Umbrellas are one of the few pieces of gear that have been successfully perfected. Like koozies and cheap sunglasses, flimsy knockoffs are always given out at events or festivals. And while an umbrella is, in…
The post Prep for Rainy Days with the Weatherman Travel Umbrella first appeared on Cool Material.
Harley-Davidson might be dead last on anyone’s mind when it comes to cycling. Nevertheless, its years of building badass two-wheelers are not just going to waste. The American motorcycle manufacturer’s push for sustainability is already underway with the LiveWire ONE as its latest electric motorcycle. Now, it’s ready to break into urban mobility with the sleek Serial 1 MOSH/TRIBUTE.
Longtime fans of the legendary brand now have a chance to own this limited-edition model. As of this writing, all units of the large version are already spoken for. Nonetheless, you can still grab the medium which is still in stock as of this writing. You can check if this is the right fit for you via the “Size Guide” on the MOSH/TRIBUTE webpage.
As the name suggests, it is an exclusive offering based on Serial 1’s first prototype. Eventually, it was turned into the MOSH/CTY which is the silhouette that inspired the MOSH/TRIBUTE. True to the original, it sports a glossy black coat with graphics in gold. Adding to its old-school appeal are the Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires in white rubber.
The drivetrain uses a mid-mounted Brose S MAG motor that produces up to 66 lb-ft of torque. It connects to a single freewheel hub with a Gates carbon fiber belt drive. Now you can pedal with confidence as the electric assist helps tackle inclines like a boss.
When you want to just cruise solely on electric power, the 529-Wh lithium-ion battery takes over. Depending on the cyclist’s pedal input and ride mode, the range varies from 35 to 105 miles on a full charge. Deliveries of the MOSH/TRIBUTE should be in time for the holiday season.
Images courtesy of Serial 1/Harley-Davidson
The all-new HP 34 is the brand’s latest all-in-one desktop PC. It boasts 5K resolution with a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. For performance & visuals: an Intel 11th-generation Core-i9 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Max Q graphics. A pair of Bang & Olufsen speakers provide crisp, full-spectrum sound. Available October.
Built to withstand harsh weather conditions with unquestionable performance, Rux collapsible storage totes carry it all. Constructed of rugged TPU coated nylon, these soft-sided 70-liter totes feature clear windows so you can see what’s inside, as well as zip-top lids and webbing straps for shoulder carry. Backpack straps give you a hands-free carry option & the totes compress down to save space when not in use.
Sweden’s POC & Britain’s Rapha are two cycling brands known for technical innovation & understated style. The two teamed up to create fresh variations of POC’s Omne Air Spin & Ventral Air Spin helmets. One for gravel, the latter for road cycling. Both feature generous venting & ultra lightweight construction. Available in white, gray, and navy.
Designed by renowned architect Fred Stelle, the 5 Burnetts Cove Road House boasts both a stunning modern exterior and interior. It sits on .40 acres on Mexoc Bay at the tip of Flying Point Road at the Hamptons.
It features a waterfront 16×32 foot heated Gunite pool and dock, an outdoor shower, and a cabana-covered outdoor seating and dining area on the pool level. It has well-articulated landscaping both on the front and back. Right off the garage on the ground floor is a gym, storage, and a half bath.
The entrance of the 5 Burnetts Cove Road House opens to a staircase that leads to the main floor. It houses the powder room, laundry room, and utility closet. It also has the kitchen, dining, and living area that features a glass wall and sun deck overlooking the Bay. Then adjacent to the great room is a media room with a screened porch that gives great views of the pool, the Mexoc Bay, and the dock.
Meanwhile, the top floor houses private sections of bedrooms. On the right are two guest bedrooms that share one bath. To the left is an en suite guest room overlooking the gardens below. The main bedroom, on the other hand, has a built-in office and provides amazing views of the water.
The 5 Burnetts Cove Road House is majestic to look at even from the outside with its expansive paneled glass windows and elegant structure. Best of all, the house is a walking distance of the beach. It is just 20 seconds away from the sand and sea.
Images courtesy of Compass
Nothing speaks of elegance in an everyday carry than those made with pure leather. It boasts of timeless beauty as leather ages gracefully. It develops its own patina over time which gives it its unique characteristic inherent to the owner. Lifestyle brand TORRO built upon this concept to handcraft various selections of premium leather accessories and functional tech.
Founded in 2013 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, in North East England, the brand creates leather pieces that exude elegant aesthetics, pristine craftsmanship, and unbeatable quality. It started with a quest for the perfect phone case that offers more than just back support. Using fragile plastic was not an option especially for the latest, expensive smartphones in the market. A premium leather case was the ideal choice, but it didn’t come cheap.
TORRO decided to take matters into their own hands and from there, they continue to provide more than thousands with reliable and durable premium leather accessories with a friendly price tag. From phone cases, they have branched out to other useful EDC including bags & wallets, a great selection of iPad cases, stylish travel accessories range, and more.
