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Tudor Announces Oct 30, 2024

Tudor Announces the FXD “Zulu Time,” the First Pelagos with a GMT Complication

Sooner or later, you just knew it was going to happen. For as long as there’s been a Pelagos, and as long as there’s been a Tudor GMT movement, and as long as there’s been a human impulse to speculate, there’s been a call for the Swiss brand to release a Pelagos with the ability to track multiple time zones. It just makes sense for the brand’s most tool-forward dive watch: GMTs are what the people want and it’s an undeniably useful feature. And so, like an infinite number of chimpanzees at an infinite number of typewriters are certain to eventually produce the works of Shakespeare, now Tudor has finally issued a diver with all the features their loyal fans have been asking for. Titanium case: check. GMT movement with chronometer certification: check. Rotating 24 hour bezel: check. Spring bars: hey, no one has it all.  The all new Pelagos FXD GMT “Zulu Time” might feel like an inevitability on the one hand, but on the other it still has a fascinating mix of little quirks that are capable of surprising even the most loyal Tudor fans (and speculators). Like the very first Pelagos FXD, this one is presented under a partnership with the French military. Specifically, the Zulu Time has been developed with the needs of the Aéronautique Navale (French Naval Aviation) in mind, and according to the brand the watch has been designed for the “adverse real-world conditions” faced by their personnel. For the original FXD, that meant a bi-directional bezel set up in...

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Hublot Oct 29, 2024

Hublot and Takashi Murakami Team Up for the New MP-15 Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow

There is always something so intriguing to me about a collaboration when the brands really just go for it. But, I guess if one of the collaborators is Takashi Murakami, it’s sort of hard not to. For those uninitiated, Murakami is a contemporary Japanese artist whose work is at once psychedelic and joyful – but leans just a tad into the grotesque. But even if you don’t know the name, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the artist’s work. Murakami has collaborated with a wide range of celebrities, from Marc Jacobs to Kanye West (long before his anti semitic rants, for the record) to Pharrell Williams. And now, Murakami adds yet another collaboration with Hublot. The MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow is really one of those watches that makes you pause. It will, undoubtedly, have its naysayers who might prefer a more conservative style; but there’s something incredibly charming about this one for me. On the one hand, there is a level of craftsmanship that’s evident even from the photos; but it’s also an element of playfulness that intrigues me – especially when we’re talking about a watch that’s in the *ahem* $374,000 price range. You may remember that Murakami and Hublot have previously collaborated in the past, most notably on the Classic Fusion model with a decidedly Murakami lean. But that was just putting Murakami’s art within the context of Hublot. In 2023, they had released an MP-15 that showed the floral design but in a skeletal ca...

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Brew Metric Star Chronograph If Oct 29, 2024

Lookbook: An Afternoon with Jonathan Ferrer and the Brew Metric Star Chronograph

If you’ve ever attended a Windup Watch Fair or spent much time on pretty much any watch enthusiast blog, there’s a pretty decent chance you know who Jonathan Ferrer is. Not only is he the founder of and designer behind Brew Watch Co., he’s also a great friend of Worn & Wound. We were delighted to meet him at his office just a couple weeks ago to get up close and person with him and his new Metric Star Chronograph, a watch full of both nostalgia and charm. The post Lookbook: An Afternoon with Jonathan Ferrer and the Brew Metric Star Chronograph appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Oct 29, 2024

The Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time: Why the Atomic Clock Was Invented

Editor’s Note: Today, we bring you the third installment in Andrew Canter’s series, The Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time. Today, Andrew examines the history of atomic timekeeping, from its earliest conception, to its potential future. Atomic timekeeping and atomic clocks are often misunderstood, but they form a framework for modern timekeeping standards that is, ultimately, indispensable.  You can find more of Andrew’s work at the Mr. Watchmaster website here. “A more universal unit of time might be found by taking the periodic time of vibration of the particular kind of light whose wavelength is the unit of length.” James Clerk Maxwell, Scottish Physicist from his Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism dated 1873 Cover page of James C. Maxwell’s A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, published in 1873. It was way back in 1900 that the German physicist Max Planck suggested that the energy of an atomic oscillator is quantised. Albert Einstein extended this concept in 1905, explaining that electromagnetic radiation is localised in packets, later referred to as photons, of frequency and energy. This was the beginning of the journey that led to the invention of the Atomic Clock. How does an Atomic Clock Work An atomic clock is a type of clock that uses certain resonance frequencies of atoms to keep time with extreme accuracy. The electronic components of atomic clocks are regulated by the frequency of microwave electromagnetic radiation. Only when t...

