1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,360 Welcome to the Gilt Trips podcast. I'm your host, Kendra Lockhart. As a goldsmith and 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:17,560 gemologist, I'll be speaking 24 carat on all things jewelry, metals, and gems. Join 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:24,080 me plus a few friends to demystify both materials and designs as your private jeweler. Let's 4 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:33,760 tune in on these topics and get golden. There is an iconic line in the movie Margin Call. 5 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:41,440 Quote, there are three ways to make a living in this business. Be first, be smarter, or cheat. 6 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:50,040 Unquote. In the world of watches, it is usually come down to being first by being smarter. Today, 7 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:55,440 we are going to look at my personal 20 favorite innovations and timepieces, from the traditional 8 00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:01,480 to the outrageous. Get ready to see how some engineers and their companies beat the clock. 9 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:10,400 Why do I personally love timepieces so much? First, I grew up a military kid, so my primary 10 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:17,280 jewelry gifts were watches, often with interchangeable straps. So that taught me that finer presents are 11 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:24,280 functional and require a level of responsibility. As I aged, I was given the key to carefully 12 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:29,600 wind the grandfather clock without over-cranking it, which would cause the need to recalibrate 13 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,840 the weights. Perhaps it was that first year in undergrad that started in architecture, 14 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:42,120 long before I majored in our history in metals. Lastly, our relationship to time is the most 15 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:48,680 defining element of having a human life, which is finite, yet measuring time helps us choose 16 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:55,920 how we use the passing of our lives, and that is universal and a great equalizer. 17 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:03,200 What determines a groundbreaking innovation? Is it revolutionary or cumulative visioning? 18 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:10,360 Where are the best blogs to learn? I will serve all this up and more in this episode. 19 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:16,520 After timestamps are in the show notes. 20 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:23,720 We begin my list with a disruption that sent the watch industry into a spiral. Thanks, Seiko. 21 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,540 Batteries were the Japanese advancement in watchmaking, which ushered in quartz watches 22 00:02:28,540 --> 00:02:35,960 in the 1970s and early 80s. But that displaced mechanical watches around the world. This 23 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:41,320 would cause a significant decline of the Swiss watchmaking industry, which stayed traditional. 24 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:47,240 However, the majority of the world's watch production was shifting to Japanese companies, 25 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:54,320 such as Seiko, Citizen, and Casio. They were embracing the new electronic technology. 26 00:02:54,320 --> 00:03:00,400 The quote-unquote crisis label by Swiss makers was to downgrade the advancement from these 27 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:06,960 Japanese brands. Did that work? Take a look at the number of classic watch houses who 28 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,840 started offering quartz versions to their product lines. 29 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:17,800 In 1974, Omega introduced the Omega Marine Chronometer, the first quartz watch ever to 30 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:24,960 be certified as a marine chronometer, accurate to 12 seconds per year using an advanced battery-powered 31 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:32,920 circuit that produced over 2 million vibrations per second. Since society loves innovation 32 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:39,900 and the Swiss had none in response at that time, Seiko led a charge in technology, economics, 33 00:03:39,900 --> 00:03:46,720 and manufacturing. Continuing with a big name, we find the oldest 34 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:52,360 independent family-owned manufacturer. This means it's not absorbed by one of the big 35 00:03:52,360 --> 00:04:01,760 conglomerates like Ruchemont, Kering, LVMH, or Swatch. Rarity also plays a factor in Patek 36 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:07,840 Philippe's desirability, and it doesn't hurt that it was a favor to Queen Elizabeth II, 37 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:15,400 mother of England's current king. But the legacy invention was the perpetual calendar. 38 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:20,760 This is, at least in traditional watchmaking, the highest and most sophisticated feature 39 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:28,360 possible in a dress watch. What it means is, it can clock the different days of each of 40 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:33,280 the 12 months and calculates for leap years as well. 41 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:39,720 By the way, no pressure trying to set it correctly. If you miss, it must be sent back for a full 42 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,840 factory reset. 