Worn & Wound
Ever look up into the night sky and wonder what is out there? Or, maybe, who? Keep your eyes on the skies because the third collaboration between Lorier and Worn & Wound is arriving on September 30th at 2pm ET. You won’t want to miss this one. Get notified The post Arriving Soon: Lorier x Worn & Wound appeared first on Worn & Wound.
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Editor’s Note: This post on the new Leica Q3 43mm from Ben Carpenter, Director of Marketing at Camera West, appears in a longer version on the Camera West blog. Today, Leica announced the Leica Q3 43, a highly anticipated addition to their popular Leica Q series. At Camera West and Leica Store San Francisco, we’ve long been hoping for a longer focal length in the Q lineup, and many of those that we meet through our stores have expressed the same. It’s exciting to finally see this come to fruition with the release of the Q3 43mm. The Leica Q3 43mm offers a “sweet spot” focal length between 35mm and 50mm. This seemingly odd focal length isn’t new for Leica-past cameras like the Minilux, CM, and CL featured a 40mm focal length, which have their own dedicated fan base. While the original 28mm Q lens has its enthusiasts, the 43mm provides a more compressed field of view that some photographers may prefer. Both the Q3 43mm and the Standard Q3 (28mm) share the same internal components, including the 60MP BSI sensor, autofocus system, and OLED viewfinder, but the standout feature of the Q3 43 is its 43mm f2 APO-Summicron ASPH lens, which delivers superior microcontrast and precision thanks to Leica’s advanced optical design. Details At A Glance – The Leica Q3 43mm APO-Summicron 43mm F2 lens contains 4 aspherical elements and a leaf shutter just like its predecessors ISO Range of 50-100k 60mp BSI Sensor with triple resolution technology (18/36/60MP) and 8k vid...
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Next year, Bulova turns 150 years old, but you’ll forgive them if they start the celebration a little early. Last week in New York City, the band’s home for its entire history, Bulova hosted the world premiere of America Telling Time, a documentary about an hour in length that charts the course of the brand through 150 years of being, quite literally, an American standard in time telling. Watching the film in a room full of watch collectors, watch media, and Bulova staffers it became clear that Bulova is truly unlike any other watch brand, and not for the usual reasons we typically invoke that possibly overused phrase. Bulova’s history is tied inextricably to American history in a way that no other brand can replicate, which is a simple fact of its founding, longevity, and ability to always be on the cusp of trends in culture and watchmaking. Before sitting down to watch the film at the premiere, I had an opportunity to speak with Jeffrey Cohen, President of Citizen Watch America, and Patty Schmoyer, Vice President of Marketing at Bulova, about what we could expect later that evening when the documentary would be shown. “You’re going to see how Bulova played a vital role in our society,” Cohen told me. He then went on to list the seemingly endless arenas in which Bulova was a factor in American life. The space program, being a pioneer in radio and television advertising, and promoting equal pay for equal work at a time when a large American company taking a s...
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There seems to be a clear correlation between watch enthusiasts and cinephiles. From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Seiko H558-5009 (mentioned in one of my previous articles) to Marlon Brando’s bezel-less Rolex GMT Master 1675, watches and their film counterparts have been the focus of discussion in the watch collector space for years. While an Arnie will cost you around $500 and 1675s over $10k, pieces of film history can be obtained by hobbyists of all tax brackets. However, even the several hundred-dollar price for a girthy Seiko diver may still be out of the price range for many collectors who find the allure of Hollywood memorabilia sitting in their watch case to be intriguing. Enter the Timex Camper. In the opening sequence of Ethan and Joel Coen’s 2007 masterpiece film No Country for Old Men, protagonist Llewelyn Moss (played by Josh Brolin) tracks game animals across the West Texas plains. He bends down on one knee, takes his watch out, and holds it to the sun––attempting to use the shadows of the handset on the dial to track his direction. The audience fortunately gets a few frames of the watch on screen. What’s shown is a Timex Camper, dark green, with a matching fabric strap. It’s rather small in the shot, but us collectors will take whatever wristwatch screen time we can get. The Camper’s aesthetics obviously differentiate it from the aforementioned Arnie and 1675, but its most important trait for us is its price. For well under $100––commonly li...