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Bremont Partners Oct 28, 2024

Bremont Partners with Jimmy Chin on a Pair of Limited Edition Terra Nova Chronographs

Bremont has undergone a drastic brand transformation in the last year or so, moving away from what many would consider their rather reserved British design language to something more daring and youthful. The Terra Nova could really be considered the focal point of this transition, a design nobody was expecting, with its oval cushion case, large stylized Arabic numerals, and sub-dials rivaling the contrast found on some of the most die-hard chronographs on the market.  During one of the busiest watch release times of the year, Bremont has quietly unveiled two new variants of the Terra Nova in collaboration with renowned climber, explorer, and photographer Jimmy Chin. One with a full 18ct rose gold case limited to only 15 pieces, and one with rose gold accents limited to 100 pieces. The design of these watches is also inspired by military pocket watches from the 20th century, giving the watch a nostalgic exterior appearance but with the capabilities one would expect from a feature packed tool watch.  While I found the Terra Nova Power Reserve to be a rather polarizing design when I had a chance to go hands-on with one earlier this year, I feel that this chronograph version brings a level of organization to the dial and case not found on the other variants – with the full gold and gold accented appearance highlighting these aspects in a positive way. Bremont decided on the BE-50AV caliber to power this watch, which is actually based on the ETA 7750 and heavily modified to...

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Oct 28, 2024

Awake Gives Us a Lesson in Creating Watches for Future Generations

The concept of a “mid-life crisis” has long had a negative connotation thanks to the word “crisis” implying a moment of difficulty, but I’d suggest we rethink this as a mid-life turning point. For Lilian Thibault, founder of Awake, this moment came when he reached a certain age and his kids began to grow. He took the opportunity to turn a mid-life crisis into a mid-life reinvention. After years of investing in other successful businesses, he decided to invest in himself and his own passions. Lilian had been an avid watch collector for more than two decades, and in 2018 he set out to create his own brand-Awake was born. “As my kids are growing older, I’ve started to think more and more about the legacy that will be left behind for them,” Lilian told me. “I decided I wanted to bring my own brand to market that reflects the vision I would like to see in the world for the next generation. This is, in fact, why I chose the name ‘Awake,’ I have a mission to awaken people’s attention to beauty and what really matters in life.” Lilian Thibault To bring his vision to life, Lilian launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for production in 2018. The campaign was originally planned to run for a month, but the brand reached its goal of $30,000 within an hour and ended up raising $400,000-Lilian was clearly onto something, and his vision was resonating. A year later, the brand unveiled its first collection aptly named “Origins.” In the spirit of thinking a...

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Laco Limes Stowa Oct 28, 2024

Heinrich Introduces New Watches Featuring Carbon Dials with Integrated Lume

Germany is the home of many prominent timepiece manufacturers. The most notable city known for watchmaking is Glashütte; however, another city, Pforzheim,, located roughly 560 kilometers away, has its own proud watchmaking history. Brands calling Pforzheim home include Circula, Laco, Limes, Stowa, and others, along with the famous case maker Ickler, whose work supplies numerous watch brands worldwide. Heinrich is a watch brand located in Stuttgart, less than an hour from Pforzheim. This proximity allows brand founder Wolfgang Heinrich to collaborate with skilled watchmakers to develop new sport and dive watches that take inspiration from the 1970s while incorporating a unique twist. Twist barely describes their latest creation, the Taucher Infused Forged Carbon V2. If that sounds like a mouthful, it is, but it is also an eyeful. These watches feature dials and bezel inserts made from colored forged carbon combined with SuperLuminova BGW9. We are not only referring to the indices, minute track, and bezel markings being lumed; instead, we mean that the dial and bezel material itself is integrated with lume. The fusion of materials in each watch is unique, ensuring no two are alike.  The 41mm stainless steel case measures 13.6mm to the top of the boxed sapphire crystal, and due to the very short lugs, it has a compact length of 47.8mm from lug tip to lug tip. This watch should fit nearly everyone comfortably. Although it has a 1970s throwback style, this case is 200 meters ...

