Gents Things

" Poor people save money, Rich people save time "

[gentlemansthings]

Concur...

‘’Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. I know that’s impossible, but it’s too bad anyway. Anyway, I kept thinking about all that while I walked’‘.

Holden Caulfield

[gentlemansthings]

The 64...

A watch inspired by Nicolas G.Hayek who rescued (in part) the Swiss watch industry with his idea of producing a timepiece designed to be purchased as a second watch. This was to become known as the Swatch.

The idea was developed by other companies most notably Tag-Heuer who produced the F1. This is where Leonidas flip the paradigm somewhat; the Swatch along with the F1 both used batteries and plastic to keep costs down and to allow them to compete with their Chinese counterparts.

The 64 uses materials usually reserved for watches at a much higher price point but is sold in line with the second watch concept (simply put, it's affordable).

The surgeon grade stainless steel case houses a 25 jewel Swiss made automatic movement and comes supplied (as standard) with a luxury Barrington watch winder to keep your 64 running smoothly when wearing another piece from your collection. Sapphire glass as standard on the front, the exhibition back has toughened mineral crystal.

The 64 see's a departure from huge watch cases favored by the premiership, and a return to a smarter, sleeker silhouette (it’s 37mm incl crown).

Delivered on a new old stock Swiss Tropic Sport band.

The 64 pays tribute to the watchmakers of the 70's, the creative thinking of Hayek in the 80's, and those who were less fortunate and fell by the wayside as victims of the quartz revolution.

Now available to purchase but please be aware that due to the current demand orders are being delivered approximately 2-3 weeks from the date of sale.

Black face LEONIDAS 64 with ghost sweep & Military 64 model both  available to purchase here

[gentlemansthings]

Book club...

For years people have been discussing, debating and philosophizing over this book when suddenly it all falls into place thanks to the cryptic clues Kerouac left: The bare feet in the image and the ‘mad search for kicks’ text on the cover.

It’s about Black Friday, sneakers, and the never ending search for grails..

Nailed it.

[gentlemansthings]

Grey matters...

Q: What's the correct length for my trousers? (thank you for the question Dave).

99% of questions submitted focus on appearance; Dave’s worried about his trousers, Ben has concerns his belt doesn't match his shoes, James is agonizing over his pocket square, Paul was told by a friend he should only wear wool socks with brogues and Mike is worried that his £200 wont get him a decent pair of shoes.

WTF. Seriously, Dave, Ben, James, Paul, and Mike, stop debating and agonizing over this nonsense. Too much emphasis and importance is being placed on outward appearance, the projection of an image; dudes be living the mannequin challenge. Go outside and live a life, not a lifestyle. It's time to go back to basics.

The question I most welcome (but don't get asked enough) is what's the definition of a gent? what maketh the gentleman? its a great question, but lacks a definitive answer, there's no one size fits all response, there are simply too many facets of the gent to consider.

A bespoke suit, a natty tie & pocket square combination, a last at your cordwainer, a money clip, a pinky ring, a seven fold tie, a shirt from Charvet; whilst these things may be outward signs of wealth, and certainly (some of which) may form part of a gents arsenal, they do not make him who he is, they don't define him. Donning a pilots uniform does not mean you can fly a plane, a stethoscope does not make you a doctor. A gent doesn't live life vicariously through his belongings. No no NOPE.

Constantly confabulating trouser length or popping over to Tarquin’s to check out his pocket square collection are not the tells of a gent. A lively debate surrounding the correct attire for taking tea at Fortnum's or being a member of a sock club (yes, they exist) are not the attributes that define a gent, they are the mark of a self absorbed bore, a style whore.

Being a gent is not something dictated by your budget or the by colour of your belt, but by your brain. When it comes to all things gent grey is the new black and dressing the mind comes first, the rest will follow.

Oh, and to answer your question Dave; I have no idea how long your trousers should be, how long are your legs?

*Gents thing #1 Brain (Encephalon)

[gentlemansthings]

Super moon...

The LEONIDAS ‘Void Moon’. Quite simply beautiful.

17 jewels hand wound Swiss made movement, vintage NOS Swiss made case with gold plated crown and pushers on vintage NOS Swiss made 20mm original Tropic perforated watch band in rare as hen’s teeth blue.

Available to peruse (and of course purchase) here

[gentlemansthings]

Hirsute...

If you have decided to sport a beard this winter be sure to implement a basic maintenance regime.

Wash it, condition it, comb it (daily), shave neck/cheek area and trim/tidy as often as required (or dictated by growth/personal taste).

All pretty basic but it appears some guys forget that their beard is actually formed of hair, as a consequence it should be treated pretty much in the same manner, this includes getting thee to a barber every few weeks for additional upkeep.

Remember; there's a very fine line between hipster and hobo.

[gentlemansthings]

24/7 365

[gentlemansthings]

Life imitates art...

[gentlemansthings]

Monkey business...