For this latest edition of our ongoing Enthusiast Spotlight series, we’re excited to introduce you to 2nd Class Petty Officer Brock Stevens, a Navy Diver with over 5 years of active duty experience. During his service, he’s accumulated more than 9,000 minutes of bottom time. He is currently stationed at the MARMC Dive Locker in Norfolk, VA, and serves as a Ship Husbandry Repair Specialist, maintaining aircraft carriers, submarines, and other surface ships. As a proud co-founder of the MARMC Dive Locker ROV team, Brock leads a group dedicated to utilizing cutting-edge ROVs for underwater inspections and retrievals. Outside of his military role, Brock is a tool watch enthusiast with an ever-growing collection of dive watches. Additionally, he’s passionate about photography and pursues this passion by documenting his adventures, watches, and EDC on Instagram as @deepsea.edc. For this edition, we’ve equipped him with Marathon’s brand new reissue of the first of their iconic SAR line. The watch famously featured a MIL-SPEC Type I dial with a cyclops date. It relaunches today as the 41mm OSAR-D (Original Search and Rescue with Date). Hey Brock, Thanks for joining us for this latest edition of Enthusiast Spotlight. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for a living. My name is Brock Stevens. I’m a US Navy diver. I’ve been a diver for a little over five years now as a Ships Husbandry Specialist working on repairing aircraft carriers and submarines. When...
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Earlier this year, Zenith revealed a revived version of a classic part of their past in the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. The triple calendar, with apertures for day and month alongside the 9:00 and 3:00 subdials, is an old fashioned complication with a ton of charm, and works particularly well in a heritage inspired watch like the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. When it was launched several months ago, it was clear to everyone that it would eventually produce additional variants, and here, for the first time, it’s the canvas for a limited edition, Zenith’s third with Hodinkee. The new Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Limited Edition for Hodinkee reframes the concept of the watch and the result is quite handsome and a nice extension of their previous collaborations. The idea behind this limited edition, according to Hodinkee and Zenith, is to bring together elements of the past, present, and future. This, of course, is something all mechanical watches do in their own way, with their centuries old technology, modern manufacturing techniques, and the hope that any watch will provide multiple generations with reliable service. This LE’s approach is both fanciful and literal. For example, it’s powered by a movement that can only be described as advanced and modern. The Caliber 3610 is a high frequency movement with a chronograph capable of timing events to the 1/10th of a second. But it’s also a bit anachronistic, with a calendar complication...
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Back in January 2023, Fears and Christopher Ward collaborated on the Alliance 01, the first limited edition watch made specifically for the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers. The watch became an immediate cult sensation, partly due to its unusual jump hour complication, and partly because it was just plain rare, right from the start. The watch was only available to members of the Alliance, a smaller group for sure than the typical audience for either brand. But when a watch like this appears, something with a highly specific complication that also strikes a chord with the community, we know that it’s only a matter of time before a version comes along that’s more widely accessible. Well, that time is now. Today, Fears introduces what they refer to as an evolution of the Alliance 01, the all new Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour. At its core, this is still very much the watch that we saw back in early 2023. It keeps the 40.5mm Brunswick case, a cushion case design that splits the difference nicely between sporty and something more refined. I happen to own a Brunswick, and find that the case is something of a chameleon – on the right strap it feels like a true dress watch, and on a bracelet, worn casually, it has an almost Datejust-like quality, which is to say it’s right in the middle of that dress/sport spectrum. But the real heart of the watch is Christopher Ward’s module, also carried over from the Alliance 01, that allows for the jumping hour complication. ...
