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Worn & Wound · Page 20

Selten and Collector Community Watch Ho and Co. Team Up for a New Collaboration in Tahitian Mother of Pearl Worn & Wound
Aug 14, 2025

Selten and Collector Community Watch Ho and Co. Team Up for a New Collaboration in Tahitian Mother of Pearl

Selten impressed me earlier this year with the release of their Grand Feu Enamel series, which features deeply engraved and colorful dials made in a traditional enamelling process. Artistic, craft forward dials made from interesting materials are their stock in trade, so it’s no surprise that they seem to be flourishing at this particular moment, when there’s a real hunger among collectors for watches that offer something a little more daring. As a certified mother of pearl addict (DM me if you need help finding a support group in your area) their latest release, a collaboration with the Hong Kong based watch collecting community Watch Ho & Co caught my eye. The Jui 聚 (which translate to “to meet, to gather”) features a dramatic Tahitian mother of pearl dial that is CNC engraved to form an elaborate and complex pattern. According to Selten, the design is inspired by ancient China, and the pattern itself is lifted from a motif often used in body armor. Over time, these shapes came to symbolize strength and security, which the brand is now pitching as a testament to the bonds formed within the watch community. This of course is a guiding principle that makes a lot of sense given the collaboration with a community of watch collectors. It’s underscored by the ethos of Watch Ho & Co with an engraving on the caseback reading “Good Vibes Only.”  I’ll be honest, I’ve seen a lot of watches over the years with dials featuring abstract or obscure design motifs th...

Five Underrated Watches Under $5,000 Worn & Wound
Tudor Black Bay P01 It Aug 14, 2025

Five Underrated Watches Under $5,000

There’s a universal appeal to the idea of the hidden gem. Whether it’s a watch, a movie, or a vacation destination, we all enjoy reveling in the underrated to some extent. It’s part of that sense of discovery that draws us to an enthusiast pursuit in the first place. As the watch world, and enthusiasm around the hobby grows, it gets harder to identify watches that are truly underrated – every watch seems to have its moment in the sun.  We thought it would be fun to identify a handful of watches that feel genuinely underrated at this particular moment, all under $5,000. Let us know your picks in the comments!  Zach Kazan – Tudor Black Bay P01 It was surprisingly challenging for me to think of the right underrated watch to discuss here. One of the problems with the way we talk about watches in 2025 is that everything, from the most mundane, black dialed diver, to highly experimental haute horlology, is heaped with praise. It’s not that the praise isn’t always warranted – there are a lot of great watches out there – but the inverse of this question, the most overrated watches on the market, would probably be a little easier to respond to. But, in the interest of keeping things positive, we thought, for now, we’d try to shine a light on some watches that don’t get enough attention.  Usually when we’re creating a group oriented list like this, my mind immediately goes to the independents. You could say I’m always trying to highlight the underrated s...

Formex Introduces a 41mm Essence with a New Dial and Some New Features Worn & Wound
Formex Introduces Aug 14, 2025

Formex Introduces a 41mm Essence with a New Dial and Some New Features

Formex has a new watch, and, despite the name, it has absolutely nothing to do with the classic Hanna-Barbera character, or his eponymous talk show, Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Still, the Formex Essence “Space Ghost,” the latest addition to Formex’s seemingly ever-expanding Essence collection, is here, and brings a new dimension, a new dial, and some impressive new quality of life improvements to the incredibly popular line of everyday sports watches. The biggest headline here is that the new “Space Ghost” comes in at 41mm across, a new dimension for the Formex Essence, falling squarely between established 39mm and 43mm options.The new Essence is more than a hastily resized version of either of these pre-existing models though. The watch - which is powered by the same Sellita SW200-1 COSC-certified movement as its larger and smaller siblings - though unmistakably an Essence, entirely reworks the proportions of the model. The watch is still thin, at 10.6mm, and compact, with a 46.5mm lug-to-lug. It also keeps the 22mm lug width of the 43mm Essence, so most of their existing strap line will be compatible with the new watch. Two piece straps are all compatible with Formex’s existing carbon fiber deployment clasp with integrated, on-the-fly micro-adjust, but the real story on the wrist is the revised bracelet design. The new bracelet hosts a bunch of small upgrades, including new screws that eliminate the need for Loctite or any equivalents, but the most notice...

