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The Best Rolex Watches for Collectors and the Stories Behind Them Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Feb 8, 2023

The Best Rolex Watches for Collectors and the Stories Behind Them

Rolex watches are indisputably some of the most popular and coveted timepieces on the planet, and every watch enthusiast has their own ideas about (and often their own criteria for) what the best Rolex watches are. But how much do you really know about how your favorite Rolex model came about, why exactly it's so special and distinct from all the rest, and in some cases why it is historically significant to the watch industry as a whole? In this feature, we take a tour through nine of the most important and/or interesting Rolex watches, from their original conception to their place in the modern horological canon.  Origins of an Icon The most famous Swiss watch brand in the world was originally not even Swiss: it was founded by a German in the United Kingdom. Hans Wilsdorf (1861-1960), an orphan raised by his uncles in Kulmbach, Germany, learned entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency early in life, and began his career in the Swiss watch industry in 1900 when he started as a clerk at the watchmaking firm of Cuno Korten in La Chaux-de-Fonds, responsible for the maintenance and accuracy of hundreds of pocket watches per day. In 1905, two years after moving to London, Wilsdorf (below) partnered with another businessman named Alfred Davis to establish Wilsdorf & Davis, the company that would become Rolex. Wilsdorf & Davis, based in London’s Hatton Garden commercial district, was founded with a mandate to make reliably precise watches at affordable prices.  In 1914, days...

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The Worn & Wound Team Picks Their Favorite New Audemars Piguet Novelties Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet Novelties Audemars Piguet recently Feb 8, 2023

The Worn & Wound Team Picks Their Favorite New Audemars Piguet Novelties

Audemars Piguet recently unveiled their first (very large) batch of new releases for 2023, and if your Instagram feeds are anything like ours, they absolutely took over. As expected, there were plenty of new Royal Oaks on display, and in a variety of materials and platforms. We also saw an expansion of the Code 11.59 collection, including an entirely new dial motif and a metal that many collectors have been waiting for. Now that the Worn & Wound editorial team has had a chance to wade through all the new watches, we thought we’d pick our favorites among the latest novelties.  Blake Buettner I’ll admit I have a slight soft spot for so-called ‘Jumbo’ Royal Oaks. That is, Royal Oaks that follow the original template of the 5402ST put forth back in 1972: a slim 39mm case with the “AP” at 6 o’clock where it belongs. I also have a penchant for steel sport watches (well documented in these pages) and the Royal Oak arguably opened the door for the high-end category of the genre. It’s a watch I had been enormously enamored with upon my entry to the hobby, though that enthusiasm has waned in recent years as the watch found itself on a moon-bound trajectory in the market, and an ever increasing variety of precious metal variants that, while handsome, deviate a bit too far from the simple, approachable(ish) nature of the original (for my taste, at least).  That said, the soft spot remains. When a new generation of the watch was announced last year, the 16202, in cele...

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Review: the Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 Worn & Wound
Omega Speedmaster Feb 8, 2023

Review: the Oris Big Crown Calibre 473

There’s a lot of talk among watch collectors of “signature watches.” Watches that essentially serve to define a brand, or even an entire category. The Omega Speedmaster, for example, is a perfect example of a signature watch. Can you even imagine Omega without it? You can’t – it’s integral to the whole operation. They have other collections, sure, but they live and die with the Speedmaster.  Does Oris have a signature watch? I walk by an Oris authorized dealer in my neighborhood just about every day, and there’s a giant decal on the side of their building prominently featuring an Oris Aquis. For as long as I can remember, this authorized dealer has had this kind of marketing in this specific place, always featuring an Aquis. Is the Aquis Oris’s signature watch? I think for many collectors it might be. It’s a modern tool watch (with an integrated bracelet, well before the hype) that has specs making it competitive with virtually any well known diver, but thanks to the aforementioned bracelet it has something unique about it that can only be Oris.  It’s possible that to an even wider swath of customers, the Divers 65 is the Oris signature watch. I can remember when this watch was first reissued in a modern context, and it was something of a phenomenon. It put Oris on the map for many enthusiasts entering the hobby at the beginning of a boom time for the entire industry, and remains a key watch in the vintage throwback category that virtually every brand...