43 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:49,960 Many people in the watch industry consider Briget, the goat, or the grandfather of watchmaking. 44 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,720 And we owe plenty to his paratroop contributions to the watch game. 45 00:04:54,720 --> 00:05:01,640 In 1830, the Briget Company created the first watch that could be wound without a key. The 46 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:09,040 founder's son invented this by using a fluted or knurled knob instead of a key, which would 47 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:14,400 become the modern-day Stem and Crown elements, eliminating the need for an external tool 48 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:21,440 to wind the mechanics of a watch. Next, Briget himself is credited with inventing the Perpetuelle 49 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:26,520 watch, which is essentially the first self-winding watch. 50 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:33,240 And lastly, the Turbion improved the accuracy of pocket chronometers and remains a key part 51 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:39,800 of the house's distinction. A Turbion is a mechanism that constantly rotates the balance 52 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:46,800 wheel, balance spring, and escapement while the movement is running. If a pocket watch 53 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:52,920 is always vertical, gravity has a dragging effect on those parts. The Turbion acts like 54 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:59,720 a little gyroscope to counter the effect of Earth's gravity. 55 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:04,440 Breitling is credited with the first official chronograph, which means having a stopwatch 56 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:14,200 feature. We see the advent of an independent pusher to control start, stop, and reset functions. 57 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:20,640 This permits and allows more complex calculations or repeated measurements for a series of time 58 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:29,880 calculations, as in a split chronograph watch. Their iconic design, the Breitling Navitimer, 59 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:35,400 would provide precise performance metrics for activities like calculating flight paths, 60 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:40,920 and therefore is a favorite in the world of aviation and aerobatic flight, which means 61 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:47,480 those amazing plane tricks we see in the likes of top gun films. 62 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:54,160 In 1995, the Breitling Emergency Watch would be released. This was the first wristwatch 63 00:06:54,160 --> 00:07:01,400 with an integrated emergency beacon, which has helped save lives in several situations, 64 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:07,280 most usually those of an extreme and dire nature. 65 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:14,960 Rolex. One of the most value retaining and well marketed watches in the world. While 66 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:20,600 they boast their own alloys with such benefits as using only the highest quality materials 67 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:26,680 in their watches, like the 904L stainless steel, which is more corrosion resistant than 68 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:32,360 other types, it was the pioneering of being the first waterproof watch that puts them 69 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:41,960 in our Hall of Fame today. In 1926, Rolex made the first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch, 70 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:47,680 therefore marking a major step forward. Given the nickname Oyster, this watch featured a 71 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:53,520 hermetically sealed case, which provided optimal protection for the movement with its screw 72 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:58,680 down crown versus a push pull style to wind. 73 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:09,200 Omega. The first watch that was space worthy. Acrylic crystals are still used today on many 74 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:16,720 lower priced watches, but it notably was on the Omega Speedmaster, and that is the model 75 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:24,600 that went to the moon. Very few luxury watches will still feature this. Acrylic is beneficial 76 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:31,440 because of its optical clarity and its dimensional stability, its lighter in weight, and its 77 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:37,840 more shadow resistant than glass. This would be known as the Hesalite crystal, and that 78 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:43,000 would meet the preliminary requirements while passing heat and pressure tests for the historic 79 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:48,840 chapter in our evolution called space exploration. 