Speaking of travel, TORRO gives you more reason to take that much-needed vacation with its luxurious offerings of travel paraphernalia. Their travel wallets especially make it easy to organize your on-the-go essentials from your travel documents, cards, plane tickets, and more.
For the lone traveler, there’s the Solo Travel Wallet that features a full zip closure, detachable credit card holder, and elasticated pen loop. Made with premium cowhide leather, the wallet opens to reveal a passport pocket, three card slots, two medium pockets, and two large compartments for your tickets, currency, and other documents. It also has an interior zipped pocket. Best of all, it has RFID and anti-magnetic protection to prevent data theft.
For a larger load, then there’s the Torro Large Leather Travel Wallet which has five card slots, four large compartments, and the quintessential passport pocket. It even comes with a magnetically attachable headphone case and a pop-button coin pouch outside of the elasticated pen loop.
For the light traveler, there’s the Torro Leather Passport Holder that features two inner pockets with soft microfiber lining for easy document access. Instead of zippers, it uses an elasticated closure strap. TORRO also offers the AirTag Leather Keyring & Luggage Tag Set so you can keep track of your luggage, bags, and other personal belongings while on the go.
TORRO wants only the best for your priced smartphones. As such, they ensure they only give you quality designs and craftsmanship. They have premium leather cases for Samsung, Apple, Google, and even those compatible with the latest MagSafe tech. Professionals will find functional value from their vast offerings of versatile cases, including their latest iPhone 13 range.
Their Flip Cases, for instance, are nostalgic. Their design is reminiscent of the classic Motorola flip phones that millennials nowadays may not even appreciate. But back in the day, you’re considered one of the elites if you have the latest model. The cases exude durability even at first glance with their neat stitches and crisp premium cowhide leather texture. They boast a slimline design to limit the bulk and for easy access to the power and volume buttons and to the charging port and camera.
The addition of a durable, shock-absorbent TPU frame protects your phone from bumps and drops. The frame is slightly raised around the edges, so the flip cover doesn’t necessarily have to lay on top of the phone’s screen. This also gives enough wiggle room for the two credit card slots added to the case. The cover securely closes via a discreet magnet secured on top.
Then there’s the Leather Wallet Case for the ultimate phone protection. Aside from the premium cowhide leather and the shock-absorbent TPU frame, it also comes with a soft microfiber lining to protect the glass back of your phone from scratches. This one also offers more storage options for credit cards, banknotes, tickets, bills, receipts, and more. A leather strap stud mechanism keeps it securely closed.
For those who are constantly on their phones, either for business or pleasure, then they will find the TORRO Leather Case to their liking because of its built-in viewing stand. It also has space to store three cards, notes, bills, and more. It has a microfiber lining and closes with a magnetic clasp. For a minimalist approach, TORRO also offers a leather pouch case and leather-fitted TPU bumpers.
Suffice to say, TORRO has you covered for all your on-the-go leather gear. They even have laptop sleeves and bags, reporter and messenger bags, bifold men’s wallets with RFID protection, and cardholders. Golf enthusiasts may also find the Golf Scorecard Holder and Yardage Book Cover and the Golf Accessory Set a great addition to their leather goods.
Driven by a brushless Bavarian Brose S MAG motor, the Harley-Davidson Mosh/Tribute is a limited-edition e-bike “inspired” by the very first Harley model from 1903. This new e-bike rolls on German Schwalbe tires and features a Brooks England leather saddle and handgrips. Its 529 lithium-ion battery delivers a range of 35-105 miles. Only 650 units will be made and not surprisingly given the build-sheet, half of those will go to Europe. Pre-order is open now.
Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission.
The future of mobility and “living rooms on wheels,” plus: we ponder whether e-Readers are still relevant and discuss what to wear to the office these days.
Sep 24, 2021
This section is less a commentary on the Black Series per se as it is living with any sort of decent-sized camping trailer, but they’re all lessons learned from spending a week hauling what amounted to a wheeled tiny house across a thousand miles of America.
For one thing, hauling a trailer means you should be prepared to see some terrifying new figures from your trip computer’s fuel economy reading. Adding more than three tons of mass to a truck engine’s workload is bound to make it work harder, but modern pickup motors are potent enough that acceleration is still brisk enough to
The bigger pain, in the long run, comes from the added drag that the trailer brings to the table. Even with the angled front end, the HQ19 presents a big, blocky surface to the wind, forcing the tow vehicle to fight hard to keep up (and also occasionally inducing some nerve-racking oscillations in the trailer). Drag increases faster the quicker you go; jumping from 50 to 60 mph induces more drag than going from 40 to 50, and so forth, so the faster you drive, the faster your fuel economy goes down.
Every F-250 Tremor comes outfitted with the gnarly new Godzilla V8, a 7.3-liter naturally aspirated gasoline-fueled beast that cranks out 430 horses and 475 lb-ft. While normally two of my favorite phrases in the motoring world, though, naturally aspirated and gasoline-fueled are not exactly the ideal for hauling a trailer long distances at more than a mile above sea level.
