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Zenith Defy Skyline Aug 4, 2023

Review: the Zenith Defy Skyline in Black Ceramic

For fans of the Zenith Defy, it’s practically impossible not to compare the new Skyline models to the now retired Classic references. As a self described Defy fan, I’ve found myself doing this on a routine basis whenever I get a chance to handle a newer reference. I’ve long held that the Defy, over the years, is pound for pound the very best sports watch line out there. The watches in this collection are adventurous in their design, inherently robust, and naturally distinctive in a sea of sports watches that kind of all look alike. From the very beginning, the Defy has been a trailblazer, something truly unique, but frequently overlooked in favor of watches that it clearly influenced along the way.  Zenith’s release strategy with the Defy almost begs for comparison between generations. The Defy Classic, after being issued in titanium with both solid and skeletonized dials, was made in a trio of ceramic models (black, white, and blue) with skeletonized dials. Similarly, the Skyline was introduced in steel first, was eventually given a skeletonized dial, and finally at this year’s Watches & Wonders we got a ceramic version on a full ceramic bracelet, with both the star motif dial seen here, and a skeletonized version similar to the one reviewed earlier this year by Blake right here. No colored ceramic Defy Skylines have been released yet, but it’s easy to see the similarities between Defy generations. There definitely appears to be a roadmap. And yet, after spen...

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Nomos Gets Aug 4, 2023

The Sportiest Nomos Gets an Update with a New Size and Two New Dial Colors

Any watch enthusiast who has been around the corner once or twice has no doubt discovered Nomos, Germany’s worst-kept secret in distinctive design and excellent quality and finishing for its price. Nomos’ unapologetically Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic may not be for everyone, but it’s easy to admire how far this Glashütte-based watchmaker has come in just over three decades. Today we look at the Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38, a watch that is new inside and out. The Ahoi is the sportiest line in the catalog, which admittedly isn’t saying much. But it does have crown guards and 200m of water resistance, considered by Nomos as “suitable for diving.” To that end, the winding stem features a red ring that is only visible when the crown is unscrewed, a reminder that full water resistance is only guaranteed when the crown is entirely secure. The case is pleasantly thin at 9.9mm thanks to a new movement – more on that in a moment. And the lug-to-lug distance has been reduced to 48.7mm, compared to 51mm on the standard Ahoi. Other nice details include a contrasting orange second hand, double-sided anti-reflective coating on the domed crystal, and a waterproof textile strap suitable for diving. Inside, the new Ahoi is powered by the DUW 6101 for the first time. Developed by Nomos and introduced in 2018 with the Neomatik line, this caliber is both beauty and brains. The rotor and bridges get some love with ribbing polish and perlage, and the movement utilizes Nomos’ re-imagine...

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Aug 3, 2023

8-Bit Nostalgia - Introducing the AVI-8 Flyboy Capcom 1942 Automatic Limited Edition

If you were to stop and think of an iconic video game from your childhood, assuming you were an early millennial, one of a handful of characters or series might first come to mind. Mario, Sonic, Mortal Kombat, etc. While making a watch inspired by any of those major franchises would certainly draw a dedicated customer base, it wouldn’t be a surprising thing to do. This is why I got very excited when I learned that AVI-8 was collaborating with Capcom to create a watch inspired by 1942. 1942 was first released, apparently, in 1984. I too was released that year, but I only played it for the first time, as memory serves, in an arcade at a hotel I was staying at with my family. I was likely five or six. I played it for what felt like hours, though given that I was spending my parent’s quarters, it was likely a lot less. Regardless, I was obsessed. I had dreams about it, neigh, nightmares. I later discovered I could rent it for my Nintendo at the local video store (feeling old yet?) and the obsession continued. You see, unlike the typical side-scrolling platform games of the day, which I wasn’t very good at, 1942 was a vertical-scrolling shooter. Your fighter plane was always firing, and you swayed left and right to avoid incoming ammunition. There were powerups, big bosses, levels with ships, and other stuff that I just found epically exciting at the time. It was a fun game. But, what it lacked was a central character. An iconic central figure to idolize, save a little an...

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Venezianico Aug 3, 2023

[VIDEO] Returning to The Windy City: A Recap of Chicago Windup Watch Fair 2023

When we sent out to launch the first-ever Chicago Windup Watch Fair last year, we didn’t know what to expect. Data suggested that the Chicago area was home to a significant number of Worn & Wound community members, but little did we know that the Fair would attract folks from all across the Midwest, and from Texas to Canada. And oh boy, did our second show at Venue West in Chicago not disappoint! In fact, by all accounts, it was even bigger, more vibrant, and far more interactive than last year’s already epic opener. Not only did the show have five amazing lead sponsors in the form of Citizen, Fortis, G-SHOCK, Oris, and Zodiac for the first time, we managed to fit about 25% more brands into the venue than just one year ago. And the brands came with a massive array of new watches, using this Fair to launch these products to the world. You can see several of these new launches on the most recent edition of our weekly video series, A Week in Watches, recorded straight from the floor of the show. A wide array of enthusiast brands returned to Chicago, and we had a slew of watch companies choose Chicago 2023 as their official debut to the Windup Watch Fair. Some of these first-timers included: Dryden, Hess Fine Art, Luminox, Shinola, Sternglas, Venezianico, and Wolter. We even had a few brands return to the show after a hiatus, including Mondaine, MeisterSinger, Mühle-Glashütte. It was great to have them back. Finally, based on the success of our initial EDC Alley at our S...