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Oct 27, 2024

A Vintage Inspired Chrono, The Lowest Price You Will See, And So Much More

The post A Vintage Inspired Chrono, The Lowest Price You Will See, And So Much More appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Oct 27, 2024

A Week in Watches Ep. 92: Windup Watch Fair NYC 2024

On this week’s episode of A Week in Watches, Zach Kazan and Zach Weiss, take you inside Windup Watch Fair New York City 2024. The biggest and best Windup yet, there were over 140 brands in attendance and tens of thousands of guests. Unfortunately, we couldn’t cover everything we saw there, so we focused on talking to six brands new to Windup. This episode was sponsored by Trafford Watch Co and their new Touring GMT. The latest from the Austin-based watchmakers is inspired by the relentless spirit of musicians and their fans. The Touring GMT has independent hour and GMT hands so you can seamlessly track the time in your next venue and back at home. Available in three colorways inspired by American music venues, check out the Touring GMT at Trafford Watch Co The post A Week in Watches Ep. 92: Windup Watch Fair NYC 2024 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Oct 26, 2024

Watches, Stories, & Gear: How to Build a Log Cabin, the Brutalist Trailer, and the Best Countries for American Expats

“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 Vasque Hiking Brand, Shuttered  Earlier this month came news that Vasque, the iconic maker of world class hiking boots, was shutting down for good. In an announcement from Red Wing, the brand’s parent company, it was explained that due to a changing market and shifting expectations from consumers, the brand just didn’t have a viable path forward. Many in the community, including Ben Bowers over at Gear Patrol, met the news with genuine disappointment. This is a brand that has meant a lot to many people over the years. For outdoor enthusiasts, boots are a lot like the watches we wear – they hold memories of important milestones, and are objects that are once utilitarian but also extremely personal. The news likely doesn’t come as a shock to many who follow the outdoor gear space. Vasque has been in a perilous position for some time, and had recently discussed a “reset” of the brand that would take several years. The Brutalist Gets a Trailer  Since it hit the film festival circuit earlier this year, The Brutalist has perhaps the most discussed and least seen film of t...

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Girard-Perregaux   Starting off Oct 25, 2024

eBay Finds: A Bulova with Military Provenance, a Glycine in Great Condition, and a Classic LeCoultre Memovox

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 Girard-Perregaux  Starting off this week with an absolutely stunning vintage Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk. The 33mm wide stainless steel case looks unpolished with crisp edges. The white dial is a beauty, with nice slim, steel arrow markers that are reminiscent of the classic vintage 1950’s Omega Seamasters. The dial looks original and appears spotless, and is complemented by steel dauphine hands. The crown is original and signed with the GP logo as it should be. There is no movement picture, but the seller states the manual wind movement runs and keeps time. This is a classic looking piece from a premier, yet under-rated vintage watch manufacture.  View auction here Vintage Bulova Military  What this little guy lacks in size, it makes up for in swag. The vintage Bulova MIL-W-3818A is a classic and well known Vietnam era issued military watch designed for pilots. It has the classic pilots black dial with easy to read lumed Arabic numerals and a 24 hour inner track. The movement is manual wind and hacks for accuracy. The watch looks all original to me, and in fantastic condition. It has the correct military engravings on the back, and the original jumbo crown (for easy winding ...

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Tudor x Worn & Wound Oct 25, 2024

Recapping the Tudor x Worn & Wound Windup Watch Fair NYC Kick-off Event

Just dip into the Worn & Wound YouTube channel search for Tudor. Whether it’s ongoing interest in our hands-on videos with their watches or the popularity of our Thunderdome series, it’s clear that Tudor is an extremely important brand to our enthusiast audience. So when they offered their Tudor Boutique within the Tourneau space in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan as a venue for the kick off event of the Windup Watch Fair NYC weekend, we were both honored and excited. The Thursday before any Windup weekend is filled with anticipation that you can genuinely feel. Fairgoers seem to be gearing up for either battle, a concert by their favorite band, or a little of both. The Tudor Boutique was a perfect place to both harness that energy and build on it for the rest of the long weekend. Their boutique is designed to be a part showroom and part gathering space for the Tudor-curious. Last Thursday night, it was filled to capacity with fans of both the Worn & Wound and Tudor brands. This was most evident in the sheer amount of interesting and unique Tudor watches on the wrists of multiple attendees! Attendees were greeted with a signature cocktail called the “METAS Manhattan,” referring of course to the Master Chronometer certification. A comprehensive standard that covers the main functional characteristics of a watch including: precision, resistance to magnetic fields, waterproofness and power reserve. Watches like Tudor’s Black Bay Ceramic, the Black Bay, and the...

