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 m ..read more

Snoopy and the rest of Charles Schulz’s iconic Peanuts characters have graced newspaper pages since 1950 and for nearly as long, the gang has partnered with Timex to create special edition watch collaborations. Together they bring a playfulness to the wrist like few brands can. Whether you grew up reading the Sunday funnies or watching the holiday-themed specials, their collaborative collection is nostalgic, cheerful, and beloved by casual wearers and knowledgeable collectors alike. The first Timex x Peanuts watches were originally introduced in 1969, and everyone’s favorite characters have ..read more

Before I hop into the watches in “Challengers” and how they play into the movie, I want to establish an important fact about me — I am not a sports fan, much less a tennis fan. However, this movie wasn’t really about tennis, was it?  This is more a movie about the loss of innocence to the nature of competition. Now that is something I can understand, and I’d wager you can too. Many of us are pushed to be competitive from a young age. Whether it be through sports, academics, the competition over jobs, success in the arts, or even in love, the spirit of competition is implanted early, and ..read more

The Time to Watches show in Geneva, which runs at the same as Watches & Wonders but is not affiliated with that show in any way, offers a very different experience than what we found in Palexpo. It’s smaller, for sure, but also much more easygoing, less hectic, and calmer in every way. Much of that comes down to the brands that exhibit at Time to Watches, which tend to be small, enthusiast focused, and largely more affordable than the high end luxury brands on the other side of town.  The show, in fact, is so relaxed that meetings are barely required. On the day we attended, you cou ..read more

One of my favorite Watches & Wonders experiences these past few years was the brief time I got to spend with the Moser Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon. All tourbillons are special, of course, but this one is especially unique and I found it to be genuinely kind of awe inspiring in person. As the name of the watch implies, the cylindrical hairspring wraps around the balance spindle vertically, giving what is already a fairly dramatic watch an even more profound sense of depth. It’s a particularly challenging watchmaking feat to pull off, but pays dividends, according to Moser, in reducing f ..read more

“War, war never changes.” An opening line that many Fallout fans will remember and a chilling comment about the nature of humanity. Based some 200 years in the future, the Fallout universe offers a striking look at what could become, if a nuclear apocalypse were to occur. Filled with witty one-liners, brutal imagery, and a splash of romance, Fallout has come to life in a live-action interpretation available to stream now on Amazon Prime. Based on the original video games, the new series features a unique perspective on “Vault Dweller” life and offers new lore about the beginning of the end. I ..read more

It’s time for a good old fashioned EDC-themed Chronicle, and we’ve gathered what we consider some of the most essential – and practical – gear you can pick up. They say variety is the spice of life, and there’s plenty of flavor here, from knives to pouches to pens, and more. Without further ado, here are five must-have EDC items to help you stay prepared for anything life may throw at you. As always, the Windup Watch Shop Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. It’s time for a good old fashioned EDC-themed Chronicle, and we’ve gathered what we consider some ..read more

There’s something undeniably satisfying about a big gold sports watch. I think their appeal is rooted in the idea that they don’t really make too much sense. A sports watch, in theory, is something that should be built to take some abuse, if not in sport, than in the average day to day life of a normal human being. They should, effectively, disappear. Making a sports watch out of a solid block of gold turns this idea on its head. Gold, of course, is anything but under the radar. It’s noticeable from across a room, in fact. Further if it’s immaculately finished in a way that brings its shine a ..read more

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 ..read more

If a tide pool at a waterpark represented the world of micro/independent watches, some brands would be the kids who sit at the edge, waiting for a wave to bowl them over, others would be the dad that overcompensates by proving he can swim all the way out to the source only before losing his trunks, and then there’s Zelos…the person who showed up in their custom Speedo and polarized purple goggles doing laps around the perimeter. If you want a quality diver, finished brilliantly, made with interesting materials, eye-popping dials, all for around $500, Zelos has you covered. However, there is a ..read more