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Seiko One Aug 3, 2023

Now In The Shop: Track Multiple Time Zones With New GMT’s From Seiko

One of the most satisfying feelings as a watch enthusiast is setting your watch to a new time zone during travel. What could be better than that? Having a dedicated hand to track another timezone, of course. Watches with GMT functionality are both fun and useful, especially during travel. Of course you can also use the feature to track the other team you work with on the opposite coast, but let’s keep it fun. Today in the shop, we’re happy to bring three new Seiko GMT watches into the mix. The SSK011 and SSK009 are both in the Presage family of watches, while the SFK003 is a fully dive-capable Prospex. Let’s take a closer look. One of the most satisfying feelings as a watch enthusiast is setting your watch to a new time zone during travel. What could be better than that? Having a dedicated hand to track another timezone, of course. Watches with GMT functionality are both fun and useful, especially during travel. Of course you can also use the feature to track the other team you work with on the opposite coast, but let’s keep it fun. Today in the shop, we’re happy to bring three new Seiko GMT watches into the mix. The SSK011 and SSK009 are both in the Presage family of watches, while the SFK003 is a fully dive-capable Prospex. Let’s take a closer look. The post Now In The Shop: Track Multiple Time Zones With New GMT’s From Seiko appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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TAG Heuer Skipper Carrera TAG Heuer’s Aug 3, 2023

[VIDEO] Review: The New TAG Heuer Skipper Carrera

TAG Heuer’s iconic racing chronograph, the Carrera, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and is taking full advantage of the opportunity to revamp parts of the collection and introduce some special editions along the way. Earlier this year we saw the release of a new ‘glassbox’ style 39mm Carrera released, within a collection of 5 new references. But there was another one waiting in the wings, which finally saw release last month, a new Skipper Carrera which brings the now familiar colorway to the slick modern chassis. It works just as well as you might expect, and best of all, it joins the collection as a regular production model. It is through this watch that we’ll be taking a closer look at the new Carrera collection as a whole, with special attention to the unique details that make the Skipper, well, the Skipper.  The new Carrera represents the second generation of the modern 39mm glassbox design, which was first launched in 2015 with the Caliber 18 Telemeter. There have been 8 separate, limited edition variations on that original glassbox design in the intervening years, and this new generation marks the first time that it will see full, non-limited production since that initial example back in 2015. This style of crystal, which domes sharply at the edge of the case, is meant to mimic the original plastic crystal of early Carrera watches of the ‘60s. It wasn’t without fault, however, and the latest generation brings a creative solution to the ta...

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Swatch Aug 3, 2023

Swatch Asks “What If?” with their New Collection of Square, Bioceramic Watches

Alternative realities have long held the imagination of humans. From ancient Roman historian, Livy, to 20th century physicist, Hugh Everett, to Marvel movies of today, we have long tried to answer the question of, “What if…” Now, Swatch has taken it upon themselves to ask this very question in their latest collection, aptly titled WHAT IF? To understand this new release, one must look back into Swatch’s history for a moment. In 1982, the Swiss watch brand had a choice between a round or square model that would be their inaugural design. While we all know the circular design that has become standard for Swatch, WHAT IF? is an alternative reality of sorts, showing us what could have been, had they gone with a square dial from the beginning. Four colorways are available in the WHAT IF? collection, including black, gray, beige, and green. While these may seem like a complete 180 from the vibrant colorways that are now synonymous with Swatch, the neutral tones of the WHAT IF? series reflect the design sensibilities of the early 1980s – which somehow still feel modern today. Each model in the series is made from Swatch’s proprietary bioceramic material (a phrase you’ll know if you were a fan of their MoonSwatch release last year). Mixing ceramic powder with bio sourced materials, bioceramic is inherently durable without added weight or bulk, making it a perfect material for an everyday timepiece like those in the Swatch collection. Each reference clocks in at 33mm,...