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![[VIDEO] The Hamilton Khaki Field Goes Quartz](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2024/09/HAMILTON_KHAKI_FIELD_QUARTZ_1.jpg)
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When you work in the watch industry, one of the questions you get asked over and over again is “What’s the best watch for $XXX?” The dollar amount is constantly shifting depending on who is asking the question or their level of horological curiosity, but over time I think most of develop a stock answer to questions like these. My favorite recommendation for almost anyone asking about watches under $1,000 is some version of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. These are, and have always been, fantastic watches. They’re affordable, easy to read, and now come in a variety of sizes, dial colors, and case metals to suit just about any taste. But the not-so-secret weapon, in my opinion, is the manually wound movement. If using a watch like this everyday, dutifully winding it as needed, doesn’t hook you on this hobby, I kind of don’t know what will. My own admiration for the mechanical versions of these watches aside, it comes as no real surprise that Hamilton would want to expand the potential reach of the Khaki Field by offering an even easier to wear quartz version. And that’s what we have here. It’s a somewhat strange proposition, taking a watch whose identity, such as it is, is based around a mechanical caliber, and removing it entirely from the equation, but it turns out that even in a quartz configuration the Khaki Field retains a lot of its character. The new Khaki Field Quartz watches are available in both the familiar 38mm and a new 33mm size in whit...
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There are a handful of constants in the watch world that are truly worth celebrating: the annual crush of people on Geneva each spring for Watches & Wonders, the annual debate over whether a “summer watch” is a thing, and that first comment on any IG post that begs a watch to be a millimeter or two smaller. Like clockwork (pardon the pun) you can count on these things, year in and year out, and there’s comfort in that. Another reliable watch industry trope comes to us on a regular basis from Seiko in the form of the Cocktail Time limited edition, a tradition that began with a watch that is a true enthusiast icon, and now stands as a running series of just plain good dress watches that Seiko is somehow able to keep at a remarkably affordable price point. The legend of the Cocktail Time really begins in earnest with the SARB065, a Japanese domestic market release that caught on with collectors in an earlier era of watch enthusiasm (the early 2010s) when message boards ruled the day. This particular watch is one that I can remember owning years ago and also being among the chorus of internet commenters recommending it to new enthusiasts when the inevitable question of “what dress watch under $XXX should I buy?” would come up. The new Cocktail Time watches, references SRPK93 and SRE015, are said to be inspired by the city of Tokyo at night, and the “Night-time Tokyo” cocktail created by STAR BAR owner Hisashi Kishi. Kishi is a celebrated creator of craft cockta...
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Not since the Beatles have four individuals teamed up to create something greater than the sum of its parts. While this might be just a tad hyperbolic, the new This Is Our Time Megapod watch in a cross-collaboration between Amstersdam’s Ace Jewelers, Ikepod, Laser 3.14 (an Amsterdam based street artist), and ABC (the multi-disciplinary design studio) is something to pay attention to. It’s not often that so many chefs find themselves in one kitchen – usually, broad collaborations only end in a Frankenstein product of sorts with each brand vying for a spotlight – but that doesn’t seem to be the case here with this particular reference. In fact, the four individual voices in this watch’s design all appear in conversation with one another instead of a shouting match to see who can be noticed first, with Marc Newson’s Ikepod design language tying everything together. Because of this, the This Is Our Time Megapod is a watch that is not only a fun release, but a great success story for other multi-party collabs to look at as inspiration. Okay, enough mixing metaphors here – let’s talk about the watch itself. For those familiar with Ikepod, you’ll already know the Megapod design. Coming in at a whopping 46mm, this is a big boy, but benefits from a lugless design making it a relatively easy wear despite its size. Additionally, the pared-down use of color makes it a subtle, albeit noticeable, design choice. The black dial and red lettering only enhance the re...