80 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:54,040 Aside from this, Omega has held the contract as the official timekeepers of the Olympic 81 00:08:54,040 --> 00:09:01,880 Games since 1932. After Paris' competitions happening right now, in two more rounds it 82 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:06,660 will mark one century for this watch brand when the Olympics finally come around to 83 00:09:06,660 --> 00:09:15,080 Brisbane, Australia. Omega's advanced engineering brought two new terms, the twin barrel technology 84 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:23,120 to watches, and the coaxial escapement. George Daniels created the latter in the 1970s, and 85 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:29,280 while these terms sound abstract, more simply said, it is splitting the wear and tear on 86 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:36,760 these parts to extend critical servicing so the wearer can, A, obviously enjoy it and 87 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:44,400 its performance longer, and B, reduce repair expenses. As for the former, it made for a 88 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:50,360 smoother running down of the power reserve in a watch, versus an erratic and inaccurate 89 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:57,480 stoppage. Plus, the positioning and marketing of this brand, with the James Bond franchise, 90 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:05,640 has an achievement on its own to make it visible and familiar to a worldwide audience. I personally 91 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:12,440 go have Omega points for decades of inclusivity for its female aficionados and having options 92 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:17,840 in multiple collections. 93 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,200 Tag Heuer The first part of the name is the acronym 94 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:29,040 for Technique de avant-garde, plus Heuer, the founder's surname. Many advances are credited 95 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:36,560 to the company that by now are familiar, patenting the crown winding for a keyless watch, improving 96 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:43,800 a chronograph's precision, creating stopwatch timers for dashboards, where Tag had my attention 97 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:51,480 was creating the Soluner, a piece to track moon cycles and tides, which assisted sailing 98 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:58,280 and fishing industries equally. Another subtle creation were interchangeable rings with markers 99 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:05,080 for the timing of different events. Tag would be a multi-generational company, and by the 100 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:12,240 1960s, it would romance the racing world. Here, Tag would introduce vivid colors and 101 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:18,880 partner with a Hollywood icon who had an appetite for speed, Steve McQueen. But it would be 102 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:26,080 the 2015 release of the first luxury smartwatch that would revitalize the brand's consistency 103 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:32,200 while showing its commitment to forward thinking in the realm of elite and intelligent wrist 104 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:33,800 watches. 105 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:42,000 IWC Before I begin, the training from IWC on their product 106 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:49,000 was impressive and still sticks with me today. Omega was a close second. As you can tell, 107 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:56,000 I love a usefully educational presentation. IWC was the only one on my list founded by 108 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:02,000 an American. Now, he was from Boston, and at the time the United States was leading in 109 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:09,400 machine manufacturing, while Europe had some catching up to do. So, Florentine Jones creates 110 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:17,280 the International Watch Company in 1868 and heads overseas to work with the best of Switzerland. 111 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:22,520 It didn't go well at first. He was turned away by much of the community, especially 112 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:28,640 in the west part of the country, or the French influence side. He would break into the German 113 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:35,480 part of the country, an area called Schoffhausen. This would become a critical location for 114 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:42,800 its proximity to a parallel industry in its future, Precision Automobiles. 115 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:48,960 While IWC stands apart in its edgy exploration into materials like titanium, carbon, and 116 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:56,000 ceramic, let's first address its minimalistic beauty. The work of Gerald Genthe, as far 117 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:01,880 as aesthetic, is most recognized of course for his Audemars-Piget Royal Oak. But it was 118 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:07,880 his redesigning of IWC's ingenueur model that made that an icon for the brand, with 119 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:14,840 exposed bezel screws and an integrated bracelet. Now, where would a watch company get the idea 120 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:20,800 of using titanium ahead of anyone else? A third lighter than steel, and more scratch 121 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:27,560 resistant as well. That location put them about a hundred miles away from Porsche, which 122 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:33,800 was discovering it for the frames of their vehicles. In fact, Porsche's marketing, with 123 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:39,280 statements like, honestly now, did you spend your youth dreaming about someday owning a 124 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:47,640 Nissan or Mitsubishi? That would affect the irreverence of IWC's. One of IWC's ad would 125 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:56,640 read, IWC, seen on Stewardess's nightstands everywhere. Morality aside, IWC took chances. 