Thing is, Wyoming interstate’s speed limit is 80 miles per hour, and plenty of cars (and even some semis) like to cruise 5-10 mph over the limit, much like anywhere else. Keep it at 65 for better fuel economy, and you’ll have every other vehicle on the road blasting by like you’re standing still — a scary proposition when about half of those vehicles are eighteen-wheelers.
As a result, the truck/trailer combo’s highway range wound up coming in at just a little over 200 miles. Add in the sporadic nature of gas stations in Wyoming — you can easily go 50 miles or more without seeing one — and the drive left me with a newfound appreciation for what EV drivers have to deal with on long sojourns.
Detaching and re-attaching the trailer — specifically the latter — is its own set of stressors. More than one person half-jokingly told my partner and me some variation of “hooking up trailers can lead to breakups,” and while our relationship made it through fine, it’s certainly easy to see why it could push an unstable marriage straight into divorce court.
Attaching the trailer is by far the trickier of the two, as it requires backing up your tow vehicle to align very precisely with the hitch — a task that requires a spotter (who, of course, is usually a significant other) to direct the driver in. Luckily, modern technology makes this far easier; the indicator line on the F-250’s rearview camera that tells you where the trailer hitch will be made lining it up easy. The hitch that makes the Black Series so capable off-road doesn’t make things easier; while most trailers simply need their hitch to be higher than the ball, the direct attachment of the HQ19 means the trailer and truck need to have their heights exactly matched. Still, the hydraulic jack of the trailer means it’s easy for the spotter to raise or lower it to match the truck on the fly.
There were more cool watches in September than you can shake a stick at. They span the ranges of price and style, too, from the likes of a Bulova prototype from the 1950s reissued as an affordable diver to an unusual but incredibly cool minimalist watch made by a Swiss horology museum. You’ll find are plenty of rugged tool watches from smaller brands, as well as some hot releases from the Swiss big boys like Zenith and TAG Heuer. Check ’em all out below.
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Based on a prototype made for the U.S. Navy in the 1950s, this dive watch was never actually produced until now. With a design and feature set reminiscent of the Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms, you’ve now got an eminently affordable alternative to that decidedly high-end dive watch. The feature of note here is the same as Blancpain issued to military frogmen in the 1950s (and featuring on a modern remake): that orange and white indicator above 6 o’clock on the dial will change color in the case if the watch has been compromised by moisture. It won’t save the watch, but it might have saved divers of that era from diving with faulty equipment. A limited-edition of 1,000 examples has a Swiss automatic movement, while a more affordable non-limited version uses a Japanese automatic movement.
Price: $895 (non-limited), $1,990 (limited)
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One of German watchmaker Sinn’s most well-known watches is dryly called the “103.” It’s a classic for many watch enthusiasts, and a new version revives the model as part of the brand’s 60th-anniversary celebrations — but with some small aesthetic tweaks and a notable upgrade for one key material: the 12-hour bezel is now produced in ceramic, giving it not only a high-end and modern feel but also a high level of scratch resistance and color retention.
Price: $3,270
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Ahead of the 20-year anniversary, Luminox aims to honor and benefit the victims and volunteers affected by the events of September 11, 2001, with a limited edition watch. Luminox often works with military organizations, and a portion of sales proceeds will go toward the Tunnel to Towers Foundation charity. Owners of the new watch will quite literally be reminded to “never forget” each time they look at their wrist, as they see the 9 and 11 indices starkly highlighted against an otherwise mostly black design.
Price: $495
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Based on older models but with reimagined modern tweaks, it seems like this perfectly sized, very cool-looking limited-edition version of the brand’s GMT dive watch could’ve been part of the brand’s permanent collection. Distinguishing it from the brand’s other GMT watches, this model adds a more interesting automatic movement with the Soprod C125 and a rotating bezel with 24 city names meant to be read in coordination with the GMT hand and 24-hour chapter ring on the dial. It might not be as intuitive to use as those world timers that also feature a rotating 24-hour ring, but it’s a cool variation on the brand’s flagship collection.
Price: $1,795
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Bamford is known for its creative interpretations and color applications, often on other brands’ watches. Its own watches have the same approach, though, and a pair of new monopusher chronographs are perfect examples. Both feature a 41.5mm carbon fiber case, one with a monochromatic look featuring the popular reverse-panda look, the other with electric blue highlights on its otherwise jet black dial. They’re powered by Sellita SW510 Swiss automatic movements.
Price: $2,950
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Well, yes, it sold out instantly, as so many of Unimatic’s hot drops do. But this is a very cool new take on the Italian brand’s U1 dive watch that sports the very now color of vibrant green for its dial, bezel and included strap — all set against a black-coated steel case and hardware. Most notable of all is the use of Eastern Arabic numerals for its dial, a design element that’s seen some popularity, no doubt helped by brands like Rolex doing the same.
