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Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

New York, USA  ·  Est. 2012  ·  Accessible watches, tool watches, micro-brands
Worn & Wound focuses on accessible, tool-oriented, and everyday watches - a refreshing counterpoint to the ultra-luxury end of the market. Based in New York, the publication champions affordable quality, micro-brands, and the kind of watches that get worn rather than locked away. Their reviews are practical, well-photographed, and highly readable.
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Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Touchscreen Macbook, A New Porsche Collab, and Zenith’s Uncertain Future Worn & Wound
Zenith s Uncertain Future Porsche Yesterday

Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Touchscreen Macbook, A New Porsche Collab, and Zenith’s Uncertain Future

Porsche x La Marzocco 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Collection It’s well established that I’m not a car guy. And it’s also well established that I have the palate of my Midwestern forebears, meaning gas station coffee is just fine by me, thank you very much. But when it comes to design, I’m a bit of a snob, looking to both Porsche and La Marzocco as the pinnacles of who I’d want to be, had life and a trust fund turned out differently for me. Put those two together and – mein Gott – all I can say is mamma mia. The two brands are teaming up for a second time, this time taking inspiration from the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7. The centerpiece is a limited-edition version of La Marzocco’s Linea Micra espresso machine, available in historic Porsche color combinations including Grand Prix White and Green and Tangerine and Black. Carrera RS lettering, the historic Porsche logo and a cup rail shaped after the car’s famous ducktail spoiler carry the reference through the machine. There’s also a matching Pico grinder, along with a smaller collection of coffee accessories and apparel in the same RS 2.7 colors. The collection is available now through Porsche’s online store with prices ranging from $59 to, ahem, $7, 911. Major Changes Could Be Coming to Zenith Not very often in this little space of mine do I get to write about hard-hitting watch industry news, but a report from Revolution caught my eye this week. According to reporting cited by Revolution from Le Temps and Bus...

Recapping Fossil Signature’s Launch at Windup Watch Fair NYC 2026 Worn & Wound
Fossil 2 days ago

Recapping Fossil Signature’s Launch at Windup Watch Fair NYC 2026

Fossil’s new Signature Collection made its debut at Windup Watch Fair NYC 2026, with a behind-the-scenes film, a Q&A; with Senior Creative Director Ryan White, and the first chance to get the watches on the wrist in the Fossil Signature Lounge. Fossil is taking a fresh swing at enthusiast watchmaking with Signature CS-1, a new collection built around thoughtful design, elevated materials, and Swiss craftsmanship. Launched at Windup Watch Fair NYC 2026, the collection brings Fossil’s distinctive design sensibility to a new premium watch platform. And we got to kick things off with a morning dedicated to the people who matter most: the watch enthusiasts who showed up ready to see what it was all about. A week before the fair, we shared a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Fossil Signature Collection, filmed at Fossil’s Dallas headquarters with Ryan. We also extended an invitation: come watch the film with us, here from Ryan directly, and get your hands on the watches before the rest of the fair got underway. The Screening Before Windup opened its doors on Saturday and Sunday, we gathered for the premiere of our short documentary, tracing the collection from its first spark of inspiration to the finished pieces. Seeing it on a big screen is one thing. Seeing it in a room full of people who care about how watches get made is something else entirely. The Q&A; Next, our Head of Partnerships, Kyle Snarr, sat down with Ryan for a conversation that picked up right wh...

Remember You Must Die: 12 Skull Watches to Keep Your Mortality in Check Worn & Wound
Bell & Ross Laughing Skull Bell & 2 days ago

Remember You Must Die: 12 Skull Watches to Keep Your Mortality in Check

While the idea of a skull watch might sound like a kitschy Halloween-themed novelty, they actually run deep in horological history, dating back to pocket watches of the 17th century in the memento mori tradition of reminding you of your own mortality. However, these were not the skull dial timepieces we think of today but instead “form” watches that, like the name states, take a shape beyond a traditional round timekeeper. In the case of the skull form, they typically shared a similar blueprint with the jaw unhinged, exposing the dial on the underside or roof of the mouth. Today, we see many watchmakers continuing in this tradition, shifting away from form watches and extending the imagery to dial designs, some of which are achieved by simple painting while others more closely echo the form watches with sculptural elements – here are a dozen of them. Bell & Ross Laughing Skull Bell & Ross steps out of its aviation roots with a series of skull watches adopting the skull and crossbones motif also known as the Jolly Roger. Here, the brand takes its signature square watch case to lay the foundation for the design, which extends across the dial and bezel. The piece comes to life thanks to a mechanical jaw automaton that moves up and down to mimic laughter when you wind the watch. Bomberg Edge Skulls Mosaic For Bomberg, the skull motif is not just a one off for a special edition collection – its core imagery featured prominently across several of the brand’s major line...

