It occurred to me one day, while explaining to a visitor to my "office" how the machine “knows” where the part is, that many people have very little exposure to the machinery that literally builds so many wristwatch components today. So for your reading pleasure, I break down the basics of milling machines and turning centers, the multi-axis machines that have become a cornerstone of modern fabrication in the watch industry.

The post Focus On Technology: Multi-Axis Machining – A Primer appeared first on Quill & Pad.

Like every other Akrivia timepiece the Tourbillon Chiming Jump Hour includes a beautifully delicate tourbillon whirling away at 6 o’clock. Akrivia tourbillons are already becoming known for their fine cages and slender profiles, and the balance wheels inside share these characteristics. I love complicated mechanisms that require multiple views to fully grasp all of the detail, but sometimes it’s just so delightful to gaze upon something simply aesthetically pleasing.

The post Akrivia Tourbillon Chiming Jump Hour: Manifest Destiny Or Gut Feeling? appeared first on Quill & Pad.

The RM 72-01 is a first for Richard Mille – a relaxed, playful flyback chronograph that, while as interesting and eye-catching as its siblings, is quite a different mechanical beast from the others thanks to its in-house chronograph movement with a variety of new elements and even a world-first in watchmaking.

The post Richard Mille RM 72-01 In-House Chronograph Featuring Fluid Constant Force Chrono Pushers (With Video) appeared first on Quill & Pad.

Believe it or not, this stylized peacock pecking at a bowl full of ears of wheat is actually a fully functional horological component. But what other story might explain what's going on here? Could it actually be a new avian constellation in the night sky? Share your ideas in the comments below.

The post A Horological Peacock Feeding . . . Or? Caption Competition #35 appeared first on Quill & Pad.

If you follow the world of independent watchmaking, by now you’ve almost certainly heard of watchmaker Rexhep Rexhepi and his Akrivia watches. Since arriving on the scene in 2012 with its first tourbillon-based watch, Akrivia has continued to delight. But is this independent bound for glory? GaryG predicts the future.

The post A Collector’s View: Is Akrivia Bound For Glory? – Reprise appeared first on Quill & Pad.

Some think that a rapidly soaring price is proof of a watch bubble. They could be right. Or not. Financial bubbles are tough to identify when they’re forming. They’re even more difficult to declare finished as prices collapse. Financial expert Chris Malburg shares a few tips about recognizing and navigating a watch bubble, especially if you feel the need to buy during it.

The post How To (And Not To) Buy Into A Watch Bubble appeared first on Quill & Pad.

If you follow the world of independent watchmaking, by now you’ve almost certainly heard of watchmaker Rexhep Rexhepi and his Akrivia watches. Since arriving on the scene in 2012 with its first tourbillon-based watch, Akrivia has continued to delight. But is this independent bound for glory? GaryG predicts the future.

The post A Collector’s View: Is Akrivia Bound For Glory? (Spoiler Alert – Yes!) – Reprise appeared first on Quill & Pad.

The skull is one of art history’s most referenced objects thanks to its powerful ability to instantly remind us that we are only flesh and bone. Fiona Krüger, specializing in skulls, partnered with L’Epée 1839 to produce Vanitas, a skull-shaped clock based on her Skull Collection with an unexpected function: it yawns as its movement tires.

The post Fiona Krüger Vanitas: A Skull Clock That Yawns To Indicate Becoming Tired And Needing More Energy – Reprise appeared first on Quill & Pad.

The skull is one of art history’s most referenced objects thanks to its powerful ability to instantly remind us that we are only flesh and bone. Fiona Krüger, specializing in skulls, partnered with L’Epée 1839 to produce Vanitas, a skull-shaped clock based on her Skull Collection with an unexpected function: it yawns as its movement tires.

The post Fiona Krüger Vanitas: A Skull Clock That Yawns To Indicate Becoming Tired And Needing More Energy – Reprise appeared first on Quill & Pad.

It’s already time for the latest update in GaryG`s series of articles providing a completely subjective, unscientific, and unofficial history of watch photographs online. The big trend he has recently seen is the emergence of storytelling as a dominant theme in how watches are displayed. And while he lauds the rise to prominence of many more women among the population of online watch shooters and commentators, the emergence of boob shots with a watch hardly "empowers women" . . . or does it?

The post Evolution Of Social Media Watch Photographs Part 3: Storytelling, Collaboration, And A Bunch Of Boobs appeared first on Quill & Pad.