Watches, Stories, and Gear: A New Film From Wes Anderson, Spying on Spies, and a Wintry Weekend on Hokkaido Island

“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
Watchmaker’s Bench: Are All Chronographs Created Equal?

This week we brought back “Watchmaker’s Bench,” a favorite old-school Worn & Wound series, so we thought we’d go back in time this week and highlight this early column from watchmaker Ashton Tracy that covers the key differences between integrated and modular chronographs. As Ashton explains in the column, both types of chronos have their pros and cons. Even if you already know the fundamental differences between the two, hearing it from a watchmaker’s perspective is incredibly valuable.

Read it here

YouTube
The French Dispatch Trailer

Wes Anderson’s first live action film since the nine time Oscar nominated Grand Budapest Hotel arrives later this year, and the first trailer hit the internet this week. It’s always hard to tell from a single preview, but The French Dispatch seems to lean in to the Anderson style that he’s cultivated over the years, which is likely exciting if you’re a fan of his work. This one has a typically outstanding cast, filled with Anderson veterans, and a handful of newcomers. The French Dispatch hits theaters in July, and you can bet we’ll be on the lookout for some vintage watch spotting as soon as we can.

The Washington Post
“The Intelligence Coup of the Century”

We all know that the CIA and other security agencies use complex communication systems to encrypt secure messages. But have you ever thought about how those systems came to be? And what if the company that built them and did the same for similar agencies in other countries was actually secretly owned by the CIA? This Washington Post story is equal parts gripping, anger inducing, and simply fascinating. It reads like a real life spy novel.

Read it here

The New York Times
36 Hours in Niseko

Japan’s Hokkaido Island, in the northernmost reaches of the country, is a popular winter sports destination, and this bit of travel journalism in the New York Times is a great summary of how to get the most out of a short stay at Niseko, a popular ski resort. Whether you’re planning a trip to Japan or not, this piece does what the best travel writing is supposed to do: make you want to get away, and keep you awe struck with some truly amazing photography.

Read it here

RovyVon
700 Lumens Flashlight

Flashlights, like watches, are one of those tools that exists within a wide strata. Yes, you can buy a basic one for a few bucks almost anywhere, and it will get the job done well enough, in most cases. But you can spend a little more, and you’ll find that when good design and newer tech comes into play, it can turn a common tool into an indispensable item. This 700 lumens flashlight from RovyVon is not only a high intensity flashlight, but features a “side light ” designed for reading, and multiple UV light settings, all in a small form factor that can clip to your clothing, perfect for everyday carry.

Shop RovyVon here

Craighill
Closed Helix Keyring 

Maybe, someday, in the distant future, we’ll advance to the point where carrying around a bunch of metal keys in your pocket all day is no longer necessary. But until retina scans open everything that’s locked, we have to figure out a way to manage these primitive little tools. This keyring from Craighill is a simple but elegant twist on the traditional keyring, that uses a closed helix design with a knurled cap on one end. Simply unscrew the cap, slide your keys on to the wire, and screw the cap back on. Anyone who has ever struggled in vain to pry apart the sides of a normal keyring to fit odd sized keys will appreciate the design benefit here.

Shop Craighill here