Price: ~$770 (sold out)
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Montblanc’s collection of watches honors the inventor of an early chronograph device back in the 1821, Nicolas Rieussec, and it was also the collection that debuted the brand’s first in-house movement in a modern watch. A new version of this unique take on the chronograph celebrates 200 years since Rieussec’s invention with a stunning version featuring a gold-heavy colorway for the dial and guilloché grain d’orge decoration — just like the original device had.
Price: $8,700
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Though IWC has a program that collaborates with US military units on watches exclusively for service members, three new watches mark the first time models in the program are available to the general public. They’re in the brand’s Pilot’s Watch Chronograph collection and feature US Navy squadron patches for the “Royal Maces,” “Tophatters” and “Blue Angels,” respectively. Each watch has a hulking 44.5mm ceramic case and IWC in-house automatic chronograph movement inside.
Price: $10,900
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Watch dials have been made out of all kinds of crazy materials, often with unusual-looking results. Oris’s latest watch, for example, uses recycled PET plastic. Part of a trend using ocean plastic in everything from watch straps to entire cases, the dial takes its colorful look from a part of the recycling process that results in random patterns, no two of which will be the same. Considering the source of the plastic, it’s fitting that this dial is part of the brand’s Aquis dive watch, available in 41.5mm or 36.5mm versions.
Price: $2,300
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With its usual flare for color and design, British watchmaker Farer has presented its take on a somewhat obscure type of chronograph. Not only does it use just one pusher (rather than two) to start, stop and reset the stopwatch function, but it recalls vintage “Big Eye” chronographs that feature a quirky, asymmetric look with one subdial larger than the other — here further emphasized by a contrasting color.
Price: $1,995
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French boutique watchmaker Semper & Adhuc teamed up with the American (hence “Transatlantique”) watch website Beyond the Dial to create a collaborative watch. It features the brand’s visual DNA and a Swiss-developed, American-assembled vintage movement by Bulova, and will be limited to only 20 numbered examples and be available to order on September 14.
Price: ~$2,465
Tag Heuer
The unexpected look of a black DLC-coated dive watch is kind of striking on its own, but there’s even more to this new TAG Heuer Aquaracer: Rather than hands and indices that glow in the dark for low-light readability, here they’re painted black to contrast against the dial which will itself glow bright green.
Price: $3,350
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We love just about every new version of Zenith’s vintage-inspired Chronomaster that’s come out since its (re-)introduction in 2019, and this new model in blue is no exception. It’s based on the reference A386 watch from 1969 but, as with other modern variations, is a riff on the original design offering something new and contemporary.
Price: $9,000
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The newest mecaquartz-powered racing chronograph from French watchmaker Yema is dedicated to the legendary driver Michel Vaillant. He’s literally legendary as the fictional main character of a French comic series that started back in 1957. With a very 1970s motorsport theme and a cool story, it might feel like something the character would wear but will also look great in with real, modern life — and is reasonably affordable, to boot.
Price: $399
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We’re big fans of just about every version of Zenith’s Chronomaster collection of retro reissues. While many have gotten creative with colors, resulting in very contemporary-feeling designs, this example has a more traditional and familiar look. The signature tricolor, overlapping subdials here are matched to the same colors for the minutes/seconds track around the dial — a first for the brand. This particular model is available exclusively online.
Price: $8,400
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If Audemars Piguet is known for something besides its iconic Royal Oak sport watch lines, it’s probably its elegant perpetual calendar watches. Here they combine in a new configuration with a titanium case and the signature waffle-style dial texture in blue. A prestige watch when it only tells the time, the addition of a highly complicated in-house movement from the celebrated brand about doubles its price. Elegant as ever, all that complicated clockwork that tracks calendar data even down to leap years fits in a case that’s 41mm wide and just 9.5mm thick.
Price: $80,000
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Alpina always offers bang for buck in its high-quality Swiss sports watches, the latest of which joins its Startimer pilot watch collection: With a quartz movement, it’s able to offer complications that cost into the thousands when executed in mechanical movements for well under a grand. The new watches feature both chronograph and big date functions — the latter referring to a large date display delivered by a separate disc for each digit, allowing the display to be larger and easier to read.
Price: $1,084
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Every brand, it seems, needs an “integrated-bracelet” luxury sport watch in its stable, and Bell & Ross’s is the BR05. Rather than the usual aviation and other tool-watch themes of Bell & Ross’s signature square case, the BR05 is meant simply for fashionable urbanites. Add to that a travel theme and GMT complication with a fourth hand for tracking another time zone in 24-hour format, and you’ve got the new BR05 GMT.
Price: $4,900+
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If you’re a fan of horology and baseball and high-end art — and have a few grand to toss around, we’ve got just the thing for you: Berd Vay’e has teamed up with watch retailer Danny Goldsmith and Major League Baseball Chicago Cubs’ player Ian Happ on a limited-edition sculpture. Berd Vay’e’s approach of artistically suspending watch parts in clear plexiglass here takes the form of a 17-inch baseball bat. Only 30 examples will be available.
