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NOS Minerva Pythagore Cal. 48

February 14, 2014 By Stephen 1 Comment

We’re suckers for Minerva movements. It’s not that they’re perfect (as well-documented in this tear-up review over at PuristS) but that they’re wonderfully handmade in a true classic way. Minerva was a little Swiss manufacture that went on about their business for 150 years before being snatched up by Richemont and made part of Montblanc. They only made a few movements in the classic era, but what they did produce ended up in some lovely watches. This all changed with a buyout in 2000 and the creation of new CAD-assisted versions of the classics, so it’s nice to see a true hand-made Minerva still out there.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Minerva Pythagore

1972 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “A Series”

February 13, 2014 By Stephen 1 Comment

Not everyone likes the Royal Oak, but it’s hard to understate its importance. It’s one of the most influential watches of the last half-century, creating a whole new niche that now accounts for much of the industry’s sales: Luxury sports.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Gerald Genta

Longines Quartz-Chron with Beta 21 movement

February 11, 2014 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Not everyone is into quartz watches. That’s understandable. But anyone who appreciates history and technology would be interested in the story of the first quartz watch. At the end of the 1960’s, which itself was something of a golden era for mechanical watches, two competitors raced to bring quartz clock technology to the wrist: Seiko won and came to dominate the market with low priced models.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Beta 21, Longines Quartz-Chron, quartz

Hamilton Electric Ventura

February 11, 2014 By Stephen Leave a Comment

There are few watches as immediately recognizable as the Hamilton Ventura. Still in production today, the “Elvis Watch” was a massive success when it was introduced in 1957 and represents the decade remarkably well.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Electric, Hamilton Electric Ventura, Hamilton Ventura

The First Grand Seiko

February 3, 2014 By Stephen 1 Comment

In 1960, Seiko created their enduring entry in the luxury watch market, Grand Seiko. Produced by Suwa Seikosha, the simply-named Grand Seiko offered the sort of fit and finish usually reserved for fine Swiss watches, with a simple hand-winding in-house movement to match.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: 3180 Grand Seiko, Grand Seiko, Suwa Seikosha

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