Worn & Wound
The Chase-Durer Wing Commander X: A Look at Every Wannabe Fighter Pilot’s Wrist Companion
There comes a time in every watch collector’s life when they fall in love with a watch they know others in the hobby may potentially scoff at. Whether it be misconceptions around the brand, the use of cheaper movements and parts, seedy advertising campaigns, or just overall subjective taste in design, it’s a phenomenon that exists as one of the very few downsides of the collecting space. It’s important to note, however, that this frame of mind lies on a spectrum of course, with some watches being far more notable enemies of the wristwatch state than others. The Chase-Durer Wing Commander X is a watch that has fallen into the cracks of the watch market and a piece, I believe, may initially conjure negative sentiments by some corners of the collecting sphere. Chase-Durer was originally advertised in magazines and on the very early days of the internet, where zealous dial-up internet subscribers would surf the World Wide Web in hopes of making their very first online purchase. They never held the same staying power as others of the watch industry, akin to the 38mm mail-order film cameras found in years’ worth of popular and print media when compared to Canon or Nikon. However, there is a lot to like about the brand and, in this case, the Wing Commander X. If you’re someone who’s on the fence about whether or not you’re a fan of this watch just from aesthetics and brand recognition alone, welcome in––let me walk you through what makes this an interesting pi...