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Christopher Ward Introduces Aug 2, 2023

Christopher Ward Introduces a Pair of New Dial Variants to the C63 Sealander Range, Along with a Brand New Five-Link Bracelet Design

Christopher Ward is refreshing their C63 Sealander line this week with more than just new dial variants. Of course, we’re getting new dial variants, but the big news here for collectors and fans of the brand is the debut of a new bracelet option. Dubbed the Consort, the five-link style is reminiscent of a traditional Rolex Jubilee bracelet, but still very much its own thing, and adds a new, more elegant, dimension to Christopher Ward’s all purpose sports watch.  Before we get to the bracelet, let’s start with the dial updates. There are two brand new references here, a Dragonfly Blue version of the C63 Sealander GMT, and a Mulberry Red execution of the C63 Sealander Automatic 36mm. The red dial in particular is quite striking in these Christopher Ward supplied images. This is a tough color to get right, and perhaps even tougher to pair with everyday attire, but it’s undeniably attractive nonetheless. The Dragonfly Blue tone on the GMT has an aquatic vibe not unlike other references we’ve seen from Christopher Ward recently. This one pairs particularly well with the orange tipped 24 hour hand and offers a nice base for the high contrast white, lume filled applied hour markers for easy legibility. Both new dials have sunray finishes that should allow them to come alive in the light.  The Consort bracelet that’s paired to these two watches immediately makes them feel a little more formal, and a little less tool oriented. It’s a traditional five-link design, wi...

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Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph Aug 2, 2023

[VIDEO] A First-Look at the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph

We were thrilled to see Seiko return to the Speedtimer in Solar Chronograph form earlier this summer, recalling the design of the iconic Sportura of the ‘90s. The concept is a deconstructed chronograph, and Seiko has brought all the components under a single crystal with this newest Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph. There is a dizzying array of activity on the watch when the timer is brought to life, and in this video we’re breaking everything down in a first look. Keep an eye out for the full review coming soon.  The case and bracelet of the most recent Speedtimer could be called traditional in comparison to the original, making the somewhat large footprint quite wearable thanks to the curved and truncated lug design. Still, this isn’t a watch for the faint of heart. Switching modes is like putting a race car into full tilt, with all the needles neatly aligning at 12. This watch is capable of timing down to 1/100th of a second, and seeing that totalizer in action is otherworldly in the best possible way. There are four references of the new Speedtimer collection, two of which will be regular production models, with the other two enjoying limited edition status. The black on black dial, as well as the panda dial are welcome regular additions to the growing Prospex tool watch empire, while the other two examples bring a slightly different visual to the mix thanks to unique colorways and texture pairings.  At first blush, the new Speedtimer captures a bit of the ...

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Omega Aug 2, 2023

The 2024 Paris Olympics are One Year Away, and Omega is Celebrating with a Special Edition Seamaster

It’s a fact of life in the watch world that every big brand is going to leverage corporate partnerships, celebrity endorsements, product placements, and other various synergies to get their name, and watches, out into the public square. I’ve always been fascinated by how watches are marketed and sold to us, and there’s one brand in particular that has been particularly adept at familiarizing the public with their product in a very specific, high level way. Omega seems to be everywhere. They have arguably the most famous celebrities in the world on their billboards (George Clooney and Nicole Kidman top the list), they’re part of one of the biggest film franchises of all time, and, oh yeah, there’s that whole bit about the moon landing. I guess a watch was involved? Anyway, they seem to have a presence in every corner of the culture that is watch adjacent, and nowhere, in my opinion, does it make more sense than their long standing relationship with the Olympics.  We’re a year out from the 2024 summer games in Paris, France, and Omega is taking the opportunity to remind us of this particular partnership with the release of a watch meant to start the countdown to next year’s games, the Seamaster 300M “Paris 2024” Special Edition. What we have here is an execution of the current generation Seamaster Diver 300M in stainless steel, on a bracelet, with a white ceramic wave pattern dial and a Moonshine Gold timing bezel. The watch has a resemblance to another re...

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TAG Heuer Flies Aug 1, 2023

TAG Heuer Flies the French Motorsport Colors with Limited Edition Monaco Chronograph in Racing Blue

A surefire way to know if a watch brand has a design that can withstand the test of time is instant recognizability. There’s no need to have the brand name positioned front and center because its unique styling and distinguishable silhouette are more than enough. From across the room, there’s no mistaking the TAG Heuer Monaco. Its square case, left-hand-drive crown and dual sub-register display immediately fires the synapses in our watch nerd brains. Throw in the Hollywood fame and a namesake that represents one of the most famous racing circuits in all of motorsports, then you have a watch that arguably cements its place on the Mount Rushmore of watches. The TAG Heuer Monaco remains as a platform for the brand to explore their avant garde ways, as well as to lean into their rich heritage and connection to motorsport across the world. With the latter in mind, TAG Heuer has announced the Monaco Chronograph in Racing Blue inspired by French motorsport liveries. French racing blue can trace its presence on the racing grid back to race cars such as the CD Panhard LM64 and the Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix Racer to present day with the Alpine Endurance Team. The saturated shade of azure is now incorporated into the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph through its signature rounded-corner sub-register display. As a part of automotive color theory, designers are tasked with bringing inanimate objects to life and simultaneously making them look fast in the process. That’s a noticeable ...