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Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Oct 25, 2024

Just A Minute With The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date

Just a Minute with the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date   Founded in Hölstein, Switzerland in 1904, Oris has spent over a century building unique watches that reflect their independent spirit. Their Big Crown Pointer Date series is one of their most iconic, dating back to a pilot watch design from the 1930s. The Big Crown Pointer Date remains one of the most original designs on the market, effortlessly bridging the gap between casual and refined wear. With its elegant cathedral hands, a coin edge bezel, and a fourth hand indicating the date, the Big Crown Pointer Date blends the past into the present.    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. Just a Minute with the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date   Founded in Hölstein, Switzerland in 1904, Oris has spent over a century building unique watches that reflect their independent spirit. Their Big Crown Pointer Date series is one of their most iconic, dating back to a pilot watch design from the 1930s. The Big Crown Pointer Date remains one of the most original designs on the market, effortlessly bridging the gap between casual and refined wear. With its elegant cathedral hands, a coin edge bezel, and a fourth hand indicating the date, the Big Crown Pointer Date blends the past into the present.    As always, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions y...

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Lorier Oct 25, 2024

Hands-On: the Lorier Olympia Chronograph

No Windup Watch Fair would be complete without Lorier. Since the brand’s introduction six years ago, they have become a fixture of the show and a consistent hit among attendees. Seriously, anyone who dropped by Center 415 this past weekend will know just how hard it was to even get to the Lorier booth. The big draw for the brand this week was their latest release; a new chronograph they’re calling the Olympia. In the lead-up to the show, I got to spend some time with the new watch, and with Windup behind us and the Olympia now available to everyone, it seemed like the right time to share my thoughts. Before we get into the specifics of the watch itself, it’s worth taking a moment to consider where this new model will sit in the Lorier catalog, and what it’s doing there. The short answer is that the Lorier Olympia is taking the place of the immensely popular Lorier Gemini. That watch, which was first unveiled at Windup Watch Fair in New York City a full five years ago, was a mid-century inspired bi-compax chronograph powered by the Seagull ST19 hand-wound movement. $899 Hands-On: the Lorier Olympia Chronograph Case Stainless Steel Movement SII NE88 Dial White Lume Yes Lens Acrylic Strap Stainless steel bracelet Water Resistance 50 meters Dimensions 39 x 46mm Thickness 13.8mm Lug Width 20mm Crown screw down Warranty Yes Price $899 I’ve always felt that the Lorier Gemini (and the Lorier Gemini SII) represented a serious step forward for Lorier. The introduction of t...

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Yema Yachtingraf Croisiere Meca-Quartz As Oct 24, 2024

Sailing with the Yema Yachtingraf Croisiere Meca-Quartz

As we begin jockeying for position behind the starting line aboard Escapade, an Ericson 29 sailing yacht, we hear the first warning siren blast and I immediately click in the top pusher. The skeletonized yellow arrow hand begins to tick away the seconds as ‘Cappy’ yells, “Ready to tack?!” Giving the green jib sheet two wraps on the winch with my left hand and taking the red jib sheet in my right, I yell back “Ready!” The boat starts to come over into the wind pushing the jib (the forwardmost sail) into the boat, across its bow, and onto the other side. During this, I allow the red line to slowly let out while beginning to pull in the green slowly, then, once the jib passes the midway point, I release the red all together and begin pulling in the green as fast as I can until the jib is fully under tension and our speed begins to climb. A glance down at the 9 o’clock big-eye register shows that we have three minutes to start, information I relay quickly as we begin to weave our way through the pack. Two minutes now, the call for a gybe, and another turn back towards the line. As our speed begins to build, the bow lunges closer to the start line fighting for a perfect start against the crowded pack of seasoned sailors while making sure not to cross too early. The siren blasts again, the big-eye circular hand hits zero, and we cross over the line in second place under wind at roughly four knots.  While it might seem to be an entirely useless complication for the...

