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Highlights: Complicated Wristwatches at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Opera Two May 21, 2024

Highlights: Complicated Wristwatches at Phillips Hong Kong

Having covered the highlights from independent watchmakers and historical pocket watches at The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII on May 24 and 25, we now turn to complicated watches past and present. Amongst the historical are an Omega 30I tourbillon wristwatch tested at the Geneva, Neuchatel and Kew observatories, as well as a pair of chronographs with historical movements, an Excelsior Park with the Venus 179 split-seconds chronograph calibre and a Montblanc with the large, 17”’ Minerva monopoussoir chronograph movement. More recent is the Patek Philippe ref. 5059R London edition with applied Roman numerals and the Girard-Perregaux Opera Two, an ultra-complicated watch that’s a value-buy. The auction is scheduled for May 24 (lots 801-934) and May 25 (lots 935-1083), with online bidding and the catalogue available on Phillips.com. The Patek Philippe ref. 5059R made for the Grand Exhibition in London. 822 – Lange Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen” Launched in 2021 to overwhelming demand, the Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen” was the A. Lange & Söhne’s second luminous digital-display watch after the “Phantom” of 2010. It was a limited edition of 200 watches and based on the second-generation Zeitwerk, which is visually almost identical to the original model but enhanced with several technical upgrades, including a longer, 72-hour power reserve. Like the earlier “Phantom”, the Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen” has a tinted sapphire dial that reveals the luminous numer...

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Kollokium Returns with their First Official Release Worn & Wound
Louis Erard May 20, 2024

Kollokium Returns with their First Official Release

Back in December, we told you about one of the most curious projects to come across our desks in a long time. A new watch from a new brand, Kollokium, began making the rounds on social media and the watch-internet in the days and weeks following Dubai Watch Week. Everything about it seemed almost intentionally mysterious and vague, and their marketing materials, if you could even call them that, pointed to the watch’s so limited it’s impossible to buy friends and family run, and didn’t even guarantee a second installment. Obviously, this worked hugely in Kollokium’s favor, and watch enthusiasts with adventurous taste have been anxiously anticipating a follow up. Now it’s here, the aptly titled Variant “B”.  A brief refresher on Kollokium for those who need it: it’s the brainchild of Manuel Emch, Barth Nussbaumer, and Amr Sindi, three watch industry veterans who each come from a different side of the larger watch world. Emch will be familiar to many as the CEO of Louis Erard, and has guided that brand to new heights in the last several years with a string of popular limited editions and smart collaborations. Nussbaumer might be less well known by name, but is someone you’ve almost certainly encountered through his watch designs – he’s worked for many brands over the years, including TAG Heuer, Hautlence, Peterman Bedat, Jaquet Droz, and many others. And Sindi is better known by his Instagram alias @thehorophile, one of our favorite spots to look at gr...

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3 Standouts at the Backbone Media Spring Showcase: Gerber, Wiley X, and Thule Worn & Wound
May 20, 2024

3 Standouts at the Backbone Media Spring Showcase: Gerber, Wiley X, and Thule

Backbone Media has been a long-standing force in the outdoor industry as a media and PR agency representing some of our most beloved gear brands. Each spring they bring a curated selection of their clientele to NYC for their Spring Showcase. The Worn & Wound team was on the scene and here are 3 standout products that we couldn’t stop talking about. Gerber – ComplEAT Cook Set  We likely all know the Portland, OR-based brand Gerber for their multitools, as well as their folding and fixed blades. However, their new modular camping cook and dining set was a show-stealer. The 16-piece ComplEAT Cook Set has everything you need to easily feed a group of hungry campers. It features a stock pot and sauté pan, both with generous cooking surfaces. The dining set comes with space-maximizing designs that complement their custom utensil sets perfectly. Best of all, when it’s time to break camp, everything packs together in the storage bag for ultra-compact stowing between destinations. Wiley X – WX Founder Sunglasses It’s not only great to visit Backbone’s Spring Showcase to see what’s new from some of your favorite brands, it’s great for discovering new brands as well. One of those discoveries for us was the sunglasses brand Wiley X out of Texas. They have been creating tactical and safety lenses for military and tactical use since 1987 and now have a stylish line of daily use sunglasses that don’t sacrifice any of the safety and ballistic ratings of their professio...

