“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].
Header Image Via: Krink
Have you ever been sitting on your couch at home, watching your beloved cat (or another type of four-legged friend) do the things that they do, and wonder, what does the world look like through their eyes? Well, in the latest adventure game to come out from BlueTwelve Studio, you get a glimpse of what it’s like as the entire game is played through the eyes of a stray cat. The game is aptly entitled Stray. Before you judge the name, and the game, you’ll be surprised to know that Stray has already received surprisingly glowing reviews from those who have played and reviewed it. In the main plot, you’re a feline that gets transported into a subterranean world inhabited by robots. The goal is to navigate the robotic society to get back to the surface by using the simple set of skills that a cat possesses; running, jumping and meowing. Again, this may sound like a game you might not usually play, but there are elements of problem solving and exploring a new world that has all the makings of a proper adventure game in Stray. Check out the full review of Stray on The Verge here.
This past week, Apple has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit related to their “butterfly keyboard” that has caused issues for the company and users alike. Between 2015 and 2019, Apple installed the “butterfly keyboard” into their MacBooks and MacBook Pros. The idea behind this new tech was that each key had less to travel when pressed, which theoretically was supposed to lead towards a more efficient and streamlined looking keyboard. That was not the case as many MacBook users found themselves with a consistently malfunctioning keyboard (as I type this, I am using a 2014 MacBook Pro, phew). If you were one of those who were constantly plagued by the questionable tech, then you might be getting some cash coming your way. As a part of the settlement, Apple has agreed to payout $300 to those who have had their keyboard replaced multiple times, $125 to those who replaced their keyboard once and $50 to those who needed key cap replacements. This all sums up to a $50 million check that Apple has to write, which is valet tray change to the tech-behemoth valued at a mind-boggling 2.403 Trillion (yes, with a capital T) dollars.
For someone whose last film was released all the way back in 2015, Michael Mann has had what can only be described as an unusually busy year. He directed the pilot for “Tokyo Vice,” an HBO drama that deals with many themes familiar to Mann’s work. And his sequel to Heat, one of the most admired crime films ever made, drops in the form of a 500 page novel next month. Plus, he’s finally directing a new movie, an Adam Driver vehicle based on the life of Enzo Ferrari. That film, the aptly titled Ferrari, is filming now in Italy, and it’s also where Jonah Weiner of the New York Times caught up with Mann for this sprawling profile that covers all of the above and a whole lot more. This is a surprisingly revealing peek into Mann’s life as he discusses his childhood growing up in Chicago and meticulous work habits, all in the name of creating a sense of heightened realism for his large scale films. What’s most fascinating though is his process for writing Heat 2, his first novel. Mann worked from detailed notes he had been saving and developing for years on the background of his fictional Heat characters, and the level of detail is astounding, but not surprising if you’re familiar with his films. This one is a must read for Mann fans at any level.
To celebrate 150 years of having a brick and mortar storefront in the Big Smoke, the iconic jeweler Tiffany & Co. will be revealing several exclusive collaborative projects at the Vision & Virtuosity exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London. Among the exclusive goods is a set of markers that one of which has a very familiar hue of blue (hint: we’ve seen it on numerous watch dials over the past couple of years). Tiffany & Co. has enlisted the services of NYC-based paint maker, Krink, to create a set of markers that include a classic white, Krink’s signature silver and the aforementioned Tiffany blue. Feel the need to “Tiffany-up” a blank canvas, no problem. The bold few might even splash that robin-egg blue to customize a pair of sneaks, or dare I say, a watch dial? The markers will be sold exclusively at the Vision & Virtuosity exhibition which runs through August 19th.
eBay Finds: Vintage Zodiac Sea Wolf Automatic 20 ATM-Especially Wristwatch
The original Zodiac Sea Wolf dive watch is an absolute classic, and one that is truly getting very difficult to find in our experience. They came in both a black and a white dial, and this example is the scarcer white dial version. There were many iterations of the Sea Wolf available over the years; metal bezel and acrylic bezel, white or black dial, date and no-date among other options. However the metal bezel with no-date is the OG model. The steel case with a snap on back is just a hair under 35mm wide, and this one is in excellent shape and does not appear to be polished. The bezel is in superb condition, which is rare. Usually these are all worn out and/or polished. While this one is missing a little paint in the numbers, overall it is in excellent condition. The white dial does show a little patina, as do the giant lume filled arrow hands. That said, this is the nicest one we’ve seen for sale in many years. The crown looks original and should be signed but there is no direct picture of it. As an added bonus it comes with a correct JB Champion bracelet with the Zodiac signed buckle! Check out the listing and make your bid here.
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