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Aug 1, 2023

Photo Report: Diving Lake Michigan with Benrus and the New Ultra-Deep

During the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago this year Benrus took the opportunity to introduce a familiar dive watch to their expanding collection, with a re-issue of the classic Ultra-Deep. The small watch made a big impression on a select group of divers who were given the opportunity to explore a shipwreck east of Chicago under the crisp waves of Lake Michigan with the watch in tow. A similar dive expedition took place during the fair in Chicago last year as well, which makes this something of a tradition unfolding. We weren’t in the water this year with the divers, but were on hand to witness them at work, and see some of the watches worn in action, including the new Benrus Ultra-Deep.  I see and deal with plenty of dive watches here at Worn & Wound, heck I own enough to create a private special forces squad of sorts, but the act itself always falls into slightly conceptual territory, as I am not a certified diver. That will be changing soon, however, in large part thanks to my experiences on this trip. Witnessing the gear-centric commotion felt strangely foreign apart from the very familiar watches that took their places right alongside high-tech dive computers. One takeaway here is that there is a lot of gear involved in diving. I could barely identify anything beyond the facemasks and knives, presenting a bevy of eye candy for a curious newcomer. Seeing how mechanical watches fit into this context was an eye opening experience, especially compared to the marketing ma...

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Bell & Ross Goes Green Aug 1, 2023

Bell & Ross Goes Green with a New Version of the BR 05 Chronograph

The last Bell & Ross I wrote about had a celestial feel to it, but with the new BR 05 Chrono Green Steel, we’ve landed back on earth. With its mixture of steel and vibrant green, this BR 05 mixes urbanism with an architectural lean to it. Think Central Park in New York or the Tiergarten in Berlin – a respite of greenery in the middle of a steel-and-concrete jungle. Like all BR 05 models, the Chrono Green Steel retains its aviation-inspired squared dial that Bell & Ross now markets to the urban explorer crowd. And with its integrated steel bracelet and sleek design, it’s easy to see why. All models in the Chrono collection are equipped with a circular seconds subdial at 9 o’clock and a 30-second timer at 3 o’clock, creating a balance to the visuals of the watch that somehow fit neatly within the linear confines of the square dial. The date is cleverly tucked away in the small recess between 4 and 5 o’clock, hardly noticeable but definitely there. Like an urban planner, Bell & Ross has ensured that no bit of real estate has gone unnoticed. The green sunray dial and Super-LumiNova indices and numbers soften the overall feel of the watch itself. Coming in at 42mm of satin-polished steel, the use of green feels more inviting and less, well, cold.  The BR 05 Chrono Green Steel is equipped with a Swiss-made self-winding BR-CAL.326 movement, which can be seen through the sapphire crystal case back, and supplies the wearer with 60-hours of power reserve.  The BR 05 Ch...

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Fears Jul 31, 2023

Fears Adds a New Mallard Green Dial Variant to the Brunswick Line as a Boutique Exclusive

Fears is celebrating the one year anniversary of the opening of their flagship showroom in Bristol, England with the release of a pair of watches in Mallard Green, a color that has never been used on a regular production Fears watch before. This release marks what the brand says will be the beginning of a new “Boutique Editions” collection that will expand to every future model in the Fears catalog.  The first watches in the Boutique Editions collection are the Brunswick 38 and Brunswick 40, two representations of the classic cushion cased design that is at the core of the Fears design language. The dark green color used for the new dials is based on the tones seen on the mallard drake duck, and has hints of gray and blue that give the green an additional depth. The finishing process for these dials involves a silver galvanic coating being applied prior to the hand painting of each individual dial with a translucent varnish. Fears says that green pigment is added a drop at a time to achieve the desired tone. The dials also have a sunburst finish which is designed to catch light in interesting ways, and showcase the depth of the green tones.  The dial layout differs slightly from the 38mm watch to the 40mm version. The larger watch is effectively a sector dial design, with an outer ring for the Arabic numerals and minute track in a high contrast white. The inner section has a very subtle “micro guilloche” pattern that contrasts with the outer portion, which is giv...

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Oris Cotton Candy Flavors Now Jul 31, 2023

Now in the Shop: A Trio of Oris Cotton Candy Flavors, Now in Steel

Is it even summer if you go the whole thing without some cotton candy? If the sugary-sweet treat isn’t for you, then you can get your fix in watch form with this trio of cotton candy divers from Oris. Originally encased in bronze, this fun and colorful trio of Divers Sixty-Fives were certainly unique, but the patina-heavy cases may not have been for everyone. Not only does this new release of 38mm divers come in stainless steel, but it also makes the dial colors pop even more, since they’re the center of attention. Is it even summer if you go the whole thing without some cotton candy? If the sugary-sweet treat isn’t for you, then you can get your fix in watch form with this trio of cotton candy divers from Oris. Originally encased in bronze, this fun and colorful trio of Divers Sixty-Fives were certainly unique, but the patina-heavy cases may not have been for everyone. Not only does this new release of 38mm divers come in stainless steel, but it also makes the dial colors pop even more, since they’re the center of attention. The post Now in the Shop: A Trio of Oris Cotton Candy Flavors, Now in Steel appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Maen Jul 31, 2023

