Her

I miss her.
Her smile.
Her vivacity.
Her gentle touch.

***

I like rain.
Rain as it falls.
Rain as it batters.
Rain as it coalesces.

Big puddles.
Small droplets.
Mere, trickle.
Merely water.

Ah, the breeze.
The occasional chill.
The crackling.
And shocking luminosity.

What beauty
Of nature at work.

***

I like rain.
Like its preface.
Like its revelation.
Like its epilogue.

I like rain; its arrival.
Like it as I laze on my bed.
Like it when I listen to sad songs.
Like it after I cry.

I like rain.
Because it put things into perspective.

***

Rain washes away my sadness.
Rain cleanses my soul.
Rain speaks of redemption.
As it does of hope and renewal.
It speaks to me.
Of life, and of living.

Alas, I understand.
No matter how bad I feel,
There is beauty in this world
That has never forsaken me.
And where there is beauty,
Goodness is never far behind.

***

I miss her -
I still do.
The her I know.
The real her.

---

Sorrow

In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all,
And it often comes with bitter agony.
Perfect relief is not possible,
Except with time.

You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better.
But this is not true.
You are sure to be happy again.

Knowing this,
Truly believing it,
Will make you less miserable now.

I have had enough experience to make this statement.

-- Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Tourbillons

A sudden obssession over tourbillons, and watches in general.
Should have spent more time studying, but oh well...

If I were insanely wealthy, I would have grabbed all of the following without batting an eyelid.

1. 3volution, Antoine Preziuso.
   3 flying tourbillons spiralling in unison makes for a visually enchanting aerial ballet. Revolutionary use of resonance principle gives its movement a steady and virtually imperturble momentum. Isolation from external disturbances - such as that caused by gravity - provides superior chronometry. Antoine Preziuso's masterful craftmanship ensures every piece is handmade, atelier-style, to a superb finish.
   List price: US$1 500 000.
   
   
2. Edward Piguet Moss Agate Tourbillon, Audemars Piguet.
   Made of a rare semi-transparent natural stone belonging to the chalcedony family, this watch is a homage to the beauty of nature. Beyond that, it is a testament to Man's craftmanship. Being one of the 'Big Three' in haute horlogerie since the 20th century, Audemars Piguet has a long tradition of excellence and bears name to a large number of unique and stunning timepieces. The Edward Piguet Moss Agate Tourbillon is a worthy addition to the company's oeuvre.
   List price: ~US$500 000.
   
   
3. Sky Moon Tourbillon, Patek Philippe.
   The ultimate Grande Complication from renowned watchmaker Patek Philippe. It incoporates twelve complications: perpetual calendar with retrograde date, week day, month, leap year cycle, age of the moon, minute repeater, tourbillon, map of the sky, equation of time, angular movement of the moon and phases of the moon. The astronomical indications displayed on the back of the watch with the nocturnal sky map is realised via a patented mechanical modulus, all of which contribute to the gorgeous look of this unique timepiece. Only 2 will be produced each year.
   List price: US$800 000.
   
   
4. Gyrotourbillon I, Jaeger-LeCoultre.
   Jaeger-LeCoultre's Gyrotourbillon is a lesson on how to make a great-looking double-axis tourbillon. And boy, is it aesthetically pleasing! The spherical, bi-axial tourbillon weighs a mere 0.336 gram, and is housed in an aluminium cage. The sight of its seemingly floating rotations is at once enamoring and elegant. With unique retrograde date and solar time display, this is one watch packed with innovations and ingenuity.
   List price: US$275 000.
   
   
5. The Genghis Khan, Ulysse Nardin.
   Ulysse Nardin is one impressive watchmaking firm. Over past 20 years, the quality of all its watches have been nothing less than stellar. The 'Genghis Khan' is of course, the company's zenith in complexity, a watch beyond all considerations of practicability, a piece of art more than a mere timepiece. This is the first wristwatch that features a carillon with jacquemarts, a minute repeater, and a tourbillon. With a dial of onyx and four automata of Mongolian warriors chased entirely from gold, this is a just and invaluable tribute to the great conqueror, who carved upon history, the largest empire the world has ever known.
   List price: US$550 000.