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Piaget Goes Ultra-Thin for New Polo Perpetual Calendar Worn & Wound
Richard Mille Feb 7, 2023

Piaget Goes Ultra-Thin for New Polo Perpetual Calendar

The trend toward ultra-thin highly complicated watches has reached a fever pitch in recent years, and there’s no sign of that trend slowing anytime soon. Piaget has been at the forefront of ultra-thin watches for many decades, most recently claiming the world’s thinnest mechanical watch with their Altiplano Ultimate Concept in 2020 (which was subsequently broken by Bulgari, and then Richard Mille). This year, they’re returning to the ultra-thin game with a new Polo Perpetual Calendar that measures a mere 8.56mm in thickness. This marks the first appearance of the perpetual calendar complication within the current generation of the Polo, and it should come as no surprise that it works rather well.  The Piaget Polo was redesigned in 2016 with a more refined presentation of their sports watch language. The round case features a slightly squared, TV shaped dial opening creating just enough tension to set it apart in a crowd. This was a notable departure from earlier Polo designs, which have never been shy about embracing their era. The newest Polo design feels timeless to my eye, but history will be the judge there. The design has shown flexibility, with the openworked Skeleton Automatic, and even on the very high end housing the brand’s ornate minute repeater in this Polo Emperador. The Polo Perpetual Calendar is the most complex Polo to date, and effectively uses the 42mm case to showcase their take on the QP. The information is presented in a clear and easy to unde...

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WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Enough with the digital renders – brands need decent photography Time+Tide
Feb 7, 2023

WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Enough with the digital renders – brands need decent photography

One of the most common tips given to watch shoppers is to go and see their potential purchases in the metal before buying them. Not only is it beneficial to feel how they fit on your wrist, but also how they interact with real-world lighting and real-life eyeballs. In the online age, and especially post-COVID, … ContinuedThe post WHAT TWEAKS MY TOURB: Enough with the digital renders – brands need decent photography appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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[Video Review] Norqain Gets Adventurous With Wild One & Norteq Worn & Wound
Norqain Gets Adventurous Feb 6, 2023

[Video Review] Norqain Gets Adventurous With Wild One & Norteq

I see plenty of discussion around the idea of a GADA watch within the watch enthusiast space, that is the concept of a Go Anywhere, Do Anything watch. Of course, each of us has our own criteria for what the perfect GADA watch must have, but these are generally watches that do a good job of skirting between the boundaries of any specific genre. Ultimately, a watch is what we make of it; clearly not many of us are divers or pilots, yet many of us enjoy watches specifically ascribed to these realms. We’ve seen a growing trend of brands simply labeling their watches in broadly generic terms, like ‘active watch’ or ‘sport watch’ implying it can stand up to the rigors of more average human activities. More walks in the park or sledding with your kids and less diving to 300 meters or calculating fuel loads in an old war plane.  I say all this to set up the discussion around a new(ish) watch from Norqain called the Wild One, a watch which the brand describes as the “ultimate sports watch”. It’s got all the impressive specs you’d associate with modern dive or field watches, like a 300 meter depth rating and a chronometer rated movement, but it’s not being positioned explicitly as a dive watch, or a field watch. It’s a sports watch. For my lifestyle, a GADA watch closely resembles what I’d consider a sports watch, so this billing was good news to me. It should be easy to wear regardless of activity, able to put up with some light wear and tear, be legible, a...

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Maurice Lacroix Teams Up with Mohindra Racing for a New Aikon Tide Worn & Wound
Maurice Lacroix Teams Up Feb 6, 2023

Maurice Lacroix Teams Up with Mohindra Racing for a New Aikon Tide

It’s been almost a year since Maurice Lacroix unveiled the Aikon Tide watches. These colorful sports watches made from up-cycled ocean plastics represent a new entry point into the Maurice Lacroix collection, coming in at under $1,000 and making an overt play for the hard earned cash of a younger watch consumer. When the watches launched a year ago, many in the community rolled their eyes at another brand jumping on the green bandwagon with a “plastic” watch. But in the months since the Tide’s launch, a plastic watch of a different variety has absolutely taken over the watch world. The MoonSwatch is, admittedly, at a lower price point, but the enthusiastic response to those watches proves that nontraditional and considerably less expensive materials are capable of catching on in the right package. The Tide, then, isn’t going anywhere, and Maurice Lacroix has just unveiled a new version with their partners at Mahindra Racing in an appealing new colorway that might serve to remind some that there are other brands to consider in the plastic watch realm.  Maurice Lacroix has had a relationship with Mahindra Racing since 2020. The team is part of the founding group of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, which is the premier circuit for the latest crop of single seater electric race cars. The new crop of electrics are serious pieces of tech unto themselves, with lightning quick acceleration and top speeds approaching 200 miles per hour. As with F1 and other moto...

