It was in the quartz rage era – the crisis of the mechanical watch – that the young Giulio Papi announced to his father that he wanted to be a watchmaker. The year was 1980, and Giulio Papi was 15. He apprenticed in a class of one-on-one – and got the education of a lifetime.…
Moment in Time: IWC’s Mario Klein
Mario Klein, senior product manager, IWC Schaffhausen The year 2010 is the year of the IWC Portuguese watch. While IWC Schaffhausen has been building timepieces of distinction since its inception in 1868 – the Portuguese is a watch of truly generous scope. This year the brand unveils its biggest launch of Portuguese watches ever with…
A Moment in Time: SPYKER’s Thierry Chaunu
It was just a couple of months ago at the Concourse de’ Elegance in Pebble Beach, CA, that Spyker Timepieces made their official US debut – zooming onto the scene next to the Dutch-made Spyker cars that were reintroduced to the world just 10 years ago after a 75-year blip. While it was visionary…
Around the World: Geneva’s Gem, Patek Philippe’s Museum
A rich recollection of time right in the heart of Geneva, The Patek Philippe Museum is a watch r’s ight and an absolute “MUST’ stop on any collector’s itinerary in this ly city. I had three hours there and it was not enough! One must go and be prepared to spend a lot of time…
Around the World: A Look Inside Audemars Piguet, Le Brassus
Internationally renowned for its legendary status as a creator of some of the most complex timepieces in the world, Audemars Piguet owns its own factories in Le Brassus, Switzerland, and is the predominant owner of the famous Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi factory. As such, the brand is always moving forward with new technologies and…
Around the World: Sailing with IWC Sailing and the Portuguese
Recently, when I was traveling with IWC to Portugal for the unveiling of the newest Portuguese watches – the IWC Portuguese Yacht Watch and the IWC Tribute to Portugal – I had a very distinct pleasure that no other journalist can claim. Spending a day aboard a grand sailboat – I realized several things: a) …