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Alpina s Seastrong Extreme Iceland Oct 24, 2024

Tool/Kit: Staying Strong in Iceland with Nick Stirbis and Alpina’s Seastrong Extreme

Iceland is known worldwide for its extreme environments, temperamental weather, and otherworldly scenery. I’ve been lucky enough to experience the Arctic island on two occasions this year, this time accompanied by the Alpina Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic and Extreme Automatic GMT. As an outdoor adventure-focused photographer, I needed a watch that was bombproof and capable of taking on the elements, from gale-force winds and sideways rain to jagged rocks and freezing temperatures (all of which we experienced on this mission). These rugged watches were particularly well suited for the job. The post Tool/Kit: Staying Strong in Iceland with Nick Stirbis and Alpina’s Seastrong Extreme appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Seiko Dive Watches Oct 24, 2024

The Strangest Seiko Dive Watches in Years

There was a time not too long ago when the new watches that Seiko debuted this week would have broken the internet. The new SPB481, SPB483 and SPB485 are, plain and simple, some of the strangest releases we’ve seen from Seiko in quite some time. It used to be that even a middling release from the brand, particularly if it was in the sports watch category, would generate days worth of discussion and hype on Instagram, forums, and group chats where watches are discussed. But it’s been about three days since these were made public and not only are they not dominating the enthusiast conversation, they’ve been met with what I can only describe as a collective shrug.  You can see in these images why these watches are noteworthy. What we have here are a trio of Seiko divers in the Prospex collection with octagonal bezels in what appears to be an entirely new case design and a radical new bezel profile. The rounded octagonal bezel is matched to a 41.3mm case that comes in at 12.8mm tall and has lines that accentuate flowing curves at every angle. It feels very different for Seiko and kind of makes you see their core designs in a new way, most of which feature much harsher angles and severe geometry that these watches completely lack.  Three variants make up the new range. The SPB481 has a beige dial matched to a glossy black bezel insert, the SPB483 is a blue on blue design, and then there’s the SPB485, which to my eye is the most striking of the group, featuring a brown...

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A. Lange & Sohne Oct 24, 2024

A. Lange & Söhne Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of their Relaunch with Two Lange 1s (LIVE PICS)

A 30th anniversary is no small thing for a brand. For some perspective, only 25% of new companies even survive for 15 years. As such, it’s rightly a cause for celebration. This year, A. Lange & Söhne is celebrating two anniversaries, the 25th anniversary of the Datograph, and the 30th anniversary of the brand being relaunched. For the Datograph, we saw four exceptional and highly exclusive pieces. At Watches & Wonders, they launched the elegant Datograph Up/Down Limited Edition in white gold with a blue dial, as well as the über Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen.” That duo was followed up by the recently announced Datograph Handwerkskunst and Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court Edition.” The Handwerkskunst is an über watch of a different nature than the “Lumen,” demonstrating the brand’s dedication to handcraft and the artistry of watchmaking. Anthony de Haas, Director of Development, described the process of creating the dial, which consists of an “outer ring, the main carriage dial, and then the sub-dials, all four out of solid yellow gold. We take a milling machine and take away all the material, except for the numerals and the letters and the text, so they are in relief.” The process then goes to an engraver, who meticulously applies “tremblage,” creating the uniform stippled texture across all surfaces. This task is made even more difficult as the engraver must navigate all of the engraved details, such as the arching logo. To get...

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Oct 23, 2024

Introducing the Alterum Worldtimer, a Minimalist Take on a Notoriously Busy Complication

You might be familiar with the work of Justin Walters through his work with Marin Instruments, which burst onto the microbrand watch scene back in 2021 with a unique, contemporary spin on the classic skin diver. Justin has just launched a new brand, the Alterum Watch Company, which he’s been teasing to those of us in the industry for nearly as long. It’s great to see the watch finally made public, and to see Justin fully emerge as one of the most interesting watch design minds working today. Between this initial release for Alterum and the ongoing work with Marin, we’re seeing a clear, modern aesthetic evolve right before our eyes. Best of all, these watches are accessible to just about anyone, proving once again that you don’t need to spend a small fortune for thoughtful and interesting design.  The working principle behind the Alterum Worldtimer is one of simplicity, or “cutting away the chaos,” as Justin puts it. We’ve heard and seen this before, of course. Many brands attempt to reach a minimal design, but it’s hard to think of one that starts with a worldtimer, a genre of watch that’s busy almost by definition. But it’s a good test, when you think about it. If the goal of Alterum as a brand is simplicity and clarity, finding success with a worldtimer would seem to bode quite well for future projects. In many ways the Alterum Worldtimer feels familiar, at least in its functionality, but when you really start digging into the details you come to und...

