Well, it’s official. I’ve got my first book deal.
Tech journalist John Biggs, who edits the blog CrunchGear.com and has contributed to The New York Times, has signed a contract with Susan Kamil at the Dial Press to write a book called Marie Antoinette’s Watch.
The book will tell the story of an impossibly elaborate wristwatch that one of Marie Antoinette’s lovers commissioned around the time of the French Revolution from the master watchmaker Abraham Louis Breguet. The watch—the “iPhone of its day,” according to Mr. Weissman, because of its unprecedented range of features and functions—took 44 years to make, and Marie Antoinette was long dead by the time it was complete.
What’s my goal? To pull horology out of the fashion ghetto and show it for the scientific and engineering endeavor it really is. The M-A was the Revolutionary Moon Shot, something so amazing that we can barely understand it today.
All watchmakers and watch experts please contact me at john @ wristwatchreview dot com. Let’s talk and get the story of watchmaking right for the first time in a long time.
Let me start by thanking John for the opportunity to contribute to WWR.
A few words about me; I’m a watch fan. I come at it as an amateur historian who appreciates the watch’s role in history (note that the affordable wristwatch made ’s list of “Top Ten Military Innovations of the XXth Century” on www.Strategypage.com), as well as being a guy with the not-uncommon fetish for small and intricate gadgets. Watches, especially mechanical watches, also appeal to me as bits of order, precision, and accuracy, in an otherwise chaotic and messy world. Finally, watches are tools, and valuable tools in every endeavor I have been involved with in my adult life. I don’t consider myself a collector as I lack the passion and intensity of a true collector, but I have a number of watches, and appreciate them.
Professionally, I’ve been in the military one way or another since 1983. Currently, I’m a reservist, and something of a professional student appart from that. In addition to watches, I’m interested in history, classical and sport fencing (saber and foil), coffee, beer, bourbon, and cooking.
Thanks again, John, for the opportunity to be part of the team!
I’m looking for four writers for:
* Audiomonger.com – Music
* TheSportingLife.net – Men’s cool stuff
* RunningGearReview.com – Running gear reviewers
* WallStreetTechDaily.com – Financial tech news
Pay is commiserate with me not making any money, but it could be a cool way to break into the biz. Drop me a line at john at bigwidelogic dot com if you’re interested.
Scorpion, makers of the Reef Diver, is now called Serket. Why? Who knows, but I think the name is much cooler.
In Egyptian mythology a Serket was originally the deification of the scorpion. With our new name and new website, we are unveiling our next model, The Serket Reef Diver 2.0.
Roar!
Product Page
Just talked to Yizhi at WatchLuxus.com, our latest advertiser and a man with a mission. We did a quick Q&A over email and here’s what I got.
Me: Tell me about WatchLuxus.com
Yizhi: Watchluxus.com is designed to become the ultimate destination for people interested in anything connected with the quality watch market.
The website offers a complete on-line catalogue of every high-value wristwatch collection, world-wide, to support everyone – from people buying a gift, to an expert looking for a collector’s item. The site also features a watch-finder, market-place for secondhand watches, watch forum and news blog.
Me: Hey, we’re a news blog too! But that’s OK. Now you mentioned something about helping in the purchase process?
Read more…
And you thought the Big Bang could only create all matter in a split second of cosmic energy. Hublot is now building a crazy island in Second Life to show off its watches and will even offer some sort of online sales.
Hublot – the Swiss luxury watchmaker – today revealed that it is to launch a Hublot island in the virtual world of Second Life. On 12th September, Hublot promises to open its virtual doors to all Second Life residents and journalists. After 6 months of development in partnership with Akira Web SA of Luxembourg, Hublot’s state of the art premises includes luxurious bars, a marina, exhibition area and even an online shop!
EXCLUSIVE – Hublot Leads Luxury Watch Brands with Virtual Island [WatchLuxus]
I’m on summer holiday in Warsaw, Poland, this month and barely have enough time to drink vodka let alone post on WWR. If you’re in Warsaw, however, and would like to meet up, drop me a line at john @ bigwidelogic.com.
I’m having a watch Jones and I’d like to get something nice. What do you guys suggest?
Our first 1-year ad sponsor, who will grace these pages until next April, is Blancier, our favorite custom watch site. Created by a watchmaker and a watch aficionado, the company has grown from a tiny factory in Germany into a custom powerhouse with amazing pieces at all price points. www.blancier.com is a great site and a great way to get a customized watch at a decent price. Please check them out.
www.blancier.com
Watchmakers, Sales Folks, and Generally Cool People – At the top of every page we will now be offering low-cost box ads at $40 per month or $300 per year. The pixel sizes are 130×90 or 520×90, depending on what you’d like to pick up. Please drop me a line at john at wristwatchreview.com if you’re interested in advertising.
Sorry for not posting. We had a problem with our DNS server last week and while the rest of the world could see the site, I couldn’t. Strange.
When in the course of human events a man decides it is easier to lay around playing video games and drinking beer, it behooves that man to get off his rump and do something. To that end, I am asking you, dear friends, to help support me – and the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – in my quest to run 26.21875 miles or 42.195 km. Yes, friends, I’m running a marathon for Team in Training, an organization that helps fatsos like me destroy themselves through the glory of sport and to support research in leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
How can you help? But making sure I actually run and don’t skulk off into the corner AND by donating to my $4,000 goal
Why am I doing this? It’s not just vanity, although I am vain. I appreciate the effort TNT puts into their events and fundraising the tireless dedication they have for their volunteers. There’s a lot of mess in the world – it is always too much with us – but to be able to help, even a little, encourages me even more than getting down to my original weight (8 pounds 3 ounces) . I have a young son now, and imagining even a 10th of what parents with sick children must go through is heart-wrenching.
Thank you for your kind support.
Sorry I haven’t posted this week. I’ve been in Barcelona covering 3GSM for my day job. Talk at ya on Monday.
Next week we have some real treats for you. I’ve got my hands on the latest Bathy’s watch, the automatic 100 Fathoms. It’s a beaut. Then we’ve got some special surprises from a new brand in town, Riedenschild. We now run the official Riedenschild Forum as well, so start keeping your eye on them. They’re very interesting.
My brother-in-law just started a new site for Polish cooking and recipes. It’s in Polish, but that shouldn’t stop you! Head on over and check out his restaurant reviews and other goodies. We’re also planning a version in English.
AkademiaSmaku.com