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Editor’s Note: Today, we bring you the second part in the new series from Andrew Canter, the Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time. In this installment, Andrew examines the invention of the balance spring, a watchmaking advancement that not only charted a path for the watch industry, but can be said to have legitimately changed the world, enabling accurate, reliable, and portable timekeeping for the first time in human history. Who actually invented it, though, is still a matter of some debate, even after 350 years. You can find more of Andrew’s work at the Mr. Watchmaster website here. Prior to the Balance Spring Early watches were powered by a verge escapement which was the same type of movement used in the early clocks. The verge is the earliest known type of mechanical escapement that controlled its rate by allowing the gear train to advance at regular intervals or ‘ticks’. Verge escapements were used from the late 13th century until the mid-19th century in clocks and pocket watches. Drawing of a verge escapement (bottom) and balance wheel (top) from an early pocket watch from an encyclopaedia c.1820 In the earliest watches a plain wheel, known as the balance, was used to control the rate of going of the mechanism. There wasn’t a consistent restoring force (such as a fusee), so consequently, its period of oscillation and, hence, the rate of the timekeeper were dependent on the driving force. Oval verge escapement watch movement by William Petit, Londo...
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Panerai has announced a quartet of watches made in partnership with the U.S. NAVY SEALS, a capsule collection meant to highlight the brand’s mission of crafting reliable, purpose driven watches. All of the models share an aesthetic link through the use of camo patterns and dial effects and are based on collector favorite references from the Submersible collection. In a catalog filled with burly, oversized watches, the Submersible line is perhaps the most outwardly sporty, reflecting a more contemporary approach to divers, chronographs, and GMTs than you might find in the brand’s more heritage focused lines. The first model to receive the Navy Seals treatment is the Submersible QuarantaQuattro NAVY SEALS PAM01518. As the name suggests, this one is based on their stainless steel 44mm Submersible. Instead of their regular lume application, this one features sand-colored SuperLuminova on the hands, markers, and lume pip on the bezel. It is equipped with the Panerai P.900 caliber in-house automatic movement, which operates at 28,800 beats per hour and boasts a substantial 3-day power reserve. “NAVY SEALS” is displayed on the dégradé black to anthracite dial at 6 o’clock. When the watch is flipped over, a beautifully engraved commemoration of the NAVY’s special forces team is revealed. It is rated for water resistance up to 300 meters. The second model is the Submersible QuarantaQuattro GMT NAVY SEALS Carbotech PAM01513. Similar to the previous model, this one is b...
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For as long as I can remember, movies have been my deepest obsession and primary interest. Watches came much later in comparison and followed half a dozen other deep dives into hobbies both mainstream and incredibly niche (talk to me about Scotty Cameron putters and the minute audible differences between two different brands of high end speaker cable sometime). But movies are my first love and I naturally look for connections to them in just about every other facet of life. Something a friend will say will remind me of a random piece of dialogue from some obscure 90s comedy, or a piece of music takes me back to a needle drop in a Scorsese or Wes Anderson film. And, yes, I scroll through Instagram and see watches and think about movie star ambassadors, or the films where they’ve been spotted. No brand has a longer or prouder history of being tied to the movie industry than Hamilton. Their watches have appeared in films for decades, both intentionally and accidentally, and we’ve covered much of this history at length. There’s a pattern to how these things usually work: as a movie approaches its release date, the watch brand’s PR team reaches out to websites like ours to pitch stories and introduce the watch (particularly if it’s a new variant or an entirely new watch), and that’s how these articles take shape and the watch and movie become connected in the public consciousness. The Murph, though, is a little different. Hamilton was a partner on Christopher Nolan...
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When it comes to mastering the balance between refinement and artistry, does anyone do it better than Japanese watchmakers? King Seiko’s latest additions to the KSK line-up just proved my point. These three new references – the latest from the recently reintroduced Seiko spin-off brand – are inspired by the company’s roots in Kameido, Tokyo and show not only the beauty of the region, but speak to King Seiko’s history and technical precision. Each dial is something truly unique, bringing traditional Japanese patterns with color gradients. First on the list is SJE103, which takes the deep red of regional plums and turns it into a sanguine interpretation against the dial. SJE107 is a bit more subdued, with a purple gradient and a wisteria-brand pattern that’s subtle (some motifs of nature can be a little too on-the-nose, in my opinion, but this one balances between inspiration and interpretation well). And finally, my favorite, is SJE105, which has a turtle shell pattern and a rich blue dial, inspired by the local Sumida River in Kameido. Each watch runs on Seiko’s Caliber 6L35 automatic movement, offering a 45-hour power reserve. All references measure in at 38.6mm and are crafted from stainless steel with a matching bracelet, making for a dressy option that I think fits the motifs of the dial perfectly. Like other KSK references, these watches recall classic King Seiko case lines that will certainly appeal to vintage watch aficionados. They also serve as a rem...
