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KommandoStore Elektronika 55B Review: An Affordable Watch Unlike Anything Casio Makes
For a while, my interest in Soviet watches revolved almost entirely around mechanical pieces and the enthusiasm Kaz had for them during the earlier days of TBWS. Every watch came with questions about where it had been, whether the dial had been refinished sometime over the last forty years, or if the movement inside was even the one it left the factory with. Hunting them down was half the hobby.
One of the Best Affordable Microbrands Just Refreshed Their Entire Watch Collection
I still remember meeting with Lauren and Lorenzo Ortega from Lorier watches a while back, at one of the very first Windup Watch Fair events TBWS went to. Kaz and I were amazed at the fact that such a small team could command an immense level of enthusiasm in the affordable watch collecting space. Historically, Lorier has offered some of the best reinterpretations of iconic watch designs at prices that are approachable for both new and seasoned collectors. This week, Worn and Wound announced that they would acquire Lorier. As one of the premier watch media publications in the industry, it’s an interesting move and one that I’m excited to see.
Christopher Ward Twelve Pic’n’Mix: A Titanium Automatic Watch in Six Flavors
Christopher Ward has spent the past year treating its own catalog like a sketchbook. The Bel Canto keeps mutating, the Twelve has been stretched and skeletonized and shrunk, and the brand seems comfortable letting its bestsellers absorb ideas that would have felt out of character a few years ago. Not everything has landed for me. Almost all of it has been well built, which is the harder half of the equation, and the newest entry shows up in six flavors as the Twelve (Ti) Pic’n’Mix.
Citizen Brings the Time Slip Dial to the Affordable Automatic Tsuyosa Shore
Last July, Citizen released a limited edition 37mm Tsuyosa with a smoked gradient dial and rose gold accents, and the enthusiast crowd christened it the “Time Slip.” It sold on vibe more than spec, and the pieces went out the door on the strength of a dial that looked considerably more expensive than the asking price. Citizen clearly took notes. A year later the same idea is back, bolted onto the sportier chassis the brand introduced in February. It’s the the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore limited edition, reference NJ0238-57E.
Hamilton Khaki Field Power Reserve: An Iconic Military Watch In Blue And Green
Back in September I spent some time working through whether Hamilton had gotten a little too chatty with the dial on its newest field watch. The complication itself made complete sense. The “Power Reserve 80 Hours” text sitting at six o’clock was the part I couldn’t settle on, since it felt like Hamilton explaining a joke it had already told well. The brand has since doubled the lineup, and that text now shows up on two more dials.
