TimeOut

Seven grams (per cup) of freshly ground Honduras Blend from Atomica Roasters.

 

30mL extracted in 25 seconds.

 

Tiger striping.

 

Perfect…

 

What else do you use your chronographs for in ‘real life’?

 

Andrew

I do not know that model, Is it a La Pavoni? I seem to recognise some details but never came across that one.
Thanks
Luc
This message has been edited by luc00 on 2008-12-31 01:00:32

Hi Luc

 

I used a La Pavoni lever machine before the ECM Giotto. For more than 10 years it was my morning ritual to stumble down the stairs in the dark, turn on the machine and go back up for a shower. By the time I was finished the boiler was ready and I would invoke the coffee gods to pull the perfect espresso to enjoy with my toast.

 

Those of you who have used lever machines will know that they provide an unprecedented level of control over the extraction; there is no better way to be ‘at one’ with the coffee making experience. However, they require the utmost concentration and adherence to a specific ritual to get the perfect “God Shot”, as it is sometimes called. So in addition to the caffeine ‘hit’, this ritual was also part of my waking routine.

 

There is, however, more variability in the coffee produced by the La Pavoni and the process is slower. The semi-automatic ECM provides greater reproducibility and, for a dinner party, lets me bang out the espressos more quickly.

 

Coffee making is another perfect pastime for the obsessive compulsive. And don’t deny it … there are a lot of us out there in the watch collecting community.

 

Andrew

The morning stress makes it difficult to dedicate enough concentation to press right, especially if I have a 6:00 flight and I have to rush to the airport. I must say that living in Italy spoiled me by leaving the house "dry" and rush with 200 to the "Autogrill" make a pit stop for an Espresso and back on the high revs on the motorway.

I ll be checking the ECM Giotto, Thanks for the advice! and a happy espresso in 2009!
Ciao
Luc

That looks like an amazing coffee-machine .... what's the brand ????

Thanks for these cool pics !

Filip

Hi Filip,

 

The espresso machine is the Giotto, made by ECM, a company situated just outside Milan. At the centre of the action is the thermosiphon E61 group head introduced by Faema in 1961. There are several companies that licence the E61 and ECM produces one of the most robust E61 machines.

 

The grinder is the Mazzer Mini, the perfect commercial burr grinder for the domestic environment. Very consistent, well dispersed grounds with little static build-up, and most importantly, it allows very fine adjustment of the grind.

 

And by-the-way, for our platinum lovers, the Illy Collection espresso cups are by Michelangelo Pistoletto (from 2002). Pistoletto is famous for his re-interpretation of the self-portrait and the use of mirrors and reflective surfaces to involve the viewer in his work. The mirrored surface on this cup is platinum and is a lovely design to contemplate the perfect espresso as well as the watch on your wrist.

 

Andrew

. . . as I've often mulled over the same point with the three chronographs I've owned - namely, for all the intrigue and excitement that the multiplicity of dials, interaction with pushers, and mechanical complexity, is there any correlation between a chronograph's potential utility and it's actual level of usefulness? The only instances when I was able to put my chronos to good use were at the races, but those were few and far between; timing parking meters would be the other worthwhile task entrusted to them, but I find it difficult to justify the expenditure for such a mundane task. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that my interest in chronographs has much to do with horological fascination and little with application, which has allowed me to relegate the complication to the margins of my collection . . . still, there is no watch, in my humble opinion, more inherently satisfying to own than the Speedmaster, which has not only withstood the test of time by being in continuous production for half a century, but has entered the realm of modern mythology as the chosen timing instrument of NASA. Happy New Year from So Cal, where it's still 2008 as I write these lines . . . cordially, Art

Hi Art,

 

As with many other horological creations, the mechanical chronograph, to me, is a wonderful piece of engineering with an important historical position in the lexicon of mechanical time telling.

 

The fact that it doesn’t have many practical uses in my daily life doesn’t bother me too much, and in fact I find myself timing things (like trips to work or bike rides with the kids) that I wouldn’t normally bother measuring.

 

Because my interest in mechanical watches developed out of the ‘engines’ inside, I can live with this quite happily. I still find joy and comfort in contemplating the inner workings of these watches. I don’t ‘need’ them to have that much of a practical use to enjoy them.

 

I also concur with your comments on the Speedmaster. We tend to overuse the word ‘iconic’, but it certainly applies to the Speedy. It was a very recognisable Omega watch from the straw poll of Purists I did a couple of months ago and was mentioned several times as a good first time serious mechanical watch in jc4111’s recent post.

 

It is also fun to pretend that you are Jack Swigert performing that all important 14sec burn on Apollo XIII to get home to earth. My morning coffee extraction is not quite as critical, but almost.

 

Regards and Happy New Year.

 

Andrew

Any 3-hand watch can be used to time boiled eggs and coffee extractions to perfection (and give our brains something to do).

 

We share a love for the Constellation, and here is one in its reflected glory.

 

Thought you might enjoy…

 

Andrew

. . . a photo blending two passions is a special pleasure . . . and yes, I love coffee almost as much as beer! Cordially, Art

Yes, Australians love their coffee and it is common to take long detours to find the right barista in the best coffee house. We follow the Italian style of coffee making, possibly due to the number of Italian migrants that came here in the 1950’s. [That’s another great advantage of living in a multicultural society.]

 

Starbucks tried to break into the Australian coffee market some 9 years ago and I am particularly proud of this quote from John Culver, President of Starbucks Asia Pacific, just a few months ago after they closed 61 of their 84 Australian outlets:

 

“ Australia has a very sophisticated coffee culture”

 

Andrew

 

Ps. Oh yes, and of course we love our beer too, but I will keep that for another post!

. . . is an indication of highly developed culture . . . ah, if we could only shut down the barbarians altogether Stateside ;-) . . . cordially, Art