Building a Watch From Scratch In Brooklyn Worn & Wound
Aug 13, 2025

Building a Watch From Scratch In Brooklyn

Have you ever considered what it would take to start a microbrand? I was deep in an instagram doom scroll when a field watch I’d yet to see abruptly stopped my thumb. “I love this watch. My good friend made this by hand and it’s incredible. He makes them in Brooklyn from scratch. Check out his work” my buddy Greg’s caption read. I was digitally introduced to Giles Clement.  Raised in the Catskills, he was always a tinkerer. It probably started with him putting old lawnmower engines on wheels as a makeshift go-kart, but he has always had the gift of creating something from nothing.  A decade ago he stumbled upon a massive petzval lens at a thrift shop outside Chicago. This launched a years-long endeavor of building his own large format camera and teaching himself wet plate photography. Before he knew it, he was in a tent at a music festival in Rhode Island taking a portrait of Kris Kristofferson with a giant camera made of plywood and trash bags. The rest is history.  Photo by Jonah Markowitz He went on to have a successful photography career, capturing portraits of folks like Nick Offerman, Fiona Apple, Channing Tatum, Questlove, Roger Waters, Elvis Costello and various other high profile figures, as well as several fine art series.  Suddenly in 2020, like many others in the film and photography industry (myself included), work disappeared and he found himself on a forced hiatus. Never one to have idle hands, he began repairing watches. Ebay offered access to...

G-SHOCK Enters the Metaverse with The Sandbox Worn & Wound
Aug 13, 2025

G-SHOCK Enters the Metaverse with The Sandbox

There was a period of time in 2020 and 2021 when it felt like you couldn’t have a conversation with someone without hearing about cryptocurrency, the blockchain, or the metaverse. I mean, Facebook literally changed the name of the company to reflect what all signs pointed to being the future of the internet. Of course, watch brands got involved as well, with a variety of projects that sought to integrate watches (physical objects) with the digital world. I actually purchased a watch during that time period that, unbeknownst to me when I handed over the credit card, came with an NFT. The watch is gone, but somewhere on the blockchain, I guess, is an NFT tied to my watch and my watch alone.  Thankfully, in my opinion, metaverse mania has slowed a bit in the watch world. It’s been a while since I saw a press release that really touted any sort of blockchain specific features. But last week, some news from G-SHOCK caught my eye. It’s not a new watch release, but rather the implementation of a new virtual G-SHOCK themed world in the metaverse, produced in partnership with The Sandbox.  The Sandbox. I’ve learned, is a blockchain-based open world game that launched in November 2021. The Virtual G-SHOCK in The Sandbox project is effectively a G-SHOCK themed Sandbox experience, where you can purchase an avatar to play as based on classic G-SHOCK watch designs, play games that take you through G-SHOCK history. According to the brand, the gameplay involves “shock resistan...

Affordable Excellence: How High End Watch Brands are Creating Accessible Options for the Enthusiast Worn & Wound
Kurono Tokyo Aug 12, 2025

Affordable Excellence: How High End Watch Brands are Creating Accessible Options for the Enthusiast

It is a global phenomenon: some of the most exclusive independent watch brands have in the last five years created more accessible and more affordable sister brands or collections. These are undoubtedly linked to the main brand thanks to similar design features and a similar spirit. Just look at MB&F; and its M.A.D.Editions in Switzerland, Grönefeld and Grøne in the Netherlands, and Hajime Asaoka with Kurono Tokyo. Their normal offering is in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, and now their sister brands offer watches for a few thousand – and you don’t have to wait for years to get a watch.  Why are they doing this? What effect does it have on the general perception of the main brand? What are the collectors’ reactions to the more accessible offerings? Occasionally, it goes in the other direction. The Finnish brand Leijona’s Heritage 1907 Collection punches above its weight. It shows that a quartz based, mass market brand can make Swiss Made mechanicals together with a legend like Kari Voutilainen. We’ll get back to that. Just as we’ll get to Swatch’s recent collaborations with its fancier siblings within the Swatch Group. This phenomenon is all but new. Just look at Rolex and Tudor, the latter registered in 1926. “It was exactly the same as what we see today. Rolex founder (Hans) Wilsdorf wanted to offer high-quality watches at more affordable prices,” said watch expert Gianfranco Ritschel. Another example, half a century removed, is Cartie...

Unimatic Introduces the New Prodiver Collection Worn & Wound
Unimatic Aug 12, 2025

Unimatic Introduces the New Prodiver Collection

While minimalism may be as trendy as ever these days (one look at any modern car interior will tell you that) a lot of brands miss the mark when it comes to balancing that aesthetic with function, or the lack thereof. Not so with Unimatic’s all-new Prodiver line, which promises both a streamlined design language and robust mechanical functionality. But do the watches actually pull it off? Let’s take a deeper dive and find out. Perhaps the biggest factor in Unimatic’s favor here is the Italian brand’s penchant for design cohesiveness across their lineup. Even before taking the new Prodiver into consideration, Unimatic watches share aesthetic hallmarks, namely chunky, round indexes, sans serif typefaces, and symmetrical dial balance. Even models that deviate from this norm, like the UT1 and UT4, which feature hour numerals instead, carry a uniformly round and hardy profile, which gives each Unimatic watch friendly-yet-tough dimensions. This is all personal conjecture, of course, but rarely does a brand manage to maintain consistency in design across their entire lineup quite as well as Unimatic does.  Back to the Prodiver, though; like most other watches by the brand, it also bears the signature round indexes, though it adds some legitimate dive watch pedigree, too. Each of the three new Modello Uno models sports a democratically-sized case, measuring at 40mm in diameter and 49mm lug to lug. The case thickness is a healthy 14.4mm with the domed sapphire crystal, and...

