Welcome back to our regular weekend feature, Watching the Web. In this series, we take a look back at interesting articles from across the wider web of watch sites, as well as highlighting some of the most read articles from our own sites. From our friends in the world of watch writing, we have new of an American brand creating their own (American-made) movement, a hands-on review of a watch that we previewed this week, and another hands-on article that focuses on new watches created by a former watch modder. From our own pages, we have a trio of hands-on articles, and a bonus one that covers some hot EDC gear.
American-made watches are getting a lot of attention as of late, mostly due to the (not-so-great) coverage that Shinola has been getting (which Matt talked about last week LINK). A lot of it is boiling down to the line between assembled from foreign-sourced parts, and assembled from locally-sourced parts. The article over on Gear Patrol does not get into a lot of the details, but I think it’s safe to say that they (and we) are excited by this news coming from Weiss. This is a completely new in-house (as labeled by the brand) caliber, and more details will be forthcoming on July 4th, when the details of the watch containing this new movement are released (here’s my look at the original).
Another American brand that we like to talk about (or at least, I do) is MKII. Depending on who is talking about them, they’re either an indie or a boutique brand. All I know is that I rather like what they make (as shown in my review of the MKII Paradive), and it was with great interest that I saw the news of their rather affordable Hawkinge. While we covered the new release, our pals over at Worn and Wound were able to go hands-on with the made-in-Japan watch. You read my thoughts on the watch, now see what some hands-on impressions resulted in.
Also from Worn & Wound, we have another hands-on review, this time of a new watch (and brand), the Orion 1. Why care about another brand? Well, the guy behind the brand, Nick Harris, has made quite a name for himself in the world of Seiko watch mods. The new Orion 1 sticks close to those roots (with a Seiko NH35 movement powering things), but it definitely makes the case for the Orion 1 being more than just another mod. This looks like a solid watch on it’s own right, and Zach has a solid run-down of what he thought worked well (and what didn’t).
Turning the attention back to our own pages, we have a trio of hands-on reviews, as I mentioned at the outset. The oldest one to hit the top of the charts is Ken’s take on the Torgoen T32 automatic from back in May. Not that long ago, I suppose, but it can still be a surprise when these pop back up to the lead for a particular week. If somehow you missed the review of this tidy three-hander, you can check it out here.
Next up, we have the Manchester Watch Works Morgan Chronograph, which I am really surprised did not hit the top of the charts last week. No mind, it hit it this week, so there we go. While I personally am not a fan of chronographs (or this case style, particularly), I still found a good bit to like about this new vintage racing chronograph. I must not be the only one, either, as the project is very much over-funded, and still has some time to go yet.
Last, but certainly not least, from our hands-on reviews was my look at some items from the new Crown & Buckle Black Label collection. Crown & Buckle has always been a great resource for inexpensive straps, particularly those of the nylon variety – which many are likely thinking of for the summer weather. What happens when a value-oriented brand turns their attention to more luxurious wares? Decidedly upmarket wares (as compared to their prior offerings) will still maintaining a very good value for the money (especially when compared to the broader leather strap aftermarket). In the review you can see two different styles of straps, as well as a watch pouch that they have on offer.
Should you prefer a broader look at things of a sort that you might find in your pockets (or on your wrists, not necessarily watches) – also known as Every Day Carry – then our friends over at EveryDayCarry certainly have you covered. The other week we had a run-down of their top gear of May, as measured by activity on the various items that they wrote about, and others posted about in their pocket dump photos. It’s a great mix, and in my overview, I focused in on some items that I found appealing, as well as one that I was rather surprised to see show up, due to it being panned upon the initial release.
As you might be aware (or could likely guess), we here at WWR are driven to write about what we like and find appealing in the world of watches (and accessories). While those often would align with what you might like, dear reader, we are cognizant of the fact that we could be overlooking something that we could be covering, or otherwise be doing differently. While you can always drop us a line, we’re also looking to pull together an aggregate view of what our readers like (or not). If you want to make your voice heard, head on over to our survey and let us know.
Did you know that John Biggs’ book, Marie Antionette’s Watch, is free to read with Kindle Unlimited, or you can buy a paperback from Amazon. Oh, and even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can always read via their free apps or their cloud read (check those out here
). You can even check out a snippet of the book.
Want to be more than just a visitor to our little corner of the internet? How about pledging some support for us over on Patreon. There are some compelling funding levels (including site redesigns and removing ads, and getting a copy of the Marie Antoinette book), but really, we just want to ensure we keep this lean ship running and the lights on. You can check out John’s latest post right here. This is a fun thing we get to do on the side, and we want to keep bringing you the content that you have come to rely on from us, and work to make it even better.
We are almost done with June, so you are running out of time to get in on the June give away of a Ballast Trafalgar. As per usual, there is a two-part entry process, so follow the directions and enter for a chance at this vintage military themed watch. If you want to know more about it, check out Patrick’s review.
We also want to put the call out for wrist shots of our reader’s favorite (or at least favorite of the moment) watches. Put together an email of your wrist shot and tell us a little about the watch and why you love it. If you happened to be introduced to it through our site (or won it through a give-away), even better. Just make sure the image is a JPEG and at least 800 pixels wide. And as always, if there’s something you think we should be covering, feel free to drop us a line. If you bring something up that we end up writing about, we’ll be sure to tip our hats (electronically, if not literally) in your general direction.