The Third Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Collaboration is So Close, and Yet, So Far Worn & Wound
Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Collaboration 2 days ago

The Third Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Collaboration is So Close, and Yet, So Far

I’ll keep it simple: when someone says “Vianney Halter,” the first thing that comes to mind is the Antiqua. Okay, well, that assumes you are a watch nerd who knows who he is, but if you are, an image of this bizarre, visually challenging, yet brilliant watch should appear in your mind’s eye. A perpetual calendar spreads across three decentralized portholes with riveted frames that cut through the central body’s perimeter; it’s a relic from another dimension. It’s also a late-1990s design, predating the modern era of haute horology, making it a truly important artifact of independent watchmaking. And it’s ultra-rare, with a production of just over 100 units in total. All were in precious metal, and one recently set a record at auction, fetching over a million USD. This isn’t surprising, as Mr. Halter’s name has gained new relevance in the last couple of years through collaborative launches. At the last two Geneva Watch Days, watches bearing his name were likely the most talked-about launches. In 2025, he teamed with Behrens to release the KWH, an unexpected design with a peripheral “snake” time display that the brand continues to manufacture in different case materials. Though five-figure, it’s actually one of the more accessible Halters available. While unique and exciting, the KWH speaks to a wholly different aesthetic than the Antiqua, which is why this year’s GWD launch, the Bvlgari Octo Finnissimo Dual Time x Vianney Halter, was so exciting....

What is a Microbrand? Worn & Wound
Ming ly as 3 days ago

What is a Microbrand?

What is a microbrand?  I think about this a lot, never more than in the days and weeks after a Windup, and particularly the days and weeks following the New York City version of our fair, which is the largest and most diverse in terms of the types of brands represented. We often hear people describe Windup as “the microbrand show” or something similar. Not in a pejorative way, necessarily, but as a way to distinguish it from an event like WatchTime (which is more focused on traditional luxury brands) or IndiesNYC (which, yup, is focused on “indies,” another hard to define term when you step back and actually try).  I don’t have an answer for what a “microbrand” actually is. Defining it gets more complicated when you consider all of the other small niches that pop up in the space. Terms like “micro-indie” and “challenger brand” have been thrown around a lot in the last few years, seemingly as an attempt to subvert a negative connotation with the microbrand moniker. But these terms have their own issues. Micro-indie implies, at least in how this publication has used it, that an element of the watch has some handmade craft or traditional watchmaking techniques behind it, but maybe uses a shortcut (like a case made in China, or an off-the-shelf movement) to save money. Not all brands and makers want to be seen as making compromises, even though essentially everyone short of, I dunno, Roger W. Smith and Philippe Dufour are making something about the proc...

Farer Introduces the Stratton II Moonphase Worn & Wound
Farer Introduces 3 days ago

Farer Introduces the Stratton II Moonphase

Maybe “trend” was always the wrong way to frame the watch industry’s collective obsession with stone dials? I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel like we might have reached a point where the stone dial is essentially just another colorway. Just as brands are expected to offer dials in blue, black, and white, perhaps we’ve reached that point where it should just be expected that they’ll offer an option (or several) in stone as well.  I like the look of a stone dial, but I admit I’m getting quite bored of seeing them invade my inbox on a daily basis. This is the perspective of a guy with a very particular view on all the stone dial action. I’m not a casual observer. I work in the industry and I see, at least to some extent, how the nuts and bolts of the business works, and at the moment brands are simply cashing in on an unprecedented interest in stone (and mother of pearl) dials. Stone dials were never actually “rare” but they felt special before this boom because they were so infrequently used. Access to these dials is now virtually unlimited and, presumably, pretty affordable. So the rush continues, to the point I think where it’s just a static part of our ecosystem.  And it’s that environment in which the newest member of the Farer Moonphase collection arrives. This is the Stratton II, the latest edition of what Farer says is their most popular moonphase model.  The centerpiece (literally) of the Stratton II is a new moonphase disc made ...

The Pulsar “Adventurer” 7T62-X084: A Tool Watch Taken to the Next Level Worn & Wound
Seiko watches I’d like 4 days ago

The Pulsar “Adventurer” 7T62-X084: A Tool Watch Taken to the Next Level

I’ve never claimed to be much of an outdoorsman, but it never hurts to keep a few rugged and utilitarian watches in the watch box. Even a leisurely stroll in a local park can warrant the wear of a tool watch; it feels fitting to be prepped for whatever the outdoors may have in store. The Pulsar 7T62-X084 is a watch few have seen and even fewer have owned. I spent hours hunting down any information I could gather in preparation for this deep dive article, quickly realizing this model is in desperate need of a nickname––a canon event in the life of many Seiko watches. I’d like to coin the “Adventurer” moniker in hopes of making future discourse regarding this watch a bit easier to find in forums and on social media. For all the tool watches Seiko and Pulsar have offered over the years, I was shocked to find that no other model has ever borne that nickname. With its fresh new name picked out, let’s take a deep dive into the X084’s many functions and discover why it’s one of the most underrated Pulsar models the company has ever produced. The Adventurer’s History and Variants Because online information on the X084 is incredibly scarce, I’ll use expired auction listings, blogs, and other assorted photographs to build the most comprehensive history I can. Using Seiko/Pulsar’s serial-number coding methods, most, if not all, of the examples I’ve found were manufactured in 2005. For those unaware, the coding formula doesn’t provide enough information reg...