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The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. We’ve curated a selection to fit everyone’s style and budget. Hit the links below to learn more and pick something up. As always, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US. The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. We’ve curated a selection to fit everyone’s style and budget. Hit the links below to learn more and pick something up. As always, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US. The post An Out of This World Hamilton, Collection Protection, Elegant EDC, and Lasering in on a Great Deal appeared first on Worn & Wound.
![[VIDEO] Living the Life Exotic: A Year and a Half with the Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2024/09/CWARD_C1_BELCANTO_14_srgb.jpg)
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I’ve spent a lot of time with the Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto on my wrist over the last year and a half or so. I was lucky enough to pick one up at launch, so I only had to wait a few days before this incredibly special, unexpected, and ultimately charming watch ended up in my possession. Any enthusiast can relate to the incredible excitement of getting a new watch, but we also all know it can be a bit misleading. The honeymoon period, as it’s often referred to, is where you see your new acquisition with nothing but adoration. But, as any enthusiast is also aware, this feeling can fade over time, and that watch you once thought was the greatest thing on Earth begins to lose its appeal. Perhaps it’s a touch larger than you wanted it to be, or the crown annoys you, or it’s just too damn shiny. Whatever it is, you start wearing other watches more and more, and before you know it, that watch you thought you’d love forever is on your “willing to sell” list. The point of this story is that the C1 Bel Canto wasn’t like this. The joy and excitement I got when first putting it on have remained present for the entirety of my ownership thus far. While a new watch or two (just kidding, so many more than that) have entered and exited my collection since, the C1 Bel Canto has remained in constant rotation. It’s easily one of my favorite watches because it does more than most of my watches. Not in terms of functionality, though; yes, it’s the only watch I own that c...
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Hey Worn & Wound readers, if you’re in the Nashville, Tennessee area on September 26th, join us for a fun meetup with our friends at Alpina, Bulova, Accutron, and Frederique Constant. We’ll have a troop of Worn & Wound team members there and we thought it would be a great time to do a meetup! Nothing fancy, just some friendly people, cold drinks, and of course, whatever watch is on your wrist. RSVP here for more information Our awesome partners will bring some amazing timepieces for everyone to enjoy and even purchase. Check out Bulova’s newest edition of the Lunar Pilot in a bold red colorway, as well as the latest versions of the Surveyor, Jet Star, and Super Seville with Bulova’s state-of-the-art Precisionist movement. Examine Accutron’s electrostatic movement for yourself. Check out a full complement of Alpiner Extremes. And don’t forget Frederique Constant’s latest novelties. So if you’re a longtime reader, found the site today or just love watches, this will be a fun time. Again, the meetup will happen at Tennessee Brew Works on Thursday, September 26th from 6:30-8:30PM. Space is limited, so if you want to join us, please RSVP here for more information. The post Worn & Wound Joins Alpina, Bulova, Accutron, and Frederique Constant for a Night Out in Nashville appeared first on Worn & Wound.
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“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 info@wornandwound.com. The World’s First 3-D Printed Titanium Road Bike We’ve seen 3-D printing become more commonplace in the world of cycling over the years, with 3-D printed handlebars, stems, and frame components hitting the market. But this week saw the unveiling of a first: the first 3-D printed titanium road bike. The Reactor Aero still needs to go through wind tunnel testing before going into production, but it’s a pretty major advancement in bike manufacturing. Made by the No. 22 Bicycle Company in upstate New York, the Reactor Aero is said to represent a 30-40% reduction in drag compared to the existing Reactor model. The prototype is particularly impressive in that nearly the entire bike was printed in a single piece (only the carbon seat tube was not part of the print). You can read more about the Reactor Aero here. Patagonia Enters the Waxed Cotton Arena We’re pretty big fans of waxed cotton jackets around here. They have a certain timeless style and their overall utility is unmatched. If you’re similarly inclined, you’re probably pretty familiar with some of the big players in t...
