Something a bit different today - I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite watch videos on youtube. Narrowing it down to just 10 was no easy task, but I decided to choose those that display the genius, passion and perseverance that goes into watchmaking.
#1: Vacheron Constantin - Ref. 57260 - The Most Complicated
Watch Ever Made
I
can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this video. Hundreds
of times, at least. The reference 57260 represents the absolute pinnacle of
watchmaking. Only Vacheron Constantin (and possibly Patek Philippe), with
over 200 years of accumulated expertise, could pull off such an incredible
piece.There is, and only ever will be, one of these pieces. Vacheron Constantin doesn’t care how much money you’ve got (though you definitely need deep pockets), nor do they care how famous you are. They have to WANT to make a watch for you. We don’t know who they made it for or how much it cost, and though I’ll never get to see it in person I nonetheless consider it a real privilege to see the watch in action. Inspirational.
I’ve heard that Vacheron is working on something else, still a number of years away, which will top this. How do you beat perfection? I can’t wait to find out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InYrmk3Ezb8
#2: Patek Philippe 5175R Grandmaster Chime Watch
No explanation needed. Be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor after witnessing only some of the work that went into this extraordinary piece.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPjFFMD3c0
#3 The Single Men - Masters of the Incredible and the Beautiful
Many of the greatest independent watchmakers and CEO’s of larger companies are interviewed in this fascinating documentary. A must watch.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thAKJnp0ntU
#4 Talking Watches With Roni Madhvani
Of
all the people interviewed in Hodinkee’s Talking Watches series, Roni
Madhvani is most certainly the least well known. And yet, at least to me,
his collection is by far the most interesting - but then again I’m a
huge fan of watches with bizarre shapes and daring dials. I mentioned one
of the watches he displays (the Patek 3412) in a previous book review, so
it was exciting to finally see one ticking away. His collection is
absolutely stunning and so very unique.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lJIIHGyD_A
#5 Invenit et Fecit - A short documentary on F.P.Journe
F.P. Journe is a modern trailblazer. He’s a truly rebellious watchmaker who has established an extremely successful brand while remaining completely independent. His watches aren’t for everyone (though you really need to see one in person to get a proper idea of how nice they are), but they’re completely distinct and can be mistaken for no other.This documentary provides not only an interesting insight into the man himself but also a good overview of the nature of the industry over the years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ciWgA1QiMk
#6 Our Maison - "Beyond the gesture" by
Jaeger-LeCoultre
I’ve never heard anyone say something bad about
Jaeger-LeCoultre. They make my favourite watch - the Reverso (okay, equal
favourite with the Rolex Prince); they’re innovative, distinct and
have a commitment to quality that is second to none.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahdP3uPqAOU
#7 Clockwatch: The Daniels Wristwatch
Who was F.P. Journe’s hero? George Daniels. This is the one
name that we talk about constantly here. Simply put, George Daniels
(1926-2011) was the greatest watchmaker since Abraham Louis-Breguet. Nick,
Josh and I read through his seminal Watchmaking book almost every
day (I’ll do a review on that one in a couple of years when I finally
manage to get a proper grasp on it all!), seeking answers, advice and
guidance as we work towards manufacturing components right here in Sydney.
This video is a nice little introduction into the legendary
figure.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_XK2sR30Kw
#8 Talking Watches With John Goldberger
Probably the next least-well known person Hodinkee has
interviewed, John Goldberger is perhaps the most knowledgeable collector
around. I previously reviewed one of his books and mentioned that the
only reason you need to buy the book is because Mr. Goldberger produced it.
He’s such a cool character and one could listen to him talk for days.
So cool, in fact, that he casually grabs a cheese knife, dusts it off on
his jacket and then proceeds to bust open a two million dollar Rolex 4113
without a moment's hesitation.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgSYZIUrRkw
#9 John Mayer On The IWC Big Pilot, Past And
Present
I
didn’t want to include three videos from Hodinkee because I wanted to
highlight some of the great content produced by other watch news sites, but
alas, I’m a huge fan of both John Mayer and IWC so I just had to
include this one. I guess I’ll just have to make another
list!There’s nothing overly interesting here, it’s just a guy having a nice ol’ chat about a brand and model he’s super passionate about - something I myself love doing with other collectors. It’s always a blast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdKqR_CBRBk
#10 Born To Design Franck Muller Watchmaking - SolidWorks
Franck Muller is a brand that is totally unafraid to push the boundaries in all aspects of watchmaking. Their designs are utterly unique and the mechanics within are always innovative and made to the highest standard. This video is especially of interest since we’re also using SolidWorks to design our watches.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNgIsYbcJ3M
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