Rado Celebrates 40 Years of Tennis at the Mubadala Citi DC Open Worn & Wound
Rado Celebrates 40 Years Aug 11, 2025

Rado Celebrates 40 Years of Tennis at the Mubadala Citi DC Open

Rado’s participation in the Mubadala Citi DC Open has become a late summer tradition. Now in its third year, the descent of tennis fans (and a handful of watch media types) into Rock Creek Park is a sign that summer’s days are numbered, and the US Open prep is becoming serious. On the weekend of this year’s DC Open, you’d be forgiven for thinking summer was never ending. Blisteringly hot and muggy with humidity one minute, drenched in torrential downpours the next, it’s enough to make you wonder why anyone thought our nation’s capital should be built on a swamp in the first place. Photo courtesy Rado In any event, the annual tradition that’s been forming over these last few years with Rado extends to the release of a new, limited edition watch. I was fortunate enough to see their latest, the Rado Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition, in DC just a few weeks ago. The new LE makes use of the smaller, 39mm Captain Cook case to great effect. This is a compact, easy to wear dive watch that’s on the elegant side of sporty, which seems appropriate for a watch associated with tennis. A dive watch associated with tennis is, of course, a bit incongruous, even taking into consideration the downpours we experienced at this year’s Open. But with the beads-of-rice style bracelet and a smaller form factor, this version of the Captain Cook blends in nicely in a more elevated environment.  There are little design cues throughout this Captain Cook that reference tennis in...

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Last Client, Huckberry’s Retail Store, and Fossil’s Fantastic Four Appearance Worn & Wound
Fossil Aug 9, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Last Client, Huckberry’s Retail Store, and Fossil’s Fantastic Four Appearance

“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. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Last Original Client For most people with an interest in architecture, the best you can do with respect to the works of Frank Lloyd Wright is to admire his buildings from afar, or perhaps get the guided tour experience if you visit his most famous pieces. Obviously, far fewer people actually get to live in the homes he designed, and fewer still are alive today that can tell you what it was like to work with the architect during the building process. This wonderful piece in NPR puts a spotlight on Roland Reisley, who recently turned 101 years old. He is, according to NPR, the last surviving original client of Frank Lloyd Wright, and he still lives in the home he designed. He’s been at the residence in Westchester County, NY for over 70 years, and has become a bit of a Frank Lloyd Wright scholar in that time. This one’s a must read for anyone with an interest in architecture. Huckberry Opens Shop: Brick & Mortar in Georgetown For over 14 years, the team at Huckberry has worked to curate a collection of clothing, gear, and home accessories like no other. While their offerings have drawn the attention of many, you were only able to shop online or...

Sherpa Introduces the New Atoll and Tuxedo Versions of the Ultradive Worn & Wound
Aug 8, 2025

Sherpa Introduces the New Atoll and Tuxedo Versions of the Ultradive

Sherpa has announced a pair of new Ultradive references, expanding their core dive watch line. Sherpa launched in 2021 with a relatively narrow focus, which is honestly something I appreciate in a time period where too many watch brands want to be all things to all people. They make extremely specific dive watches, with compressor cases, and infuse each watch with principles of Buddhism literally built into the movement (the brand’s founder, Martin Klocke, is a practicing Buddhist). The new Ultradive watches, the Tuxedo and the Atoll, bring some variety to the collection without changing things up too dramatically.  Before getting into the specifics of each watch, it’s important to step back a bit and familiarize ourselves with the compressor case concept. It’s a technology that has been nearly lost to time as manufacturing has improved across the board and creating highly water resistant watches has, in general, become easier. But it’s an important part of dive watch history and watchmaking history in general. These cases, originally developed by Ervin Piquerez SA (otherwise known as EPSA), essentially employed a specially designed caseback that would seal under light pressure when not submerged in water, but under increasing pressure, the seal would become tighter and tighter. These cases rather ingeniously used the force of the water pressure against the case to its own benefit. Over the years, several versions of this EPSA case were developed, and Sherpa has a...