126 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:03,040 In addition to titanium, they would repeat the pioneering with carbon, ceramic, and bronze 127 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:08,400 in both evergreen models and limited run designs. 128 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:16,960 Hublot. Now it's on to a relatively youthful watch house. In 1980, the year of its inception, 129 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:24,440 Hublot integrated rubber into its watch, which became known as the Art of Fusion. Rubber 130 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:29,480 has since become a quote unquote flagship material for Hublot and marks their modern 131 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:36,360 approach since the birth of this company. Beyond alternative watchmaking components, 132 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:43,800 the design game of Hublot, which is a French word for a ship's portal, is instantly recognizable. 133 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:49,320 While the Big Bang is unforgettably overdone in a very indulgent way, the collaboration 134 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:55,400 with Sang Blue was subtle genius for the unique voicing from an internationally recognized 135 00:14:55,400 --> 00:15:07,120 tattoo artist into complex artistry in timepieces. Roger Dubouy. Since 1995, this has had my 136 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:13,960 heart for mastering deconstruction and the skeleton dial. Then again, I am a true minimalist 137 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:21,720 in artistic mediums and goldsmithing. Using a strong homage to avant-gardeism with architecturalized 138 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:28,160 and enlarged components, Roger Dubouy partnered with motorsports companies. While that seems 139 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:35,080 ubermasculine, take a peek at the velvet collection, which is dynamically feminine, with a Roman 140 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:42,360 numeral dial that is both mathematically constructed and a nod to nouveau as much as a mocha painting 141 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:53,880 is. The romance of water is well expressed in Ulysses Nardin as a brand. Since 1846, it 142 00:15:53,880 --> 00:16:00,280 is focused on high precision marine chronometers. This company became known for exclusively supplying 143 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:06,680 50 of the world's navies until 1950. This may give you the impression this is either 144 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:13,080 a traditional or conservative company, not when it comes to the use of silicon parts 145 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:18,880 in a mechanical movement, which was an industry first, or its use of synthetic diamonds in 146 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:24,760 its escapement in the 1980s. As for synthetic diamonds, you can hear more about that material 147 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:31,400 in my lab diamond episode. A notable design for Ulysses Nardin's company is the freak, 148 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:41,880 dubbed a laboratory on the wrist. It features no actual dial, no actual crown, no true hands. 149 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,960 But as for one of my dream watches, I would personally love to wear the Ulysses Nardin 150 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:53,920 dual time lady gray, a soft metallic gray dial, diamond bezel, gray crocodile strap, 151 00:16:53,920 --> 00:17:01,360 be jeweled markers, date window at 2 o'clock, dual time at 9 o'clock, and a diamond marker 152 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:06,560 sub dial at 6 o'clock. 153 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:12,960 Richard Mille, or Richard Mille here in America. The controversy of this watch brand is that 154 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:19,640 many consider the look of it straight up hideous. So that's what we won't be prioritizing. 155 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:25,040 It's the suspension of the movement, or its inner engineering on braided steel cables 156 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:31,160 that creates its unmatched ability to handle force. For example, we had a client who essentially 157 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:38,040 blew out the motor of his watch by wearing it while rifle shooting. In total contrast, 158 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:43,960 you can find Richard Mille on the wrists of pro tennis players, golfers, and race car 159 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:51,240 drivers. Why? Well, because it can handle 5000 Gs, and for reference the Earth's gravity 160 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:58,160 is 1 G. Yes, they have their material and technical innovations, but the quantum leap 161 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:04,600 of the shock suspension and the weightlessness of the watch is mind blowing at first touch, 162 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:11,400 since we are accustomed to timepieces substance when held. 163 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:18,520 And I'm our pig. What can I say? It pays to hire the best. Designer Gerald Jenta, the 164 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:27,320 same one who revisioned for IWC, was behind AP's top seller, the Royal Oak. 90% of the 165 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:33,040 brand's sales are this model. And it works for all occasions, and is a wonderful break 166 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:38,520 from tradition with an octagonal case and screws that are on the outside, much like 167 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:46,600 a helmet. Besides the artistic success, their top claim to fame is with the first minute 168 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:53,640 repeater. A minute repeater chimes down to the minute, with differing tones for hours, 169 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:59,360 quarter hours, and obviously minutes. This opened up the ability to know the time in 170 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:03,800 the dark and for the vision impaired. 