E.C. Andersson is Back with the Cpt, their Take on a Dress Watch (Sort Of) Worn & Wound
Ming up 4 days ago

E.C. Andersson is Back with the Cpt, their Take on a Dress Watch (Sort Of)

Last month, the Swedish brand E.C. Andersson caught our attention with the release of the Timepod, a funky square watch with a unique detachable lug system. Zach Weiss and I were both pretty taken with it and even discussed at some length on the podcast. This is a brand that is appealing not just for their quality and design aesthetic, but their unique approach to manufacturing and watchmaking, making many components in-house in their own studio, and sometimes coming up with solutions to problems that don’t actually exist (that’s watchmaking in a nutshell in 2026).  Their latest effort, the Cpt, is pitched as something a little more traditional than the Timepod or the Mytilus, the watch that initially made me take notice of the brand. The Cpt is described by E.C. Andersson as “Our take on a dress watch, sort of.” That last clause is doing some heavy lifting. This is a watch that straddles stylistic lines between nautical inspiration and midcentury dress watches but clearly retains E.C. Andersson’s core aesthetic, which at this point is pretty well defined by things like dial texture, and the shape of indices, which are more suggestive and abstract than traditional hour markers.  The Cpt comes in a compact 36.5mm case that measures 8.5mm tall, not including the boxed sapphire crystal, another hallmark of the brand. The case is designed to be robust yet elegant, and has a full 100 meters of water resistance. In photos, it doesn’t present as a tool watch, and ha...

Sinn Announces their Autumn Novelties Worn & Wound
Sinn Announces their Autumn Novelties 5 days ago

Sinn Announces their Autumn Novelties

It’s finally autumn (even here in California), which means changing leaves, tasty hot beverages, and a smattering of new Sinn novelties. Like the coziest cafe array of apple ciders, hot chocolates, and pumpkin spice lattes, this latest trio of pieces from the German independent are as diverse as they are classically Sinn-flavored. You may not be surprised by the clean and efficient designs that the brand is known for, but Sinn has a rather colorful surprise up their sleeve—read on to find out more.  556 I FAZ II Green and Orange Limited Editions Love your watches simple and tactical, but want a little more color on the wrist? The new 556 I FAZ II may be for you. Made in collaboration with respected Sunday newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), it comes in two appropriately fall-flavored colors—orange and green—but maintains the reliable pilot watch legibility and functionality to keep the design subtle and professional. The stainless steel and satinized case has a diameter of 38.5mm with a thickness of 11mm (including the sapphire crystal), making it solid but not big, which should bode well for the vast majority of wrist sizes. In classic Sinn fashion, the dial is kept free of distraction, with just the Sinn logo at 12 o’clock, and a date window at 6.  The dial itself is crisp electroplated silver to match the off-white hue of newsprint, providing excellent contrast with the orange and green accents respectively. Depending on which color model you cho...

Does Harry Styles’ Latest Corp-Core Costuming Tell Us Something About the Staying Power of Classic Watchmaking? Worn & Wound
Studio Underd0g 5 days ago

Does Harry Styles’ Latest Corp-Core Costuming Tell Us Something About the Staying Power of Classic Watchmaking?

I hail from the boyband era. NSYNC was not my first concert but my second, following the Spice Girls. However, the allure of the pop group seems to fade with age. By the time One Direction came around, I had graduated from college, and my musical tastes had shifted to bands like Vampire Weekend, The 1975, and Chvrches. Now, a decade since the quintet dismantled, the concept of an ensemble seems nearly obsolete in the age of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. So, perhaps Justin Timberlake and Harry Styles had the right idea to branch out on their own, become solo artists, and evolve not just musically but in other forms of self-expression. Circling back to first concerts, I recently took my 10-year-old niece to hers at Harry Styles’ Madison Square Garden residency. Like any good watch nerd, I immediately noticed a timepiece on his wrist during the show and could vaguely ID the model – something simple, classic, and square, perhaps a Cartier. Turns out I was right – I did a quick search, and the internet confirmed it was not just a Cartier but a vintage one at that – an 18-karat gold Tank Louis on a black leather strap to be exact. If you’ve been unable to escape the Harry Styles fandom over the years, you’re well aware he’s known for his audacious, colorful, and flamboyant looks that defy gender norms – think glitter, pearls, and feather boas, literally – something you might pair with a watch from an independent like Moser or Studio Underd0g. Yet, at his New York City r...