A Collector’s Retrospective: Two Years Wearing the Arcanaut Arc II Worn & Wound
Aug 8, 2025

A Collector’s Retrospective: Two Years Wearing the Arcanaut Arc II

I purchased my first Arcanaut, the Arc II Fordite, on April 29, 2023. I know the exact date thanks in part to Instagram, where I documented the acquisition, as one does, at that year’s Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco. In the two years and change that I’ve owned the Arc II, my fondness for it has only grown, and Arcanaut has become, to put it plainly, one of my very favorite watch brands. I wrote a pretty thorough review of the Arc II a few months after buying it, and scrolling through it today I really can’t see any particular assertion I’d take back now that I’ve lived with it for even longer. But I thought two years would be a good time return to the watch and evaluate it again, this time in context with another Arcanaut that I added to my collection at the end of last year: the Experimental Arc II Tiger Sh’arc.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Zach Kazan (@zkazan) The first thing I’ll say here about the Tiger Sh’arc is how unlikely, under normal circumstances, that I’d choose to own one. I don’t have a strict “no duplicates” rule when it comes to keeping multiple watches from a single brand in my collection, but it’s something I’m a bit leery of. As someone who generally speaking prioritizes variety and originality in my watchbox, owning two or more watches by one maker ultimately seems like a waste of (my) resources. My philosophy has always been that I want to experience as much as possible. How different could one Arc ...

Saying Goodbye Worn & Wound
Aug 7, 2025

Saying Goodbye

It’s time to say goodbye. As the poet Rose once said, “nothin’ lasts forever, and we both know hearts can change.” That watch you once lusted after, saved for, and finally bought has run its course. It’s time to let it go, as sad as that might seem. You no longer reach for it in the morning. You no longer post it to Instagram. It has been absent from recent meetups, making room for newer pieces. It just sits there, reminding you of who you used to be. Once, you thought, this is it, I’ve found my one and only. A watch that represents me: my specific tastes and knowledge. It says, “I’m no casual watch fan,” but it isn’t flashy either. You’re an enthusiast, not a hype beast. This watch is for you, and those like you. A badge that says “I’m an insider.” You still like the watch and feel proud to own it, but you have to face the fact that you’ve outgrown it or changed altogether. you know the time has come You stop and think, “it’s not fair to the watch. A watch like this shouldn’t be collecting dust in a box or living its life in the darkness of a drawer.” You want to set it free. You say to yourself, “Hey, maybe there is someone who was just like me X years ago when I first bought it.” Younger, bright-eyed, still discovering who they are, horologically speaking. Maybe this watch can do for them what it did for you. After all, it wasn’t easy to get. You spent time finding it, waiting for the right reference in the right condition to ...

Bulova Introduces a New Lunar Pilot with a Timascus Dial Worn & Wound
Bulova Introduces Aug 7, 2025

Bulova Introduces a New Lunar Pilot with a Timascus Dial

Cosmically speaking, 150 years might not be a very long time, but in the relatively young scale of recorded human history, it’s a mighty long while indeed. Airplanes, space travel, personal computers, microchips, sliced bread, washing machines, and the Internet were all invented within the past 150 years or so, making it even more impressive when a brand reaches the same level of longevity. This year, Bulova has done just that. To celebrate their sesquicentennial, the American watchmaker has a new release based on an icon of their past: the Lunar Pilot Timascus. The new release calls back to the original watch of the same name-the Lunar Pilot Chronograph-which was created in 1971 and ultimately worn on the moon. In the futuristic year of 2025, Bulova has teamed up with Brazilian artist Thiago Rosinhole to put his signature astronaut character “Budii” on the new Lunar Pilot, furthering the space-faring theme and giving the watch a touch of quirky character on top of historical heritage.  Still, the new Lunar Pilot leans less on the use of the character (who I was admittedly unfamiliar with until the collaboration announcement) and more on a creative use of color to spice up the classic chronograph style seen on other Lunar Pilot models throughout the brand’s history and current lineup. Nestled within a stainless steel case that measures 43.5mm in diameter is the “tiamscus” dial. If you, like me, were wondering what that means, it’s actually a fairly strai...

The Pepsi Challenge: Seiko Continues their Summer of Licensing Worn & Wound
Seiko Continues their Summer Aug 6, 2025

The Pepsi Challenge: Seiko Continues their Summer of Licensing

A few months ago when Seiko unveiled their Jaws watch, I didn’t really think much of it. Jaws is one of the most popular movies ever made, and it’s celebrating a big anniversary this year. In a world where watch brands collaborate with all kinds of silly entities for all kinds of silly reasons, it seemed like a pretty normal release. Then, just in the last week, Seiko announced a trio of watches bearing the Datsun name. OK, a Japanese car – a cult classic car at that – doesn’t require a whole lot of mental gymnastics to figure out. But then yesterday, when I opened Instagram over my morning coffee and saw the new Seiko “Pepsi” watches, reader I have to admit: it broke my brain a little.  At first I thought it must be a prank or a joke. Maybe Seiko’s account got hacked and one of these new AI engines built an entire marketing campaign around the most on-the-nose “collaboration” yet? But no, a little digging revealed that the two new Seiko 5 Sports watches with blue and red Pepsi bezels were indeed an endeavor bearing the name of the number 2 cola in the country. We’ve been referring to bezels in this colorway as “Pepsi” bezels for longer than I’ve been involved in the watch industry, as a hobbyist and certainly as a professional. It certainly never occurred to me that one day the beverage company would sign on as what amounts to an official partner with a watch brand. But it’s a testament to the ultra-corporatized watch world we’re all livin...

