Ballon Bleu de Cartier One of the elements we have found in the watch industry that continues to surprise and delight us is the level of inventiveness, creativity and whimsy that pops up where you least expect it. Sometimes this is found in the pieces themselves, sometimes in the events surrounding them, sometimes just in the amount of fun people are trying to bring into their lives. The Ballon Bleu de Cartier books were designed by Jean-Luc Fromental and Michel Baverey Cartier decided to launch their new wristwatch line with, of all things, comic books. More accurately, avante-garde comic book imagery brought forth with the premium feel that only they could provide. According to the illustrious luxury house, no Cartier object ever comes into existence without an accompanying legend. Their new watch, the Ballon Bleu de Cartier, brings forth its legend as viewed and conceptualized by seven of the brightest gems in contemporary comic book work.

Horacio Pagani has up and done it again. As if he wasn’t busy enough with building his Zonda supercars, he is opening a new facility half a block away from his headquarters in Modena. The new facility is three times larger with carbon fiber ovens consequently three times the size they are now, it will help speed up the production line immensely along with the space to develop entirely new products. If there was even a smidgen of doubt whether the Pagani Company was healthy or not, the presentation of the expansion program was enough to convince me of Horacio’s resolve. Horacio completely understands that it’s imperative for him to break into the US market to thrive, so you will see more than the 2 official cars in that country too, hence the extensive investments back into the factory for expansion.

Little did John Arnold who founded Arnold & Sons ever reckon that this company he started in London at 1764 will one day be a world-renowned watch company. The unique back of the Grand Tourbillon Perpetual and its moon phase indication. Appointed to join the Court of the British King George III, John Arnold quickly realized that his true talent lay in his ability to invent timepieces for the British ships. This discovery enabled John Arnold to invent the first ever pocket chronometer, (Nº36). He also invented many horological breakthroughs like the helical balance spring, the bimetallic spring, and the spring detent escapement. Arnold and Sons possesses a rich history of leading great achievements in the field of Marine chronometers enacting and passing strict rules in the manufacturing process of maritime timepieces, as well implementing strict guidelines on how each and every watch are tested on land and on water.

Where did it all begin?Early Cross writing instruments. The modern fountain pen can trace its roots to the lowly quill made from a goose’s tail feather (at least in Western history). But for the sake of saving a few pages, let’s leap forward to the fountain pen as we know it today with a nib, a feed and an ink reservoir. Starting in the 1850s there was a steadily accelerating stream of fountain pen patents and pens in production. In the 1870s Duncan MacKinnon, a Canadian living in New York City, and Alonzo T.

The Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch, the reason for all the enchanting imagery, isn’t quite what it seems. It looks round, but it isn’t quite. The style is somewhere between classic and futuristic. The glass magnifies the dial numbers and seems to distort time. The Roman Numerals are displaced by the Ballon Bleu itself, the sapphire cabochon decorating the winding mechanism of the precious metal models.

The Seiko Watch Corporation has always been at the forefront of watch-making technology. With its latest release of the Spring Drive, the company looks poised to spark yet another major change in the industry.Driven to Lead Seiko has always taken great pride in being an innovator. From its humble beginnings as a clock supply factory and clockmaker established toward the end of the 19th century in the Ginza district of Tokyo, it ventured into watch-making, eventually releasing its first wristwatch model in 1924. But it was in 1969 that Seiko attained global fame by becoming the first watch company to successfully develop and market quartz watch technology. The world’s very first quartz watch, the Astron, was launched on December 25, 1969, months ahead of its Swiss competitors. This was quite a remarkable feat at the time, since Swiss manufacturers had long been recognized as the leaders in creating high-end, quality timepieces.

FOR Ballon Bleu de Cartier Floc’hBorn in 1953 in Paris. Now lives and works in Paris.

Branding. The current byword for the watch industry, the luxury industry and just about everything else nowadays. We see the power, effect and use of branding regularly of course, and the Baselworld and SIHH shows bring it to the forefront. I had two rather strong reactions to a branding of product at the shows, in two different directions. One brand, which I shall not name, has taken an iconic brand image or logo and expanded with it like crazy. The brand is increasing in just about every way, but I personally feel that they are now overdoing it. They have taken one of the best logo uses in the world and beaten it to death. It was perfect where it was in their core product. It was clean, smart and immediately communicated what they wanted to their buyers and to those who saw the products on their buyers. They have expanded now into other products including watches, and here is where I think it has gone too far.

This story begins decades ago in a bungalow with squeaky wooden flooring and military surplus desks; my grandfather’s office. It was by no means grand. It looked out into a veritable junkyard he called a machine shop, but to us, his grandchildren, it was a playground and adventure land. Step into his office and on his desk in a special desktop holder sat two glossy black pens with gold tipped ends. They were slim; modern yet reminiscent of those styluses used by scribes in the Middle Ages. A 2006 Conway-Stewart Maki-e Collection Karyoubinga Celestial Maiden Neither the style nor the elegance was what drew me to these pens of his. Rather it was the way they painted the letters onto the page.

IWC reminds us of the real reason why our time is valuable.When my son was born, I, as a hardcore watch enthusiast, began the process of figuring out what his first watch would be. It had to be the right watch for the right reasons. Many of the moneyed choose a Rolex for this occasion because, and I quote them on this, at least it can always be pawned. A perfectly good reason you have to admit, but not one I necessarily want as prominent in my thought process. You could also go the extreme expense route, looking at only the Pateks and Vacherons of the horological world. While that from an enthusiast view is fine, it didn’t fit well with my own vision of what I wanted the watch to say. About myself and my dreams and priorities, and about what I thought about when I looked at my son. I ended up choosing something that spoke of history, heritage, expertise and even a bit of humor and fun.