Ralph Lauren Launches New Western Cushions in a Smaller Size, and the New Nautical Collection Worn & Wound
6 days ago

Ralph Lauren Launches New Western Cushions in a Smaller Size, and the New Nautical Collection

Every so often, I find that I need to talk about the watches of Ralph Lauren. It’s possible, I think, that the Ralph Lauren brand is one of the most underrated, misunderstood corners of watchmaking. Most casual and even not-so-casual observers probably assume that Ralph Lauren watches are “fashion watches,” and it makes a certain amount of sense why they’d reach that conclusion. While many of the watches in their collection flirt with the fashion watch moniker, there’s a lot of interesting design and watchmaking happening at the higher end, and I’ve always found it fascinating how their watches complement the extremely established aesthetic of the brand. Ralph Lauren is so omnipresent in culture, the mention of the name immediately conjures something in the mind’s eye, and a lot of the watches do a remarkably good job of reflecting that.  Two recent Ralph Lauren releases have caught my eye in the last few weeks, and they’ve flown mostly under the radar to this point, which I think is a shame. First up, the new Nautical collection. These are 42mm stainless steel watches that are not exactly divers or sport watches, but take their inspiration from marine chronometers and other instruments you might encounter on a ship. This is underscored by the weathered brass finish (a PVD treatment) to the case and bracelet. I normally have mixed feelings about the application of faux patina, but I can’t deny that I love the look of a weathered case, apparently whether ...

The Connection Between Watches and Cars Beyond Racing Worn & Wound
Omega Speedmaster 6 days ago

The Connection Between Watches and Cars Beyond Racing

There are many crossovers between watches and other spheres, from diving and broader sports to exploration of the skies and outer space. Possibly one of the most poignant and deeply rooted connections is between watches and cars. This link largely traces back to early automobile racing and the need for precise speed and distance calculations. Pocket chronographs with tachymetric scales and specialized dashboard-mounted chronometers became standard equipment. The popularization of the wristwatch went on to evolve this relationship, allowing race car drivers to calculate lap times and average speeds directly on their wrists. This is where we saw the birth of models like the Omega Speedmaster, the Heuer Autavia and Monaco, and the Rolex Daytona. It would be a bit later until we saw the debut of the chronograph we’re here to discuss today – but more on that later.When it comes to cross-industry partnerships, I would go so far as to say the one between watches and car racing is one of the most significant – and lucrative. The Monaco and the Daytona have gone on to bear additional significance because of their wearers, bringing the models out of the racing world itself and into the pop culture zeitgeist with actor Steve McQueen sporting the Monaco in the film Le Mans and actor and racer Paul Newman sporting the Daytona. Thanks to these associations, these models have gone on to achieve millions if not tens of millions of dollars at the auction block, with the Paul Newman D...

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Leica’s Latest Collaboration, Fujifilm’s Future Growth, and an Oura Ring Upgrade Worn & Wound
Oct 24, 2026

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Leica’s Latest Collaboration, Fujifilm’s Future Growth, and an Oura Ring Upgrade

Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Leica around these parts and, while I’ve never seen a single race, I think there’s something – dare I say it? – sexy about Formula 1. Combining the two into a new collaboration feels very much up my alley. The first release from the new Leica and Formula 1 partnership is a special-edition Q3 43. Carbon fiber appears on the wireless-charging handgrip, thumb rest and soft-release button, while the body uses a black Microvelour covering inspired by racing steering wheels. Red accents show up on the controls, and the F1 logo appears on both the top plate and lens cap. A co-branded rope strap is included as well. Under the hood, it’s still the Q3 43, with its 60MP full-frame sensor and fixed 43mm f/2 lens. Leica has also created an exclusive Formula 1 Leica Look through its FOTOS app, adding more contrast and saturation for shooting around the track and paddock. The Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition is available now via Leica for the low, low price of $9,950. Fujifilm Expands Instax Production Oh, God, to be a teenager in the early 2000s and discovering Polaroids, 500 Days of Summer and Urban Outfitters. What a time to be ALIVE! While I’ve made a tiny little career for myself by posting photos online, I miss the tactility and charm of a proper instant photo. Well, it seems I’m not alone. Fujifilm just announced another $19 million investment in Instax film production in Japan, with new production ...