Exploring Mid-Level Independent Brands: a Collector’s Perspective Worn & Wound
Aug 5, 2025

Exploring Mid-Level Independent Brands: a Collector’s Perspective

I recently read Zach’s article on “Micro Indies,” in which he explains how small independent brands are challenging the bigger watch companies in terms of design and innovation, and yet offering watches in the $3,000 – $5,000 price range. This made me think about another category of brand that does not fall squarely into the “Micro Indies” bucket, but is a level above in terms of watchmaking and challenges the higher-end independent brands. I could not clearly decide on how to label this category – it is not accurate to call them “affordable independents” since they are not that affordable, therefore I landed on referring to them as “mid-level independents” or MLI for short.  How do I define the MLI category? These are brands that fall in the $5,000 – $15,000 price range and offer a combination of various aspects of high horology – from in-house movements, dials, and finishing, to complications often seen in the higher spectrum of independents. Even though I selected this price range where the majority of the watches fall, there are outliers based on precious metals and complications, that can go well over $15,000, and sometimes into the six figures. I selected three very different brands to highlight in this category since their specialties cover different aspects of watchmaking: D. Dornblüth & Sohn, Laine, and Sartory-Billard. I will go into details on how each of these brands has their own niche in watchmaking, and how their strategy differs ...

Seiko Introduces Six New Speedtimers, Including Three Limited Editions Celebrating the Datsun 240Z Worn & Wound
Seiko Introduces Six New Speedtimers Aug 5, 2025

Seiko Introduces Six New Speedtimers, Including Three Limited Editions Celebrating the Datsun 240Z

We’re several years deep into the era of collaborative, limited edition watch releases, and while a lot of the hype has subsided around some of these drops, there’s no sign that the overall strategy is shifting anytime soon. Brands both large and small are still keen to slap partner logos on dials and casebacks, and draw parallels between watches and, well, you name it. Obviously, the automotive world is ripe for these collaborations, and is the window through which a trio of new Seikos come into our lives. Three limited edition references made in partnership with Datsun are the headline here, but in a smart move, Seiko is simultaneously announcing corresponding regular production models that riff on the same themes without all the branding. So there’s something here for the Datsun enthusiast (of which we know there are many) as well as those that are more inclined to shun this type of commercial cross-polination and just want their watch to be a watch and not an exercise in remembering a very specific link to a carmaker’s history.  The premise for all these watches (or rather, for the limited editions) is Seiko’s relationship with Datsun, which dates back to the early 1970s when Seiko supported the 240Z in races across the world. Most notably, Seiko was a sponsor of the #11 car that won the East-African Safari Rally, a 6,200 kilometer race that is generally regarded as one of the most challenging on the international circuit.  All of the watches discussed here...

Hands-On: the Citizen Promaster Aqualand 40th Anniversary Edition Worn & Wound
Citizen Promaster Aqualand 40th Anniversary Aug 4, 2025

Hands-On: the Citizen Promaster Aqualand 40th Anniversary Edition

As my thirties pass by and more gray hairs emerge, I can’t help but notice the unironic fondness I’ve been feeling for two-tone watches. Much like my inability to understand the slang my kids use, feeling that the rizz of two-tone slaps (am I doing that right?) seems to be an inevitable part of aging. And while Citizen’s decision to opt for gold accents to mark the 40th anniversary of the Promaster Aqualand probably isn’t a nod to middle aged collectors and is more likely a heartfelt way to honor the original Aqualand C0023, it feels satisfyingly appropriate that this icon is embracing two-tone to celebrate being over the hill. In full transparency of my own horological biases, I went into this review feeling burnt out on dive watches, which in retrospect seems inevitable after owning about a dozen black dialed divers over a five year period. In recent months I’ve also developed a bit of a pro-quartz preference as my first mechanical watches start to show their age and I’m seeking out watchmakers on a limited budget, another seemingly inevitable result of my collecting journey. I share this because, no longer dazzled by ratcheting bezels and mechanical movements in the way I once was, I thought it would be nice to get my hands on a robust and worry free quartz watch to take on my annual road trip from New Hampshire to Michigan. One text to our Managing Editor Zach Kazan during which I forgot to clarify that I would be content if I never saw another black dial d...

