The small, exquisite event hosted by QP Magazine in London, featured two world premieres.
WORLDTEMPUS - 15 November 2010
Elizabeth Lilly Doerr
Even if you attended the industry's biggest watch shows of the year, you would not have been disappointed by money spent going to SalonQP, held over the weekend in London's artsy venue Marleybone One. The intimate show not only boasted 35 top exhibitors that included a mix of some of the hottest and most coveted names in horology today and interesting independents, but also offered a stirring round of lectures and panel discussions.
Daniels World Premiere
Fans of unique and collectible watchmaking were treated to the world premiere of what might be the most important watch to rear its head in 2010. The Co-Axial Anniversary Edition, a handmade collaboration between the man some consider the world's greatest living watchmaker — George Daniels — and Isle of Man-based independent Roger Smith, debuted to great fanfare at the event. Daniels, now 84 years old, was present at the Thursday evening opening to the great joy of the many visitors. Smith remained on hand throughout the event, remarking that there was great interest surrounding the piece and that some were even sold during the course of the three-day event.
Smith explains that the watch is “classic Daniels.”
“This new watch is no compromise,” he says. “It has the same feel as a Daniels; it will represent a seamless connection to the work George did in his prime.”
Smith exhibited the first prototype of the collaboration, which draws on Daniels's complete body of work. Daniels and Smith jointly designed a new English-style caliber, finished and styled to Daniels's exacting standards and modeled on his handmade pocket watches. Smith will execute the complete manufacture in his small, high-tech workshop on the Isle of Man.
The appearance of this 40 mm 18-karat gold timepiece is very close to the 68 mm tourbillon chronograph pocket watch that Daniels created in 1994 and which he continues to retain in his own collection. Like the original pocket watch, the solid silver dial is guilloché by hand and embellished with inlaid 18-karat gold chapters. The matching gold hands have the signature Daniels shape. The manually wound movement comprises a Daniels co-axial escapement with free-sprung balance. It displays the hours, minutes, seconds, date, and power reserve.
Bremont Manufacture
Another premiere was found in the lower-level Undercroft section of Marleybone One: Bremont's B-1 Marine Clock, which boasts a movement completely designed by Peter Roberts and 100 percent manufactured in the UK, according to Nick English, one-half of the brand's fraternal founding team. “This is a pre-Basel introduction,” English explained of the 300 mm clock boasting twin fusees powering the attractive brass movement. As of Baselworld 2011 — where the clock will officially debut — Bremont expects to manufacture two or three each month, all customizable to the owner's wishes and taste.
The Mix Makes It
Independents like Giuliano Mazzuoli did not exhibit at Baselworld in 2010. But Mazzuoli, like a few other small manufacturers, were in attendance at SalonQP. The reason is easily explained: direct and personal access to one's audience — a British audience.
Many of Richemont's premiere names were also present; UK-based fans were not only able to try on complicated timepieces by A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Panerai, they could also handle Nomos timepieces, a rarity on the British Isles. This small manufacture hailing from Glashütte, recently having engaged a British agent, was overjoyed to participate and became one of the highlights of the show. Nomos's booth was also fortuitously located between Roger Smith/George Daniels and A. Lange & Söhne on the upper floor.
Side Show
The continuous flow of lectures and discussions by industry heavyweights was more than just added value for the event: it educated and entertained the visitor at the same time. Stéphane Belmont of Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the Master Compressor Extreme LAB 2 in detail; Jean-Frédéric Dufour, CEO of Zenith, explained his views of simplified horology; British clockmaker John C. Smith took the stage to talk about precision timekeeping; Edouard Mignon remarked on the Cartier IDOne concept; Pierre-André Finazzi, owner of Ellicott, talked about the English progenitor of his modern brand and his role in British watchmaking; Alex Ghotbi, community manager at Vacheron Constantin, gave a talk on collecting; and Roger Smith discussed the decline and rebirth of English watchmaking. Additionally, two panel discussions took place involving QP editor-in-chief James Gurney as chair, freelance journalist Ken Kessler, bloggers Andrew Carrier (www.theprodigalfool.com) and Ariel Adams (www.ablogtoread.com), British watchmaker Peter Roberts (now working for Bremont), and Worldtempus contributor Elizabeth Doerr.
More than just a good time was had by all. During my own book signing of 12 Faces of Time on Friday evening, a classic car dealer sauntered over to chat for a while. During the course of the conversation, I learned that the man had bought four luxury timepieces during his afternoon at SalonQP. “My wife's going to kill me,” the man stated. However, he did not look unhappy.