eBay Finds: a Vintage Hamilton Masterpiece, Funky Finds from Seiko and Timex, and More Worn & Wound
Hamilton Masterpiece Funky Finds from Oct 23, 2026

eBay Finds: a Vintage Hamilton Masterpiece, Funky Finds from Seiko and Timex, and More

eBay Finds is back! This bi-weekly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Hamilton Masterpiece  First up this week is this super clean and sharp vintage Hamilton Masterpiece dress watch. The 33mm yellow gold filled case is crisp and unpolished, with stylish slim lugs. The caseback is engraved with a presentation award for 25 years of service to the Presque Isle company in 1980. The silver dial looks pristine, with applied gold stick markers and lume filled gold dauphine hands. Time only with no date, just clean, simple goodness. The winding crown is original and signed with the Hamilton “H” logo. The manual wind Hamilton caliber 832 movement is clean and runs well per the seller. The watch comes on a stylish leather strap that looks great on it. View auction here Vintage Seiko 5 Actus  Here’s a nice chunky vintage Seiko 5 Actus sporty watch. The 41mm round case is unpolished with sharp edges and the original brushed finish. The dial is a silver/champagne color with cool hour markers and unusual hands. They are both steel with black and lume inserts, but the hour hand is really broad, which gives it a somewhat unique look. There is of course the ubiquitous day/date window at three o’clock. The small crown is recessed into the side of the broad...

Oris Introduces the Kelp Forest Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Oris Introduces Oct 23, 2026

Oris Introduces the Kelp Forest Limited Edition

At my rather hippie-dippie public elementary school, the entire student body performed an ocean conservation-themed musical number every year in a school-wide assembly. We decorated hats for different ocean ecosystems, and music was provided by a local band that had certainly shared a smoke with Steve Miller back in the day. It was my favorite event of the school year and while each grade level performed their own song, I most remember the “California Sea Otter” song assigned to fourth graders: a surfer-inspired romp through California kelp forests and the critters within. If you’re yelling, “get back to watches” at the screen right now, don’t worry—Oris has your back. In tune with their history of ocean conservation-benefitting models, the new Kelp Forest Limited Edition Aquis Date diver finally gives the spotlight to one of the under-appreciated and most vital aquatic biomes.  Oris is no stranger to beefy dive watches, and the Kelp Forest Edition is based on the brand’s excellent Aquis Date model, with a 41.5mm case diameter. It boasts a properly robust 300 meters of water resistance and a unidirectional bezel, giving it legitimate diver pedigree beyond just the style. A screw-down crown and sleek tapered three-link bracelet with brushed and polished finish make it an elegant but heavy-duty piece. The Oris Calibre 733 movement inside allows for a day-date function and 41 hours of power reserve. It’s a properly beefy beast at 12.9mm of thickness and 49m...

Review: the Gagà Laboratorio Aqualab Worn & Wound
Oct 22, 2026

Review: the Gagà Laboratorio Aqualab

Writing about the Gagà Laboratorio Aqualab has proved a difficult task. A tutor once told me to keep the structure of any article, report, or document simple: tell them what you’re about to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you’ve told them. As I sit to translate my thoughts onto screen, I struggle with both the introduction and summary parts. The longer I spend with this interesting piece, the more difficult it becomes. Gagà Laboratorio describe this watch as “extend[ing] its vision into the world of diving watches, interpreting this category through its distinctive design culture and its contemporary understanding of luxury lifestyle”, and although it encompasses both the function of a dive watch and the refinement of a luxury timepiece I find it tough to pin down exactly what the Aqualab is. On a personal level, I either like a watch, or I don’t. I’d either be happy to buy it, or I wouldn’t. Writing about a watch causes me to think more objectively, and evaluating against an archetype is a good way to do that. The fact that I struggle to pigeonhole the Aqualab is a stumbling block. But here goes… Considering the dial separately from the case, or even the strap, feels a little spurious as the overall design flows strongly throughout. Nonetheless, that’s what I’m going to try to do, starting with the time-telling functions. As you’ll no doubt spot at the very first glance, the Aqualab doesn’t make use of ordinary hands. Hours, minutes, an...

Breitling, at Long Last, Adds Manually Wound Navitimers to the Core Collection Worn & Wound
Breitling Oct 22, 2026

Breitling, at Long Last, Adds Manually Wound Navitimers to the Core Collection

Breitling fills a big hole in their Navitimer collection today with the release of a pair of watches that feel like concerted efforts at engaging the watch enthusiast community. The new Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 and the Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute are not limited editions, but part of the brand’s core collection, their presence there will surely please a wide swath of longtime Breitling fans, particularly those interested in vintage Breitling, and classic chronographs more generally.  It’s somewhat hard to believe, but until today, Breitling did not have a manually wound Navitimer in their permanent collection. The hand wound B09 movement used in the Navitimer has been used in a handful of limited and special releases in the past, but it feels like the brand is really plugging a gap here with a manually wound version of what is arguably their most iconic watch.  According to Breitling, this new version of the Navitimer is inspired by versions of the watch worn in the 1960s by race car drivers Jim Clark and Graham Hill, who were also pilots and would have been able to make use of the Navitimer’s slide rule bezel in flight. This is a watch that, at least in a contemporary context, straddles the line between the automotive and pilot watch worlds, and has been embraced by both cultures (which admittedly overlap a fair amount).  The Navitimer B09’s case measures 41mm in diameter and is available with either a black or blue dial with white subdials, a c...