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Ming 37.02 Minimalist Oct 23, 2024

Introducing the Ming 37.02 Minimalist with new “Polar White” Lume

My Geneva Watch Days meeting with Ming Thein was easily one of my favorites of that whirlwind week. It was one of those hours where you’re presented with watch, after watch, after watch, and you kind of can’t help but get lost in all of the cool stuff you’re seeing. Ming was incredibly kind to pull out watches that have been out (and sold out) for years, just so I could get a look at random pieces here and there from throughout the brand’s history that I may have missed. Seeing the full scope of the brand, though, is important in understanding the newest piece, one that I saw under embargo in that meeting, that Ming is incredibly proud of. The 37.02 Minimalist is not the flashiest or most expensive Ming, but it feels like a watch that sees the brand entering a new and exciting phase.  According to the brand, the 37.02 is the first watch in the Ming catalog to be designed, engineered, and managed by Horologer Ming SA, the brand’s new Swiss entity. Horologer Ming SA was created in an effort to streamline and internalize Ming’s complex engineering and production processes while maintaining as much control as possible over the supply chain. This, ultimately, is what the brand hopes will lead to the shorter lead times that their collectors (and would-be collectors) have been asking for for years.  That’s exemplified nicely in the 37.02, a watch that leans on core Ming design characteristics that have been developed since the brand’s founding, while also pushin...

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Omega will have you know Oct 23, 2024

The Best Chronograph Watches for Beginners Under $1,000

When time really counts - whether you’re speeding around a race track, plotting a navigational course, or timing the beats of a patient’s heart - you need a stopwatch. At one point, the function of a stopwatch was completely separate from that of a wristwatch. Enter the chronograph. Adding a stopwatch compilation - that is, a feature beyond telling the time - to a traditional watch was revolutionary when it was invented in the nineteenth century.    Today, they are one of the most popular types of watches amongst enthusiasts for their storied heritage and visual appeal. (As Omega will have you know, they’ve even been to the moon.) But for many enthusiasts, they can feel out of reach - mechanically complex, they require significantly greater purchase and service costs. Luckily, there’s an alternative: quartz. Quartz chronograph movements circumvent those two major shortfalls, allowing for greater reliability and reduced cost. With that, here are some of our favorite affordable chronographs for beginners.    Should you see anything you like, 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. When time really counts - whether you’re speeding around a race track, plotting a navigational course, or timing the beats of a patient’s heart - you need a stopwatch. At one point, the function of a stopwatch was completely separate f...

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Citizen Today Oct 22, 2024

[VIDEO] Time to Pack: Gear Essentials for Exploring Banff’s Stunning Scenery with Citizen

Today on this latest episode of Time to Pack, our Lead Photographer and resident EDC enthusiast, Garrett Jones, goes through his “On Location” photography essentials. “Much like the watch on my wrist, the gear I carry in my kit is crucial for a successful shoot. When on location things can happen fast and the tools that you have at your disposal are often the ones you bring with you,” says Garrett. Knowing that he’d be in many different environments, everything from glacier lakes to mountain tops, he needed to keep his gear safe, functional, and most importantly, accessible. This episode is made possible by our friends at Citizen, who invited Garrett on an epic trip to Banff, Canada, and outfitted him with their new Promaster Land U822, which celebrates the 35th Anniversary of Promaster. Coming in at 44mm in diameter and sporting a subtle black and gray camo motif, this watch features Citizen’s new Memory in Pixel (MIP) liquid crystal display, which improves legibility and makes it possible to display more information, along with a chronograph, dual time zone display, and even a compass inner bezel. Thankfully Garrett didn’t need to test this feature out, but we’re happy that Citizen plans ahead of those who might wonder off the proverbial “beaten path.” Get all the details on Garrett’s packing style and his professional tools, along with his very own gear hacks and tricks of the trade. We hope that this Time to Pack will be that kind of fix you did...

