Watches, Stories, and Gear: Chasing an Asteroid to Deep Space, the Art of Scientific Glass Blowing, and Watch Shopping with J.B. Smoove

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of some of our favorite watch content on Worn & Wound, great stories from around the web, and cool gear that we’ve got our eye on.

This installment of “Watches, Stories, and Gear” is brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop.

Worn & Wound
Affordable Vintage: 1969 Bulova Accutron Deep Sea

This week saw news of Bulova’s re-issue of their classic Chronograph A, so we thought we’d share this piece from the archives that takes a look at Bulova’s classic Deep Sea. With the Chronograph A getting a second look, and the Devil Diver getting the reissue treatment last year, could the Deep Sea be next? Take a read through this look at the Accutron tuning-fork powered watch and let us know if you think this deserves a modern update.

Read it here

Wired
Should Earthlings Chase ‘Oumuamua’ into Space?

Some readers may remember a viral news story from the fall of 2017 that detailed the discovery of an interstellar object in our solar system, the first of its kind. There was, of course, speculation from the fringes that it was an alien probe or ship, but naturally science has confirmed that the object, dubbed ‘Oumuamua,’ is actually just an asteroid that originated in another far off solar system, finding its way into our gravitational pull. This story in Wired explores the possibility of following Oumuamua as it retreats further and further away from us, in a mission that would take man made spacecraft a greater distance from Earth than even Voyager 1. It could be one of the most significant space missions ever attempted, but it also kind of sounds like the beginning of the Alien storyline. Either way, the piece linked below is a fun read. 

Read it here

The Verge
The Art and Craft of Scientific Glassblowing

When you think of glassblowing (I know, you’re thinking of it constantly) you probably think of the artisanal practice of making decorative glass, an art that has largely been lost to time and modern manufacturing techniques. But this Verge story shines a light on a specialty niche in the glassblowing world that produces glass products for the scientific community. It’s highly specialized, takes years to learn, and takes a level of skill that those of us who enjoy finely made mechanical machines for the wrist will likely appreciate.

Read it here

The New York Times
For Me, Rewatching ‘Contagion’ Was Fun, Until it Wasn’t

For movie fans, one of the most thrilling moments you can have with a film is when art and life intersect. We’re all dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak in different ways, and it appears that many of us are returning to Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 hit Contagion as a way to gauge what the worst case scenario might look like (it’s been near the top of the iTunes movie charts all week). Wesley Morris re-watched the film recently and wrote about the strange pleasure of letting a master filmmaker play on your nerves, and the validation of feeling like you’re not paranoid about that handrail on the subway, after all.

Read it here

The New York Times
J.B. Smoove of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Shops the Diamond District

If the coronavirus and the news of this last week has you down, and you’re not among those for whom re-watching Contagion at this strange time in our history is even a little bit appealing, here’s a story on the opposite end of the anxiety-inducing spectrum. It turns out J.B. Smoove, best known for his work on Curb Your Enthusiasm is a pretty serious watch guy. Alex Williams of the New York Times spent some time with Smoove in New York’s diamond district, where his affection for finely made pocket watches became immediately apparent. 

Read it here

J. Crew
Vans x J. Crew Old Skool Sneakers

Spring is finally right around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about trading in the bulky boots you’ve been wearing all winter for something lighter, more casual, and maybe a bit more colorful. These Vans are exclusive to J. Crew and currently on sale. They have a vintage vibe and are made from suede and corduroy, making for a sneaker with plenty of interesting textures. With a range of blue tones, they definitely strike a Spring-like vibe.

Shop Vans x J.Crew here