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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! Seiko SilverWave Diver Here is a fantastic and scarce vintage Seiko SilverWave diver. The SilverWave model is one of Seiko’s earlier sport divers, and is arguably the coolest design. The 36mm steel case has a deeply grooved crown at 4 o’clock, and a snap on case back. There were a few different variations, but this model was rated to a depth of 30 meters. The silver dial has simple stick markers, but the coolest feature is the internal rotating dive bezel. By turning the crown in the ‘in’ position, the internal bezel rotates. This is something Seiko has done on many models, but I think the SilverWave may have been the first. Seller states the watch runs, and it’s in overall great condition for this watch which is usually found pretty beat up. View auction here Benrus Sea Lord Next, a nice vintage Benrus Sea Lord (great name btw), complete with box and papers. The gold plated case is excellent and looks unpolished, and the crown is original and signed with the Benrus “B” logo. The silver dial is simple and clean with a radial brushed finish, with applied gold stick markers and big stick hands. The vintage stretch gold band is most likely a replacement, but it’s definite...
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The good news: I’ve never looked at my Marathon Navigator more within a two hour period. The bad news: I only have two hours between preschool drop off and pick up and I’d really like to sneak some fishing in during the precious few hours of free time. The best way to get a line in the water is to load up the bike, grab some gear, and pedal up the trail that follows the Carll’s River as fast as I can and fish all the way back down. I love being a dad but as many of you know, free time comes in random spurts here and there and you have to make the best of it. I also love gear, so any opportunity to put my stuff to good use is welcome. Can I make it up there and back in time? Can I actually catch a fish? We’ll get there, but first let’s take a closer look at the rig, which I believe is pretty ideal for some fishing. My off-road bike is a Cannondale Topstone 3 from a few years back. Known as a “gravel bike”, this style of bicycle is a blend between a road endurance bike (you sit more upright than an on-road race bike) that can accommodate chunky tires for off-road use. The trail I’m riding is firm packed gravel and remains relatively flat the whole way. I’ve found the bike to be comfortable and easy to ride without breaking too much of a sweat. Recently, I swapped out the stock saddle for a leather Brooks because I’ve heard great things about how comfortable they are once broken in. Another cool thing about the Topstone is how it can accommodate gear. Th...
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Longines, somehow, still feels slept on to me. In the hierarchy or Swatch Group brands, they sit in a place where they really should be insanely popular with enthusiasts and the mass market alike, but somehow they often feel like a brand struggling to break into the wider conversation. To be fair, I have no idea about the relative commercial success Longines has experienced over these last few years – it’s quite possible that everyone at Longines and Swatch are quite happy with their performance. Anecdotally, though, I just don’t see them on wrists very often, either at local neighborhood watch meetups, or in the wild. And that’s kind of a shame, because whenever I actually spend time with a Longines watch, I come away feeling impressed. I’ve long held that they do vintage reissues better than just about anyone. Whoever has the job of raiding the archives and picking watches to resurface from the brand’s long history has impeccable taste, and an innate understanding of the watches that hit the center of the Venn Diagram covering “aesthetically interesting” and “historically important.” They’ve done a great job of telling the brand’s story with a string of excellent heritage releases. But Longines is too big, of course, to just release vintage inspired watches, so in a moment a few years back when it was clear that the heritage gravy train wasn’t going to run forever, they introduced the Spirit collection. An entirely new line, the Spirit watches...
