Watches, Stories, & Gear: Ghostbusters, Restomods, and 175 Years of Fears

“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.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Gets Wild New Trailer

The new trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife hit this week, and fans of the iconic comedy series have lots to say about it. First, it’s not actually apparent from the trailer that it’s a comedy, and the unusually serious tone to the clip has many fans who have been eagerly awaiting the reboot wondering what exactly is in store when the film hits theaters over Thanksgiving weekend. Still, it’s clear from the trailer that there is a lot of fan service here (certain key ghosts and an important vehicle make appearances), and the movie is directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan, who directed the original films in the 80s, so it feels like the series is in the hands of someone who understands what it’s all about. Plus, the trailer has Paul Rudd looking bewildered, and a tease at the end that’s quite effective. Safe to say that in spite of some of the Twitter takes, we’re looking forward to the final product, and will be there opening weekend.

New Book Celebrates 175 Years of Fears Watches

Fears is one of our favorite independent watch brands, and they’re in the midst of celebrating a milestone 175th anniversary this year. If you want to support the brand and help them celebrate, but couldn’t spring for their platinum watch, introduced in April, you’re in luck. The Bristol Books imprint will be releasing a book chronicling the history of the brand, and it’s a mere £60. Elegantly Understated: 175 years of the Fears Watch Company, looks at the entire history of the brand, from its founding, to its closure in the 70s, to the rebuilt brand that exists today. It’s an incredible story, and the book promises to have rarely seen photos of historic Fears watches. If you’re a fan of the brand, this is certainly worth checking out.

Ultimate Renault 5 Turbo Restomod Completed

The R5 Turbo is a bit of a legend for rally fans the world over thanks to its, um, unique appearance, and bonkers performance capabilities meant for Group 3 racing. The car is a bit of a collectors item these days, but LA based Legende Automobiles took a restomod even further with the creation of the Turbo 3 seen here. There is a Singer-esque quality brought to the Renault with a carbon fiber body and a beautifully detailed interior paired with a 400whp powering the rear wheels via manual transmission. It’s a stunning bit of engineering that perfectly captures the ‘80s, along with what’s possible when the vision outweighs the budget.

The Joy of Owning ‘87 Toyota HJ75 Land Cruiser

It’s fun to own things that put an immediate smile on your face with every use. It could be a watch, a pair of boots or a 1987 Toyota HJ75 Land Cruiser. In Huckberry’s most recent installment of their ongoing series called, ‘The Joy of Owning’, we’re introduced to John Watson, a Santa Fe based photographer and founder of ‘The Radavist’, a site for cycling enthusiasts, and his vintage Toyota Land Cruiser nicknamed the Troopy. Watson is keen on vintage diesel Toyota 4×4’s and gives his insights on the labor of love that goes into owning them. He shares advice on exploring overland, keeping things simple and the importance of leaving the land how you find it. For more from Watson, and some captures of the Troppy in action, make your way over to the site, right here.

eBay Finds: Omega Stopwatch Rattrapante

With the Olympics in full swing we have a fitting find from eBay this week in a vintage Omega stopwatch with rattrapante functionality, meaning you can time two events simultaneously. Omega is of course the official timing partner of the Olympics, and creates the many precise instruments used during the games (you may have noticed their logo a time or two during coverage), and this stopwatch harkens back to a simpler time with a hand operated mechanical device rather than the ultra precise tools used today. This example dates to the mid ‘40s and uses a Lemania based movement in the Omega caliber 190 in good working order. The dial is clean and the movement is beautiful. Good luck finding a wrist bound rattrapante for this price!

View auction here.