JOSHUA SCOTTOr your first thought might have been to build the perfect
fantasy fleet of marine craft: everything from a 300-foot floating
mansion to the little Riva speedster to take you to shore.
Not all machines are of the transportive kind, of course.
The level of engineering involved in a perpetual calendar is
jaw-dropping, whether at the cutting edge of new technology
like Vacheron Constantin’s recent Twin Beat—which won the
accolade of our Men’s Timepiece of the Year in June’s “Best
of the Best” issue for its ingenious dual power modes—or a
vintage Patek Philippe, such as the Reference 3448 from 1962,
which was powered by the world’s first serially produced
automatic perpetual-calendar movement. Unquestionably the
machines of dreams, both.
If you’re seeking inspiration for your wish list, we have
plenty of it: For a start, take a look at the hypercars in
development that are being readied to attempt the challenge of
being the first production car to break the 300 mph barrier. It’s
an extraordinary target, but then these are pretty spectacular
vehicles, from both a design and a mechanical standpoint.
Elsewhere, pilot and writer Jeff Wise contrasts the lure of
the flying car in popular culture with mankind’s stark failure
to launch anything even resembling one. But, he argues, maybe
we’re looking for innovation in the wrong place: Read his
intriguing essay on page 104.
We also shine a light—literally, actually—on one of the
most interesting trends in horology right now: sapphire crystal
cases. Not only are they (mostly) transparent, some with all
the allure of skeleton watches taken to the extreme, but they’re
also ferociously difficult to produce. Sapphire crystal is the
second-hardest naturally occurring material on earth, behind
only diamond. It’s virtually scratch-proof, which is why it’s
used extensively as the protective glass that covers most watch
dials, but it’s also rather brittle, which makes machining them a
challenge. Handmade diamond-tipped tools are required to cut
the material, and it’s a hugely complicated, precarious process.
One slip can be disastrous. Which goes some way to explaining
the price tags they command. Our shoot starts on page 108.
Accomplishment and its rewards can sometimes bring
unwelcome attention. Personal and home security is a growing
and increasingly high-tech business, if one that’s not often
openly discussed. But it’s a fascinating subject, and I’m sure
you’ll find our story on page 118 an engrossing read. From
fog machines and biometric entry devices to threat analysis
on the Dark Web and global evacuation strategies by virtual
emergency-response teams, the options are almost limitless.As one expert says, “Good protection doesn’t sell fear. It sells
the opposite: freedom from fear.”
We also start booking our next European vacation, to Puglia,
on page 31; take some quality style advice from the fashion
industry’s best-dressed men on page 52; explore the processes
involved in assembling a Padrón cigar on page 84; and then
examine why you might need a second (legal) passport these
days, in our business section on page 130.
Enjoy the issue.Editor’s Letter
What are your dream machines? It’s one of those questions you
could lose hours (days, probably) answering, as you map out
your grail garage with maybe a Bugatti Type 55 Roadster and an
Aston Martin DB5, for example, then perhaps a Ferrari 250 GTO
alongside McLaren’s P1 (how many are we allowed here?).
20 AUGUST 2019
Paul Croughton
Editor in Chief
@paulcroughtonG2Ga_Aug_EdLetter-REV.indd 20 7/3/19 3:42 PMJOSHUA SCOTTOryourfirstthoughtmighthavebeentobuildtheperfect
fantasyfleetofmarinecraft:everythingfroma300-footfloating
mansiontothelittleRivaspeedstertotakeyoutoshore.
Notallmachinesareofthetransportivekind,ofcourse.
Thelevelofengineeringinvolvedinaperpetualcalendaris
jaw-dropping,whetheratthecuttingedgeofnewtechnology
likeVacheronConstantin’srecentTwinBeat—whichwonthe
accoladeofourMen’sTimepieceoftheYearinJune’s“Best
oftheBest”issueforitsingeniousdualpowermodes—ora
vintagePatekPhilippe,suchastheReference 3448 from1962,
whichwaspoweredbytheworld’sfirstseriallyproduced
automaticperpetual-calendarmovement.Unquestionablythe
machinesofdreams,both.
Ifyou’reseekinginspirationforyourwishlist,wehave
plentyofit:Forastart,takealookatthehypercarsin
developmentthatarebeingreadiedtoattemptthechallengeof
beingthefirstproductioncartobreakthe 300 mphbarrier.It’s
anextraordinarytarget,butthentheseareprettyspectacular
vehicles,frombothadesignandamechanicalstandpoint.
Elsewhere,pilotandwriterJeffWisecontraststhelureof
theflyingcarinpopularculturewithmankind’sstarkfailure
tolaunchanythingevenresemblingone.But,heargues,maybe
we’relookingforinnovationinthewrongplace:Readhis
intriguingessayonpage104.
Wealsoshinealight—literally,actually—ononeofthe
mostinterestingtrendsinhorologyrightnow:sapphirecrystal
cases.Notonlyarethey(mostly)transparent,somewithall
theallureofskeletonwatchestakentotheextreme,butthey’re
alsoferociouslydifficulttoproduce.Sapphirecrystalisthe
second-hardestnaturallyoccurringmaterialonearth,behind
onlydiamond.It’svirtuallyscratch-proof,whichiswhyit’s
usedextensivelyastheprotectiveglassthatcoversmostwatch
dials,butit’salsoratherbrittle,whichmakesmachiningthema
challenge.Handmadediamond-tippedtoolsarerequiredtocut
thematerial,andit’sahugelycomplicated,precariousprocess.
Oneslipcanbedisastrous.Whichgoessomewaytoexplaining
thepricetagstheycommand.Ourshootstartsonpage108.
Accomplishmentanditsrewardscansometimesbring
unwelcomeattention.Personalandhomesecurityisagrowing
andincreasinglyhigh-techbusiness,ifonethat’snotoften
openlydiscussed.Butit’safascinatingsubject,andI’msure
you’llfindourstoryonpage 118 anengrossingread.From
fogmachinesandbiometricentrydevicestothreatanalysis
ontheDarkWebandglobalevacuationstrategiesbyvirtual
emergency-responseteams,theoptionsarealmostlimitless.Asoneexpertsays,“Goodprotectiondoesn’tsellfear.Itsells
theopposite:freedomfromfear.”
WealsostartbookingournextEuropeanvacation,toPuglia,
onpage31;takesomequalitystyleadvicefromthefashion
industry’sbest-dressedmenonpage52;exploretheprocesses
involvedinassemblingaPadróncigaronpage84;andthen
examinewhyyoumightneedasecond(legal)passportthese
days,inourbusinesssectiononpage130.
Enjoytheissue.What are your dream machines? It’s one of those questions you
could lose hours (days, probably) answering, as you map out
your grail garage with maybe a Bugatti Type 55 Roadster and an
Aston Martin DB5, for example, then perhaps a Ferrari 250 GTO
alongside McLaren’s P1 (how many are we allowed here?).
20 AUGUST 2019
Paul Croughton
Editor in Chief
@paulcroughton