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INTRODUCING: The Seiko Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ045 conjures black magic from a historical stopwatch Time+Tide
Seiko Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ045 Feb 6, 2023

INTRODUCING: The Seiko Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ045 conjures black magic from a historical stopwatch

Seiko’s latest addition to the Speedtimer line of chronographs sports a sinister new black finish The 8R46 column wheel caliber offers solid value for an in-house chrono movement The dial’s look is based on a historical Seiko stopwatch from the 1970s Seiko was the first to market with the automatic chronograph, the original Speedtimer 6139, … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Seiko Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ045 conjures black magic from a historical stopwatch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Feb 5, 2023

A Week in Watches Ep. 35: What’s Old is New Again

It’s time for episode 35 of A Week in Watches! This week, Zach Weiss is back with some new, old releases. Well, they are all new versions of watches that have existed before, to be more accurate. There’s a stunning urushi dial from Grand Seiko, a cool collab from Synchron, a funky Zenith, and some unabashedly bold Citizens. This week’s episode is sponsored by Whatnot, a live-stream auction app where you can buy and sell unique items. Join the Windup Watch Shop on Tuesday, February 7th ET, where they will be showing and selling various items from the shop, including the Zodiac x Rowing Blazer Sea Wolf and ADPT Series 1 Watches. There will be giveaways, auctions, and more! Follow this link to sign up for Whatnot and get $15 in credit toward your first purchase. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 35: What’s Old is New Again appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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VIDEO: The Bulova Sinatra Collection hits a variety of top notes Time+Tide
Bulova Sinatra Collection hits Feb 5, 2023

VIDEO: The Bulova Sinatra Collection hits a variety of top notes

People who like watches have hobbies and passions that extend beyond horology. Maybe its cars, or cigars, or whiskey or all the above. But one thing I have never met is a watch lover that doesn’t like music. Music is universal, and one of the biggest musical icons of all time is Frank Sinatra. So, … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Bulova Sinatra Collection hits a variety of top notes appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Watches, Stories, & Gear: Live Report from Red Bull Racing’s 2023 Season Launch, a Never Ending AI Generated Seinfeld Episode, Tiffany Signed Nike AF1, & More Worn & Wound
Feb 4, 2023

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Live Report from Red Bull Racing’s 2023 Season Launch, a Never Ending AI Generated Seinfeld Episode, Tiffany Signed Nike AF1, & More

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing tcalara@wornandwound.com Header Image Via: Blake Buettner Red Bull Racing 2023 Season Launch Recap This week, we had the opportunity to witness the launch of the RB19, Red Bull Racing’s Formula 1 car for the upcoming 2023 season (well, kinda). The car was launched in New York City, and is the only F1 car set to be revealed in the US, a sign of both the raising popularity of the sport in the States, as well an opportunity to spotlight their just-announced engine partner from the 2025 season on, Ford Performance. 2023 will the second year of the new regulations, which saw a shuffling of the regular order of a prior generation, and catapulted Red Bull’s team to the top of the heap, where they brought home the World Constructor’s championship, as well as the World Driver’s championship, won by Max Verstappen. Joining the team for the reveal were both drivers, Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, as well as their newly announced reserve driver for the season, fan favorite, Daniel Ricciardo. All three were sporting the teams newly designed apparel, and there wasn’t much in the way of watch spotting, other ...

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Seiko Alpinist Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Feb 4, 2023

Seiko Alpinist Guide

History First introduced in 1961, the Seiko Alpinist was a significant milestone in the Japanese brand's history It was the first ‘Sports Watch’ for Seiko. Like all great watch designs, it was created with a purpose in mind. The Alpinist was geared up to take on the great outdoors with Japanese mountain climbers. It needed to be rugged and legible. In this story, we will aim to share the full Seiko Alpinist lineup (going back some!). And then finally, although we think you will be sold within the first paragraph or two - why you should consider one! Let’s get into it.  In 1961 we saw the first Alpinist, the Laurel. It is, in collecting circles, the holy grail Alpinist! Produced in black and cream dials, it was categorized by the now iconic arrow markers at 12, 3, 6, and 9. Later in 1963 saw the introduction of the Alpinist Champion 850, this Alpinist reference was instantly recognizable by its bold central lines which extended to the hour markers. A year later in 1964, it was time for the gold variation, the “85899” (interestingly it did not boast the central hour markings like the previous reference). Many, many years later in 1995, we were presented with the Red Alpinist, with the now legendary red writing at 6 o’clock and Arabic numerals at 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. The early 2000s saw the introduction of the Alpinist 8f56 which used the same inner bezel compass as the 1995 Prospex, and there was even a limited edition of 500 pieces in a blue dial made for SS...

