FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Worn & Wound 10th anniversary party and zero gravity Zenith
Zach BlassHey there Time+Tide readers,
This is Ricardo and I’m going to hijack Zach’s Friday Wind Down to broadcast this urgent message.
WATCH MEETUPS ARE BACK BABY!
This past week, the pandemic stars aligned and I was able to safely attend the release party for Worn and Wound’s 10-year anniversary piece; a Seiko 5 pilot watch. The watch, inspired by the Seiko 5 designs of yesteryear, features a dual-toned and dual-textured dial that gives it a very unique but approachable look.
Definitely a home run in my book but really, at the end of the night, the watches played second fiddle to what I considered the best part of the event. Being able to stand in a room, with a few dozen people as we all enjoyed each other’s company. The libations, the wrist checks, the ability to fully understand what someone is saying; all without the cloud of COVID hanging over our heads. If this is the first step to a bit of normalcy after two years of anything but, I am all for it.
And just when it seemed my watch-loving heart couldn’t take anymore, a few of us got together for some late-night eats. Imagine a table full of amazing watches, all strewn out like a family style dinner. Mings, Omegas and a couple of Vacherons. Then add cool lighting, watch talk and conversations about life to create the perfect ending to a long but extremely satisfying night. Here’s to a year full of more experiences like this for us all.
Now back to Zach for your regularly scheduled programming. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
– Ricardo
Watch meme of the week: @nycwatchguy 🔥 Vladimir Putin
Most people who see my watches are quite stunned by their condition, believing I either rarely wear them or that I baby them. Those who know me, however, know I rotate and wear all of my watches and I am not afraid to have one strapped on my wrist while taking a dip in the ocean or hitting strokes on the tennis court. I do, however, take steps to make sure I treat my watches well – cleaning them immediately after I take them off without fail. But one thing I never do is take off my watches while sitting at my laptop or desk. Whether consciously or subconsciously, I am able to not completely scuff my buckle or bracelet when my watch is on my wrist. Vladimir Putin, though, even with all of his bravado, may be too afraid to get scratches on his watch buckles as @nycwatchguy jests above. Unfortunately the idea of preservation in regard to investment prevents some from fully enjoying their timepieces, but I doubt Putin is all too concerned with the resale value of his pieces.
Wrist shot of the week: Zero-gravity Zenith
Wristwatches and their relationship with outer space stir up a strong emotional response. The idea you can wear a watch that has literally gone out of this world is wildly appealing. While not quite outer space, the Zenith team took what appears to be an incredibly fun voyage high in the sky to experience weightlessness. AirZeroG by Novespace is the only zero-g operator in Europe, with over 30 years of experience in zero gravity flights.
Through a parabolic trajectory, and skilled maneuvering, passengers are able to experience zero gravity on earth. But with Zenith, not only did employees of the brand get to experience such a thrill – of course the watches went along for the ride as well. I think its far to say nobody can top this for wrist shot of the week, it is definitely not your everyday wrist roll.
Time+Tide Weekend Watch Crossword #1 answers and winner of the “mystery prize”
When we came up with the idea of hosting a weekly horological-themed crossword, we suspected it would be a hit with our readers and the watch community at-large. But by being the first to try something, there was no precedent for how it would go over. We were very glad to see we were right, and we thank everyone who participated in our inaugural crossword. In particular, we are very grateful for those who took the time to share their appreciation of our efforts on social media – which leads us to our next order of business. We randomly selected ten finalists, which we shared on our Instagram Stories yesterday. However, only one can take home the “mystery prize” for this week. So, without further ado, the randomly selected winner of this weeks prize goes to none other than Brad, a.k.a @cbradleytucker. We are glad to see a weekly regular of our formerly weekly Time+Tide Breakfast Club Clubhouse room take home the “mystery prize”, Brad keep an eye out for a DM from us on how to claim your prize!
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:
Has Baume & Mercier dropped the most interesting dial of the year so far?
A black dial is not necessarily eye-grabbing on paper, but the new Baume & Mercier Hampton “Hommage à Pierre Soulages” Limited Edition, with its nuance and texture inspired by a coveted abstract artwork, is definitely turning heads – which begs the question: has Baume & Mercier dropped the most interesting dial of the year so far. Find out Zach’s thoughts here.
HANDS-ON: The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface
We went hands-on with a very cool complete calendar from Vacheron Constantin, a sequel of sorts to the Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar. It leverages the same openworked dial format – bringing a very modern aesthetic to a rather tradition-oriented collection. Watch the video review above, or you can read the written hands-on review here.
Want a brand new Rolex GMT Master II “Batman” for $25? This charity raffle offers that chance…
Charitable organisation Toys for Hospitalized Children is hosting a raffle to raise funds and awareness for their mission to bring happiness to sick children, and the grand prize to the lucky winner: a Rolex Batman GMT Master II. Learn how to purchase your raffle ticket, starting at $25 USD, by clicking here.