Watches, Stories, & Gear: An Incredible Parmigiani Fleurier Pocket Watch, Zuck’s Hawaiian Bunker, and the 100 Best TV Shows of All Time

“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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Parmigiani Fleurier L’armoriale Pocket Watch 

Sometimes we get word of a watch that is just too beautiful and special not to feature. It’s become a tradition for Parmigiani Fleurier to create a special, completely unique pocket watch every year to celebrate founder Michel Parmigiani’s birthday, and this year they’ve really outdone themselves with a watch they’re calling L’armoriale. 

The heart of the timepiece is a mechanical caliber dating to 1890 that was restored by Parmigiani in 1985. Originally a chronograph minute repeater, the movement now features both of those complications as well as a perpetual calendar with a moonphase, a pretty incredible demonstration of Parmigiani’s skill as a watchmaker as well as his devotion to restoration and preserving and sometimes even enhancing horological history. The white gold case features a beautiful enameled caseback, and of course virtually everything here is completely handmade and hand finished, down to the intricate chiseled adornments that run across the case band. It’s a real work of art, worth spending some time gawking at, which you can do right here.

The Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Gets a Review at PetaPixel

One of the most talked about camera releases of the year has gotten a full PetaPixel review. The Pentax K-3 III Monochrome utilizes a black and white sensor for photographers who are seeking a dedicated monochromatic experience. The review is a great run through of the benefits and drawbacks of a dedicated monochromatic camera. It really digs into the science of a black and white sensor versus converting images taken with a color sensor to black and white in the editing process, and they provide plenty of visual evidence through a direct comparison to the color version of this camera why the Monochrome might be the way to go if black and white is your preferred medium. If you were questioning why this camera exists at all, this review provides a ton of insight. 

Apple Pulls their Newest Watches from Stores 

If you were hoping to pick up a new Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 as a gift for yourself or someone else for the holidays, your time is running out, and not just because Christmas is days away. Apple announced this week that they would be pulling their newest watches from store shelves after losing a patent dispute that claimed they copied another company’s tech for reading blood oxygen levels. The dispute with medical technology company Masimo has been ongoing since 2020, and this latest chapter is the most dramatic moment yet in the long lasting patent disagreement. Apple’s watches are, by most accounts, the most worn in the world, so this is a fairly big story that we’ll continue to monitor. You can read more about the latest developments in the case right here. 

Mark Zuckerberg’s Top Secret Hawaii Compound

Wired has an interesting story this week that provides details on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s sprawling Hawaii compound. It’s a secretive and expensive ($100 million is the estimate) project that sprawls across 1,400 acres and has generated no small amount of speculation from locals and billionaire watchers all over the world. While many involved have reportedly signed NDAs, Wired was able to view public records and other documents that provide some insight into what Zuckerberg is building. The most tantalizing newly uncovered tidbit is that the property apparently contains an enormous underground bunker. Is Mark Zuckerberg anticipating the end of the world? Does he know something we don’t? Why build an underground bunker in one of the most beautiful places in the world? Every answer begs a new question. You can read about Zuck’s big real estate project here.

Hermès Heir Plans to Bequeath Fortune to his Former Gardener

Mark Zuckerberg isn’t the only billionaire in the news this week for a strange reason. Nicolas Puech, the 80 year old, fifth generation descendant of the founder of Hermès, started a process to cancel his original plan to leave his massive fortune to the foundation he founded, and instead pass it along to his middle aged, former gardener, who he plans to legally adopt. It might seem more like a made for TV miniseries, but it’s really happening, and you can read about it here. Unsurprisingly, Puech’s own foundation has challenged the nullification of their contract. Puech’s stake in Hermès, which is valued at over $230 billion, is around 5%.  

Variety Lists the Top 100 TV Shows of All Time

If you’re looking to spark a little good natured debate with friends and family over the holiday period, Variety has the perfect vehicle for these discussions with their list of the best TV shows ever made. It’s a lot to sift through, and everyone will have a personal favorite show that didn’t make the cut, but right off the bat, many in the Worn & Wound office were pleased to see Hannibal, the under-appreciated NBC drama, just make the cut at 99. Unsurprisingly, the list skews modern (it is a new golden age of television, after all) but that just means the discussions promoted by the list will be even more fun, since more people are likely to have seen more shows. The usual suspects (The Sopranos, The Wire, The Simpsons, Seinfeld) are all hanging out near the top, but the order might surprise you. Did Variety get it right? Feel free to sound off in the comments.