A calcifying form of marine phytoplankton that constitutes the primary ingredient of chalk.

I used to be under the impression that it was the fossilized remains of this specialized class of photosynthetic algae that formed the thousands of kilometers of chalk that line many parts of our planet, but it turns out they actively create their chalky, microscopic exoskeletons while still alive. Using ions dissolved in seawater, they produce calcium-carbonate platelets intracellularly, which are then extruded onto the surface of the cell.

While the precise utility of these exoskeletal structures is unknown—including that of the coccosphere pictured above—scientists speculate that they serve as a form of armour, protecting the delicate algae within from predators, viruses, and harmful UV rays. Crucially, on a global scale, the chalk that they produce has helped to regulate the acidity of the oceans for millions of years.

Yes, cross-stitched as in with a needle and thread. Lovingly crafted by the wife of Daniel Mealo.

Marie de Pimodan, reporting for WorldTempus, offers a peek inside Richard Mille's Pro Art I facility, in Les Breuleux, where its cases are manufactured.

Since the creation of the in-house movement manufacturing department in 2008, Richard Mille has launched 15 in-house movements that equip 60% of its production—with the remaining 40% supplied by Vaucher or APLL [Audemars Piguet Le Locle].

Their Pro Art II building, completed in 2018, houses the brand's creative and technical offices, where research, engineering, and design teams work in tandem to innovate Richard Mille's distinctive cases and movements.

Centuries-old invoices and artefacts reveal that clockmakers aided in levelling up the showmanship and spectacle of jousting in the age of Maximilian.

Eric Barnes distills the five key lessons he learned over the three years that he and Paul Shustak developed and brought to market the distinctive Kor One water bottle:

1. Have a Fresh Perspective
2. Identify Needs, Build Desire
3. Find and Surround Yourself With the Right Partners
4. Follow Through on the Execution
5. Don't Neglect Branding

Expounding a bit on that last point:

Nurturing and codifying a brand gives you a much broader creative canvas. A brand is not concrete, so you’re free to develop it and move around over time. It’s an unfinished story but gives both you and your users space to hold together. And certainly, in a world that has everything but is starved for meaning, a powerful brand behind your product can transcend the direct functional purpose and become part of your user’s story.

An epicenter of Swiss watchmaking, La Chaux-de-Fonds in northwestern Switzerland, was hit hard by derecho-like windstorm on Monday, July 24^th 2023.

A number of homes and businesses took extensive damage, including Sellita's manufacturing facilities, pictured above.

A 1.3 gigapixel composite image of the moon stitched together from 280,000 photos, created by Andrew James McCarthy.

While Voutilainen's Masterpiece 7 and Masterpiece 8 decimal repeaters remain among my personal all-time favourites of his creations, the dial of the “L’Esprit du Bois” GMT Decimal Repeater is a close contender to Masterpiece 7.

It's rare to see one of Voutilainen's repeaters come up for public sale. Rarer still for one to appear off of any sort of auction block.

An understated, horological tour de force, F.P. Journe's contribution to Only Watch 2023 marks the brand's first timepiece to feature central running seconds.

Hidden behind the striking, blue enamel dial and orange second hand, the solid tantalum case houses a brand new, in-house caliber, the reference 1522, which features a power reserve indicator and moon phase display nestled in the back of the watch. The rose gold movement is exquisitely well executed.

URWERK unveils a towering, one-of-a-kind Time-Space Blade for Only Watch 2023.

Tudor debuts a brand new, in-house chronograph movement, housed in solid 18 carat yellow gold, with the Prince Chronograph One Prototype for Only Watch 2023.

Zoe Leung brings us a behind-the-scenes look at Parmigiani Fleurier's subsidiary manufacturing facilities Quadrance & Habillage, Les Artisans Boîtiers (a.k.a. LAB), and Vaucher, which are responsible for the brand's dials, cases, and movements respectively.