Watches, Stories & Gear: A DOXA For A Good Cause, A Secret Soviet Naval Craft, and More

“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.

Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing our Managing Editor at [email protected]

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

Make A Donation To Big Brothers Big Sisters Of America For A Chance To Win A DOXA

Analog Shift has teamed up with watch collector Greg Impellizzeri to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sister Of America by raffling his own Limited Edition DOXA Mission 31 Professional. You can make a donation through Britesiders right here from now through August 31st. Your donation will automatically enter you to the raffle, which will randomly select an entrant to win the Limited Edition DOXA Mission 31 Professional regardless of the size of your donation. This watch is a limited edition of 331 built to honor (and to be used on) Fabian Cousteau’s Mission 31. This exact watch was formerly owned by the man, the myth, the legend, Jason Heaton, and now you’ll have a shot at owning this incredible dive watch. 

They’ve got a goal of raising $5,000 for BBBS and they’ll need your help to get there. Please take a few moments and make your donation right here.

Connected: the Hidden Science of Everything

Science buffs have a new and very binge worthy show to watch on Netflix. Connected: the Hidden Science of Everything, looks at the many surprising ways human beings and the natural world are tied together by focusing on a variety of disparate topics, all through the eyes of science journalist Latif Nasser. For example, in the first episode, which is all about the idea of surveillance, he connects scientists studying the migratory patterns of birds with facial recognition technology as applied to livestock, and the way Big Data collects seemingly innocuous information about all of us through social media use, dating apps, and our general presence on the world wide web. It’s a wild ride. It’s also thought provoking, a little terrifying (in a fun way), and the production values are excellent; in our current climate of lockdown, it’s a pleasure to see someone travel the world, in beautifully composed remote segments, asking interesting questions about the way we all live. 

Nasser’s voice will be familiar to many podcast fans – he’s been a contributor to Radiolab for years. He’s particularly good at making big scientific topics feel accessible and vital for the layperson who doesn’t have an advanced degree. Netflix has a long history of producing great documentary content, and this is some of the best we’ve seen recently.

Architecture in Abstract, A Quiz

Even if you’re not a fan of abstract architecture, this quiz from the New York Times Travel desk is an entertaining lunch break diversion. In a series of 16 photographs of well known and iconic buildings, you’re asked to identify the city where each is located. The catch is that the images are taken from unusual angles, and the entire building is rarely seen in one shot. It highlights just how unusual and dramatic these architectural creations are, and forces you to see some you might be very familiar with in a new light. Also, it’s a quiz, so challenge your coworkers, friends, or family members to score better than you after taking it. And then think about which ones you might want to see in person, once we all have an opportunity to move about the world again.

Illicit Photos From Inside The Soviet Ekranoplan

When you leave the world’s only nuclear-capable, ground-effect vehicle to be guarded by a single, sleepy security officer, you’re bound to attract a few unwelcome visitors. That’s exactly what happened with the Lun-class ekranoplan, a decommissioned Soviet-era naval vessel was left off shore. The move caught the eye of Russian urban explorer Lana Sator, who, with the help of a friend, snuck aboard the vessel and managed to snap pictures of the interior of this rarely seen behemoth, which was built and operated until top secret classification. 

Don’t miss the full story and the incredible pictures right here and a big shout out to our friend Felix Sholz for the line on this story. Go check out Felix and Andy Green’s OT: The Podcast right here.

From The Archives: Jon Gaffney Spends A Year With The Unimatic U1

Jon Gaffney reports on the Unimatic U1 after a year of ownership, giving his take on this stylish brute of a tool watch with some perspective on real world use. This is an authentic look at life with the Unimatic and one that’s not to be missed you’re looking to add one to your collection. Catch the full review right here.

Header image credit: Lana Sator