Hands-On: the MAEN Brooklyn 36 Triple Calendar

I have to start this review by being honest about something: I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about calendar watches. I just don’t.  When I think “calendar watch,” for some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, my mind jumps to “perpetual calendar,” even though a watch with a simple date function is also technically a calendar watch as well. My curse, I guess, is that I immediately start thinking about a complication that is, for the most part, completely out of my reach. So when someone says there’s a cool new calendar watch to check out (I can count on one hand the number of times this has actually happened) I’m usually less interested than if someone were to, for example, suggest we go out and get dumplings at the Chinese restaurant down the street, or go see Oppenheimer for a second time, or some combination of those two things.  The other problem, because I tend to associate the very idea of calendar watches with the most complex watches in production, is that when talk turns to calendars, I think of very expensive service costs. A local watch friend once owned a vintage triple calendar made by one of the most respected and admired Swiss brands. It broke, and the bill was, how can I put it this…kind of brutal. Again, not something I want in my life.  This line of thinking, of course, is deeply unfair, and a bias that I freely admit and am trying to break out of. A new watch from MAEN, a Swedish brand with a Dutch name, reminded me rece...

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Jul 30, 2023

Light It Up: Our Favorite Full Lume Dials In The Windup Watch Shop

We here at the Windup Watch Shop love the summer for a variety of reasons. Barbeque’s, picnics, and long hikes are just a few of the things that stand out. And we as watch enthusiasts get to reap the benefits of hanging out in nature all day when we look on our nightstand at night and see our watches glowing amongst the darkness. It truly makes us smile, remembering  the completely awesome day we had outdoors with friends and family. We’re not going to lie, we’re kind of snobby when it comes to lume because we love it so much and as they say “Go big or go home”. So today, we’re going to highlight just a few of our absolute favorite watches with fully lumed dials that are incredible to look at in the dark! We here at the Windup Watch Shop love the summer for a variety of reasons. Barbeque’s, picnics, and long hikes are just a few of the things that stand out. And we as watch enthusiasts get to reap the benefits of hanging out in nature all day when we look on our nightstand at night and see our watches glowing amongst the darkness. It truly makes us smile, remembering  the completely awesome day we had outdoors with friends and family. We’re not going to lie, we’re kind of snobby when it comes to lume because we love it so much and as they say “Go big or go home”. So today, we’re going to highlight just a few of our absolute favorite watches with fully lumed dials that are incredible to look at in the dark! The post Light It Up: Our Favorite Full L...

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Massena Lab Jul 30, 2023

A Week In Watches, Ep 60: More Collabs, A Nautical Cricket, & Oris Hits One Out of the Park

We’re back with a fresh episode of A Week In Watches, covering news from Norqain, Oris, Vulcain, and of course, Linde Werdelin. Additionally, it wouldn’t be a new week without a new collaboration to discuss, and this time it comes courtesy of our friends at Massena LAB and Revolution Magazine in the form of a new, mostly original take on the Uni-Racer Chronograph. Elsewhere, Oris returns to the baseball field to honor the great Milwaukee (okay, and Atlanta) Brave, Hank Aaron with a new colorway of their Big Crown Pointer Date. Another unique configuration of an existing watch released this week is a new Octo Moonphase from Linde Werdelin, who still have a knack for killer case architecture and open dial work. A favorite release this weeks comes from Vulcain, who is once again bringing back the Nautical Cricket, a diving alarm watch with a gnarly inner bezel which includes a full decompression table. This is a historic watch that’s more than just a novelty, it’s got some serious pedigree under its belt that dates back to the early ’60s. Plus, it offers two caseback options, a move we rarely see at this price point. Keep an eye out for more on that one coming soon. Until then, enjoy this week’s episode below. A quick note on a programming change with A Week In Watches: this series will be moving to a bi-monthly format, allowing us more time to bring you a broader selection of curated news, at an even better production quality. A lot of work goes into creating the...

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Jul 29, 2023

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Huckberry and Peak Design Upgrade Travel Bag Collection with X-Pac, Kristin Harila Completes 14 Peaks Challenge in Record-Breaking Fashion, Polar Pro’s Slate II Memory Card Case, & More

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing tcalara@wornandwound.com Header Image Via: Huckberry The Huckberry x Peak Design Collection Gets The X-Pac Treatment Via Huckberry x Peak Design When camera bag and accessory outfit Peak Design joins forces with the gear experts at Huckberry, cool things are bound to happen which often lead us to adding yet another utility bag to an ever-growing collection. You get the best of both worlds when these two brands link up. Between the nifty features that make Peak Design products seamless to use, and the keen eye for tough and good looking gear that’s always present among their online store curation, this ongoing collaborative collection has a lot to offer. Their latest turns the toughness factor up a notch, taking familiar silhouettes and wrapping them up in X-Pac. Via Huckberry x Peak Design X-Pac is a fabric that has slowly made its way into a slew of products across the entire utility bag industry, and for good reason. X-Pac is remarkably durable and anchored by an impressive strength-to-weight ratio. With fabric features that include 210 Denier Nylon and DWR coating, any bag made out of X-Pac is going t...

