What started as a place for horology is now a place for all things "post work". (Gold) Watch Time It Is
There is a kind of art that does not demand attention but invites presence. It lingers. It asks questions instead of offering answers. And sometimes—if you’re open to it—it can meet you exactly where you...
Co-created with AI Pattern, Perception, and Psychology The Brain’s Pattern Recognition and the Triad The number three holds a unique place in human cognition. Our brains are wired to seek out patterns—shapes, rhythms, ideas—and three...
Co-created with AI I never intended to become a collector—not consciously. But somewhere between finding myself with a tray full of MontBlanc Writers Editions and acquiring all three of the Sailor Ebonite Sculpture versions, I...
Co-created with AI The story of Yard-O-Led begins not with a pen, but with a pencil—and a bold idea. In 1822, Sampson Mordan, a London goldsmith and associate of Michael Faraday, patented the world’s first mechanical pencil, which...
Co-created with AI Japan in 1911: The Meiji Era’s Final Years1911 falls near the end of the Meiji period (1868–1912), a time when Japan had undergone one of the most dramatic transformations in world history. In...
Co-created with AI Aspiration and AnxietyIn the early 1900s, German cities like Hamburg (where Montblanc was founded) were bustling centers of trade, culture, and innovation. The middle class was growing, literacy was high, and there was a...
Co-created with AI Prologue: A Quiet Morning in WajimaThe first morning of 2024 arrived with a hush over Wajima. The town, nestled on the northern edge of the Noto Peninsula, was still wrapped in the...
Co-created with AI There’s a quiet reverence that comes from holding something made by hand. Whether it’s a pen from Nakaya, a hammered silver barrel from Yard-O-Led, a precision-machined writing instrument by Grayson Tighe, or...
Co-created with AI Some people count days in steps or calories. I’ve come to count them in lines—written across paper in ink. It began as a practical gesture, an elegant supplement to a book project...
As I have limited experience at Switzerland watch shows – one Baselworld and one Watches and Wonders – I am certainly not the one to ask about how these events compare or stack up. But...
Judging from the odor and pedestal ashtray nearby, it was likely tobacco stains that were making the bench so sticky. The orange light flickered with the annoying pattern fluorescent bulbs make, buzzing for effect. Every...
Two 1in20 Speake-Marin Foundation Pieces on a common journey. Twin stars, also known as binary stars, are two stars that orbit around a common center of mass. They are gravitationally bound to each other and...
1 of a series This is a series about my bad purchases. Not bad watches, but the purchases that I shouldn’t have done for any other reason. Most of the pieces I’ll share here are...
1 of a series This is a series about my bad purchases, not bad watches. The purchases that I shouldn’t have done for some reason or another. Most of the pieces are great watches and...
The first time I visited Mr. Voutilainen I was terrified. I felt I was going to see the Horological Godfather and couldn’t have been more nervous. The meeting had been set by a mutual friend;...
On life’s journey there are moments considered “milestones” – the most significant or meaningful of moments. Some the result of action such as accomplishments; others inaction such as simply surviving the passage of time. Milestones...
It’s said that a newly born chick will imprint the first living thing they see as their mother. Peter Speake is that for me. Strange thing to say I realize so let me explain. When...
Two years ago I made the journey to Andreas Strehler’s Atelier and had the opportunity to place my hands on his impressive watches and tour his facilities. See the post from then here. Today I...
Despite my charming personality and general anti-social introverted-ness, I am lucky enough to get invited to a few events in the watch world. Some from retail channels, a few from social organizations, and occasionally from...
Simon Winchester has authored a series of fascinating books on topics from the unimaginable (i.e. the eruption of Krakatoa) to the everyday (the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary). In each, he brings an informed,...
His is a name known by few collectors it seems. Yet in horological circles he is a legend and long time contributor to the modern independent watchmakers’ universe. He is known for his clocks and...
After two years of seeing the world mostly in the confines of my laptop monitor, my senses were overwhelmed during my visit to Oldenzaal The Netherlands. There is life beyond the edge of the screen!...
The last Basel World in 2019 was my first, and the first time I met Aaron Becsei. At the top of the escalator, just to the right, was the AHCI booth. Situated in the center...
“That’s nice for you” I deserved the comment but was surprised none the less to hear it from the sales guy at the high end jewelry store. My New York attitude hadn’t readjusted during this...
My simple naïve life as a collector has served me well since I followed the White Rabbit with the pocket watch down the rabbit hole. I’ve journeyed cross the years with a collection that has...
Here’s a link to the article about the Masahiro Kikuno Sakubou piece unique https://monochrome-watches.com/collectors-series-customized-masahiro-kikuno-sakubou-watch/
Here’s a link to the article about the Christiaan van der Klaauw Planetarium Millennium https://monochrome-watches.com/collectors-series-christiaan-van-der-klaauw-planetarium-millennium/
Here’s a link to the article about the Peter Speake-Marin Marin 1, Mk1 https://monochrome-watches.com/watch_time_it_is-and-his-early-speake-marin-marin-1-mk1/
Here’s a link to the article about the Grönefeld Parallax https://monochrome-watches.com/watch_time_it_is-and-his-gronefeld-parallax/
Here’s a link to the article about the McGonigle Tuscar Bánú https://monochrome-watches.com/the-collectors-series-mcgonigle-tuscar-banu/
Stories of visits with independent watchmakers. One of a series. A big part of a watch from an independent watchmaker, is the watchmaker. These are the stories not of the watches and their technical marvel,...
Stories of visits with independent watchmakers – One of a series For me, a big part of a watch is the watchmaker. These are the stories not of the watches and their technical marvel, but...
