It is always rewarding when brands reach out to us, especially those that are putting out their first models on crowd funding sites. Recently CJR Watches did just that, hoping to showcase their new line of quartz and automatic bullhead chronographs, the CJR Watches Velocita.
The Kisai Link has gone from a stand-alone bracelet to a device integrated directly on watches from ToykoFlash.
Grovemade is a cool little company in Oregon that makes wood accessories for your Apple (and other) computers and iPhones. They make stands, cases, and skins, all designed to give your modern electronics a more earthy look. Now, they are branching into wearables, not with a skin or a strap for the iWatch, but with a fairly unique looking analog Grovemade Watch collection.
As our own pages attest, dive watches are a ridiculously popular category of watches. Sure, it is a matter of style preferences, but I think it also speaks to the fact that these watches are, by and large, very robust tools that can put up with a lot. Our friends over at EveryDayCarry must see the same thing, because they just put together a guide for seven affordable dive watches, all under $200.
It really is amazing the number of options we have these days when it comes to looking for straps to swap in on your favorite watches. While our thoughts most often turn to textile and nylon straps for the summer, leather is still a viable option. Of course, you may not want it to be a heavier strap (link to 74 watchstraps), given the warmer weather. Striking a nice balance between thinness and toughness, we have a few options in for review from Artisan Strap Co.
I do sometimes complain about the lack of real individuality in crowd funded watch projects, so when something unique comes across our Tips line, I want to cover it, even if it not something I could see myself wearing. The Thirsty Watch Co. Vintage Soda watch on Indiegogo is exactly that type of project. It is unique, it will probably appeal to a fair number of people, but it just isn’t for me. But that does not mean it is without merits.
When it comes to stylish and affordable watches, Christopher Ward is generally one of the names at the top of most people’s lists. Given how “new” the brand feels, it is almost a surprise to realize that they have been creating these watches for ten years now. On the occasion of that anniversary, they went back to their very first watch, and released some new colors of their current-version Christopher Ward Malvern.
There are a number of watch complications out there, and one that Patrick and I both really like is the GMT. With the Mercer Watch Company Wayfarer GMT, this new company is bringing this complication to market in their sophomore watchmaking effort. I wrote about the Brigadier automatic back in March, and it looks like that watch is getting in the hands of the backers, with a positive response. With that project in its final stages, Mercer is back on Kickstarter looking for funding for project #2.
As should be no surprise to readers of our site, Projects Watches creates watches that are driven first and foremost by design. These are not the watches you’ll see in the local mall that many will dismiss as “fashion” watches. No, these are watches that pull designers in from other industries and give things an interesting look. Until recently, I was not aware that they started collaborating with M&Co – a design shop of some reknown – back in 2005. Drawing on that relationship, Projects Watches is reintroducing the M&Co PIE Brass Watch.
Crowd funding a project can be hit or miss. There are a lot of watch projects out there, and it is tough (even for us folks who look at a lot of projects) to predict which ones will make it, and which ones won’t. I know of a few watches that I thought were sure fire hits that never made it, and others that I thought were just average that blew up (no names in the latter), and then even more that either deserve their success or obscurity. Lionstone has tried to launch a couple of times, and never quite hit the mark, in spite of what I think is a pretty intersting campaign. They are at it for one final go, with the Lionstone SuperSlim and Ceramic Watches, currently on Indiegogo.