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Jul 28, 2023

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition - Stephen Damico

Editor’s note: In this 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, reader Stephen Damico of strapsense breaks down a brilliant three watch collection that covers a fair amount of bases, and takes advantage of new releases to maximum effect. This is a great use of the entire budget and represents a safe bet on long term enjoyment. You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. We watch lovers really enjoy a good hypothetical watch challenge. It usually involves a seemingly sparse number of watches and a ‘realistic’ budget of some kind. The origins of these subjective limits vary depending on present company and how much alcohol has been consumed but they are a necessary evil to bookend the discussion and prevent the conversation into devolving into how you will pull off the perfect bank robbery to fund your purchase. There are very few singular purpose watches in the world (think PolProf or Calatrava) as most timepieces comfortably fit in two or more categories making three watches a fitting number for a collection without being exceptionally strict. The total of 5,000 dollars is completely arbitrary but is large enough to make buying 3 cool watches possible, while simultaneously small enough that it is approachable to a wider audience and forces one to shop away from some of the major well known big dollar favorites. I have a website called strapsense. As a fun hobby, I love to buy and review watch straps and giv...

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Oris Celebrates Jul 28, 2023

Oris Celebrates the Life and Career of a Baseball Legend with the Hank Aaron Limited Edition

Back in the fall of 2020, Oris had a breakout hit with their Pointer Date Roberto Clemente Limited Edition. It was a watch that hit all of the right notes: a much loved complication that is deeply tied to the brand’s identity, an appealing but uncommon colorway, and, most importantly, it helped to tell the story of the late Roberto Clemente, who is as well known as a humanitarian as a he is a baseball player. Now, Oris is back with another baseball themed watch, this one honoring the legacy of Hank Aaron, the Hall of Famer who held MLB’s home run record for decades after his retirement, and still holds records for most career RBIs and total bases. This project, however, is really more about Hank Aaron’s humanitarian legacy, and as a collaboration with the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation, it seeks to honor the important work that took place after his baseball career ended.  The Chasing the Dream Foundation was founded in 1994 as a non-profit whose mission is to award scholarship funds to young people with limited opportunities. According to Oris and the Foundation, they have provided assistance for over 800 kids to further their education, with many pursuing careers in education, the sciences, and the arts. Earlier this week, the Atlanta Braves began a celebration of Aaron’s life and legacy, with the release of the new Hank Aaron Limited Edition version of the Big Crown Pointer Date playing a central role.  The watch takes a familiar format and adds color ...

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Seiko Kine Jul 28, 2023

[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Sequent Supercharger and Elektron Smartwatches

Sequent is a Swiss smartwatch brand on a mission. What’s that mission? Well, simply put, it’s to make a smartwatch that watch fans will actually like. No, it doesn’t say that on their website, but after spending some time with two of their models, the Supercharger and the Elektron, that’s the conclusion I’ve come to. You see, these aren’t your typical digital smartwatches, which, let’s face it, unless they come from one of a couple of brands, no one is wearing. Rather, these are analog smartwatches that pair with an app to add some, but not too many, smart features to an otherwise fairly traditional design. To make things even better, they’re automatic, in a manner of speaking. $750 [VIDEO] Hands-On: the Sequent Supercharger and Elektron Smartwatches Case Steel or Titanium Movement Self-Winding Electronic Dial Solid of Transparent Lume Yes Lens Sapphire Strap Various Water Resistance 50m Dimensions 42 x 46.6mm Thickness 14.2mm Lug Width 22mm Crown Buttons Only Warranty Yes Price $750 The two watches I tried both feature Sequent’s “in-house” movement, which charges via motion. Through the case back, you’ll clearly see a rotor, which happens to be made of tungsten, spinning around. However, that’s where the similarities to a typical mechanical movement stop. The rotor spins, but it doesn’t wind anything, rather it generates electricity via magnetic fields and science. This energy is stored and powers the electronics. It’s a bit like a Seiko Kine...