Price: $4,000
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Like the brand’s many steel watches that come in endless variations, Panerai’s range of Carbotech watches in a lightweight carbon material is ever expanding. Measuring 44mm, this new version features the brand’s in-house automatic movement and matches the black case to a blue sunburst dial. Just as the Zenith above, it’s exclusively available online from Panerai.
Price: $13,900
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Triwa’s collection of surfing watches already has an environmental theme being made from recycled ocean plastic. For the latest model the brand takes the concept a step further by collaborating with the ocean conservation organization Sea Shepherd. Still cased in recycled ocean waste, it features the Sea Shepherd logo on the dial with 15% of sales going to the organization.
Price: $159
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The newest badass tool watch from Ball Watch Co. is a totally black titanium carbide-coated dive watch in the brand’s Engineer II collection. Like other Ball watches, it’s copiously equipped with perpetually glowing tritium gas tubes for low-light visibility and plenty of contrast against its inky black dial — as well as embedded in the rotating diver’s bezel.
Price: $2,299
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Frederique Constant took the movement, functionality and dial design of their Worldtimer watch and placed it in the “sports-chic” case of their new Highlife collection. It sounds like a straightforward combination of existing ingredients, but none of the ingredients here are simple: with a sporty integrated bracelet design for the case and a complicated in-house movement inside, it’s greater than the sum of its parts and possibly the coolest example among both the collections it borrows from.
Price: $4,395
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We were quite pleased to see the Mido Ocean Star Powerwind “Rainbow Diver” from the 1960s return last year in modern form, but we pretty much thought that was that. We didn’t expect the concept to evolve, but it’s done so in a very cool way, extending the colorful concept to a turquoise bezel and offering an overall brighter look that echoes other versions form the ’60s. It’s limited to 1,961 examples and will be available November 1.
Price: $1,250
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You can tell just looking at it that this is no ordinary watch. Apart from its interesting minimalist design, however, it’s the watch’s purpose and origin that make it special: This is the result of a project undertaken by the Swiss watch museum MIH (Musée International d’Horlogerie). It was designed and produced in a collaborative way using local suppliers and talent, and proceeds will fund a certain restoration project at the museum. This second edition of the design is in black, following the first MIH Gaia watch from 2019 which was blue.
Price: ~$3,145
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Sometimes a small, elegant dress watch is just what you need — especially when it’s done up to Grand Seiko standards of refinement and finishing. Those with slimmer wrists or who are accustomed to vintage watch sizes will be particularly well served by these 34mm wide quartz watches powered by the brand’s own 9F series of movements. The two new models are available with white (SBGX247) or blue (SBGX249) dial variations.
Price: $3,300
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If you’re committed enough to style to spend Berluti money on your shoes, then you probably need a watch to match it. Hublot and Berluti have collaborated for years, often incorporating the shoemaker’s leather textures into the watchmaker’s famously avant-garde style. Here, the dial and bezel insert are in Berluti’s patinated Venezia leather, the dial indices being embossed. The case is titanium, the automatic chronograph movement is in-house-made and the strap is in rubber and, of course, leather to match the dial and bezel.
Price: $25,200
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Luminox has been associated with the military since its beginnings, and the brand first developed a watch with the US Navy SEALs back in 1989. The relationship has been a big part of the brand’s image since, and the concept has grown and evolved over time into a collection with various designs. Now, Luminox is bringing the original Navy SEALs watch back, and it comes in three variations — each totally badass.
Price: $435
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Massena LAB Uni-Racer, $3,495
Of the things that grown men love to scream at one another over, so-called “homage” watches has to be one of the most amusing. And what, pray tell, is an homage watch? It’s one that pays homage, of course — in this case, by recalling elements of a particular vintage timepiece but in a completely new model. Said model might only recall certain aspects of a famous design (say, a Rolex Submariner), or it might fall more into the category of what some would term a “ripoff” — largely a direct copy. The shades of grey between these extremes are myriad.
Inevitably, whenever an homage watch makes its debut on the internet, the Watch World is thrown into an uproar. (“Watch guys” and “watch gals” are highly opinionated people. I should know.) “How they can do such a thing?!” one anonymous forum user will growl. “Who cares if it’s a copy — it’s a cool watch, and it’s affordable!” another will retort. But we’re not here to force our opinion down anybody’s throats. We’re here to review the Uni-Racer from Massena LAB, and then you can form your own opinions.
And feel free to scream at one another in the Comments section below.
Key Specs:
Case Diameter: 39mm
Case Depth: 9mm
Water Resistance: 50m
Movement: SW510 M Elaboré hand-wound
Price: $3,495
Some background: The Uni-Racer is noted collector and businessman William Massena’s homage to a highly rare, stupidly expensive Universal Genève from the mid-1960s called the Uni-Compax “Big Eye.” They’re so-called because one of the chronograph sub-registers is larger than the other, to differentiate it from the running seconds hand. Lo and behold, the design wasn’t popular; very few were made, and when they do surface, in either “panda” (black registers on white dial) or “reverse panda” (white registers on black dial), they generally sell for around $40,000.