Anoma Introduces the A1 Optical, Inspired by the Optical Art Movement Worn & Wound
Aug 4, 2025

Anoma Introduces the A1 Optical, Inspired by the Optical Art Movement

Anoma has quickly emerged as one of our favorite small independents making truly interesting, design forward watches. Few watches point more toward the enormous pendulum swing away from straightforward vintage inspired sports watches than the brand’s A1, introduced in the summer of last year. It’s more than just a watch with a uniquely shaped case – it’s a deliberate design exercise by brand founder Matteo Violet Vianello, and illustrates that rather than taking design inspiration from other watches, you can find shapes and textures to emulate in furniture, art, and the natural world. It’s also just an extremely well made object at a price point that feels fair for the originality of the design, and watch enthusiasts seem to agree. Vinaello says his waitlist is currently ten times longer than the number of watches available.  Anoma’s latest is the A1 Optical, which takes the same, vaguely triangular case shape and adds an engraved dial inspired Optical Art. Also known as Op Art, this was an art movement that has its origins in the 1960s and can be characterized by the use of abstract geometric patterns formed to create optical illusions. Optical Art will often play with the viewer’s perception of depth and movement to create the kinds of objects and imagery that have us questioning our senses.  The engraved dial on the new A1 is created with a sharp and very fine tool that is used to carve into the dial’s metal base. A total of fifty slightly offset trian...

We’re Still Doing This, Apparently: the Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold is Revealed Worn & Wound
Aug 4, 2025

We’re Still Doing This, Apparently: the Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold is Revealed

There’s almost nothing you can say to convince me the latest MoonSwatch, the not so elegantly named Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold, is not the product of a ChatGPT prompt entered by a Swatch exec. Maybe it said “What should the next entry in our never ending profit squeezing machine that is the MoonSwatch collection be called?” I can imagine an artificial intelligence suggesting something as silly, and also reminding the good people at Swatch that blue, and gold, and Snoopy are all very critical design characteristics that should be included.  Honestly, I hope AI is the culprit. I’d hate to think that human beings at a brand that I hold in such high regard are responsible for such a shallow mismatch of buzzwords and incoherent thematic elements. Let’s take stock of what we’re looking at here. This is a Bioceramic, quartz MoonSwatch much like all the others. It follows the original Earthphase model from last year and includes not just a moonphase complication, but an “Earthphase” that depicts the “phase” of the earth as seen from the moon. Useful? No. Whimsical? Perhaps.  There are a lot of little details though that are a bit of a grab bag of prior elements of MoonSwatches and Speedmasters of the past. Most notably, Snoopy and Woodstock are depicted right on the dial, watching the cosmic dance play out in front of them. The moons on the moonphase indicator are MoonShine gold plated. The graphical inspiration for the moonphase complication is the...

New Watch Releases You May Have Missed from IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bremont, and Minase Worn & Wound
Jaeger-LeCoultre Bremont Aug 3, 2025

New Watch Releases You May Have Missed from IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bremont, and Minase

Happy first weekend of August, and welcome to another new release summary! Would that make it a “summery” summary? Bad alliterative jokes aside, we’ve seen some exciting new pieces from big-name watchmakers and microbrands alike. Rounding out this release list are a colorful new IWC Top Gun collab, a Jaeger-LeCoulture that shoots for the stars, a meteoric Bremont with lofty aspirations, and a Minase that brings a little winter chill to the summer sun.  Read on, and let us know if there is a new release that you think we missed out on in the comments! IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Miramar Far from their first Top Gun release, IWC’s new chronograph may not seem that exciting at first glance. But the new Miramar edition has a secret weapon: a Pantone hue of the same name. Other Top Gun IWCs have been made available in shades of black, gray, and beige, which although appropriate for the military-theme, aren’t terribly exciting from a color perspective. The Miramar, then, stands out with its unapologetically cheery blue, inspired by the light blue t-shirts worn by TOPGUN flight instructors under their flight suits.  It’s not just the color that gives the Miramar an edge, though. Design-wise, the left-leaning subdials at the 12, 6, and 9 o’clock positions, balanced out by the dual date and day windows, provide for a handsomely readable aesthetic. The typeface is characteristic of other IWC Top Gun watches, with rounded sans serif numeral...