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Hands On: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Green Aventurine SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Feb 4, 2023

Hands On: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Green Aventurine

With at least two iterations launched since the model’s debut – first in enamel and then onyx – the Code 11.59 tourbillon is third time lucky with the latest version of the model being the most striking to date. The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Flying Tourbillon Green Aventurine is in 18k pink gold with the centrepiece being the fired enamel dial dial containing crushed aventurine glass.  Initial thoughts Bold and contemporary appears to be the name of the game for Audemars Piguet, as the recent releases indicate a strong push of the Code 11.59 lineup refreshed with modernised and adventurous livery. And the new Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon delivers on that front – love it or hate it, it is a markedly distinct variation of its conservative predecessors. The green dial combined with the package of the pink gold case and black ceramic case middle offers a striking contrast that’s intriguing in person. Colour contrast Black ceramic is the recent trend for Audemars Piguet, as the brand has been increasingly using the material as the case middle for the Code 11.59 lineup. Sandwiched between a pink gold bezel and case back, the combination is a decidedly contemporary appearance especially when paired with the stock rubber strap. But of course, the appeal of the new model is the green aventurine dial. Made by firing crushed aventurine glass in an 800°C furnace, the dial glimmers and sparkles under the light. The green colour luxuriously contrasts the dial adornments...

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Hands-On with the Parmigiani Tonda PF 36 Worn & Wound
Parmigiani Fleurier continues Feb 3, 2023

Hands-On with the Parmigiani Tonda PF 36

Parmigiani Fleurier continues to iterate on their distinctive Tonda platform, dialing it in a bit further with each step, and the latest example of the Tonda PF 36mm is a near perfect distillation of the concept. We first saw the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor last year, and found a lot to love in the small details. We also found the dial to be expansive on the wrist, almost in its own way when it came to wearability thanks to the wide integrated bracelet. The Tonda PF in 36mm guise addresses nearly every issue we had with the Micro-Rotor, but welcomes a different movement in the process. The Tonda has come a long way, and this is the watch that has us most excited about its future.  The modern Tonda PF is often mentioned in the same breath as contemporaries like the Vacheron 222, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo, the Chopard Alpine Eagle, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato… you get the idea, but I’d submit that this watch sits in a slightly different realm to those (also excellent) watches. The Tonda PF has a grace that’s lacking in most high-end integrated steel sport watches. In fact, I wouldn’t call the Tonda a PF a sports watch at all. This is leisure wear at its finest, and will look better than most dressed up to the nines. There is no pretense of adventure lifestyle behind the scenes with this one. The Tonda PF in 36mm confronts this fact head on, and kind of dares you to place it into any specific genre. This specific example features a “steel sand” colored dial that does...

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Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Ref. 26586TI SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Feb 3, 2023

Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Ref. 26586TI

Audemars Piguet’s recent launches are mostly variations on a theme, but done well and strongly appealing, as exemplified by the Royal Oak “Jumbo” with a grained dial. The Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin 41 mm is exactly that. Based on the thinnest-perpetual-calendar-ever #RD2 of 2018, the model was first presented in the two-metal combo of titanium and platinum a year later. But now it returns entirely in titanium, an arguably superior presentation that more low key thanks to an all-brushed finish and strikingly lightweight. The clever cal. 5133 inside allows for a case just 6.2 mm high Initial thoughts The new perpetual calendar is probably the best of AP’s new releases. It combines a clever, original movement with the iconic case design, packaged in a compact, lightweight, and mostly discreet manner. While this perpetual calendar is no longer the thinnest in the world – it was trumped by Bulgari last year – it is still remarkably thin. At 6.2 mm high, the case is almost a quarter slimmer than that of the Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202. As a result, this feels like a wafer on the wrist, a feeling accentuated by the lightness resulting from the all-titanium case and bracelet. Because it is entirely titanium, this does away with the mirror-polished components that were platinum in the preceding model. This results in a more traditional Royal Oak finish that is slightly more restrained and certainly more elegant. The other element new to th...