Massena remastered the Big Eye for the modern consumer, upping the case size slightly from 36.5mm to 39mm, and, later, adding three dial variants that never existed, within what he’s terming the Holiday Collection. Now five models deep, the Uni-Racer line gives 2021’s watch buyer the chance to own something inspired by this incredibly rare Universal Genève — complete with a manually wound Swiss movement and a spectacular dial — for $3,495. (Quite a savings over a vintage original, I’d say.)
There are several potential customers out there for the Uni-Racer:
1) Die-hard, long-term collectors who have been searching for an original Big Eye for years but either couldn’t find one or couldn’t stomach the price. Gods be praised, your day has come!
2) Vintage watch enthusiasts who love midcentury aesthetics but want a modern watch with a modern movement that won’t cost a fortune to service. Rejoice! Rejoice! You have a new choice.
3) People who plain and simply like a cool watch and have a good eye for design. Your train has similarly entered the station and you should be clamoring for one of these.
At $3,495, the Uni-Racer ain’t exactly an entry-level chronograph — we’ll admit that much. (And, indeed, it was the price that initially caused some of the vitriol when the Uni-Racer landed — not necessarily the whole “homage” thing.) In this range, however, there are plenty of alternatives available:
The Longines Aviation Big Eye ($2,625) recalls a vintage chronograph from Longines’ own collection, but is powered here by a thoroughly modern automatic movement and features a three-register dial rather than a two-register, like that of the Uni-Racer. It does, however, have an oversized sub-register, just like the Big Eye.
The Chronograph Sport collection ($1,955) from boutique British watchmaker Farer also features a “big eye” layout in three-register form, much like that of the Longines above. Each features vibrant pops of color akin to the Holiday Collection within the Uni-Racer line, and even features the same Swiss, hand-wound movement from Sellita that Massena went with.
If the whole “big eye” thing is less important to you and you’re simply looking for a good mechanical chronograph with a panda dial, then by all means, look no further than the Yema Speedgraf ($1,499). Powered by an interesting automatic chronograph movement from Seiko, it’s got heaps of style at an extremely attainable price.
I’m going to try and take a balanced view of the whole issue of “homage watches” in saying that I understand both sides of the argument, and I can sympathize with both: On the one hand, directly copying a vintage watch isn’t exactly an exercise in originality, and in some cases, depending upon the age of the watch and other factors, might actually constitute copyright infringement. On the other hand, making a beloved design whose associated intellectual property resides in the public domain available to a wider audience — especially if the modern incarnation of the brand seems unwilling to do so — I don’t have so much of a problem with that.
In the case of the Uni-Racer, Massena had a progressive plan for how he wanted to roll out the watches: He began with standard panda and reverse panda designs, and then he launched the Holiday Collection with three colorways that were never available in the original Big Eye. This way, the purists who were longing for a modernized Universal Genève homage were satisfied, but so, theoretically, were those to whom originality was more important.
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All the watches share the same case and differ solely in their dials. Said case is stainless steel, sized at 39mm — up from the 36.5mm of the original UG Uni-Compax “Big Eye.” It’s a really fine case, and perfectly sized for the modern wearer. With polished sides and circular brushed lug tops, it doesn’t feature fine bevels like on a modern Rolex sports model, but rather, recalls the architecture of the original. A screw-on case back houses the movement inside, while pump pushers and a crown signed “M” jut out from the right side. Pusher action is buttery smooth and satisfying to use, emitting an audible click from the watch’s Sellita movement.
Speaking of said movement, let’s go there next. We’re talking about a Sellita SW510 M Elaboré hand-wound, Swiss-made movement. Equipped with 23 jewels, it features a running seconds counter at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. Beating at 28,880 bph (4Hz), it’s got 58 hours of power reserve and an “Élaboré” escapement — meaning it’s regulated to chronometer standard. It also hacks (the seconds hand stops when you pull out the crown, for precision time setting), and features the Massena LAB signature on the bridge.
But enough will all the technical mumbo-jumbo. In short, this movement feels great to interact with: time setting is smooth, winding is actually fun, and pusher action on the chronograph is incredibly satisfying. The watch is accurate and timing events is easy. (I’m saying this as one of those weird people who still uses his mechanical watch to time stuff, like how long something’s been in the oven, or how long I’ve been practicing the modes of the melodic minor scale on my guitar. The answer: probably not long enough.)