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Rolex Goes Atomic, Brooklyn’s First Rooftop Soccer Pitch, James Bond’s New Writer, and a Rolling Duffel Turned Workstation Worn & Wound
Hublot X KidSuper Rooftop Football Aug 2, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Rolex Goes Atomic, Brooklyn’s First Rooftop Soccer Pitch, James Bond’s New Writer, and a Rolling Duffel Turned Workstation

“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. Hublot X KidSuper Rooftop Football Pitch Luxury Swiss watchmaker, Hublot, renowned for creative and bold innovation and its deep ties to the world of sport, culture and art, is proud to announce its official partnership with the new rooftop football pitch at KidSuper World in Williamsburg. This collaboration brings together two creative powerhouses united by a shared devotion to football, avant-garde design, and artistic expression. Founded by artist, designer, and former professional soccer player, Colm Dillane, KidSuper is a globally recognized creative collective that is redefining American fashion. At the heart of KidSuper’s identity is a love for soccer – not just as a sport, but as a unifying language, lifestyle, and global connector. The new football pitch that now sits atop KidSuper World represents this ethos in its purest form: a creative space where sport, design, and storytelling converge. To kick off the grand opening, Hublot and KidSuper have revealed a custom referee board for the pitch designed by Colm Dillane. This exciting start to the partnership promises new dynamic creative projects and engaging on-field activations that will capture the spirit...

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Omega Aug 1, 2025

Join Us for the Premiere Screening of “Giles” and a Special Q&A; with Taylor Scott Mason and Giles Clement

We’re beyond excited to invite you to the premiere screening of “Giles”, a documentary film by Taylor Scott Mason that follows Giles Clement through his journey of becoming a one-man watch brand. After two decades as a photographer, the pandemic gave Giles an unexpected pause. Instead of baking bread like his friends, he bought a broken Omega on eBay and fell down the rabbit hole of watchmaking. What started as a desire to bring new life to old watches turned into a years-long journey of designing and building his own CNC machines from scrap and eventually releasing a handmade watch that people actually bought. RSVP HERE Before the screening, guests will settle in for brief remarks from the Worn & Wound team, setting the stage for the premiere of the documentary. After the film, you’re invited to participate in a Q&A; session with Watchmaker Giles Clement and Filmmaker Taylor Scott Mason. We hope you’ll join us and enjoy an evening of storytelling and conversation about what goes into building your own watch from your basement. Concession-style bites + beverages will be served. The Windup Watch Shop will also be hosting a giveaway for your chance to win an Expedition Starter Pack at the end of the night. You must be present in order to win. Please come and celebrate this special moment for local watchmaking here in the Brooklyn community! Tuesday, August 12, 2025 6:30 PM – Doors open 7:30 PM – Film Screening 7:45 PM – Q&A; 8:15 PM – Giveaway Drawing Windup ...

eBay Finds: Great Vintage Watches from Seiko, Citizen, and More! Worn & Wound
Citizen Aug 1, 2025

eBay Finds: Great Vintage Watches from Seiko, Citizen, and More!

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly 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 Seiko LCD How about a full-kit vintage Seiko LCD to start us off this week? This gem heralds from 1984 and looks every bit the 80’s watch! The squarish stainless steel case is excellent, unpolished and sharp with the original finish. The crystal looks clean, and the LCD display works well. The original bracelet is superb as well, with the Seiko SQ signed buckle. The caseback even has the original little oval sticker. This watch looks new old stock, and maybe it is. It comes complete with the inner and outer boxes, instruction booklet, price tag and hangtag! Can’t beat this gem! View auction here Vintage Citizen Leopard Super Beat 8  Next up is a seldom seen vintage Citizen Leopard Super Beat 8. The Super Beat has a hi-beat movement for better accuracy. The oval/cushion case looks unpolished, and has light wear to it but looks more like a nice steel patina than wear for me. The gray dial is excellent, with raised stick markers that have lume, skinny hands and a vertical day/date at 6 o’clock. The crystal is a mineral glass that has some scratches. The crown is original and signed with the Citizen logo, and the mesh bracelet is original as well and also signed. The movement...

Time and Precision: Christopher Ward and Everton FC’s New York Moment Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Aug 1, 2025

Time and Precision: Christopher Ward and Everton FC’s New York Moment

The summer heat was already building at Icahn Stadium on July 24th when the first Everton supporters began filtering through the gates on Randall’s Island. Many had crossed an ocean for this moment-traveling from Liverpool, Manchester, and points across the UK-while others had driven from as far as Philadelphia and Boston. They came clutching scarves, wearing faded jerseys, and checking their phones for updates on the club’s new signings. What they found was something rarer than a transfer announcement: direct access to their heroes. Christopher Ward’s partnership with Everton FC has evolved far beyond typical corporate relationships since becoming the club’s Official Global Timing Partner in 2022. This collaboration has expanded methodically-encompassing Everton Women and Everton in the Community by 2024, while the British watchmaker established their first US showroom in Dallas as part of their broader American expansion. As David Moyes led his squad through passing drills under the Manhattan skyline, there was something fitting about watching precision unfold in real time. The same attention to detail that Christopher Ward applies to their Swiss-made watches was evident in every touch, every tactical instruction barked across the pitch. James Tarkowski commanded his defensive line with quiet authority while Iliman Ndiaye began juggling the ball with that effortless artistry that made him the club’s leading scorer last season. The fans pressed against the...

