Delightful perspective from Jack Forster on the often unsung hero of truly fine watchmaking, opened with some equally excellent perspective, in cameo form, from John Davis.

Coincidentally, had this article been published prior to today, the MRE reference would have flown right over my head. Not being American and having never served in any military capacity, I was oblivious to the existence of Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) kits, which are standard fare for troops serving in the field, until reading about them in Catherine Price's Vitamania this morning. Engineered to be as lightweight and durable as possible while still delivering the full array of nutrients and energy a soldier needs to perform at peak capacity for a sustained period, they're an apropos comparison to the austere, workhorse movements that power the vast majority of mechanical timepieces.