Watches, Stories, & Gear: Retro Goodness Abound at Monterey Car Week, a Comprehensive Guide for Vintage Military Watches, the New GiantMouse Iona V2, & 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 with us by emailing [email protected]

Presented by Artem Straps

This week’s Watches Stories & Gear is brought to you by Artem Straps. Artem is a modern watch strap maker out of Australia creating high quality sailcloth-style watch straps. With a philosophy built on artisnal craftsmanship and fine engineering, the Artem sailcloth-style watch strap is designed to ensure the highest level of comfort and functionality, without compromise.

After much testing and iteration, Artem developed a meticulous material selection process which landed on a unique blend of materials that offered just the right finish, flexibility, and water resistance. The upper side of their straps are an embossed synthetic, while the underside is a combo of coated leather and natural rubber. The results are impeccable, made with a quality usually only found in very high-end OEM straps. Visit artemstraps.com to learn more about the brand and its array of products.

The Sailcloth Watch Strap collection is currently available by Artem Straps

Monterey Car Week In Full Effect

If you haven’t heard by now, Monterey Car Week has been in full swing. The past few days alone have been filled with an array of showstopper events including an incredible display of pristine vintage Porsches at the Porsche Monterey Classic, a diverse collection of German engineering tantamount to a who’s who in the Deutschland automotive manufacturing world at the Legends of the Autobahn, and motor museum examples coming to life at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

Monterey Car Week also offered an opportunity to watch these cars in action and there’s no better way to set the stage for these vintage beasts than to have them run up and down 17 miles of mountain peaks and valleys during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance. The main event however continues into this weekend centered around the RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction which last year, became the largest grossing collector car auction of all time when it was all said and done.

With a jaw-dropping selection ranging between the likes of a rare Ferrari, an immaculate Lamborghini, a Hollywood Aston Martin, and a ton more, it’s more than likely they’ll eclipse last year’s $239M total. Check out the entire lot offering here and tune into @montereycarweek on Instagram to check out the sights and scenes from one of the premier car shows scheduled this year.

Dive Deep Into Vintage Military Wristwatches 

Zaf Basha has been entrenched in the world of collecting and selling vintage watches since he started up Classic Watch back in 1995. With over 23,000 vintage watches sold under his belt, there’s not much that Basha hasn’t seen. He has developed a strong knowledge base that spans many vintage horological categories and in the process, has become the de facto authority for all-things Jaeger LeCoultre with his book Jaeger LeCoultre – A guide for the collector. Basha’s latest book concentrates more on the core of his site’s curation focusing heavily on vintage military watches.

Vintage Military Watches – A guide for the collector goes in-depth with nearly 300 vintage military watches breaking down their movements, reference numbers and production figures, all of which are photographed in color and occasionally provided with images of original documents and diagrams. The hardcover book intersects the watch’s technical information and the historical significance in one place making this a solid addition to the library for watch enthusiasts and historians. For more information on Vintage Military Watches – A guide for the collector and how to purchase the book, head on over here.

Welcomed Upgrades Anchor The Roofnest Sparrow 2 

When we’re not digging into the latest news about a new hot-hatch or a blazingly fast hyper car, we’re drooling over trucks of the overlanding variety. Between the Lexus GX 550, 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, and a host of other attractive SUVs, we’ve been spoiled with the continuously growing modern 4×4 collection.

If you happen to be one of the many going to add a new truck to the stable, then you’re definitely going to be in the market for a new roof tent for your next overland adventure. Enter the Roofnest Sparrow 2. Equipped with a revamped top shell coated in Line-X for increased durability and weather resistance, an upgraded insulative 320-GSM tent material and a new, sleek aerodynamic design when your home away from home is stowed away. Roofnest is also offering an option to attach a set of crossbars over the tent, adding the ability to throw on a couple of kayaks, storage containers or any other outdoor equipment. For more information on the Roofnest Sparrow 2, check out the video above.

Bigger Is Better: The GiantMouse Iona V2

GiantMouse’s latest addition to their ACE Line collection updates a fan favorite with the Iona V2. The original Iona served more as a serviceable daily companion, combining a lightweight handle with a dependable M390 blade packaged in a liner lock system. The new Iona V2 however, is a robust version of its older sibling, sporting a wider Magnacut steel blade, a longer, more ergonomic handle and overall, a more aggressive profile that makes the newest addition to GiantMouse’s quiver the ideal outdoor companion. The Iona V2 still utilizes a liner locking mechanism and is built with their signature stout wire clip. It’s worth noting that a sample of GiantMouse’s deep carry clip will also be included with the order. The Iona V2 comes in two variations – Green Canvas and Black Linen. Both come with a price tag of $195. GiantMouse

The New Nomatic RS Pack

Name any type of bag and we’re almost positive that Nomatic has their own version within their catalog. Whether it’s a need for travel, commuting or on-the-go wear Nomatic has got you covered. Throw in their sleek camera storage and transportation solutions, it’s no wonder we’re big fans of what Nomatic has to offer.

Nomatic’s latest release is comprised of a collection that combines minimalist design cues that doesn’t sacrifice functionality for everyday wear. Out of the four newly released bags, the Navigator RS Backpack 15L caught our eye for its expandable main compartment, a bevy of internal pockets for optimum organization and a hidden side water bottle pocket that can stow away when it’s not in use. The entire exterior is made out of 420 D Nylon rip-stop with Carbonate Coating and the back features an EVA formed foam panel for added breathability. Check out the entire collection here.