A.R Luria on My Mind

To all my vanished friends, I have become submerged in Luria, a Russian neuropsychologist. I read him with feverish hunger and when reading is done, I think Luria, until part of my mind has succumbed to his works. This is all on a very intellectual level - no romantic notions involved. Luria explains the brain functions in a hierarchical manner, which develops as such the most primal functions developed prior to birth and up to one year. He divides the brain into Blocks. The first involving the sub cortical structures. He focuses on the RAS which controls the tone as well as the level of alertness of the brain. Although it is located in the Medulla, atop the brain stem, it has strong connections to the hippo campus and frontal lobe. It is responsible for alerting the brain to receive new stimuli, thus increases overall alertness. After a bang on the head, a sign of drowsiness or loss of consciousness can signal diffuse brain injury and since that area of the brain is responsible for respiration and heart beat, any pressure from the brain swelling onto that part of the brain can be fatal.
Luria describes a second block which receives, codes and stores sensory information. That 2nd block he further sub divides into primary, secondary and tertiary levels. These areas are for the most part on the lateral portions of the cortex. The primary visual cortex (occipital lobe), the primary auditory cortex (temporal lobe - Hershyls (wrong spelling) Gyrus , somatosensory cortex (parietal lobe). The olfactory cortex in our frontal lobe is quite underdeveloped compared to our relatives in the mammalian world. So we not the best smellers in the animal kingdom - and a good thing to; especially when they haven't picked up the garbage on a hot summers day in NYC. All the neurons in the primary sensory areas are modality specific meaning they only deal with the sensory input for that specific sense. Such as the primary visual cortex has neurons specifically for receiving visual information. Damage to that area will result in loss of vision. The secondary portions code the information and are critical for organizing information from that sense. As per Anne Treisman's Feature Integration Theory, stimuli in the very early stages of perception and of which we are not consciously aware is first perceived as parts such as colors and shapes and then put together as a whole (this is bottom up processing - explained in every Cognitive Psychology textbook) - an inability to do this resulting in damage to an area in the parietal lobe where a flurry of sensory integration activity occurs results in what is known as Balint's syndrome which is an inability to consolidate the different characteristics of objects.
Anyway my good vanished friends, I am not done. I still have to describe the tertiary level of Block two as well as the much popularized Block 3 encompassing the pre frontal cortex; however I am tired and without sleep my newly formed long term memories in my hippocamopus will not consolidate in my cortex and I will be left the worst for wear.
Sleep as Shakespeare so rightly puts it (and doesn't Shakespeare have a splendid way with words) ... Sleep Nature's Soft Nurse.
I will post when I have the urge and the information in my head leaks onto the keyboard.

Introduction to the Watch Watchers Watch Blog

I am eager to continue blogging about luxury watches. Although this is my first post on this blog, this is by no means my first ever luxury watch blog. I have blogged for the past 3 years about luxury watches and I will continue to do so without a particular affiliation to any watch company.

I hope to accomplish many things through this blog.

• Dig up some long forgotten watch history - such as the time Harry Winston went rummaging through the garbage to find a lost gem or the Santos-Dumont story.
  
• Review cutting edge watch materials and watch movements.
• Describe new watch designs.
• Watch companies as time keepers of sporting events.
• Who's wearing what watch.
• Watch competitions and the winners.
• Watch Fairs like Baselworld and SIHH.
• Descriptions of Watch Movements such as the tourbillon, minute repeater, sonnerie, perpetual calender, chronograph and astronomical measurements.
• Weird watches
  
• Weird Watch stories (which I hope will be taken with a grain of salt)
• Important Watch Maintenance Techniques
  
• and so much more.

Please follow my blog and add comments.

Piaget Black Tie

Piaget's Black Tie Collection defines elegance and exceptional craftsmanship. Among them is the Piaget Emperador Coussin Regulator which I have blogged about in much detail; however, I cannot turn my back on the Black Tie collection thinking that I have blogged about one watch in the collection, and now can march off to other domains.