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Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 6119: Dressed For Success Quill & Pad
Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 6119 Dressed May 19, 2024

Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 6119: Dressed For Success

Designing a new Calatrava may be one of the most difficult tasks a watch designer can be given. As a benchmark model in the dress watch arena, anything less than perfect is unacceptable. The new Reference 6119 highlights the fact that the Calatrava is capable of both changing and remaining true to its roots as Martin Green explains here.

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Rado Did you know May 18, 2024

Graduation Gift Guide: Remembering Their Big Day with Rado

Did you know that Rado was one of the first watch brands to use high-tech ceramics in their timepieces?  In 1986, they launched the Integral, a style icon, which combined sapphire and ceramics. The goal was to create a watch that could withstand the rigors of everyday life and come out unscathed. In the decades that follow, many other brands have adopted this technology, yet Rado remains at the forefront. As the wheels of scholarship and innovation keep on turning, an education, just like high-tech ceramics, can protect and prepare for all of life’s upcoming challenges. In honor of graduation, in this gift guide we have selected 7 Rado watches that would make excellent companions as your graduate enters life’s next chapter. The post Graduation Gift Guide: Remembering Their Big Day with Rado appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Micro-Brand Digest: Italian Divers, Canadian GMTs, and More! Worn & Wound
Casio May 17, 2024

Micro-Brand Digest: Italian Divers, Canadian GMTs, and More!

Welcome to the Worn & Wound Micro-Brand Digest, a semi-monthly roundup of all the new micro-brand news we’re following, from concepts that show promise, to Kickstarter launches to restocks, and everything in between. Small independents, and affordable micro-brands spurred the creation of Worn & Wound over 10 years ago, and they still drive our enthusiasm in a big way. Here’s what’s caught our eye this month. If you’ve come across a project you think qualifies, hit us up at info@wornandwound.com for inclusion. Sherwood Watches U.K. based Glynn Reynolds began his watch journey at a very young age. Like so many of us, his gateway watch brand was Casio and before long, he purchased more watches than he can remember. In the effort to find the perfect watch, and with a background in graphic design, he spent much of his time tweaking existing watches to improve their esthetics. In 2019, Glynn started an Instagram page and his designs started garnering interest from fellow watch enthusiasts, which led him to take the plunge and start his own micro watch brand. Why Sherwood? Pretty simple, as he spent his entire life in Mansfield (Nottinghamshire) England, and the village he currently lives in is a stone’s throw away from Sherwood Forest. Incidentally, the latter happens to be the very forest that provided cover for one of history’s most famous and storied outlaws, Robin Hood. Like Robin Hood or yore, Sherwood (the watch brand) takes most of the money that would have be...

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Sartory Billard and Grail Watch Collaborate on the New SB07 “Ghost” Worn & Wound
May 17, 2024

Sartory Billard and Grail Watch Collaborate on the New SB07 “Ghost”

The trajectory of Sartory Billard over the last few years has been one of the most unusual and interesting stories in the world of independent watchmaking. The brand had long been established as a leader in fully bespoke watches. The entire premise of the brand was built on the idea that every piece is unique, with wide customization options available to virtually every aspect of the dial. They’ve also been associated with great value, and were generally seen as an affordable option for adventurous fans of independent watchmaking who wanted something literally unique well under five figures. None of that has changed, really, but Sartory Billard’s recent output has seen them upping the ante considerably, with a new tourbillon movement and plans for an even more complex caliber featuring jumping hours and jumping minutes. Another example: a new collaboration with Grail Watch featuring an incredibly ornate and over-the-top mirror finish on nearly every visible surface.  Grail Watch 11, the Sartory Billard SB07 “Ghost,” takes the brand’s integrated bracelet sports watch design and a design motif they’ve become known for and turns the proverbial volume up past the breaking point. Of the many options Sartory Billard offers to customers in their customization program, one particularly popular one is their fully polished dial. The SB07 seen here takes that idea and expands it to the case and bracelet, effectively making the steel components “invisible,” hence the ...