Interview: Dr. Woo on the Unexpected Parallels Between Watchmaking and Tattooing, and His Latest for Roger Dubuis Worn & Wound
Roger Dubuis As you well know Jul 31, 2025

Interview: Dr. Woo on the Unexpected Parallels Between Watchmaking and Tattooing, and His Latest for Roger Dubuis

As you well know, we here at Worn & Wound are big fans of collaborative watches – we’ve had the pleasure of doing quite a few of our own over the years. Watch collaborations are nothing new, but they haven’t always been as trendy or prevalent as they are today. Sure, adjacent industries like sport, diving, and racing have long found ways to co-create. Rolex and the German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz marks one of the earliest examples of such a partnership tracing back to the 1920s. Still, it wouldn’t be until the later part of the 20th century that co-branded watches would really rise in popularity and become as commonplace as they are now.  In the current market, mashups have gone far beyond the usual suspects. Watch brands have been getting creative and tapping anyone and everyone from DJ Steve Aoki to Cohiba cigars and Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Today, we’re going to dig deeper into one such collab that has taken us by surprise, one between Roger Dubuis and the renowned tattoo artist Dr. Woo.  For the uninitiated, Brian Woo, better known as Dr. Woo, is a Taiwanese American tattoo artist based in Los Angeles. He’s known for his intricate, single-needle black and gray tattoos marked by ultra-fine lines and minimalist designs that mimic drawn sketches. Over the years, he’s developed a cult following among celebrities like Emilia Clarke, Drake, Miley Cyrus, and Zoe Kravitz, resulting in a long waitlist to get a seat in his chair.   View this p...

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Christopher Ward or Jul 31, 2025

Recapping All of the Panels at Windup Watch Fair Chicago 2025

Some of our favorite parts of every Windup Watch Fair are the panels, presentations, and podcast that go down during these events. More than just discussions, these sessions bring together some of the most insightful voices in the watch community-brand founders, Worn & Wound journalists, and enthusiasts-for real conversations you won’t hear anywhere else. They’re a chance to go deeper, share stories, launch projects, and challenge ideas in front of a live, engaged audience. At this year’s Windup Chicago, held at Venue West on July 11th through 13th, the panels delivered everything we love about the format: authenticity, energy, and just the right amount of watch nerdiness. Here’s a look back at the sessions from the weekend. The Micro-Independent Spirit and the Democratization of Watchmaking with Atelier Wen A new generation of Micro-Indies are on the rise, bringing with them elements of watchmaking that were once reserved for the loftiest, most prestigious echelons of the industry. Be it in the form of the mechanical innovations of Christopher Ward or the pursuit of high craft by Atelier Wen, discover the shared alternative spirit that fuels these brands as they encroach on the hallowed halls of horological hegemony. Moderated by Zach Kazan, Managing Editor at Worn & Wound, this panel features Robin Tallendier, Founder at Atelier Wen, Michael Pearson, North American Brand Director at Christopher Ward, Celeste Wong, Founder, Designer and Watchmaker at Celeste W...

Vintage Citizen Ad Appears in Fantastic Four: First Steps, and There’s a New Watch Too Worn & Wound
Citizen Ad Appears Jul 31, 2025

Vintage Citizen Ad Appears in Fantastic Four: First Steps, and There’s a New Watch Too

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been in theaters for about a week as I type. I just saw it last night, after the first-weekend crowds have dissipated significantly. There’s been a great deal of conversation about the importance of this Fantastic Four film in the movie community. Marvel, it’s no secret, has been slipping a bit as of late. Their splashy superhero action films are no longer guaranteed to approach a billion dollars in revenue. Add to that, a new Superman film is also in theaters, and has been pretty well received thus far. For the first time in years, it feels like DC film adaptations might be having a moment. The conventional wisdom is that Fantastic Four needs to be huge, shepherding the MCU faithful with excitement into a big and even higher stakes Avengers film next year.  I personally didn’t care all that much for First Steps. I thought the CGI looked, well, kinda bad. And the principal characters were mostly miscast. But there were silver linings, if you looked for them. Mole Man, played by Paul Walter Hauser, is a character worthy of a spin-off if there ever was one. Please, just put this character in every MCU movie from here on out. We’re still in a multi-verse arc, so it should be pretty easy to write him into movies he otherwise doesn’t belong in. The other great strength of the movie is the production design. Unlike just about every other MCU movie, this one is effectively a standalone piece that doesn’t really require a deep famil...