Another heart stopping beauty is the Piaget Emperador Cushion Watch presenting an exceptionally accurate moon phase indicator, with only a one day difference in 122 years.
... and presenting Piaget's Millionth Watch,

Piaget Emperador Tourbillon Skeleton Luxury Timepiece boasts the Worlds Thinnest Tourbillon. A mere 3.5mm thick, the tourbillon ensures that any slight time tracking discrepancy due to the force of gravity is annihilated. Then again the lightness and transparency of the skeleton 600p mechanical skeleton tourbillon movement seems to defy gravity. Softened angles and streamlined case is elegantly aristocratic. By far one of Piaget's finest. The Piaget Emperador Timepiece is also available encrusted with diamonds making this particular timepiece the world's only gem-set skeleton tourbillon.

Piaget's timepieces are among the top watch brands mendaciously crafting watches since 1874. The tradition of watchmaking is bound to the very essence of Piaget, so much so that every timepiece is crafted with exceptional care and meticulous precision. In addition, Piaget keeps up with today's technological advancements. Piaget has launched a touch screen version of its website, so users of the iPad and iphone can easily navigate Piaget's website.

Artya Bone Chilling Halloween Watches

Artya Halloween Special Collection Masks of Evil Watch sends chills down my spine. The bezel has been slashed like wounds on skin. On the dial a screaming deathly white skull appears from a slithering blackness as the time is marked in red razor sharp hour markers. The strap is a “Crazy frog” tanned toad skin. The watch is automatic mechanical movements with water resistance of 50 meters.

" Scared of spiders little one?", the evil green monster says through a row of pin like teeth. It is waving Artya's spider watch. Green blisters bubble, pop and ooze a thick yellowy goo from a leathery outstretched feeler.
The dial can send one with arachnophobia running for cover as the corpse of a real spider lies among cleverly crafted rubble of a long forgotten world. The battered bezel is emblazoned with demons. Hauntingly artistic, the watch has been subjected to 17 different artistic techniques to resemble that lone artifact to survive "the day after tomorrow".

As far as Halloween watches go, these two watches are about as unsettling as you can get. No candid shots at horror. These watches are the real deal.

Artya - Unbridled Watchmaking Creativity Unleashes Mezmerizing Watch Creations

Artya Tesla Squelette Quadri-Rotor Watches are quite different in a cool artsy way. Kind of like those sculptures designed from useless left over electronic junk and stuff, and believe me with all those new improved gizmos and gadgets out there and disdain for older models and styles, there are plenty more from where these electronic "has beens" came from. Artya vision is to merge contemporary art and watch making whilst employing unbridled creativity.
As Artya's brain child and watch making wizard, Yvan Arapa says " “Imagination running wild leads the artist, and the watchmaker has no choice but to follow”.
Yvan Arpa knows a thing or two about being quite unique. He is responsible for Romaine Jerome's DNA of Legends. He was the managing director of Romaine Jerome for just a short while and in that time he unveiled watches comprising of steel from the Titanic, dust from the moon and no time. Yes! The day and night watch told no time.
Now his passion is Artya ,Yvan Arpa being the founder and owner, and just by looking at these watches one can see his creativity bursting forth in even greater abundance.
The new Artya Tesla Squelette Quadri-Rotor are a mixture of mechanical and electronics. I would say the watch is a completely automatic mechanical Swiss ETA movement, but then you would indicate that there are some capacitors and wires and coils and such and such and these electronic components are right there on the dial, not even covered up by a steel case. Then I would have to acquiesce, as you are right. The mechanical watch does have some electronic components which serve an artistic function quite different from the electrical function making this watch collection excruciatingly unique.
The strap is well ... toad skin. Just in case you were thinking the strap was the usual plain jane leather. The 47mm case is steel and chemically colored and zapped. Yes! Zapped. The cases are shocked with some sort of lightning produced by the Tesla coils and end up looking like they weathered a mighty storm.
I wonder what next Artya has in store for the watchmaking world.