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In-Depth: Patek Philippe Grand Complication with Double Split-Chronographs Ref. 767 SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Grand Complication May 16, 2024

In-Depth: Patek Philippe Grand Complication with Double Split-Chronographs Ref. 767

One of the most fascinating timepieces in Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction is the Patek Philippe grand complication pocket watch ref. 767. Made in 1950 and sold in 1952, this one-of-a-kind pocket watch boasts a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and double split-seconds chronograph. More accurately, it is a mono-pusher, double split-seconds, or even triple-split seconds. This ref. 767 features not two, but three, chronograph seconds hands. As a result, it can simultaneously measure three elapsed times of up to one minute. The complication is possibly unique amongst Patek Philippe watches. A historically significant watch in itself, this ref. 767 also has notable provenance: it once belonged to Seth Atwood, the American industrialist who founded the now-closed Time Museum. According to Philips, this ref. 767 was Atwood’s everyday watch, not surprising since he was a legendary collector of his day with a collection that included the Patek Philippe Graves Supercomplication and the Duc d’Orléans Breguet Sympathique. Three seconds hands, two in blued steel and one in gold Initial thoughts I’ve been impressed by many pocket watches – some that come to include a Patek Philippe observatory tourbillon and the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie – but I’ve rarely been surprised. This ref. 767 was, however, entirely unexpected. When it was first described to me, I was confused and immediately thought of the Lange Double Split. But as it turns out, this is entirely d...

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Collector Profile: Modern Day Patronage with @onlybuyingtime Worn & Wound
May 15, 2024

Collector Profile: Modern Day Patronage with @onlybuyingtime

A few weeks back, I found myself sitting at the end of my kitchen island on a phone call with a man I have never met, but with whose collection I am intimately familiar. After all, CB - better known as @onlybuyingtime - has over 30k followers on Instagram, he is a voting member of the GPHG, and he is the owner and caretaker of, quite frankly, one of the most diverse collections of independent watches I’ve seen anywhere. CB has been collecting for the entirety of his adult life, though his fascination with watches extends back further. As he describes it, CB had “fun watches as a kid,” but it was only in adulthood that he really started collecting in a tangible way. “It wasn’t like I had a parent or anybody that was really into watches. I think I really fell into it as an adult and realized this is something that’s very unique to each man. It tells a lot about a personality. If you are in a sports watch vs. a dress watch; the colors, the make, the models, the complications, all that stuff tells a lot about somebody. And for me, it’s just another level of expression.” Modern Day Patronage One of the great treasures of Philadelphia is the Barnes Foundation which is, for those unfamiliar, one of the world’s stand-out collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern art. When I first moved to Philly in 2022, it took me less than a week to visit the Barnes for the first time, and, in a city filled with great museums, it remains my favorite, and...

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Marathon May 14, 2024

Marathon’s SAR Lineup Outfits the Inaugural Windup in a Bay

In 2022, a group of intrepid watch enthusiast divers began a grand tradition of coupling a Lake Michigan dive adventure with the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago, affectionately referred to as Windup in a Lake. Well, this tradition has expanded to include more divers and, as of last week, a new destination. Monterey Bay was the inaugural location of the first Windup in a Bay, part of our Windup Watch Fair San Francisco festivities. Best of all, our friends at Marathon were interested in participating in this adventure as well.  When search and rescue pros from around the world reach for a mission timer, the Canada-based watchmaker Marathon has been a go-to solution for over 80 years. So, their SAR collection-short for, you guessed it, Search and Rescue-was an ideal catalog to outfit the team of pros who gathered to kick off this dip into the Pacific. For this trip to the iconic Monterey Bay, we paired a slew of dive-rated Marathon SARs with five watch enthusiasts, each with major diving chops. Here’s our official photo recap and impressions from the team. The post Marathon’s SAR Lineup Outfits the Inaugural Windup in a Bay appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Introducing - The New Generation of Sinn 903 St Navigation Chronograph Monochrome
Sinn 903 St Navigation Chronograph May 14, 2024