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Minase, the independent Japanese watch brand, and our friends at watch media outlet Fratello have collaborated on a third edition of the brand’s cult favorite M-3. After versions in purple and green each of the last two years, this latest release strikes a more classic and refined tone. The new M-3 “Shiro” features a white lacquered dial and some subtle but well chosen accent colors, all with an eye toward traditional Japanese craft. “Shiro” is Japanese for white, and in Japan is historically a sacred color symbolizing spiritual and physical purity. It’s a color that is frequently worn by Japanese Emperors, and comes up frequently in Shinto rituals and traditions. For this M-3, Minase has given the dial a weave-like texture that recalls the garments that might be worn in such rituals. The dial has been coated with Japanese lacquer, and the brand promises the result is a dynamic silvery color with plenty of depth. Other callouts to Japanese culture include the red tipped second hand, a color that symbolizes good luck. The precise shade of red chosen for this edition, “Hinomaru,” translates roughly to “circle of the sun.” And the blue strap, according to Minase and Fratello, is a tribute to Japanese denim. Fratello and Minase see parallels in high craft denim to traditional watchmaking, noting that good denim, when taken care of, is meant to last a lifetime, just like a mechanical watch. The original impetus for the Fratello x Minase collaborations ...
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Picture this: You’re playing Thursday night trivia and the DJ asks which watch was first worn on the moon. The softball question generates bar-wide high fives as everyone celebrates their collective awareness of Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster that forever married watches and space travel into pop culture lore. Less than a year after we took our first small steps on the moon, the Apollo 13 mission sought a return to our celestial stomping grounds. Once again, a watch stole our collective attention, this time as part of the ill fated Apollo 13 mission. The world heard the phrase “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” and held its collective breadth as the safe return of three astronauts packed into a Lunar Module 200,000 miles from earth became dependant on their ability to precisely time a 14 second burn of the module’s thrusters – a task achieved with a NASA qualified Omega Speedmaster. John F. Kennedy famously declared that we choose to go to the moon not because it is easy, but because it is hard. While nothing about the nearly tragic Apollo 13 story makes this land-loving watch nerd want to get a closer view of the stars, others feel inspired to embody Kennedy’s words and to keep pushing farther… 586 times farther, to be exact. Kicking off this exciting new phase of space travel is NASA’s Artemis Program, which will bring a new generation of astronauts to the moon with new technology to be used on the quest for Mars. The Watch Watch collectors looking to cel...
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With the release of G-SHOCK’s latest references, you can tell that the brand is in it for the long haul. Ten years, to be exact. Yes, you read that right – G-SHOCK is promising a ten-year battery life on their latest GA-010 and GD-010 watch series. I mean, maybe we should be getting through this election cycle before we start thinking too far into the future, but if the Jetsons and those Treehouse of Horror episodes of The Simpsons indicate anything, there’s a promise of flying cars, teleporting devices, and sassy robots with a Brooklyn accent to look forward to. And, right by my side will be my old pal, my G-SHOCK. Utilizing the standard faceted case design, both collections – and all six references total – take the best of G-SHOCK technology to build a watch that is shock absorbing, extra rugged, and water resistant up to 200 meters. Between the GA-010 and GD-010 models, you’ll see that each watch offers something different. For the GD-010, you’ll find an LCD display featuring many of the standard digital features for G-SHOCK, like world time, stop watch, and an auto-calendar. The GA-010 ups the ante with a combination of both analog and digital components. Tonally speaking, these watches do a great job of being subdued without being boring. Colors among the references range from black, orange, and green (for the GD-010) to taupe, blue, and black (GA-010). This is a great design choice, considering you’ll want something that will still be in style for yea...