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Hamilton LED Starting off Jul 27, 2023

eBay Finds: Chronographs, Divers, and All the LED Watches You Could Ever Want

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 Hamilton LED Starting off this week with a bang with this killer full kit vintage Hamilton model QED IX LED watch. This super-futuro looking gold plated watch is the epitome of the 1970’s LED watches. The wide case tapes to a narrow integrated link bracelet that is signed with the Hamilton logo. The case and bracelet appear to be in great shape with little wear. The watch runs and works well, keeping time per the seller. Best of all, this beauty comes with the full, and I do mean full, kit. Inner and outer boxes, instructions, warranty, hang tags and even the original sales receipt from 1976…..Boom! View auction here. Timex Sport Diver Here we have a great little vintage Timex diver that will be easy on the wallet. Vintage divers can get quite pricey, so it’s nice to find one like this that looks great but won’t break the bank. This Timex has a chrome plated base metal case with uniquely shaped hidden lugs. The chrome plating is excellent, with very little wear except the crown, which is quite common. The black dial has applied metal markers with cool red squares painted in them for an unusual look. The elapsed time diver’s bezel is three quarters red and one quarter...

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Seiko Speedtimer Jul 27, 2023

The Seiko Speedtimer Is Back! And Now Available In The Windup Watch Shop

Seiko is a brand that has never been afraid of pushing the limits of design, eschewing in many instances what other brands may consider the standard of what a watch should look like. A perfect example of this is their 90’s creation, the Seiko Sportura Kinetic. Bold, unique, and designed unlike many chronographs before it, the Sportura Kinetic became an instant cult classic. Three decades later, the brand has drawn inspiration from this reference to give us the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer 1/100 Sec Solar Chronograph collection. Seiko is a brand that has never been afraid of pushing the limits of design, eschewing in many instances what other brands may consider the standard of what a watch should look like. A perfect example of this is their 90’s creation, the Seiko Sportura Kinetic. Bold, unique, and designed unlike many chronographs before it, the Sportura Kinetic became an instant cult classic. Three decades later, the brand has drawn inspiration from this reference to give us the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer 1/100 Sec Solar Chronograph collection. The post The Seiko Speedtimer Is Back! And Now Available In The Windup Watch Shop appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Tudor s Latest Divers Flex Jul 27, 2023

[VIDEO] Tudor’s Latest Divers Flex Serious Sub 40mm Muscle

It’s no secret that enthusiasts are spoiled for choice when it comes to great dive watches these days, especially in the sub 40mm category. There are options both vintage (literally and aesthetically) and modern across the price spectrum offering some creative (and some less creative) takes on this ever evolving genre being released with increasing pace. One of the brands responsible for this resurgence is of course Tudor, who released the Black Bay over a decade ago, which is partly responsible for the golden age we’re currently enjoying. The modern Black Bay is still recognizable as such, though it’s undergone some subtle renovations in recent generations, most recently welcoming a 37mm variant called the Black Bay 54, which we reviewed in-depth right here. With the Black Bay 54 in hand, we took the opportunity to compare it to a few other Tudor divers that have recently been released, each under 40mm in size, and each with its own unique personality (well, as far as divers go, at least). The Black Bay Pro and the Pelagos 39 are well understood at this point, and viewing them alongside the new Black Bay 54 begins to paint a clearer picture of Tudor’s potential game plan, or at least their philosophy of evolutionary branches. In this video, Zach and Blake take a step back to view these watches through a different lens, and explore the differences between designations and families within Tudor’s gameplan. How is the Black Bay Pro holding up after its first year? ...

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Vulcain Brings Back Jul 27, 2023

Vulcain Brings Back the Nautical Cricket (Again)

Most dive watches we come across qualify as such thanks to a chunky bezel, gobs of lume on the dial, and halfway decent depth rating. Vulcain, never keen to adhere to the well beaten path, took a different approach with their diver, the Nautical Cricket, and it shows at first blush. The impressive depth rating is there, sure, but the rest of the formula kind of goes out the window. It’s an approach I’d love to see more of in modern divers, and am thrilled to see Vulcain return to the concept 60 years after the original, and 10 years after the first attempt at resuscitation. It’s entirely confusing at a glance, and even if you know what you’re looking at, it still might require an explanation. The new Nautical Cricket is the latest chapter in Vulcain’s modern resurgence.  The Nautical Cricket is, as you may have guessed from the name, an alarm watch, which can be set via the thin 4th hand with bright red tip. While unique, that’s not the most unusual element to this watch. That would be the inner portion of the dial, which is littered with rings and number sets and a long thin aperture which reveal further sets of numbers when turned. These tables are used in conjunction with the alarm timer, and if used correctly, will give you the length of your decompression stops at 3, 6, and 9 meters on your ascent. How this works exactly is a bit trickier to decipher, but makes the watch all the more interesting as a dive tool. Things begin with the planned length of your...