171 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:13,080 Ooh, the Panerai look. Immediately eye catching with a clean oversized pillow shaped case 172 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:20,920 and effortless readability. It was 1860 when Giovanni Panerai opened business in Florence, 173 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:26,760 Italy. Now that city is a massive art center, as well as having other mediums of beauty. 174 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:32,920 And for me, I read that in this brand. The highlight, literally, is the patented 175 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:40,000 radium paint for glow in the dark viewing. This mattered as the Italian Navy used Panerai. 176 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:48,080 By introducing this element, underwater visibility became possible just after the 20th century. 177 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:56,920 And by 1950, Panerai kept the feature, but left behind the dangers of radium. 178 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:03,360 And Constantine, the oldest and uninterrupted producer in the world. Considered part of 179 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:10,560 the Holy Trinity, alongside Patek and Ape, it retains centuries of techniques and the 180 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:17,560 prestige of some of the most complex watches made, alongside the heritage of their beauty. 181 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:22,920 Vacheron openly embraced the arts of each of the eras, and is one of the main reasons 182 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:29,920 it has retained its contemporary relevance and yesterday's values at modern auction prices. 183 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:35,920 Giacchia le Cult 184 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:41,920 This company's avant-garde design, the Reverso, showed two unprecedented concepts. 185 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:47,520 Made in the high tie of the Art Deco times, it solved the need for a watch being able 186 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:53,920 to withstand the rigor of polo matches. The case swivels so that it could flip over and 187 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:59,720 have the case back be facing up instead of the crystal and dial. It was made to become 188 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:06,120 a future classic, yet that is not what forwarded the art of watchmaking. Instead, it was the 189 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:11,920 use of sapphire crystal to protect the hands and dial. As I said, historically, materials 190 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:18,920 for producing the quote-unquote crystal were acrylic or glass. I've mentioned that synthetic 191 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:25,720 gem material has been around for decades and was invented before the 1900s. So it was JLC 192 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:31,000 and this watch which used a clear sapphire crystal with double to triple the relative 193 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:37,320 hardness and scratch resistance of other options. This would be adopted by other brands in the 194 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:44,320 1960s and is now standard as an element on modern luxury timepieces. 195 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,320 HYT 196 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:53,520 These watches use liquid to display the time. This independent watchmaker has developed a 197 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:59,400 very personal approach to the art of watchmaking, guided by an ambition to return to the very 198 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:06,560 source of clocks as they were first established many thousands of years ago. The Club Sidra, 199 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:12,280 which I spoke about in the previous episode. This model is made possible with the use of 200 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:17,920 a very fine glass capillary tube, connected to two bellows with walls as thin as our 201 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:25,320 eyelashes, but 10,000 times more watertight than even a traditional diver's watch. Depending 202 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:30,880 on the ratio between the reserves for this shared, closed-chambered liquid that will 203 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:37,680 translate to our markers on the dial, it's an incredible feat. How we can read this is 204 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:43,680 that one of the two liquids is colored and the other is clear. At set hours, the liquid 205 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:51,600 balance is reset. Why don't these liquids blend? HYT combines technology, philosophy, 206 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:57,600 art, and design, but it does boil down to their being a meniscus. 