To Carry and To Keep: The Tudor Watches of Warriors Worn & Wound
Tudor Watches Oct 21, 2026

To Carry and To Keep: The Tudor Watches of Warriors

“In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed… I am that man.” –U.S. Navy SEAL Code A Note  Writing about the military – especially those who served our nation in the U.S. Armed Forces – is something I consider to be an honor, and it’s a responsibility I take seriously. The risk of sensationalizing or exploiting veteran experiences for media or corporate gain is too great and happens too frequently to leave that acknowledgement unstated. My respect for and personal relationships with the military population sometimes leads me to be overly cautious in my approach to these subjects to protect the privacy of the individuals or the institutions with which they are affiliated. Some experiences are off the record, and that is okay. The spirit of the story remains.  I also want to acknowledge that discussions of military history can be divisive. I am a U.S. military historian by training and that shapes how I think and write. But my perspective is just a small percentage of the many globally nuanced lenses that can be applied to this topic. The watch world is international, diverse, and certainly strong enough to withstand the contributions of many – even if our conclusions differ. I am a civilian. After leaving school, I had the good fortune to work as a liaison to the U.S. Office of Veterans Affairs. Because of my educational background, I knew the facts and...

Louis Erard Introduces the Dia De Los Muertos Black Worn & Wound
Louis Erard Introduces Oct 21, 2026

Louis Erard Introduces the Dia De Los Muertos Black

We’ve arrived at the time of year where we can finally highlight my favorite seasonal watch niche. Skull watches, most often created to underscore the philosophy of memento mori (an acknowledgement of our mortality) tend to pop up in October to coincide with Halloween and Day of the Dead celebrations. This is a watch design rabbit hole that has snuck up on me over the years, but if you think about it, it makes a certain amount of sense that a skull represented on a dial surface could be an interesting platform for a variety of craft techniques. We’ll have a (long) list of some of our favorite skull watches on the website a little later this month.  But today, we’ll focus on the latest addition to the skull watches canon, the Louis Erard Dia De Los Muertos Black. This is a fairly straightforward skull watch, with a bold and colorful skull clad in floral motifs dominating the dial. This limited edition (only 10 are being made) has a black coated case and black dial, which feels appropriate and also properly frames the colorful skull.  The floral motifs on the skull are recessed, and the brand’s own images suggest a skull design with subtle depth when explored closely. The brand’s logo is blended into the skull at around 12:00, and the name of the brand appears across the skull’s teeth at 6:00. A total of 6 color transfers have been placed on the skull applique, with the dominant tones being white, gray, orange and yellow. The hands are pear shaped and anthracit...

Hands-On: Exploring Film Photography with the Nodus Obscura II Worn & Wound
Nodus Obscura II When you’ve Oct 20, 2026

Hands-On: Exploring Film Photography with the Nodus Obscura II

When you’ve been using the same camera and lens for literal decades, it can be hard to push yourself creatively and get out of your own habits. Shooting in all conditions becomes muscle memory, and even the trickiest shots can start to feel like just another snap of the shutter. So what is a hobby photographer to do? Well, if you’re me, you use the exposure gauge on the new Nodus Obscura II to challenge your idea of “correct”, and re-learn the act of shooting film in the process.  Let’s rewind a bit, first. Nodus is a Los Angeles-based microbrand established in 2017 who specializes in purpose-built watches. That may seem like a nebulous thing to claim as your hallmark, but it basically comes down to this: all Nodus watches are assembled, regulated, and tested in Los Angeles, and are intended to perform their stated function (or functions) at the highest degree, rather than offering a myriad of complications that could muddy a piece’s “purpose”. Their lineup consists of divers, pilot and sport watches, and GMT units. The star collection, though, is their Design Lab series, where the brand showcases watches designed and built in collaboration with other creators or brands. These watches push Nodus’ aesthetics, and introduce even more hyper-niche categories and use cases. The most innovative of the Design Lab watches is, of course, the Obscura II collaboration with Beers and Cameras.  Image: Nodus The first Obscura watch introduced Nodus’ patented exposu...

The Vaer x Topo x W&W; Solar Hiker Returns for 2026 Worn & Wound
Oct 20, 2026

The Vaer x Topo x W&W; Solar Hiker Returns for 2026

The Solar Hiker returns for 2026 with two new colorways, updated straps, and a new custom carrying case. A triple-brand collaboration between Vaer, Topo Designs, and Worn & Wound, the Solar Hiker brings together expertise in watchmaking, outdoor goods design, and storytelling. Built for adventure, it combines the legibility of a classic field watch with the durability of a dive watch, all powered by the sun. Limited to 1,200 pieces. The post The Vaer x Topo x W&W; Solar Hiker Returns for 2026 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Ressence Debuts a Fully Blued-Out Version with Its New Type 10 Dark Night Worn & Wound
Ressence Debuts Oct 19, 2026