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Rado Oct 22, 2024

Inside the 2024 Overland Expo

The Overland Expo was held in Loveland, Colorado this past August 23 to 25, 2024. Founded in 2009 by Roseann and Jonathan Hanson, the Expo celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this year. What began as a trade show has grown into an internationally recognized event with four locations throughout the United States: Redmond, OR; Flagstaff, AZ; Loveland, CO; and Arrington, VA. The Overland Expo is described as the “world’s premier event series for do-it-yourself adventure travel enthusiasts.” Attendance at the Mountain West venue seemed to verify that claim – over eighteen thousand participants from forty-nine states flocked to Colorado during the Expo weekend to learn from experienced instructors and shop for gear. Attendees could choose from a list of 250 classes, with themes ranging from legal advice for content creators to winter survival tips in extreme backcountry conditions. An impressive list of over 300 exhibitors with pop-up booths covered every inch of green lawn at the outdoor venue. To passersby on the interstate, the Expo probably looked like the mother of all farmer’s markets… if farmer’s markets catered to the needs of suped-up overlanding rigs. Photo by Meg Tocci Having grown up in Colorado, I’ve always loved the outdoors. However, my interest in exploring and connecting with nature has grown throughout my twenties and is something I’m continually prioritizing for myself. My recent purchase of a Bronco Sport this summer encouraged me to dip m...

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute Monoface Steel Duoface Oct 22, 2024

Hands-On: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute Monoface Steel, Duoface Rose Gold, and Tourbillon Steel

The post Hands-On: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute Monoface Steel, Duoface Rose Gold, and Tourbillon Steel appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Straum Oct 21, 2024

Straum Debuts the Jan Mayen Basalt Limited Edition

If you’ve followed our recent coverage of Straum, you probably already know that they’ve been teasing a new entry in their Jan Mayen collection for some time. This weekend, at the Windup Watch Fair, the new watch from the Scandinavian brand made its public debut. The Jan Mayen Basalt Limited Edition builds on the themes the brand has been working with for a few years now with their contemporary integrated bracelet sports watch design, adding some new dial elements with this LE that change the dynamic of the watch considerably while leaning into the brand’s ethos. It’s perhaps a little more avant-garde in nature than their previous efforts, but it seems like the type of watch that Straum’s biggest fans will immediately identify with.  The star of the show here is clearly the dial, which Straum tells us is made from volcanic basalt rock sourced from the island of Jan Mayen. The ultra thin wafers of rock are filled with naturally occurring holes through which the dial base is seen, creating the effect of a magma-like substance gurgling under the surface of the earth. If that sounds dramatic, it’s because, well, it is. The effect in person is quite remarkable. Because the dials are made from rock, no two are exactly alike, and asymmetry abounds, so this watch feels like more an art piece than a hearty tool, but that’s perfectly fine in my opinion. There are three limited dial variants: Magma Red, Radiant Mist, and Volcanic Grey. The latter is likely the most res...

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Oct 21, 2024

Hands-On: the Trafford Touring GMT

I am no stranger to the road, often finding myself lost on winding backcountry roads, grabbing cocktails in random local bars, and hunting for the hidden gems that make travel great. It can be easy to get lost in these adventures, jumping over time zones with an unwillingness to turn back towards my standard everyday life. That is where, annoyingly, a watch becomes more than just a watch. It becomes the rope tied to schedules and obligations that unobtrusively pulls you back to reality through the whirring of a rotor. While I certainly can not claim to be the modern American artist for whom this watch was designed, I have seen its inspiration scattered throughout random roads lost to different eras still holding the memories of its previous travelers. So, it seemed only fitting that part of my time spent with the new Trafford Touring GMT would occur on a spur-of-the-moment road trip down to West Virginia. Trafford is a brand I am very familiar with having been hooked on Nathan’s designs since he first shared a single teaser image of the Crossroads (his previous, rectangular model) in a watch Facebook group. Of course, I backed the Kickstarter grabbing myself a cabaret dial version, and then would eventually go on to get to know Nathan more during our collaboration on a certain “Wonderful” video I am sure many of you have seen by now. It was at this time that Nathan shared more teasers with me, this time of a round case with a similarly bold design language featuring ...

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Oct 18, 2024

Autodromo’s Bradley Price Lives the Brand

At their best, watches should tell a story, and we don’t think it’s too much to ask for a bit of soul, romance, and authenticity with that story. When it comes to Autodromo’s line of attainably-priced, motorsports-inspired watches, everything is a direct extension of founder and designer Bradley Price’s own story and passion for car culture and motorsports. It’s a passion he truly lives, and one that lured him away from a successful career in industrial design to the watch world. In a category that’s overflowing with pretenders trading on aesthetics, the motorsports authenticity and creativity Autodromo infuses their watches with isn’t just refreshing – it’s rare.   We’ve covered Autodromo many times over their 13 year journey as a brand and we’ve even collaborated on several limited edition releases with them, so it should come as no surprise that we’re big fans of Price’s work and always interested in Autodromo’s latest and greatest. Their most recent release drives home the brand’s authentic approach in a major way: An official limited edition Prototipo chronograph that celebrates Lime Rock Park, one of the most storied and important motor racing circuits in the country and Price’s adopted home track. When we met up with Price at the 42nd Annual Lime Rock Historic Festival to get our hands on the new Lime Rock Park Edition Prototipo, he was quite literally delivering watches to clients out the trunk of the mint 1960s “K-code” Ford M...