207 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:07,400 Debatun. Futuristically bold, but it didn't start that way. For 20 years, Debatun has 208 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:14,560 blurred the lines between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design. The reinvented approach 209 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:20,840 became a free-spirited breaking of horizons through ongoing research into shapes, materials, 210 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:27,840 and functions. This small but mighty team would take home Heralogy's top prize for the best 211 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:35,040 watch of the year in their pursuits of revolutionary design and execution. While they only make 212 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:43,520 150 to 250 watches per year, it is the astronomy-themed aesthetic plus subtle improvements like floating 213 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:51,240 lugs vs. fixed lugs to hug the wrist and improve the comfort of wearing that make. The other 214 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:56,280 worldly look includes both the outer case design, integrating the stem and crown at 215 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:02,440 the 12 o'clock position, and its nod to a starry sky, or speedometer, or even skeleton 216 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:08,760 dials that seem to fuse minimalism and a dash of madhatter magic. 217 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:16,440 Manclive is art in motion and commands top dollar at auctions. What has this maysone 218 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:24,200 or design house done so differently? It is a triple threat of insane detail, poetic complications, 219 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:29,880 and intersecting jewelry and watchmaking techniques. My all-time dream watch if money were no object 220 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:37,240 is the Ronde Pepeon, or a round of butterflies. First, the insane detail is painstakingly 221 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:43,480 thought out as well as executed. The overall concept of the watch is a literal mechanical 222 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:49,240 storytelling, much like that of the unhinged toymaker uncle character, Drosselmeyer, in 223 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:56,360 the Nutcracker Ballet. On the dial of this watch, we find enameling at the level of Faberge eggs, 224 00:24:56,360 --> 00:25:03,360 paired with intricate engraving on the case back. As for poetic complications, the features 225 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:10,000 are animated, such as a flying swallow that retrogrades, or resets, a dimensional layered 226 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:16,520 cloud on the dial, and in regarding the blending of goldsmithing and watchmaking techniques, 227 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:22,160 we find the bejeweled and adorned methods for the eyes and the operations of the timepieces 228 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:29,520 familiar to the hands. There are other accomplishments in this arena by Vancliffe, the Pont d'Amreau 229 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:35,520 or Lovers Bridge, and the Planetarium watch, but for me there's no comparison as far as 230 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:41,440 an exquisite and romantic ladies watch, like the one I just mentioned. 231 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:47,120 Jacob & Company is our last one, and if there is a company to beat regarding extravagance 232 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:53,480 and creativity on steroids, I'd be hard pressed to find anyone who can eclipse this one. His 233 00:25:53,480 --> 00:26:00,480 immigrant status, coming over from Russia, was key to securing an apprenticeship for non-natives. 234 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:06,280 His homeland training in photography gave him a killer eye, and after gaining loyal clientele, 235 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:13,040 he went to Switzerland to find a team to bring his watches to life. Guess what? Like IWC, 236 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:19,120 he got the cold shoulder. It's a snobs game to crack. So he creates the five-time zone 237 00:26:19,120 --> 00:26:25,520 piece with interchangeable bezels and straps. A photo of supermodel Naomi Campbell wearing 238 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:33,480 his creation landed him in the watch world while also making his name familiar to celebrities. 239 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:38,640 Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino hunted him down, and a deal was made. Jacob said, give me a 240 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:45,240 deposit on this design, I will make it and name it for you. That's smart marketing. His 241 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:51,720 partnership would reach the height of super car maker Bugatti. Jacob said, I want to be 242 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:59,320 remembered as a trailblazer. I say he nailed the assignment. Today, the most expensive 243 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:05,800 watch in the world, billionaire tourbillon with white diamonds, valued at $23 million, 244 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:12,920 is owned by boxer Floyd Mayweather. 245 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:21,040 As for the best watch blogs, I invite you to take a peek at Haudenki, A Blog to Watch, 246 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:30,280 The Watch Enthusiast, Worn and Wound, and Watch Pro. This episode is dedicated to Andrew 247 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:36,480 Casey, who is in the fashion industry as well as being a professional model. He was one 248 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:42,080 of the best in the group that I've trained, taking him from watch phobic to watch confident 249 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:45,480 with ease and play. Happy birthday.