Ressence Debuts a Fully Blued-Out Version with Its New Type 10 Dark Night

We know the trend of all black watches well – what was once a novelty has now become a regular part of most catalogs, so perhaps we can no longer call this a trend but an industry staple. I think the monochromatic concept really works on many different levels. It can make a watch ultra stealthy and discrete. For some models, it just looks sleek and sexy. For others, it can actually serve to bring out the best in the design. On the other end of the spectrum, we have models with so much tone on tone on tone – lacking any contrast through materials or textures – you can barely read them. These watches have understandably undergone some scrutiny. However, I find it a cheeky commentary on the fact we don’t really need our timepieces for any utilitarian purpose, and a color palette can simply be a design choice.So, in typical Ressence fashion, we have a twist on the all-black aesthetic with a deep blue hue the brand is calling Dark Night. If you’re familiar with Ressence, you know the brand is anything but motivated by trends – the opposite. This is a brand who literally came into being by asking the question, what if someone were to build a blueprint for a watch for the first time today without any constraints of what a watch should look like? The result was the Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) offering human-centric readability with a layout engineered to look and process like a two-dimensional digital screen lacking traditional hands or a crown. Instead, the ...

Ode to a Legend with the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Worn & Wound
Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Hublot Oct 19, 2026

Ode to a Legend with the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo

Hublot is a brand that has long endured scrutiny for its bold and out-of-the-box approach to watchmaking, and frankly, I’ve never quite understood why the industry and the collector sphere has relentlessly put the brand under fire. In many other instances, brands have been revered for being a disrupter, so why not Hublot? The inaugural design that launched the brand back in 1980 was the first to combine a precious metal case with a rubber strap, laying the foundation for what the brand now calls the “Art of Fusion.” However, you have to understand that at the time, this was both risky and revelatory – rubber straps weren’t nearly as prevalent as they are today, and pairing one with a precious metal as opposed to stainless steel was unheard of. Now, we see rubber straps in most brands’ repertoires often combined with a precious metal. So, in fact, Hublot set the standard for something that was once audacious but now commonplace and considered totally “normal” (whatever normal really means) – maybe we should give Hublot a little more credit and not be so quick to judge. Today, we are fully celebrating that model that started it all – at the time, called the Classic Original and now known as the Classic Fusion with the aptly named Tributo. Beyond the innovative combination of materials, the original composition established some specific design codes, including the porthole shaped case with 12 prominent screws securing the bezel framing a plain and totally ...

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Heritage 1854’s Makeover, An Archive of Movie Posters, and Luggage-Inspired Eyewear Worn & Wound
Timex resource covering watches from Oct 17, 2026

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Heritage 1854’s Makeover, An Archive of Movie Posters, and Luggage-Inspired Eyewear

Reelizer I think part of the reason that I spend $100 a year on my Criterion membership is solely because I was roped in by their box sets at Barnes & Noble in my youth and haven’t recovered. And while I’m constantly complaining I never have time to watch movies anymore, I can’t seem to cancel it. Sometimes, I’ll just scroll through the library to see the little thumbnails of movies I may never watch, more interested in the design that captures the essence of the film than, say, that underground Czech comedy or whatever the hell Criterion is highlighting this month.  But, at least, it seems I’m not the only one who loves the posters as much as the movies. Reelizer is a personal archive of movie art curated by designer and developer Roger Erik Tinch. The site currently includes 225 works spanning posters, screenprints, illustrations, physical-media packaging, apparel, books and other pieces from across film culture. Everything can be searched by film, artist or collection, with individual entries crediting the artists and labels behind the work. You can view the entire collection here – and I’d love to know which one is your favorite from the library. Heritage 1854 Gets a Makeover What can I say? I’m on an archive kick lately. First Reelizer and now this. Heritage 1854 is a vintage Timex resource covering watches from 1949 through 2000, created by collector Ark Zaydman as a place to document the watches themselves alongside original catalogs, advertisements...

Oris Gives Its ProPilot Caliber 111 Simple but Significant Updates Worn & Wound
Casio n Oct 16, 2026

Oris Gives Its ProPilot Caliber 111 Simple but Significant Updates

Our story starts back in 2014 on the year of Oris’ milestone 110th anniversary. For the occasion, the brand unveiled its first proprietary in-house movement in 35 years, featuring a manual-wind 10-day power reserve and a non-linear power reserve indicator. This movement was aptly named the Caliber 110. A year later, Oris presented the next evolution with the Caliber 111 in the Big Crown ProPilot lineup. The new movement added a dedicated date window at 9 o’clock alongside the signature airplane fuel gauge-style non-linear power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. The model’s technical prowess caught the attention of the industry and went on to receive a coveted GPHG nomination that year.Over the past decade, we have seen only a select few iterations on the original, namely new dial colorways. Now, we get a brand new redesign with the latest incarnation. This follows in the footsteps of the brand’s redesign of the ProPilot Date, which brought a series of design updates including an organic dial texture inspired by nature, subtle evolutions to the applied numerals and lume-tipped hands to enhance legibility, and improvements to the ergonomics of the folding ‘LIFT’ clasp (one of the ProPilot’s signature elements). It also introduced an inventive seamless fit strap adjustment system. Let’s get into the specific upgrades that translate to the new ProPilot Caliber 111. Front and center we have a new dial application with fresh finishes. The details are more visible...

