“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: Rolex
In somewhat stunning watch industry news this week, Rolex announced they have acquired the enduring retailer, Bucherer. Both Swiss companies have been closely working together for nearly 100 years, as Bucherer retailers have served as authorized dealers for Rolex and their sibling brand Tudor. Considering the behemoth that Rolex is, it’s safe to say that the average watch enthusiast has a fair understanding of how The Crown operates. Bucherer however, has a tendency to move in relative silence, so here’s a bit of background. Bucherer is based in Lucerne, Switzerland but has a network of retail stores that span worldwide. They only furthered their reach when in 2018, the Bucherer Group acquired Tourneau, a fellow retailer with rich heritage rooted in the United States. But that’s not all. Bucherer has also built a catalog of in-house brands including their very own line of watches, Carl F. Bucherer.
According to Rolex, the opportunity to acquire such a prestigious name came when Jorg Bucherer, the senior leader of the Bucherer Group, did not have any direct descendants to take over the company, and was in the market for potential buyers – Rolex was a natural fit. Bucherer operates in more than 100 locations globally with 53 of those locations that retail Rolex and 48 that retail Tudor. As the details of the deal currently stands, Rolex now owns the entire retail operation and the in-house brands, including Carl F. Bucherer. With a new-found strength of their very own retailer-network, one question (or many questions) remain, what happens next?
It seemed that the groundwork for this acquisition-to-be was laid when Bucherer was chosen to be Rolex’s launch partner when they unveiled their Certified Pre-Owned program earlier this year. Aside from a single Rolex-owned brand boutique in Geneva, Rolex has maintained a healthy distance from their retailer partners. With the acquisition of Bucherer, Rolex seems well positioned in the trifecta that is manufacturing, production and now, sales. There’s obviously more details to be revealed and much has to play out to see what type of significant impact this may have on current Rolex authorized dealers. Stay tuned to this channel for any further developments.
Mystery Ranch, a one-stop-shop retailer for all-things outdoor gear, has been on a collaborative roll lately and their latest project with Huckberry might be their best one yet. Huckberry x Mystery Ranch presents a slick combo-bag called the Ranch Greenbelt Hybrid Pack. Its tri-color earthy tones mixed in with a splash of orange accents via the zig-zag pull cord, along with an array of storage compartments like a padded floating 15” laptop sleeve, exterior coated pocket for a tablet, and interior stretch woven pockets for optimal organization, the Ranch Greenbelt won’t look out of place in a casual office setting.
It’s on the trail or at an edge of a creek where the Ranch Greenbelt Hybrid Pack seems to flourish. It features a modernized wet-to-dry construction and is made from a durable ripstop fabric with a ballistic nylon exterior and a water-resistant coating. An additional exterior pocket is provided for storing a rain shell and buckles located at the pack’s hull allow for things like a sleeping mat or blanket to come along as well.
Huckberry drew a ton of inspiration from 90’s sportswear and with the use of technical fabrics, a multitude of zippers and pockets for anything you can think of, it clearly shows. The Huckberry x Mystery Ranch Hybrid Pack is exclusively available at Huckberry and retails for $249. Huckberry x Mystery Ranch
History was made in India this past Wednesday as they became only the fourth country to ever touchdown on the moon. Chandrayaan-3 had been making its rounds in orbit around the moon since the beginning of this month. It wasn’t until Sunday, August 20th, the lander pushed its way closer to the lunar surface. On Wednesday, August 23rd, moving at more than 3,700 miles per hour at its lowest orbit-point, Chandrayaan-3 began a sequence of landing maneuvers that ultimately positioned the lander just 370 miles from the moon’s south pole, marking yet another historical accomplishment for India’s space program.
After some time recharging its solar-powered systems, the ISRO will use their lander named Vikram and the rover named Pragyan to begin to collect scientific data including thermal, seismic and mineralogical measurements.
The ISRO and Chandrayaan-3 landing on the moon is not just an achievement for the space program but for the entire country and its aspirations to be among the leaders of the world to make this little blue marble we live on a more peaceful place. It’s apparent that the country takes great pride in all of its successes, especially when it comes to space exploration; just take a look at the celebratory image above. With the Artemis 2 and 3 missions on the (far) horizon, it’s most certainly a good time to be a space enthusiast.
Sure, to the naked eye, you can say that the Oyster Tempo Cooler does look like a piece of Rimowa luggage. Its sleek aluminum frame is dressed with vertical grooves and should look even better with age, but this isn’t your average cooler.
Oyster’s Tempo Cooler utilizes their own patent thermal technology called DLTA™ which involves a high-performing vacuum insulation method. The Temo Cooler is “ice free” and ensures to keep whatever you’re trying to keep cold three times cooler than your ordinary premium cooler. The overall design is minimal, with each part having the ability of being broken down for either easy cleaning or repair.
Oyster is currently offering a 1st Edition Tempo Bundle which includes an adjustable strap and 2X Cold Thermal Ice Packs. As far as premium coolers go, this is definitely top of the line when you include the design and engineering. The price is steep, with the bundle currently retailing at $500, but this has all the makings of a buy-once-cry-once purchase. Oyster Cooler
The Observer Collection opened up a pre-order window for the O.C’s this week – a pair of white utility trousers that seamlessly blend the worlds of form and function. O.C’s is short for Observer Contractors and follow the same silhouette as the OD, except these new trousers come equipped with several rugged upgrades including asymmetric double knee panels, dual front drop pockets and includes the Observer self-belt and self-hem systems. The cool thing about the O.C’s, and everything else that’s in the Observer Collection, is that their stuff is tested in the field by founder, photographer and sartorial savant, Robert Spangle, who somehow finds himself in the middle of a war zone one day, and then covering fashion week the next. Even with summer coming to a close, the O.C’s can hold its own in your wardrobe, both in aesthetics and function during the cooler months. Pre-order for the O.C’s ends tomorrow. For more information, head on over here. The Observer Collection
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