I recently read that some guys are not buckling their monk shoe straps in a considered attempt to achieve the mythical sprezzatura look.

The undone monk is not a look that should be sported by design, but by circumstance.

If Hugo happens to walk in whilst your balls deep in Victoria (his supermodel girlfriend) it's likely you will have to beat a hasty retreat, the straps being sacrificed to save your hide. That's acceptable albeit not very gentlemanly.

Unless you have an entertaining back story to tell it's simply not a look you should experiment with, its too thought through and that's the complete opposite of what your trying to achieve.

Buckle up gents.

[gentlemansthings]

Observation...

[gentlemansthings]

Vacillate...

[gentlemansthings]

Porsche splurge...

Toronto Metro reported this morning that Porsche invested a massive $765 US to upgrade its Zuffenhausen plant. Apparently it’s time to sacrifice profit and invest in the future. 

Word on the street is they bagged themselves a couple of super nice executive office chairs for the $765 and had change for 3 new staplers. Nice.

Porsche. There is no substitute. 

[gentlemansthings]

Time waits for no man...

[gentlemansthings]

Bike nut...

Bolt motorbikes aim to do for the bike industry what the Prius did for the car industry; albeit with a difference. The Bolt awakens a sense of desire, it looks good, it’s stylish. It almost looks muscular (almost). A Prius is a bit boring. A Bolt is not.

The Bolt is the worlds first hybrid motorbike, it has a top speed of 40mph, no clutch, no gears, just twist and go - for up to 35 miles on a single charge. I just arrived back in London from North America where this vehicle is classified as a regular push bike and as such does not require a special license, registration or insurance. You can park it anywhere at all (just like a regular bike). No idea if it will be awarded the same ‘bicycle status’ over here, but if it does then get used to seeing these Bolts - they will go big.  

The guys at Bolt have managed to make a beautiful product that looks and feels new, I believe they really did start off with a blank piece of paper, the fact that it helps the Polar bears is an added bonus.

[gentlemansthings]

2016

So in Toronto at New Year everyone skates at midnight... In London people would be far too drunk to be trusted with skates. All the best for 2016.

PJM, Founder Gents Things.

[gentlemansthings]

Felix Novus Annus

[gentlemansthings]

The Radium girls...

Grace Fryer, Edna Hussman, Katherine Schaub, and sisters Quinta McDonald and Albina Larice - dubbed the Radium Girls due to their exposure to radium in the workplace.  

It was roughly 1917 when the girls were employed to apply luminous paint on up to 250 watch dials a day at the United States Rodium factory in Orange, New Jersey. 

Whilst the girls were rather cavalier around the substance, the owners and scientists at the facility carefully avoided all contact. The chemists at the plant were heavily protected against exposure by working behind lead screens, wearing masks, and only handling the substance using tongs. 

Shockingly, the precautions employed by workers higher up the pecking order were not encouraged amongst the girls painting the dials. They were led to believe the substance was completely harmless. As a consequence they were often known to use the ‘fun’ glow in the dark paint on their nails, faces, and extraordinarily their teeth too. 

The supervisors actively encouraged the workers to lick their camel hair paint brushes as they often lost the fine point required for such detailed work after only a few strokes. This practice (coupled with the cavalier attitude around the substance) resulted in the ingestion of large amounts of radium throughout each work day which led to all five of these women contracting severe radiation poisoning.

Many women started to suffer from anemia, bone fractures, and necrosis of the jaw (later to be known as Radium jaw). Worker Grace Fryer decided to sue, bullying tactics were employed from the start with disinformation provided by the watch dial companies rejecting claims that the illness and suffering was the result of exposure to radium in the workplace. A smear campaign begun citing syphilis as the cause in an attempt to destroy the reputations of the women.

It took 2 years for Grace Fryer to find a lawyer willing to take on U.S. Radium, by the time the case made it into the courts in 1928 two of the women were bedridden and all were so frail they were unable to raise their arms to take oath.

The case was settled in autumn of 1928 before the trial was deliberated by the jury. The settlement for each of the radium girls was $10,000 and a $6000 per year annuity while they lived. All medical and legal bills were to be paid for by U.S. Radium.

As a result of Grace Fryers bravery, radium-induced osteonecrosis was recognized as an occupational disease and the establishment of the occupational disease labour law was introduced. 

The case effectively invented workers rights with individual workers awarded the right to sue/seek damages from corporations due to labor abuse. A further consequence of the action was that industrial safety standards were demonstrably enhanced for many decades to come.

It’s not known how many women died as a result of ingesting radium in the workplace although it’s estimated over 4000 were employed around that time to paint the watch dials with the substance. By 1930, the practise of pointing the brush using the mouth was stopped completely and all workers were issued with protective gear. Radium paint was still used in dials as late as the 1960′s.

A vintage watch is so much more than an investment or folly, it’s a valuable piece of history.