Introducing - The New Generation of Sinn 903 St Navigation Chronograph

Founded in 1961 by former military pilot Helmut Sinn, German watchmaker Sinn has long specialised in crafting rugged sports, pilot and instrument watches with a slightly military approach. Emblematic models such as the U1 (and its smaller version, the U50), the Bundeswehr chronograph or the 103 St have forged the brand’s reputation. There’s another watch […]

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Hands-On With The Sternglas Hamburg Chrono Regatta And Hamburg Edition Hafen Fratello
May 14, 2024

Hands-On With The Sternglas Hamburg Chrono Regatta And Hamburg Edition Hafen

As I become more familiar with the Sternglas brand, I realize I’m not as tuned in as I thought. On the face of it, this Hamburg-based watch brand embraces minimalism in its designs, albeit with considered bursts of color. The popular Hamburg line of watches, named after the brand’s home city, is a typical example. […] Visit Hands-On With The Sternglas Hamburg Chrono Regatta And Hamburg Edition Hafen to read the full article.

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Farer Introduces the Banzare, a Limited Edition GMT with a Textured Dial Worn & Wound
Farer Introduces May 13, 2024

Farer Introduces the Banzare, a Limited Edition GMT with a Textured Dial

We’ve been covering Farer for a long time on Worn & Wound. To say they are a core brand in our little enthusiast corner of the watch world would be an understatement, and it’s been exciting to see them grow, experiment, and further develop their own unique design language. For as long as I’ve been covering the brand, it’s been the colors that have stood out. They have just always had a knack for picking interesting and unusual color combinations. And their typical release strategy underscores that point – they’ll frequently release a handful of watches in the same style at one time, each adopting different color palettes, and thus emphasizing the impact those decisions have on the finished product. Their latest release, the Banzare GMT, is not part of a multi-watch drop, but it does feature a striking new dial texture for the brand in a color that some die hard Farer fans are sure to appreciate.  The GMT has become a signature complication for Farer, probably because it gives the brand a chance to explore colors and contrasts in natural ways. Think of the different elements of the dial that need to be navigated here: the dial itself, the main hour markers, the time telling hands, the GMT hand, the GMT hour scale, the date, the minute track, and we haven’t even gotten to the various wordmarks yet. There’s a real challenge in making sure all of those elements play well together, and it’s something Farer has always excelled at.  The Banzare gets a plum col...

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Editorial: Geneva Auctions Spring 2024 Part I - Only Watch SJX Watches
May 13, 2024

Editorial: Geneva Auctions Spring 2024 Part I - Only Watch

A longer-than-usual Geneva auction weekend just concluded, having started with Only Watch 2024 and concluded with Christie’s watch sale – both of which were postponed for different reasons. Only Watch set the tone for the rest of the sales. The appetite for buying was muted. Most watches performed as expected: desirable brands and watches did well, though not as well as they would have in 2022 or early 2023. A handful of watches were outliers and performed spectacularly. That said, there were more watches that sold poorly compared to either of the last two instalments. In sum, it was a reflection of the overall market for collectible watches. A night-time cyberattack On a sunny Friday morning in Geneva, just before Only Watch was scheduled to take place in the afternoon, it emerged that Christie’s had suffered a company-wide cyberattack that brought down its website, app, and everything else digital. According to a Christie’s representative, the cyberattack began in the early hours of Friday last week, which was fortunately daytime in Asia, so its Hong Kong office was able to respond. Even though the hack took place just before the watch and jewellery auctions in Geneva, the cyberattack was probably timed to take place before the following week of art sales in New York, where Christie’s will sell over US$800 million of art. Tess Pettavino making the opening speech. Image – Only Watch A colourful event Because of the cyberattack, Christie’s postponed its watch...