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Oris Debuts Oct 18, 2024

Oris Debuts the New Divers Date

Oris is reaching a huge milestone, and that’s the 60th anniversary of their renowned Divers Sixty-Five, a watch collection that’s always been imbued in 1960’s nostalgia. Today they’re updating the Divers Date, a collection that on first glance may look quite familiar to you, but upon closer inspection reveals an entirely new concept.  Apart from the obvious changes such as the new dial options, which have now moved from the previous more outgoing array, to what can now be perceived as a more subdued industrial chic black, blue, and beige – the watch has gone through a substantial technical upgrade in both its aesthetic and its functionality. Oris has always catered to a loyal base of watch enthusiasts, ensuring they only produce high value mechanical watches with meaningful heritage behind them. The new Divers Date really follows along this line of thinking, but augments the owners experience with this new release. Some of the notable aesthetic changes include a slight thickening and increased weight to the case, to create a touch more presence and more compact feeling on the wrist, as explained by their designer Lukas Bühlmann. The side profile of the case has also been reshaped, giving it a more mature and substantial style. The most impressive material upgrade has to be the new ceramic bezel insert, which was previously aluminum. This was a much-anticipated upgrade for the collection, seeing that most other watch brands have moved to ceramic in the past few...

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Oct 18, 2024

Paulin Introduces the new Modul D and E

While it’s probably apocryphal, Pablo Picasso was once quoted as saying, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” I was reminded of this quote when I was introduced to the new watches from Paulin, the Modul D and E. Like its predecessors, the Modul line-up has a way of being at once playful, but owning a distinctive style that can only come from years of expertise to know when and where to break the rules. Let’s start with some specifics of these watches, shall we? For both Moduls, customers get the option of two case sizes and three movements for a total of six combinations available. For the 35mm case, you have the choice of either a quartz (ETA 955.112)  or manual (ETA 7001) movement, while the 39mm option is equipped with a La Joux Perret automatic movement.  By the way, if you’re worried the 35mm might be too small – don’t be. The tonneau-shaped case has a deceptively large presence on the wrist, making it a perfect unisex size. In terms of colorways, the Modul D and E are a bit more subdued than other models in the line. Focusing on monochromatic dials, these models use the indices and hands for pops of color. The Modul D is a black-dialed watch with a blue hour hand, a white minute hand, and yellow indices, while Modul E is a nice contrast of a white dial, offset with blue and orange. Each reference is tonally offset against the stainless steel case. While these iterations of the Modul line may not be as flashy as previous ...

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Atelier Wen Perception Mù If there’s Oct 17, 2024

Hands-On: the Atelier Wen Perception Mù

If there’s a single area of the watch world that feels truly exciting and vibrant right now, it’s the small, approachable, independent brands. I like to call them “micro-indies,” because they take elements of what made the microbrand boom so fruitful to many (direct to consumer sales, lots of creativity) and match it up with real watchmaking craft in ways you might not expect. When I got into this hobby years ago, it was common to hear various voices on the watch forums telling you that finding “real” guilloche under five figures is straight up impossible. But new brands, and new ideas, allow for all kinds of new possibilities. Atelier Wen’s Perception integrated bracelet sports watch has become an enthusiast favorite since its inception thanks to their impressive guilloche dials made by a self-taught master of his craft, all at a cost under $4,000. Atelier Wen achieves this, in large part, by embracing Chinese manufacturing, something other brands that approach this segment run away from. But that’s the beauty of the micro-indie landscape: when you rethink how to solve common watchmaking problems, you wind up with uncommon watches that are truly unique.  Atelier Wen has launched their latest Perception, the Millesime 2024 Perception “Mù” at an unusual time in the brand’s history. There is more attention on watches of this ilk than ever before, and frankly it feels like there are parts of the community that are looking to shoot holes in the story At...

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