this…

Zach Blass The saying goes that schools like Harvard are only as prestigious as the number of applicants they reject. But what happens when you no longer have people to reject? Like an Ivy League school, luxury watch brands, despite apparent advancements, aim to be exclusive rather than inclusive. The more exclusive your clientele is and the more elusive your product is at retail, the greater your secondary market prices, the amount of buzz that surrounds your brand, and in turn, increased desirability and aspirational interest. At least in theory. Brands like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe have by…

 Where I think there is a slight chink in the Speedmaster’s armor when it comes to continuous production, is in the introduction of a co-axial movement, caliber 3861, in 2019. The preceding movements, calibers 861 and 1861, were direct descendants of the 321 albeit simplified, with flat balance springs rather than overcoils, and with a cam-operated switching system rather than the column wheel in the 321. What the 321/861/1861 did all have in common, however, was that they were flight qualified for all crewed space missions by NASA, the Speedmaster having been recertified in 1972. The modern Moonwatch caliber 3861 is…