Worn & Wound
When shopping for a new watch, the movement is often a point of consideration for many enthusiasts. But what does it do? Simply put, the movement, often referred to as a “caliber,” is the engine powering the watch and regulating the rotation of its hands. While some may feature additional features called complications, their primary duty is accurate time-telling. Today, we’ll walk through the basic differences between manual, automatic, and quartz movements. When shopping for a new watch, the movement is often a point of consideration for many enthusiasts. But what does it do? Simply put, the movement, often referred to as a “caliber,” is the engine powering the watch and regulating the rotation of its hands. While some may feature additional features called complications, their primary duty is accurate time-telling. Today, we’ll walk through the basic differences between manual, automatic, and quartz movements. The post The Difference Between Quartz, Manual, and Automatic Movements appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” It’s been 235 years since Ben Franklin wrote those words, and I think it’s fair to say he pretty much hit the nail on the head with them. That said, he lived in a different time, so I’d like to offer an update for 2024. “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and new Seikos.” Isn’t that better? For the last five years or so, Seiko has slowly been expanding its lineup of mechanical chronographs, and nowhere is this more apparent than in its line of automatic Prospex Speedtimers. Last year, we saw that line expand with the introduction of the 1970s-inspired SRQ047 and limited edition SRQ049. This year, Seiko is building on that model’s success with a fresh pair of reverse panda–dialed chronographs, the SRQ051 and SRQ053. The mechanical Prospex Speedtimer lineup is split into two distinct designs, a slightly dressier bi-register design somewhat reminiscent of the Hamilton Intra-Matic Chrono, though very much an interpretation of Seiko’s original chronograph, the 5719, and a tri-register layout with a sportier case. The SRQ051 and SRQ053 belong to the latter group and feel like the big brother to the immensely popular Solar Speedtimer chronographs we’ve seen iterated upon in the last few years. These latest Seiko chronographs are well-sized, measuring 42mm across, 14.6mm thick, and 49.5mm lug-to-lug. Having spent some time with last year’s models,...
Worn & Wound
It’s kind of hard to believe, but in the long history of Doxa divers, they’ve never made a dive watch with a lefty crown. That’s a bit surprising only because we tend to associate Doxa with the manufacture of professional grade dive instruments in a way that few other watch brands can match, and certainly there are left handed pro divers out there who could have made use of a destro Doxa diver over the decades (say that five times fast…). Well, it’s a nice time to be a lefty Doxa fan, as the brand has just announced the Doxa Sub 300T Professional Aristera, their first dive watch ever with a crown positioned on the left hand side. It’s a limited edition of 300 pieces, and it’s fitting that the first destro Doxa is a version of what most would consider their core, enthusiast focused diver. Like other Sub 300Ts, this one is 42.5mm in stainless steel with a short 44.5mm lug to lug measurement. Of course we get the iconic orange dial (hence the “Professional” designation) as well as an aluminum bezel insert. It runs on a Sellita SW200-1 caliber with 38 hours of power reserve, and we can assume it’s been rotated and modified to accommodate the left hand crown position (the date remains at the 3:00 position). As a left handed person, I’ve always been kind of fascinated with destro watches, even if I don’t personally see much utility in them. Like most southpaws, I wear my watch on my right wrist. And with a normal watch, the crown is positioned facin...
Worn & Wound
There are few things that I enjoy writing about more than a crazy new watch from Bell & Ross. These watches are catnip for me, whether it’s something along the lines of my beloved Multimeter, a watch incorporating a giant skull, or a case that gets the full lume treatment, I can’t help myself. Bell & Ross, when they’re weird, is one of my all time favorite brands, full stop. So it was with a great deal of interest that I came across the announcement of the all new BR-03 Horizon limited edition last week, the latest in the brand’s series of watches inspired by on-board aircraft instrumentation. Of course, it could be argued that any of the square cased Bell & Ross watches share this inspiration, sharing an aesthetic as they do with a kind of generic idea of a gauge that you might see in a cockpit, but the watches in this series take a more literal approach. The BR-03 Gyrocompass, for instance, has a dial that is dressed up as, well, a gyrocompass. And this limited edition, along those same lines, brings the artificial horizon to your wrist. The artificial horizon is an essential tool for pilots, providing them with basic spatial orientation that is essential for safely piloting an aircraft. The gauge is quite simple, and shows at a quick glance an approximation of a an aircraft’s position relative to the surface of the earth. It’s particularly important for pilots flying in conditions where visibility might be an issue, such as in the dark or night or through ...
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