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Introducing: The Fortis AMADEE-24 Mars Analog Mission Timer Fratello
Fortis AMADEE-24 Mars Analog Mission May 13, 2024

Introducing: The Fortis AMADEE-24 Mars Analog Mission Timer

For decades, Fortis has enjoyed a well-earned reputation as a maker of space-ready watches. Until now, most of those watches have traveled to the International Space Station. Today’s Fortis AMADEE-24, however, was built for Mars. More specifically, it was made for a simulation mission that recently occurred in Armenia. Watch enough TV, and it’s easy […] Visit Introducing: The Fortis AMADEE-24 Mars Analog Mission Timer to read the full article.

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REVIEW: Hands On With The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD WatchAdvice
Hamilton Waltham May 12, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD

We go hands on with the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD to see just how robust this tool watch really is! What We Love Its “Bullet Proof” buildThe micro gas lights and lumeIngenious shock-resistant systems What We Don’t The size as it wears larger than the specs suggestMix of titanium and steel feels a little oddThe clasp isn’t as comfortable and could be better designed Overall Rating: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 7/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 9/10 Ball is one of those brands that’s been around for a long while, since 1891 in fact, and probably doesn’t get as much credit as they deserve. Many brands are in the same boat unfortunately, but this is the world we live in. A big part of that is to do with marketing to be honest, and the rest is down to the watches, design, current trends, and culture. It all plays a part. Ball is a brand that was born out of the American railroad era. Similar to other brands that got their start or came to prominence as a result, like Hamilton, Waltham, and others if I can draw that association. For those who aren’t familiar with this era in watchmaking, here’s a very quick history lesson. Back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the United States was going through its industrial revolution. A big part of that was the American railway – all industries relied on this to get supplies for manufacturing, agriculture, building etc from one coast to the other. And this meant that the trains had to run in time and like...

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Hands-On: The Brand-New Lesablier LS-04 Travelgraph - An Affordable, Compact, And Feature-Packed Worldtimer Fratello
May 10, 2024

Hands-On: The Brand-New Lesablier LS-04 Travelgraph - An Affordable, Compact, And Feature-Packed Worldtimer

It’s not often that we get to review a watch from a brand that is completely new to us. This week, though, I had the honor to get up close and personal with a new watch from a young brand called Lesablier. It was the LS-04 Travelgraph, and, in short, I’d describe it as a […] Visit Hands-On: The Brand-New Lesablier LS-04 Travelgraph - An Affordable, Compact, And Feature-Packed Worldtimer to read the full article.

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Introducing the B/1, the Debut Watch from Toledano & Chan Worn & Wound
Cartier s May 9, 2024

Introducing the B/1, the Debut Watch from Toledano & Chan

A long lived pet peeve of mine in the watch industry is people referring to watches as “Brutalist” without having a clue about what the term really means. How, I always wonder, can a brand refer to their watch as being inspired by Brutalist architecture without it even being made of concrete? Well, the debut watch from Toledano & Chan is properly Brutalist in a very specific way, and truly lives up to its inspiration. And while the watch itself might not be made of concrete, the box is (really), and as someone who identifies Boston City Hall as one of his favorite buildings, that scores major points in my book.  The B/1 is the result of a collaboration between watch designer Alfred Chan and artist, watch collector, entrepreneur, and budding TikTok personality Phil Toledano. You may remember Phil from his appearance on the Worn & Wound podcast, and if you’ve spent any time looking at watches on Instagram or TikTok, you’ve likely seen him unboxing new (but actually old) Pateks, Cartiers, and Piagets with his pal Mike Nouveau. Phil (who goes my Mr. Enthusiast on social media) has long been one of my favorite collectors for his eccentric and adventurous taste, fully embracing the strangest and rarest designs by the aforementioned brands and many others. If the industry as a whole is currently moving toward smaller watches, shaped cases, stone dials, and the avant-garde, let it be said that Phil got there first. He’s been interested in this stuff for years, and bangi...

