Watches, Stories, & Gear: Flying Cars, Vernal Pools, & A Little Off-Roader

“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.

Electric Flying Cars Are A Thing, And They Are Fast

While this isn’t the flying car of the science fiction fueled dreams of your youth, there’s still something very cool about the Alauda Mk3, recently tested in Australia by Airspeeder. These unmanned flying vehicles sit somewhere between helicopters, drones, and, well, a flying car, and the recent successful test flights put them on pace to race them competitively sometime in the not too distant future, which was the original purpose of their design all along. The Mk3 weighs just 286 pounds, and can fly as high as 500 meters. It also reaches 62 miles per hour in under 3 seconds, which is pretty quick, and all the more impressive in mid air. A group of Aluadas racing against each other promises to be pretty entertaining. More information via The Verge right here.

Vernal Pools Captured Through A Macro Lens

Fans of nature photography should definitely check out this article (and linked e-book) on PetaPixel. Steven David Johnson, a conservation photographer based in Virginia, has captured some extraordinary macro images taken within the vernal pools of Appalachia. Vernal pools are temporary bodies of water formed by rain, melting snow, and other natural phenomena, and are a completely unique ecosystem unto themselves, but only for a short time. The images he’s captured can only be described as otherworldly.

A Detective For Stolen Watches

Having a watch stolen is a nightmare scenario for any watch collector. Luckily, there are people like Christopher Marinello in the world, who specialize in tracking down stolen luxury goods. Marinello is a lawyer and art recovery expert, who has made a name for himself recovering stolen paintings and other valuable artifacts. According to this New York Times story, he’s recovered a staggering $515 million worth stolen art over the years. Now, he’s getting into watch recovery, with a new venture called Watch Claim, which seeks to act as an inventory of stolen merchandise, and is modeled after the successful Art Claim project, which does the same for art. The reason for Watch Claim’s existence is a troubling sign of the times: reports of stolen watches are up dramatically in recent years (coinciding with the boom in the high end vintage watch market, and an acceptance among many that watches are serious assets on par with fine art). Read more about Marinello’s work and the unfortunate rise in watch theft right here.

The M.A.D.Gallery Lands The “KB2” clock, created by Philippe Lebru and Alain Silberstein

If you liked the Louis Erard X Alain Silberstein watch released a few weeks back, but need to fill a bit more space than just your wrist, MB&F’s M.A.D. Gallery is offering the “KB2” clock as of this week, which stands 2 meters (6.5ft) tall and offers the signature Silberstein design in, well, clock form. Designed by Silberstein and developed in France by UTINAM, the KB2 is an incredible piece of kinetic art that tells the time. Just 88 pieces will be made at the price of ~$25,000. Learn more about the piece right here, it’s a sight to behold even if you don’t have the room (or money) to add one to your home.

The Suzuki Jimny Lite Is The Off-Roader We Need, But Can’t Have

Suzuki took the lid off their Jimny Lite this week; it’s boxy, small, and capable. Oh, and it’s not available in the US. This analog off-roader, dubbed “diet Jimny” is a blank canvas with the bare essentials only, the wheels are steelies, the transmission is manual, and all it’s missing is a tape deck in the dash. Power comes from a 1.5 liter petrol engine routed through a 5 speed gearbox with a separate low-range shifter for when the going gets tough. The Jimny Light makes its debut for the Australian market this July, and if you’d like to see it stateside, be sure to let em know. More here.

eBay Finds: Vintage Seiko Diver

Well, if you’re looking for an honest, bootleg part free vintage Seiko 6309, here ya go! The 6309-704X is about as classic a diver as there is, a true icon. These are still tremendously undervalued, and they are getting harder and harder to find in unmolested condition. This example is the non-Suwa version, and everything looks correct to me. Some honest and modest wear to the case, but it looks unpolished. The bezel has a few marks, but otherwise looks great. The dial and hands are excellent, with only a bit of aging to the lume in the second hand. Seller states the watch runs but is not timed and of course service history is unknown. And, it even comes on a correct GL831 strap! Overall this looks to be a nice, original example of a Seiko 6309, and as a no-reserve auction to boot. Happy bidding!

View auction here.