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Omega Chronostop Jul 26, 2023

Introducing the Arcus Exos - a New Direction for the Canadian Startup

I enjoy rooting for the underdog. This has, perhaps, been an underlying theme at Worn & Wound. It’s just too easy to always always be in the stands for the big brands that everyone likes and are really at no risk of failing (though, tbh, we do that plenty too). So, when a young brand comes around that is doing something interesting but perhaps to no fanfare, I take notice. Such was the case with Arcus Watches from Calgary, Canada. In 2021 I stumbled across a post of theirs on Instagram, as these things tend to happen these days, and knew I had to dig in more. The watch, called the Tropos, was nice enough looking, but what caught my eye was that it was a monopusher chronograph with a sub $1k price tag. In order to achieve this, Arcus, for their first watch, modified Seagull ST1901 movements with in-house components. I’m still impressed by that. Check out the review here. The Tropos The Mesos They followed the Tropos with the Mesos, which took the modifications one step further. In addition to being an ST19-based monopusher, they re-jiggered the mechanism to just start, and reset, but with the ability to hold before release, like a vintage Omega Chronostop. The idea is that you start the chrono and when you finish the activity, you hit and hold the button again, recording your time. Then you release to zero it out. Novel if perhaps not very useful, but the fact that they made it in-house is what really impressed me. Even more so, they only charged $599 for it. Read the M...

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Jul 26, 2023

Opinion: Selling Points that Don’t Sell Me

Origin stories in this hobby influence the rabbit holes we follow. My story began when I learned not all modern watches have batteries. The simple idea that mechanical watches were still being made, sold down the street from me, and could run for years without intervention blew my mind. Partially because it was mechanically impressive, but mostly because of how unnecessary it was. The concept of dozens of components interacting to move hands around a dial, when a perfectly functional watch can be purchased at the grocery store for $20, resonated with me. My discovery of these rebelliously absurd contraptions came at a time in my life when I had two kids in daycare and income was not disposable. My first mechanical watch was a one-handed Luch, a watch I loved dearly, and purchased for about $50. I didn’t care about finishing or accuracy, just that I had something unnecessarily complicated strapped to my wrist. Years later, my philosophy hasn’t changed much. When considering a new watch, I always ask myself three questions: What does it do? Does that thing excite me? Is there anything about the watch that doesn’t excite me? That third question is the one that keeps my collection and budget in check. The answers I come up with, always rooted in my original fascination with accessibly priced mechanical timekeeping, have surprised me. Some are movement specific, and others centered around design. Photo by Nathan Schultz So, to kick off a two-part series where I will try n...

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Citizen Promaster ‘Fujitsubo’ Jul 25, 2023

Exploring Shipwrecks, Diving with Sharks and Getting SCUBA Certified with the Citizen Promaster ‘Fujitsubo’ in Black Super Titanium

At the dive platform’s edge located at the Phoecena’s stern, the aqua marine Bahamian waters sloshed around my SEAC F-100 fins. Any experience I had related to diving up to that point had been limited to a bit of low-stakes snorkeling and freediving, as well as reading about the exploits of Jacques Cousteau and Dr. Sylvia Earle or the fictitious adventures of Dirk Pitt and Julian Tusker. The week of PADI e-learning was helpful to develop a mental foundation of the do’s and don’ts down under and the pool session the day prior helped me trust the Aqua Lung regulator would deliver the precious air supply beneath the surface, but nothing was going to compare being out in open water for the first time. There was no longer the safety net of sitting behind a computer screen or being in the confines of a training pool – just the ocean. Gazing out past the platform, there was nothing but pure blue skies, crystal clear water and a silhouette of New Providence just visible in the distance. This was the real deal. With my left hand securing the SPG (submersible pressure gauge) tucked into the waist belt of my BCD (buoyancy control device) and my right over my mask and regulator, I attempted my best version of the giant stride. The Calm Before The “Giant Stride” / Image via Kristin Paterakis The partially inflated BCD kept me at the surface and following protocol, I immediately turned to the boat to give them the “okay” sign. The water was a bath-warm 83 degrees and a...

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Massena Lab Jul 25, 2023

Massena LAB and Revolution Team Up for a New Entry in the Uni-Racer Series

The latest drop from Massena LAB is a new entry in the ongoing Uni-Racer series, a project which represented the first solo venture for William Massena’s design focused brand, which until that point had focused exclusively on collaborations. Somewhat ironically, the latest Uni-Racer is itself a collaboration between Massena and Revolution, the watch publication founded by Wei Koh. It’s honestly a bit surprising that this is the first time these two friends have collaborated on a limited edition watch – both have been at the forefront of the growing limited/collaborative watch space that has dominated the enthusiast watch world in recent years. Nevertheless, this first partnership between the two would seem to be a fitting project based on their interests and the unique type of nostalgia that Massena LAB has mined in the past, and with the Uni-Racer watches specifically.  The Massena LAB x Revolution Uni-Racer 1949 is inspired by what to this point is a well understood aesthetic: the midcentury chronograph. It’s a relatively simple idea that can go in any number of far flung directions, but it boils down to a two register design, pump pushers on a circular case, and, very often, a series of scales and sectors on the dial that lend a complexity and visual interest to the watch, and help place it in a time period where physicians, scientists, soldiers and countless others might have had a real reason to use these things in the days before a smartphone could be found ...

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