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Hands On: TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds for Only Watch 2024 SJX Watches
Richard Mille May 8, 2024

Hands On: TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds for Only Watch 2024

An ambitious evolution of its signature square-cased chronograph, the Monaco Split-Seconds was first revealed as a unique piece for Only Watch. Although the regular production version was launched earlier this year, the one-off example made for Only Watch remains unique for the finishing on the case and movement. Initial thoughts Powered by a sophisticated Vaucher calibre, the Monaco rattrapante is mostly made of titanium – the alloy is used for the case and movement – and a deft evolution of the Monaco case. On the wrist, the watch feels good as it is noticeably lightweight despite being quite large. The case design is evidently derived from the original but smartly reworked to give it a more pronounced, stylised form. Details like the facetted sapphire crystals and oversized pushers complement the styling. Overall, the aesthetic is the hyper-mechanical look of the same school as Richard Mille and Hublot, but here executed to a high level thanks to the Vaucher calibre that’s hand finished. The only element of the design I would do away with is the “X” bridge on the dial, which feels like an affectation that doesn’t really do much for the design. But overall the aesthetic is cohesive and appealing. Importantly, the watch acquits itself well up close. The finishing on the titanium bridges and plates of the movement is particularly impressively, given the difficulty of achieving a mirror polish on the alloy. And because the Vaucher calibre is a high-end construct...

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All the Way from New Zealand, the Beaufort Pulsatimer Worn & Wound
May 7, 2024

All the Way from New Zealand, the Beaufort Pulsatimer

Underpromise and over deliver pretty much sums up Aukland, New Zealand’s Beaufort Watches. Their goal is to create timeless pieces that fit all the criteria we look for in watches. A great story, a captivating design, and capabilities that can go beyond their specifications. Self-described as a brand that wants to invigorate the present with designs from the past, they seem to have successfully done so. New for 2024 is the Pulsatimer, which is Beaufort’s version of a pulsometer chronograph. Unlike previous models, there is a clear inspirational shift, and Brutalist styling has been at the forefront of Beaufort’s new design language following their rebranding in late 2023. This new piece is the first model following this shift in focus. Informed by the harsh angles of Brutalist architecture, throughout the watch, you will notice many steps. From the pulsations ring, subdials and the stepped bezel, all drawing from two main sources of inspiration:  The Faculty of Fine Arts, University of La Laguna, and University Campus, UTEC Lima. The aim was to give the Pulsatimer an old school industrial look with a touch of dressiness. Made of 316L stainless-steel, it features a mix of brushed, polished and media-blasted finishing. Measurements are 39mm in diameter, 13.8mm thick to the top of the box-domed sapphire crystal, and 47mm from lug tip to lug tip. Powering the Pulsatimer is the manually wound Sellita SW510 and it has a power-reserve of 63 hrs. It is also water-resistant ...

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Vintage Watches: The Gruen Curvex Lieutenant Fratello
May 5, 2024

Vintage Watches: The Gruen Curvex Lieutenant

The Gruen Curvex certainly ranks as an important line of historical watches. These pieces used a variety of curved cases and curved movements. During their two decades of production, they were the pinnacle of style and rivaled more expensive brands. Gruen also has a deep tie to America, which brings something different to the story. […] Visit Vintage Watches: The Gruen Curvex Lieutenant to read the full article.