10 Year Anniversary of de GRISIGONO's first Collection

At, Baselworld 2000 we were spoiled to the sighting of the first de GRISOGONO collection : Instrumento N°Uno. Now unmistakable by its sleek bold design. In commemoration of this, Fawaz Gruosi, founder and chairman of de GRISOGONO, has unveiled a trendy colorful take on its original collection. A vibrant aquamarine watch band fashioned from Galuchat, shark or stingray skin first used in luxury watch making by de GRISIGONO, compliments the matching hour numerals and the elegant band of paraiba tourmalines (aquamarine gems).
If you notice the watch band is bumpy - these bumps are calcified papillae called "placoid scales otherwise known as Denticles and are small outgrowths which cover the skin of many cartilaginous fish such as sharks and sting rays. In watch straps the placoid scales are polished down until the denticles are rounded and pearl like.
De Grisogono has taken the natural texture of the Galuchat and enhanced it with exceptional colors and polishing, creating a timepiece where the strap commands as much attention as the watch.
The iconic Instrumento N°Uno dial sports a a dual time zone display and a large date display in the 7:35 position. Beneath the sleek dial lies a premium automatic movement.
Once again, de GRISIGONO has swept watch lovers off their feet in another remarkable vision of perfection.

Richard Mille and Tennis Champion Rafael Nadel Launches the Tourbillon RM027 - One of the Lightest Watches Ever.

Back in May, Richard Mille celebrated the partnership with 24 year old Tennis Champion Rafael Nadel with the Launch of the Tourbillon Watch RM 027. Wimbledon begins tomorrow and Rafael Nadel will enter the court wearing the RM 027.
In regard to his partnership Rafael said,
"It is an honor for me that someone like Richard has chosen me as one of his ambassadors. Since the moment we met there was a special feeling. I know that has worked very hard to create this special watch. I am honored and I am sure it will be a special and successful partnership."

Weighing in at just 20g (without the lightweight strap) the RM 027 is specially designed so as not to add any extra weight to Rafael's wrist. Thus the RM027 has achieved a remarkable feat of becoming one of the lightest watches ever produced.


The watch is equipped with a tourbillon, in invented in 1795 by French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, a century after Newton defined gravity. Breguet reasoned that as a result of the constant position of the vertical position of the pocket watch, the balance spring is confounded by the effect of gravity effecting the accuracy of the watch. This error could be compensated with a tourbillion whereby the escapement, balance wheel, and balance spring is placed in a rotating carriage which turns once per minute on its own axis. It seems not only does the tourbillon defy the effects of gravity, but the watch as well, by weighing a mere 20 grams.
Richard Mille reduced the weight with absolutely no reduction of efficiency and accuracy. Richard Mille worked in close collaboration with Rafael Nadel while developing the RM 027. During his training sessions, Rafael wore the RM027 testing its weight and accuracy and will now wear it to his tennis matches.

This watch is a break through design on may levels: First, I have always advised not to wear a luxury watch during high impact sports like tennis ,where the wrist makes abrupt extreme movements, as the movement may not be able to withstand the shock and thereby become damaged; however the RM027 is super shock absorbent and the movement not be damaged during the match.

Secondly, the watch is extremely lightweight even with the tourbillon complication.

A remarkable design, and what better man to wear the watch than Rafael Nadel, who has won the French open, his fifth title in six years at Roland Garros and who is overtaking long time Tennis great, 29 year old Roger Federer. Nadal has beaten Federer 14 of the 21 times they have met, including six of the last seven matches. Although Federer has a long list of tennis victories, it seems Nadel has just begun to warm up, and 2010 Wimbledon is the perfect arena to achieve greatness.
The RM027 is Richard Mille's victory, and the perfect companion to a competitor striving for the Wimbledon title.