Elizabeth Lilly Doerr
Even if you attended the industry's biggest watch shows of the year, you would not have been disappointed by money spent going to SalonQP, held over the weekend in London's artsy venue Marleybone One. The intimate show not only boasted 35 top exhibitors that included a mix of some of the hottest and most coveted names in horology today and interesting independents, but also offered a stirring round of lectures and panel discussions.
Daniels World Premiere
Fans of unique and collectible watchmaking were treated to the world premiere of what might be the most important watch to rear its head in 2010. The Co-Axial Anniversary Edition, a handmade collaboration between the man some consider the world's greatest living watchmaker — George Daniels — and Isle of Man-based independent Roger Smith, debuted to great fanfare at the event. Daniels, now 84 years old, was present at the Thursday evening opening to the great joy of the many visitors. Smith remained on hand throughout the event, remarking that there was great interest surrounding the piece and that some were even sold during the course of the three-day event.
Smith explains that the watch is “classic Daniels.”
“This new watch is no compromise,” he says. “It has the same feel as a Daniels; it will represent a seamless connection to the work George did in his prime.”
Smith exhibited the first prototype of the collaboration, which draws on Daniels's complete body of work. Daniels and Smith jointly designed a new English-style caliber, finished and styled to Daniels's exacting standards and modeled on his handmade pocket watches. Smith will execute the complete manufacture in his small, high-tech workshop on the Isle of Man.
The appearance of this 40 mm 18-karat gold timepiece is very close to the 68 mm tourbillon chronograph pocket watch that Daniels created in 1994 and which he continues to retain in his own collection. Like the original pocket watch, the solid silver dial is guilloché by hand and embellished with inlaid 18-karat gold chapters. The matching gold hands have the signature Daniels shape. The manually wound movement comprises a Daniels co-axial escapement with free-sprung balance. It displays the hours, minutes, seconds, date, and power reserve.
Bremont Manufacture
Another premiere was found in the lower-level Undercroft section of Marleybone One: Bremont's B-1 Marine Clock, which boasts a movement completely designed by Peter Roberts and 100 percent manufactured in the UK, according to Nick English, one-half of the brand's fraternal founding team. “This is a pre-Basel introduction,” English explained of the 300 mm clock boasting twin fusees powering the attractive brass movement. As of Baselworld 2011 — where the clock will officially debut — Bremont expects to manufacture two or three each month, all customizable to the owner's wishes and taste.
The Mix Makes It
Independents like Giuliano Mazzuoli did not exhibit at Baselworld in 2010. But Mazzuoli, like a few other small manufacturers, were in attendance at SalonQP. The reason is easily explained: direct and personal access to one's audience — a British audience.
Many of Richemont's premiere names were also present; UK-based fans were not only able to try on complicated timepieces by A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Panerai, they could also handle Nomos timepieces, a rarity on the British Isles. This small manufacture hailing from Glashütte, recently having engaged a British agent, was overjoyed to participate and became one of the highlights of the show. Nomos's booth was also fortuitously located between Roger Smith/George Daniels and A. Lange & Söhne on the upper floor.
Side Show
The continuous flow of lectures and discussions by industry heavyweights was more than just added value for the event: it educated and entertained the visitor at the same time. Stéphane Belmont of Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the Master Compressor Extreme LAB 2 in detail; Jean-Frédéric Dufour, CEO of Zenith, explained his views of simplified horology; British clockmaker John C. Smith took the stage to talk about precision timekeeping; Edouard Mignon remarked on the Cartier IDOne concept; Pierre-André Finazzi, owner of Ellicott, talked about the English progenitor of his modern brand and his role in British watchmaking; Alex Ghotbi, community manager at Vacheron Constantin, gave a talk on collecting; and Roger Smith discussed the decline and rebirth of English watchmaking. Additionally, two panel discussions took place involving QP editor-in-chief James Gurney as chair, freelance journalist Ken Kessler, bloggers Andrew Carrier (www.theprodigalfool.com) and Ariel Adams (www.ablogtoread.com), British watchmaker Peter Roberts (now working for Bremont), and Worldtempus contributor Elizabeth Doerr.
More than just a good time was had by all. During my own book signing of 12 Faces of Time on Friday evening, a classic car dealer sauntered over to chat for a while. During the course of the conversation, I learned that the man had bought four luxury timepieces during his afternoon at SalonQP. “My wife's going to kill me,” the man stated. However, he did not look unhappy.
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