But let’s talk about the dials — this is where the meat of the Uni-Racer story is. William Massena went through incredible lengths to get these “right,” and by that, we do mean to echo the original Big Eye dial as closely as possible. (With the exception of his branding in place of UG’s.) Most difficult to execute were the hands — the original Big Eye’s blocky handset was unique, and this isn’t the type of pre-fab product one simply picks out of a catalog online or at a Swiss or Chinese trade show. These hands had to be redesigned and fabricated anew, and this takes time to get right. (This is before we consider the color of said hands, which was similarly difficult to perfect. Don’t forget that this project began as a labor of love of the original watch, and thus getting these details right was highly important to Massena.) You can check out the technical drawings for this handset on Massena LAB’s website.
The time taken to perfect the Uni-Racer — over three years — is clearly on display in the dials of the original collection the Holiday Collection. They’re simply fantastically executed: the detail in the handset, the color and color choice in some of the Holiday models, the proportions. Everything is right with respect to the original Big Eye, but it’s also well done in terms of an update. The dial, after all, has been blown up slightly, and yet every element retains its subtle sophistication. The newer models — especially, in my opinion, the Cruise —truly pop, but not in an ostentatious way. I just don’t personally see how a fan of the original Uni-Compax Big Eye wouldn’t be excited by this watch, but to each his own, certainly.
To my mind, everything about the Uni-Racer comes together in a handsome, well built, comfortable, perfectly proportioned package — I simply love this watch. I do understand the issue some take with the price: Perhaps this would have made completely different headlines at $2,995 — it certainly would have at $2,495 — but we also have to keep in mind the cost to Massena to get the details right, and to source parts that truly do justice to the original. If I were in the market for a single chronograph to fulfill my chronograph needs (if such a thing exists), the Uni-Racer would be a top contender, hands down. Cool as those watches are, I’d rather one of these than something like a TAG Heuer Carrera re-issue — especially for the money.
Again, I do understand some of the vitriol that’s been directed at Massena LAB for the Uni-Racer: This is indeed not a unique design, built from the ground up. It’s a tribute. But, I must say, it’s an incredibly well done tribute, and one that I would be proud to wear in a gathering of watch nerds.
Massena LAB
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Life is a journey not meant to be traveled alone. A man needs a woman and not just anyone but the right one.
Fast forward to today, you think you’ve reached the point in your life to take your sacred vow with your bride on your wedding day. But before that big day arrives, you have to propose to her first to marry you.
As a celebrated tradition, the proposal is also as huge as her wedding in a woman’s life. So you want to sweep her off her feet when you propose to her at some fancy restaurant.
You’re wondering if you should propose before or after dinner. But this dilemma is just one of the many things you need to consider when you pop the question, “Will you marry me?”
Don’t fret, however. A well-thought-out plan will do the trick to beat the stress that comes with a marriage proposal. Besides, this should be a happy day for you and your future fiancée.
Crafting an idea of a surprise proposal dinner seems complex. But you just need to use the 4W, 1H technique to guide you with your plans.
Let’s begin by answering the Where Who, What, When, and How questions. But first, know your chances with your girlfriend and if she wants the same thing: marriage.
You must have already gone window shopping for the perfect engagement ring the moment you thought of settling down. You would have imagined putting it on your woman’s ring finger and how you’d make her cry tears of joy.
But before you make the purchase, you first need to subtly find out her thoughts about getting married. You should be on the same page with your partner.
Tell her about a friend who just got engaged to see her reactions. If she shares positive notions about engagement and marriage, take it as a sign that she will say “yes”. It’s a green light to go ahead with your plan to propose. This initial step will set the stage for everything that will follow.
So, you made up your mind that you’re going to propose to your Ms. Right at an intimate dinner at some restaurant. That’s because it will be more memorable for both of you.
We do agree with you on that, but where exactly? Choosing where to propose is equally important to make this a remarkable event in your life.
First, you may pick both your favorite restaurant as the best eating place for a proposal dinner. It could be where you had your first official dinner date, making it a fantastic perfect location to go for. You two will have an awesome time walking down memory lane and laugh at what transpired that day.
If you think the place is already too familiar to hold such a momentous occasion, go for a new fancy place. She might like the feel and fresh experience of dining in a grand restaurant you haven’t gone to before.
The important caveat here is you have to visit the restaurant first to have a look at the ambiance. Read customer reviews about the place.
More importantly, make sure your girl will find the food as something exquisite. If so, your proposal dinner can’t go south.
That’s one down, four to go.
Planning your proposal dinner can be a daunting task for one person. Hence, you will need help you can get from your circle of trust: family and friends.
Keep in mind that you need to know can trust the people who will be involved in your plan. You don’t want that one of them will blow up the whole thing. Your girlfriend might know about it and it spoils the element of surprise.
Your best friend and her closest friends would make trusted accomplices get things done. They could help with the whole set-up in the restaurant.
Also, you may loop in the parents because they can be your allies, good ones too. Seek a tip or two out of their own and friends’ experiences. They’ve been there, done that, so, somehow, they can help you with how well things could pan out.
Now, if you ask when is the best time to loop them in? Several weeks into the surprise proposal dinner would do. There’s no rule of thumb really, it still depends on the lead time you need to prepare everything.
