Election Day, Vulcain, and Finally the Rest of the Story!

There is a certain shabby nobility in laboring away in anonymity, not least of which is that you get to write about just what you like ; )

Now one of my passions has been, and remains even now, the Vulcain Cricket.  But my passion is rooted more firmly in the "between time" between quartz crisis and the later "tarting up" of the brand by new owners.  That time being when the Paajanen family had the Cricket produced under license and presented them as gifts to US Presidents.

Now one very important factoid that the Big H, and then every other outlet that keeps referencing them (like GQ),  keeps getting slightly wrong is that the actual Vulcain that was actually given to Joe Biden, who actually wears it was actually not given to him by Vulcain, but rather by the Paajanen family. 

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

But today is, a wonderful day for me - because FINALLY someone else out there has reported the true story of the Paajanen family, and the revival of the tradition of giving a Vulcain Cricket to the President (and sometimes Vice President) of the United States -

The Allure of The President’s Watch

THANK YOU Penelope Colston and the New York Times!!!

So I have already completed my civic duty and cast my ballot.  I dressed up my "Paajanen Cricket" with a beautiful new blue ostrich foot strap, and I am going to savor today as the day that hopefully, the rest of the world will finally learn about the true Vulcain ambassadors, and particularly Keijo Paajanen.

Sadly, I finally confirmed that Keijo did, indeed, pass away last year. Curious to relate, about three years ago I pitched the idea of creating a new watch called the Paajanen Friendship 1.  Like so many ideas, it never happened, but I like to think that maybe it could still could ; )

The last US President to receive a Cricket from the Paajanens was Donald Trump who received it in 2018, and sadly, that is the end of this part of the story.

Wishing you well Keijo, and wishing you were still here -

An Open Letter to GQ Style

Dear GQ Style,

After reading your GQ Style issue Fall * Winter 2014 I can only conclude that:

The person you charged with writing about watches in your "A Week's Worth of Watches" is:

The nephew of the publisher

Is owed a favor by the editor

Both

I have read some unbelievably vapid, uninformed, and downright dumb-assed things in my time, but the tripe offered as wrist watch wisdom in a feted "bi-annual" compendium of male sartorial guidance is so poorly researched and incorrectly referenced… let's just say you could have saved yourselves whatever you paid for this and just left it up to the images to tell "the story".

So because I care, here are some basics so that the next time you tap some junior flack on the back and ask him/her to write about watches - he/she might hope to do so without being compared to a feminine hygiene product:

Regarding your reference to the Shinola Chronogaph -

1.  It's called a chrono because "chrono" is an abbreviation for CHRONOGRAPH.  Not because it has "two chronograph sundials".  A chronograph is essentially a watch that is combined with a stop watch. Per Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronograph  

It is NOT called a chrono because of the two "chronograph sundials", son.

2.  The "straps" on stainless steel and gold watches are only known as "bracelets" if they (the bracelets) are made of, I don't know, stainless steel or gold?  Which would explain why the strap on the Shinola, is a strap?  Even though the watch case of the Shinola is (allegedly) made of stainless steel?  Now perhaps it was in reference to the two individual watches that were referenced (but not actually referenced)?

Because in fact, the "straps" on the Boca, the Pulsar and the Tudor are actually, I don't know… STRAPS!

3.  I have run out of silently held expletives for the person who wrote this turd and had the temerity to be paid for it, go now and promise to never write about watches again until you get your "poop" sorted.
In the name of all that is good and just, do not let them write about watches again.

GQ, you have boatloads of cash, you tend to spare no expense.  Why do you insist on allowing crap like this to be published?  If nothing else, this helps explain the continued existence of Invicta.

PLEASE GQ - if you are going to (presumably) write about watches, engage someone with either a little bit of knowledge, or someone who is willing to do some fu&*^ng research.

What's Wrong with Esquire's Black Book - part 5

Well, as of yet I have not received a steaming box of dog poop from the offices of Esquire, so hopefully we are still friends ; )

I actually wanted to say that all things being equal, Esquire does a fine job - but I only wish that they and GQ and others would go a little deeper.  I certainly understand that you have to keep your advertisers happy - and I respect that relationship.  And maybe, just maybe... this is why people like me do what we do - to try and help fill in the picture.

So in that spirit - I give you Eberhard

With 125 years under their belts, this is one of the truly legitimate watch making firms in the world.

And one of the watches that just SCREAMS Eberhard to me is the Tazio Nuvolari!



Courtesy of Eberhard

To be clear, Eberhard is at the forefront of a lot of wonderfully exciting developments - and some fantastic new products.  But when you are a watch company that is so steeped in history and tradition, it is hard not to look back on your iconic models. 

So Esquire, GQ, Details - get to know Eberhard!

www.eberhard-co-watches.ch