Watches, Stories, and Gear: Seiko’s Grammar of Design, War Graffiti, and More

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

This week’s installment is brought to you by The Worn & Wound Shop.

Watches

“The Art of Time: Taro Tanaka and Seiko’s ‘Grammar of Design’”

“Taro Tanaka is in too many ways an unsung hero of the watch world. We’re fond of chronicling the history of Seiko here at Worn & Wound, especially its stunning rise through the industry ranks from the early ‘60s to late ‘70s. Most of the time, this incredible growth is attributed to the brand’s innovation—the development of the iconic cal. 6139 chronograph movement, their successes in producing chronometer calibers, or the explosion of their diver line with models like the 6105, just to name a few. That’s certainly a fair argument to make and many certainly do, but to overlook the contributions of their designers would be to overlook half the story. That half—the artistic side—rests on the shoulders of Taro Tanaka.”

Click here to read more.

“Introducing SEMPER & ADHUC, a Young French Brand Making Old New Again”

“When someone like Colin de Tonnac from Bordeaux, France blips onto the horological radar screen we so carefully monitor, we all sit up a little straighter and zoom in for a closer look. With his new company SEMPER & ADHUC, Monsieur de Tonnac is bound to raise far more noise than a blip as he gives new life to vintage wristwatch movements by setting them behind charming new dials and into lovely new cases.”

Click here to read more.

Stories

The New York Times; “The History Behind the Graffiti of War”

“About 5,000 years ago, someone decided to paint a battle scene between archers in a cave in Spain — perhaps one of the first instances of what we’d call “war graffiti” today. That person was probably an early grunt who had just finished griping that the chow was bad and that he’d had to march too far that day. Because as long as there has been war, there have been soldiers leaving behind their doodles, names or other markings for historians to muse on why they did so.”

Click here to read more.

The Ringer; “For One Last Night, Make It a Blockbuster Night”

“Everything is 10 years behind in Alaska—including the way people see movies. In three stores across the coldest state in the union, Blockbuster captured the imagination of its residents long after the company ceased operations around the rest of the country. But now, the late fees are finally coming due, and the end of the Blockbuster era is upon us.”

Click here to read more.

Gear

Nomos Magnifying Glass

Not just a pretty accessory, the Nomos Magnifying Glass is actually a solid little loupe, made with German maple and lenses from Präzisionsoptik Gera GmbH.

$105—Shop here

New Balance 247 Luxe Suede Knit Mesh Sneaker in Beige

Deconstructred and lightweight, these are great kicks for those long summer walks.

$69—Shop here