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Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 Universelle SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces Feb 3, 2023

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 Universelle

Undoubtedly the flagship of its recent new launches, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle is the brand’s most complicated wristwatch in recent years – or perhaps ever. A project that began in 2016, the uber-complication rooted in history: it is a tribute to L’Universelle, the grand complication pocket watch from 1899 made by AP for German watchmaker Union. But the watch simultaneously pushes the brand’s modern-day watchmaking to the limit, particularly in terms of miniaturising highly complex mechanisms. The Universelle is available in two guises, the open dial above and the solid dial pictured further up Officially one of the brand’s Research and Development timepieces – the model is also known as the RD#4 – the Universelle is an exercise in combining into a single wristwatch all the traditional mechanisms that constitute a grand complication, and then some – perpetual calendar, rattrapante chronograph with flyback, tourbillon, and grande et petite sonnerie with minute repeater. L’Universelle on display in the Audemars Piguet Museum Initial thoughts An assuming name that means little to anyone who doesn’t understand the historical inspiration, Universelle is a horological behemoth that captures AP’s industrial and mechanical capability. Though it has a highly modern design, the Universelle harks back to a bygone era of high watchmaking that prized highly complicated watches incorporating as many features as feasible into a (barely) wearable...

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INTRODUCING: The Ball Engineer Master II Diver Chronometer comes in 6 lip-smacking flavours Time+Tide
Feb 3, 2023

INTRODUCING: The Ball Engineer Master II Diver Chronometer comes in 6 lip-smacking flavours

The new Ball Engineer Master II Diver Chronometer has an internal bezel with domed sapphire. The internal bezel can be used underwater. Six colour options include green and blue in sunburst, and blue or brown matte gradients. It’s probably fair to say that the dive watch is as played out a genre you can find … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Ball Engineer Master II Diver Chronometer comes in 6 lip-smacking flavours appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Hamilton Introduces a Wild New Jazzmaster Face-2-Face Worn & Wound
Hamilton Introduces Feb 2, 2023

Hamilton Introduces a Wild New Jazzmaster Face-2-Face

A few weeks ago, Zach Weiss told us about a little watch from Vario with a neat party trick. The Versa is actually two (quartz) watches in one, and thanks to a hinge, the dials can be flipped around to your liking, giving the owner options for a second time zone, or just a fun tactile sensation that is rarely seen at the Versa’s modest price point. Now, in a proverbial “Hold my beer…” moment, Hamilton has introduced a watch in their Face-2-Face series, a Jazzmaster that’s somehow both a business and a party on the front and back thanks to a clever rotating case design.  The Face-2-Face III continues a line that Hamilton has been working with since 2013, creating elaborate double-sided dial watches within the updated Art Deco framework of the Jazzmaster collection. These watches take a maximalist approach that is the antithesis of Hamilton’s pilot and military watch bread and butter, but in doing so serve as a reminder of the brand’s sometimes surprising ability to create a design that is truly off the wall. This is the brand that created the X-01, after all.  The Face-2-Face III starts with a 44mm case that can be flipped around on its axis by the wearer to display one of two distinct dials. The primary display is for time telling and chronograph functionality, while the secondary dial provides a view of the movement and a series of scales that one can use in concert with the chronograph. The architecture of the main dial is multi-layered, creating a sense ...

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How About a Big Bronze Skull for the Wrist? Bell & Ross Has You Covered Worn & Wound
Richard Mille there are skull watches Feb 1, 2023

How About a Big Bronze Skull for the Wrist? Bell & Ross Has You Covered

Ah yes, the skull watch. While not exactly what I’d call a “staple,” watches featuring skulls have been ever present in modern watch collecting for years. Most notably, we can look to independent watchmaker Fiona Kruger as something of a skull watch specialist, but other brands are in on the skull action as well. From Invicta (of course, Invicta) to Richard Mille, there are skull watches out there for every taste and budget. Indeed, one of my favorite watches from last year features a skull in a nontraditional way. But we can’t talk about skull watches without talking about Bell & Ross, who have released a variety of these watches in their relatively short history. Their latest release, the BR 01 Cyber Skull Bronze, is one of the strangest yet.  First, let’s answer the question many are likely asking themselves right now: why? While different brands might have varying rationales for creating skull watches, we can at least identify that the skull itself as a symbol is recognized somewhat universally as dealing with the idea of mortality. A memento mori, a reminder that every living thing dies, is a theme that exists in art going back centuries. This is a natural thematic playing field for a watch, dealing as it does with the passing of time. Also, they just kind of look cool. I’m reminded of a heavily tattooed friend being asked about the symbolism behind the artwork on his body (including, you guessed it, skulls) and his curt response, indicating that he just ...

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