“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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Header Image Via: Gerber Gear
This week, Gerber Gear announced their latest addition to their wide ranging lineup of folding knives with the fully customizable Assert. Its compact design and lightweight build are balanced by the combination of a hardened S30V stainless steel blade folding in and out of a tough, ergonomically-fashioned, glass-filled nylon handle. At a glance, the Assert has the makings of a proper EDC knife.
The Assert’s main hallmark is its ability to customize based on each user’s preference. Starting with the handle, the Assert provides an ambidextrous pivot lock and deep pocket clip. The exterior of the handle has a textured grip starting from the base while the interior is further solidified by a honeycomb construction. The blade also provides additional customization with its adjustable thumb stub, allowing a one-handed deployment of the blade. The pivot lock mechanism makes enclosing the blade just as seamless.
Much like the handle, the blade has an aesthetic that toes the line between ruggedness and finesse. The steel blade measures almost 3 inches in length while the entire footprint when the blade is stowed measures a shade under 4 inches. If the current build offerings aren’t to your taste, then Gerber has chalked this model up for full customization. Anyway you slice it, the Assert puts everything together in a neat and tidy package for a fair price of $175. Gerber Gear
As you dive deep into a hobby such as hi-fi audio, the hole only gets deeper as you learn more about the theory, mechanics and the long list of off-the-beaten path analog brands. Audiophiles, we’re sure you can relate. In a world filled with digital music supplied by noise canceling and bluetooth headphones, whether they be in-ear or over-ear, there seems to be a sacrifice in audio quality that those with a brass ear surely notice. Unless we happen to be listening to a vinyl record or a set of hi-fi speakers, the rich warm sounds of our favorite tunes have disappeared when we take them on the go. Hi-fi audio brand, écoute, is looking to change that.
écoute is looking to change that by offering up the world’s first set of vacuum headphones. Conventional vacuum tubes are fragile and cumbersome, which explains why we haven’t seen that technology integrated into a pair of headphones. écoute however, has incorporated the KORG Nutube P61, a next-generation dual-triode thermionic vacuum tube. This system operates exactly the same as a traditional vacuum tube, except it comes with all the features you want in a pair of commuter headphones – efficient, shock resistant and durable.
In addition to the sleek design, the écoute headphones offer up an ear warming sound, improved clarity to midrange tones and increased audio detail. Take a listen to a few testimonials above. If we’ve piqued your interest, écoute is currently running a campaign on Indiegogo here where you can snag one of these headphones for almost 50% just by being an early supporter.
While most of us at the office would be more than content with an ice cold brewski, we’re no strangers to enjoying the occasional old-fashioned or negroni. There are some instances where we’d happily welcome slight iterations of the classics when the mood strikes, where adding a new ingredient or smoking it isn’t too far from the norm. It seems however in a recent New York Times article that some bartenders have taken a step too far with a classic. Check out the wild and questionable Martini combinations sprinkled throughout the article, here.
With the incredible growth we’ve seen in the micro and independent watch brand space, we’ve also witnessed several one-man-band operations that have sprouted in the form of watch-centric podcasts and watch strap companies. With an ecosystem filled with like-minded individuals and a collaborative spirit, we occasionally see these different entities come together to create a watch that’s clearly made with the enthusiast in mind and at times, for a great cause. All of that comes together as this week, Bausele announced a collaboration piece with independent Australian-based strap maker, Frogsquad Straps and with your friendly neighborhood watch podcast, Rico’s Watches Podcast that pay tribute to the men and women in uniform.
This isn’t the first time we’ve covered the cool things Bausele has been up to in WSG. The design foundation of their watches lean heavily on military inspiration which is exactly where the crossroads meet with this particular collaboration. Both Eric, the host of Rico’s Watches Podcast and Luke Eldridge, the founder of Frogsquad Straps can trace their backgrounds to military and law enforcement service. With the help of Christophe Hoppe, founder of Bausele, the trio wanted to create a timepiece that honored the toughness of those who have spent a life of service.
The collaborative watch is dubbed the Black Pearl and uses Bausele’s Sydney Diver as a foundation to add on a few welcomed upgrades. The stainless steel case is entirely coated in black with a brushed finish and its asymmetric contour keeps the crown nestled within the confines of the case. The dial and bezel most certainly retains Bausele’s affinity for vintage MIL-SPEC design. In addition to the 200 meters of water resistance and a solid automatic Swiss movement in the Sellita SW-200 powering the diver, the Black Pearl is appropriately provided with a color matching Frogsquad “MN” Style strap. For those uninitiated, the difference between a Frogsquad Strap compared to the regular MN strap on the market is that the Parafrog strap doesn’t loop under the case, keeping a lower profile on the wrist.
The Bausele x Frogsquad Straps x Ricos Watches Podcast Black Pearl is limited to just 100 pieces and will retail for $1,200. For more information on the release and how to support the participating parties, head on over here.
Catching a 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB in the wild is rare. Seeing one in gold is even rarer and that’s exactly what’s on the auction block at RM Sotheby’s. This particular vehicle was one of 712 fiberglass-bodied vehicles that left the factory in Oro Chiaro, which is a suave metallic gold. This prancing horse has seen the world, traveling from Germany to California, and then ultimately landing in Toronto where it received a full restoration. The result was an almost perfect 99.5 out of 100 score at the 2018 Ferrari Club of America National Meet. Head on over to RM Sotheby’s to check out this gold unicorn in all its glory.
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