Monta Introduces a Pair of Limited Editions to Celebrate their Tenth Anniversary Worn & Wound
Monta Oct 16, 2026

Monta Introduces a Pair of Limited Editions to Celebrate their Tenth Anniversary

For their tenth anniversary, Monta has released a pair of limited editions paying tribute to the Swiss watchmaking town of Neuchâtel, where every Monta from the earliest days of the brand has been developed. The two new watches, variants of the Triumph and Skyquest, offer a bunch of unique Easter eggs for longtime Monta fans while also remaining attractive and accessible timepieces on their own. Like all Montas, they are understated and built on a love of vintage tool watches, but for their tenth anniversary the team has allowed themselves to get a bit reflective in some of the design details, which I think many enthusiasts who’ve been with them from the beginning will appreciate. The Neuchâtel X collection, as it’s known, is marked most obviously by new opaline dials to set them apart from the rest of the Monta lineup. The Skyquest Neuchâtel X features an old school printed layout with beige lume for a vintage effect, as well as custom dial typography for the Monta logo not seen prior to this collection. The Skyquest’s handset is also unique to this watch, and draws on a sword hand style popular with collectors of vintage sports watches.  The Skyquest remains at 40.7mm in diameter and 11.8mm thick. The red and blue 24 hour bezel allows the tracking of a third time zone with the help of Monta’s Caliber M-23, a rebadged Sellita SW330 “caller” style GMT. The case is water resistant to 300 meters and of course is paired with Monta’s excellent bracelet with a...

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Worn & Wound
De Rijke & Co Makes Oct 15, 2026

De Rijke & Co. Makes the Capri Collection a Permanent Fixture of Its Catalog with Three Staple Colorways

At Windup last fall, De Rijke & Co. made a surprise unveiling of the Capri collection, marked by its distinctive ultra-thin rectangular case, unique curved sapphire crystal, integrated shrouded lugs, and stone dials. As the year went on, the brand made an official announcement about the line, launching a poster challenge featuring hidden Easter eggs and offering further previews at other industry events like Milan Watch Week. As the calendar page turned to 2026, pre-orders for the anticipated limited edition Capri finally opened for the initial iterations in black onyx, black aventurine, and blue capri produced in just 50 pieces each. Now, the brand ushers the model into its permanent catalog with three new dial colors: champagne, salmon, and silver. Within each dial variant, there is a balance of subtle nuances and stylistic throughlines. Each version carries a fine textured frosted dial composition that catches and diffuses the light, bringing out the broader spectrum of tones within each of the neutral colorways. De Rijke & Co. has made this effect deliberately subtle. Rather than relying on gloss or decoration, the dials reveal themselves through the curvature across the dial and crystal that’s a defining feature of the Capri. However, each dial shade also has its own cheeky personality. The salmon model offers a fresh take on a hue used throughout the history of watchmaking. Here, the warm pink tone is brought to life thanks to the contrast of the deep blue strap an...

Papar Puts a Twist on the All-Black Watch with Its Slimmest Watch Yet Featuring a Wandering-Hour Worn & Wound
Oct 15, 2026

Papar Puts a Twist on the All-Black Watch with Its Slimmest Watch Yet Featuring a Wandering-Hour

You probably know I’ve been a fan of Papar from the brand’s launch in 2024 with its initial model, the Anillo. Since this inaugural GMT collection, the brand has expanded with the addition of a diver called the Cenote. Now, we get a third collection that offers a wandering-hour: the Vuelte. Before even reading the full press kit and just browsing through the images of the latest model in Papar’s lineup, I could see the brand’s distinct and playful DNA shine through in details like the now-signature octagonal case created by intersecting planes giving the impression of folded steel and the poetic color-changing crescent moon logo smiling. I could also see the Vuelte bringing a new personality to the lineup – one that’s a bit more restrained and minimal. However, knowing the attention to detail and the meaning attached to those details that’s been a throughline with Papar’s designs, I also knew there was more than meets the eye behind the aesthetics of this latest offering. The Vuelte introduces a wander-hour complication executed with a very distinct all-black design. If you’ve been in the watch world for a while now, you are well versed in the plethora of blacked-out watches available from nearly every brand. Leave it to Papar to put its own spin on the color concept.  Rather than relying on conventional hands, an aperture carrying the current hour travels around the black dial while a red triangular indicator traces the passing minutes along the perimet...

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