Watches, Stories, & Gear: Aliens, Supersonic Jets, & Grand Seiko

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

It’s Still (Probably) Not Aliens

It’s a little rare to see a headline like this on the front (digital) page of a major newspaper like the New York Times, but here we are, with a story that seems like it could be lifted from the first chapter of a science fiction novel. A long awaited report released by American intelligence officials finds no definitive proof that a series of unexplained (unidentified, even) flying objects are alien in nature. But, and this is an enormous “but” for many in the communities that track such things: they can’t rule it out. So there you have it. According to our own government, the completely unidentified flying objects observed by our own military pilots in recent years could be the vessels of an alien race. Of course, just because something is unexplained, it doesn’t mean that it’s something else, which in this case would be, well, unexplainable. And in this article in the Times it’s pointed out that experimental Russian or Chinese technology could be the answer (although that would generate a whole host of new questions that would likely not be dealt with at the fringes of Reddit). Regardless, this news is sure to fuel all kinds of theories, conspiracy minded or otherwise. Cue the X-Files theme music.

Ok, Maybe It’s Aliens

If a government report that can’t deny the existence alien life visiting our planet is too much to unpack today, maybe take a look at this article, also from the New York Times, which is perhaps less explosive in its ability to capture the imagination, but might be right up the alley of anyone with an old school interest in space exploration. While many space nuts have a laser focus on Mars, we shouldn’t forget about our other next door neighbor within our own solar system, the hot and inhospitable but often breathtakingly beautiful Venus. NASA recently announced a pair of robotic planetary missions bound for Venus later this decade. Their purpose? To test a theory that microbes might be living in the upper reaches of Venus’s atmosphere where temperatures might be palatable for life.

‘Paddington 2’ Is No Longer The Best Movie Of All Time (Sorry)

Several weeks ago we brought you a story in this very column about the curious case of Citizen Kane falling from its perfect perch atop Rotten Tomatoes thanks to an old review that just happened to be added to the archive. Now, a similar fate has befallen…Paddington 2. When Kane lost the top spot, the title of the freshest movie in the Rotten Tomatoes system went to this much loved sequel to Paddington, a story about a talking bear wearing a red hat (forgive us, we haven’t actually seen a Paddington movie, so if this is actually a realistic portrayal of bears in the wild and we’re way off base, let us know in the comments). Regardless of what Paddington 2 happens to be about, we’re endlessly fascinated with a review aggregator that places it alongside Citizen Kane, and is seemingly so susceptible to the whims of critics with a grudge. Are we entering a period where the top movie on Rotten Tomatoes is constantly the object of some manner of subterfuge? Is this what will save the movie industry? Time will tell, and we’ll keep watching the top spot to see which film is the next to have a target placed square on its back.

Supersonic Travel Just Got A Lot Closer

If you’re anything like me, you love to travel but hate long haul flights. We’re in luck, as United airlines has announced the purchase of 15 Boom Supersonic jets capable of making the trip from NY to London in just 3.5 hours. Sign me up. Unfortunately, service isn’t expected to begin until 2029, but someone had to take the first step so hats off to United on that front. Bonus, the jets themselves look pretty incredible as well. Read more about the move by United right here on WaPo.

Grand Seiko Opens New Boutique In NYC

After the successful run of their Nature of Time pop up experience, Grand Seiko has made the move to open a permanent boutique in the same SoHo neighborhood of New York City, to be operated by Watches of Switzerland. The new boutique is located on Spring st. and will provide guests with an intimate experience connecting them with the core Grand Seiko design philosophy. It will also feature some pretty amazing watches, including the new SBGJ249, for which the boutique will be the exclusive retailer. Be sure to swing in if you live in the area, and if not, keep an eye on our social for some live pics. 

eBay Finds: Vintage Elgin

This week’s pick is the scarce and quirky-cool vintage Elgin direct read/jump hour “Golf Ball” watch. Circa mid 1950’s, this gem is such an awesome piece I couldn’t resist. Elgin made a couple of direct read watches, including the Lord Elgin rectangular model that Elvis made famous. This round version is smaller at 30mm wide, but the golf ball textured case adds plenty of wrist presence. The direct read watch style is unique in that instead of a dial and hands, it has a small window that displays turning discs, in this case one for the hour and one for the minutes. Maybe a tad hard to read, but super cool nonetheless. This example is in good shape, with no wear through on the gold plating. Seller states that the watch runs well. The crown definitely looks like a replacement to me, but if that’s not a deal breaker, this is a fun piece.

View listing here.