Moving into May
Summer beckons…
Dear Reader,
I know what you’re thinking – last month’s guest letter was, well… just better… Sadly for you all the Editor got his writing hat on in good time this month and thus you have this mish mash of an epistle to edify on the 7:18 to Waterloo.
I constantly find the breadth of British craft and the characters that go with it awe inspiring. From up to the minute Kickstater funded leather brands such as Wingback in pulsing London to the long established and august Campbell’s of Beauly well north of Inverness, all are united by the passionate, innovative and creative people behind them. This month Wingback’s Alasdair MacLaine discusses the pros – and very public cons – of crowdfunding for new craft entrepreneurs. Andy Barnham recently ventured north to chat with new Royal Warrant holder John Sudgen of Campbell’s of Beauly to chat how he is carefully bringing this iconic estate tweed specialists fully into the 21st century.
Rather like black cabs, after a long gap at Riddle we have a pleasant glut of all things watch related. Phillips auction house has their first major sale of the year this month and one of their specialists, Alex Ghotbi, looks at both some of the high profile Rolexes being offered but also more pertinently on the sheer appeal and desirability of vintage watches – like everything in the craft world so much is the story behind the item – that intangible x factor. Our watch fanatic John Galt delivers his initial belated thoughts on this year’s BaselWorld – being seduced by Omega’s reissued 1957 trilogy of watches - whilst the Watch Atelier looks at the history and attraction of the Swiss makers Oris.
With summer hols thoughts in the air, there is a fair smattering of tantalizing travel reviews from our team and for those who seek to burn a little rubber as the heat goes up, Marc Stickley gets behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo Giulia to find the fabled Italian manufacturer has pulled a stunner out the hat – an era launching car to stand alongside the German segment leaders.
Best Wishes,
