Watches, Stories, & Gear: Ken Block Returns In Electrikhana, Unpublished Apollo 11 Photos, James Brand’s Palmer Utility Knife, & More

“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 by emailing one of our Editors at [email protected]

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This week’s WSG is sponsored by About Vintage. About Vintage is a Copenhagen, Denmark based watch company known for blending their flair for contemporary design with an appreciation for history and tradition. 

The About Vintage 1960 Racing Chronograph combines style cues from classic cars and watches, with Bauhaus sensibility. Each chronograph model sports an external tachymeter scale and 3-6-9 subdial layouts inspired by the look of mid-century chronographs. Clean lines and restrained typefaces add a modern flair to a suitable stainless steel case measuring 40mm x 47.5mm x 12.7mm. The 1960 Racing Chronograph is powered by the Miyota 6S20, a quartz movement capable of timing down to a tenth of a second – perfect for timing laps.  

The 1960 Racing Chronographs are available in Midnight Blue and Off-white with black subdials and come on a brown leather racing strap. About Vintage offers an option to add a steel bracelet or a rubber strap as well. The 1960 Racing Chronograph has a starting price of $399 on a leather strap and is currently available for pre-order through November 6th 2022 at 20% off retail.

The 1960 Racing Chronograph is currently available by About Vintage

Ken Block Takes Over Las Vegas In Electrikhana

Ken Block’s Gymkhana films are iconic. Yes, that word gets thrown around a lot nowadays, but I think most of you will agree that no one has done what he’s able to do with a car, ever. Known for his precision drifting, excessive donuts, and clever cultural nods, Block has developed a die-hard following with Gymkhana. And guess what folks, he’s back, and this time he’s taking his talents to Sin City. In his latest addition to the Gymkhana series, entitled Electrikhana, Block is whipping around some Las Vegas’ historical landmarks in an Audi S1 Hoonitron. The car itself was custom made for Block, armed with an 800 volt, bi-motor drive train, and AWD. There’s no shortage of classic Audi’s in the film, and some cameos include the likes of Nico Ali Walsh training in a ring as Block drifts around and simultaneously tail whips a couple punching bags. Catch all the epic turns and slow motion cuts in Electrikhana. You won’t be disappointed.

If You Think You Know Toto Wolff … Think Again

Mercedes is not having the season they expected to have when they put the W13 car out on the track during testing earlier this year. Between both Hamilton and Russell, they have a total of 14 podiums this year, but with only three races to go, they have yet to finish first. Uncharted territory for a team that has dominated the last decade of Formula 1. And amidst all the talk that Mercedes is down and out, team principal Toto Wolff seems stoic as ever.

Toto Wolff doesn’t seem phased by much. Sure, there’s the occasional emotional outburst during the race, which in my opinion have been justified reactions based on the decisions made by the FIA dating back to the Abu Dhabi GP last year, but I’ve digressed. Whether he’s at his usual spot sitting in the garage monitoring the race or answering pressing questions by the media afterwards, he’s the same even-keeled individual. But in a recent New Yorker article written by Sam Knight, we find out how insanely competitive he is and the lengths he goes to stay on top of his entire team. From sending company wide motivational emails encouraging each employee to do better than their Redbull counterpart, to showing the hygiene manager how to clean the toilets properly. It’s a fun (and long) read. And if you’re a Mercedes fan, you’ll come away confident that they’ll be back and competitive as ever with Wolff at the helm.

Unpublished Photos From Apollo 11 Moon Landing

This past week, over 300 original historical photographs that were taken during the NASA Apollo 11 mission went to auction in Chicago. The collection was entitled One Giant Leap for Mankind: Vintage Photographs from the Victor Martin-Malburet Collection and was presented by Los Angeles Modern Auctions and Chicago’s Wright auction house. The auction coincides with the 50th year anniversary of Project Apollo, and the planned mission to go back to the moon with Project Artemis. Included in the lot was the first ever photo taken of Earth (Blue Marble), as well as the first ever selfie taken in space by Buzz Aldrin. We’ve recently been spoiled for jaw-dropping photos of outer space thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, but this is something entirely different. Having an opportunity to own something from this historic achievement by NASA, and mankind, is truly special.

James Brand Palmer Utility Knife

Box cutters are handy, but they sure aren’t the prettiest looking tools. James Brand looks to change that with their new Palmer utility knife. When the blade is retracted, it’s hard to even tell what this thing actually is. The anodized aluminum handle is cleanly designed and could pass as a mini hard drive or a bit-tool. Except it’s not one of those. The push-slide action to deploy the blade has this buttery flow to it and fits perfectly into a coin pocket (we got some hands on time at their booth during WindUp NYC last weekend). According to James Brand, changing the blade out requires no tools and the actual mechanism is patent-pending. The Palmer definitely appeals to those who can’t quite get down with carrying down a pocket knife, but still need a similar tool that’s subtle and unintimidating. For a retail price of just $59, you get a nicely designed, everyday utility knife that’s friendly on the wallet.

Tokyo Silver Paradise

This is a returning appearance for John Sypal here on WSG as he prepares to release his latest book entitled Tokyo Silver Paradise. The title of the book gets its name after the silver gelatin process used to make analog prints in a darkroom. The book features moments captured in the Japanese capital through Sypal’s lens. There currently isn’t an exact release date, but if you call Tokyo home, you’ll be able to snag a copy at the Zen Foto Gallery booth during the Tokyo Art Book Fair that’s happening this weekend. Stay tuned to Sypals IG handle @tokyocamerastyle for more information about the upcoming book release.