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Fears and Topper Collaborate Once Again for the Limited Edition “Silver Sector” Worn & Wound
Fears May 3, 2024

Fears and Topper Collaborate Once Again for the Limited Edition “Silver Sector”

If you’ve been following Worn & Wound for any length of time, it should come as no surprise that we’re big fans of Fears Watch Company. Since the brand’s revival - Fears released its first 21st-century watch in 2016, though the name has been around since 1846 - they have consistently captured enthusiast attention thanks to a series of refined, eye-catching, and completely modern releases. Suffice it to say, when Fears tells us something new is coming down the pike, we tend to pay attention. Today, they’ve re-teamed with Topper Jewelers, the small family-owned Silicon Valley jeweler known for their stellar collaborations and limited editions, for what just may be one of their best releases so far, the Fears Brunswick 38 Topper Edition ‘Silver Sector.’ The Silver Sector is a slight departure from the two previous collaborations we’ve seen from the partnership between the Bristol-based watchmaker and Topper, trading the California dials that set earlier releases apart for a clean and contemporary sector dial with sub-seconds inspired by watches produced by Fears in the ‘30s and ‘40s. The dial is finished with applied markers and Fears’ signature skeleton syringe hands. It’s a new look for Fears, and it works brilliantly, offering a clean, monochromatic look without sacrificing any of the brand’s signature visual flair. And it’s gonna make for some killer wrist shots and I desperately want to see how this watch photographs through something like ...

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So, You’re Considering Getting Into The (Not So) Scary World Of Pocket Knives Worn & Wound
May 2, 2024

So, You’re Considering Getting Into The (Not So) Scary World Of Pocket Knives

There’s no denying that even considering carrying a knife may be a bit scary. Will people stare at you? Are you now carrying a weapon? Is this even legal? The answer to all of those questions is “maybe”. There are dozens of variables that come into play when considering your first knife purchase, so I’m here to make that whole world seem a little less daunting by sharing some of my personal experience as well as some widely accepted tips from the world of EDC (everyday carry).  Ultimately, I believe the way to look at a knife is that it’s a tool. One for opening up that new watch box, slicing up an apple at lunchtime, or helping out with some random tasks around the house. Sure, you could use a key to open up a box or your teeth to tear open a package, but it’s important to have the right tool for the job to prevent yourself from breaking an item while using it for something it’s not meant for, or even worse - requiring an embarrassing trip to the dentist.  I don’t mean to frame this as some sort of pro-knife propaganda, since you ultimately can get by without one, but after slipping one into your pocket and seeing just how often it comes in handy, you might be surprised at how useful it is in your day to day life. There’s also the other option - you don’t even have to carry it with you at all. A knife tossed into your junk drawer at home or desk drawer at work will more than likely cover most of your use cases anyway. Let’s break it down a bit ...

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Hands On: Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversary SJX Watches
Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon May 2, 2024

Hands On: Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversary

You can never be too rich or too thin – a quote attributed to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, but it might as well have come from Piaget, which just debuted the thinnest tourbillon wristwatch in history, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversary. Covered in-depth at launch, the AUC Tourbillon is just 2 mm thick, including the case and crystal; that makes the watch thinner than a Swiss five-franc coin. While its record-breaking dimensions are headline-grabbing, it’s the watch’s overall design and ergonomics that make it look and feel almost miraculous on the wrist. The AUC Tourbillon next to the five-franc coin; it’s also slimmer than the two-franc coin, and equivalent to about 20 sheets of A4 printer paper Initial thoughts Record-chasing, whether in terms of thickness, weight, water resistance, or complications, is a common theme in the watch industry, but the results are often gimmicky and impractical. When I heard that Piaget would be introducing the thinnest tourbillon in history, I rolled my eyes. But my perspective changed as soon as I picked up the AUC Tourbillon, a moment that stands out in my memory as a highlight of Watches & Wonders 2024. The watch is thin, of course, but the immediate impression is one of substance; it feels far more substantial than it looks. This is in part due to the M64BC cobalt alloy case, the extreme rigidity of which makes the watch’s 2 mm thinness possible. Furthermore, the ergonomics of the case, which is...

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