Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Big Reveal from Rivian, Voyager 1 Goes Dark, and a Dune Primer

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear.

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Voyager 1 May Have Gone Dark 

The New York Times reports this week that Voyager 1, the first spacecraft to leave our solar system and venture into interstellar space, may have gone dark. It had a good run: Voyager 1 was launched 46 years ago, and captured scientifically important images of Jupiter and Saturn, and famously turned its camera back home to snap the famous “pale blue dot” image of earth. As Voyager 1 left the gravitational pull of the sun, it continued to send data back to NASA, but that stopped sometime in November of last year, and it seems increasingly likely that the probe is simply adrift in space, capping decades of important research. The sheer distance Voyager 1 has traveled (and will continue to travel, whether it’s transmitting data or not) is simply mind blowing, and the longevity of the mission leaves an emotional void among those who care about this kind of research just as much as a scientific one. 

A Highly Anticipated New Lens from Sony

According to a recent post on sonyalpharumors.com, a new first of its kind lens will soon be making its debut. The rumored 24-70mm f/2.0 lens full frame E-mount lens will be a full 4mm wider than the comparable Canon lens, and would give photographers a ton of flexibility to shoot ultra wide landscapes and intimate portraits with a single piece of glass. If the rumor holds, it’s possible this lens will be the first in a series of new ultra fast zoom and prime lenses from Sony. What’s perhaps most enticing about this new lens is the size. Again, if the rumor holds, it would be comparable in size and weight to the 28-70mm Canon but not place too much of an extra burden on the photographer in terms of weight. 

A Guide to Dune: Part Two

Dune mania has fully enveloped the nation. The second installment of the sci-fi epic is at the center of popular culture, and has otherwise normal people obsessing over spice, the water of life, and the sound those ornithopters make in a good IMAX theater. In some ways, Dune is an unlikely hit: the source material is dense, heavy science-fiction, the kind that always embraced its niche appeal and never sought a super wide audience. With that in mind, this piece in Slate, in which a Dune expert and superfan explains some of the finer points of the series’s strange world in layman’s terms. Consider it a Dune primer, or a sampler of what to expect if you just want to dive into the films without any prior knowledge of Arrakis, sandworms, or the Bene Gesserit.

Rivian Reveals Entry Level Electric SUVs

Rivian surprised many this week when it revealed smaller R3 and R3X SUVs, meant to represent the entry level of the electric carmaker’s stable of vehicles. They share a platform with the R2, but have a shorter wheelbase by about five inches. Given that they’re built on the R2 platform, it’s likely the R3 will have a range of about 300 miles and be able to charge to 80% from 10% in under half an hour. The R3X is expected to have a tri-motor powertrain and serve as a more robust counterpart to the R3. There’s no official announcement on when these will hit the market, but speculation is pointing toward the 2027 model year. Read more at Car and Driver here.

The Verge Reviews the New M3 MacBook Airs

Somehow, over the last few years, the MacBook Air has become almost ubiquitous. If you find yourself in airport lounges, coffee shops, or anywhere else that people are likely to be getting work done in public, you’re almost certain to see a spectrum of MacBooks spread across tables and counters. They just seem to get better and better with each new version, and now The Verge has a look at the latest releases featuring Apple’s M3 chips. This release includes both 13 and 15 inch models, and while they admittedly stretch the “air” designation (they’re not much thinner or lighter than some MacBook Pro models) there’s a simplicity and elegance to the design that is tough to beat (the wedge design is history). Of course, they’ve got performance to match, and the review linked here provides a good overview of what to expect. 

A Collected Man Dives into Movement Finishing 

We’ve said it before in these pages, and we’ll say it again: when it comes to pre-owned watch resources, there are few websites that are better to browse aimlessly than A Collected Man. Not only is the curation of watches for sale always on point (they seem to have only the best examples of the rarest watches) but they produce enlightening articles that really cater to watch nerds, whether you can afford to buy from A Collected Man or not. This recent piece on movement finishing is just a joy to look through, with some incredible photography and detailed explanations on just about every type of movement finishing you can imagine. It’s one of those topics that is discussed so often at a high level we almost never think too much about it, but this piece will have you looking at your own movements in a whole new way. 

Patagonia’s Black Hole Pack: On Sale 

If you’re looking for a solid day pack at a great price, Patagonia currently has their 25L Black Hole Pack on sale for 50% off the list price. It has all the features you’d expect, including a laptop compartment, a large and easy to access front stash pocket, and a back panel that acts as a pass through for rolling luggage. Head over to Patagonia’s website to place an order before they’re out of stock.