We all know that there’s no professional proposal planner, only a wedding planner. Thus, you and your allies will have to figure this one out by yourselves.
A diamond is a girl’s best friend she wants on her ring finger. As for you, it’s your ticket to getting a big yes when you pop the question. But the ring of her dreams comes with a hefty price tag.
The price wouldn’t be a big deal if you have been saving up for it for a while. You’re lucky if your mom will give it to you as a family heirloom passed on for generations.
So, here are a few helpful tips to guide you on what engagement ring to choose for your future bride.
Set the right budget. If neither of the above fits the bill, know how much you’re willing to stretch from your budget. You don’t want to start a marriage carrying heavy debt.
The key is to ditch the two-month salary rule, but do not break the bank for that perfect ring. Once you have the right budget in mind, you get to a few more steps to make the purchase
Know her ring size. You don’t want your girl’s most coveted ring in the world to be oversized or undersized. Don’t tell yourself that it’s just fine and you can take it back for resizing.
Instead, team up with her best friend secretly to find your partner’s exact ring size. It will save you some money, too. Can you imagine the horror of spoiling almost a perfect proposal evening because of a wrong size engagement ring?
Do window shopping. If time is not an issue, do some window shopping. Visit several jewelry stores to compare costs and narrow down your options. Ultimately, you’d purchase an engagement ring of the same quality but at the best price.
Choose a ring that suits her style. Your future wife will wear her engagement ring for the rest of her life. Hence, it’s something that will fit her personality, style, and taste for a piece of jewelry.
You will get an idea of her personal preference just by looking at the set of jewelry she wears most often. Maybe, here’s when you can also ask your mom or her mother what ring you should pick for her.
Take into account the quality of the rock. When buying a diamond engagement ring, use the 4Cs as the basis for quality and price: cut, color, carat, and clarity.
In addition, other components are involved in how the ring’s rock sits well on the ring. These components include the metal that makes up the ring band, the side stones, and the like.
They say diamonds are forever because it is harder than the rest of the precious gems. Less of us know, however, that diamonds lose a substantial amount of value after it’s purchased.
Consider widening your choices by looking at other precious gems other than diamonds. One better alternative is the moissanite engagement rings.
Moissanite is naturally grown in a special meteorite type in small quantities. It even sparkles brighter than diamonds under lighting conditions. The downside is it’s barely less hard than diamonds.
You can also go for more colorful precious stones such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and opals. They’re rarer than diamonds. The unique color each of these precious stones possesses might catch the eye and the personal style of your sweetheart. Hues of blue, red, and green have become a top choice over the sparkly clear white charm of diamonds.
Remember that bottom line, an engagement ring is a symbol of your love times infinity for your fiancée-to-be above all else.
We finally reach the part where we answer the question that’s going around your head. It’s the reason why you happened to click this article in the first place. Should you propose before or after dinner?
Proposing to your future wife is easier said and planned than done. That is because rejection sucks. You may have read some signs that she will say yes but there’s still the littlest possibility of getting a “no” answer.
At the back of your mind, you have to do it right, especially the right timing to pop the four-word question.
Let’s now get to the bottom of that and proceed first with the pros and cons of each choice of when to propose during your dinner date. Surely, it’s a tricky situation you’d be in.
Other men might not be able to swallow rejection when they propose at the onset of dinner. Oh, the horror, right? So, you jump at the conclusion that before dinner seems not viable. But let’s tarry a little on that thought.
So after dinner, then? Other guys will likely be anxious the whole time, and everything would appear in slow motion. She might see it coming based on how strange her boyfriend is acting. If he’s too nervous to propose, getting through the six-course meal would seem forever.
From that point of view, let’s weigh the pros and cons of proposing before or after eating your dinner.
Proposing Before Dinner: Pros & Cons
The upside of proposing before dinner would suit guys who get easily anxious under pressure. They usually don’t endure the jitters while waiting to finish eating the food before proposing. If you think you’re the nervous kind of guy, then proposing before dinner makes an apt choice.
Say you and your partner are now seated to dine at the fancy restaurant of choice for your surprise proposal dinner. Find a cue that would hint at the right time to begin to utter the words you’ve been practicing. Perhaps it’s when the waitress has poured the wine on your glasses. One sip of the wine would set it up for you and you know you’re ready to hear her say yes.
Proposing before dinner gives room for both of you if you plan to share this joyous occasion with your friends and family.
The downside is if unexpectedly, she declined your proposal. That would be a bomber especially if you’ve already invited friends and family to celebrate with you. It’s highly unlikely the evening will turn out the way you planned.
Proposing After Dinner: Pros & Cons
It’s likely that men somehow know their girl will say yes before making plans to propose. Still, there’s a fifty percent probability of a no answer, given the question is answerable by yes or no.
So, it’s practical for some guys to wait until after dinner to pop the question. This way, they won’t put their plans to waste and rather relish the elaborate six-course dining. They choose to simply chill out and enjoy the mood of a laid-back evening.
If this sounds like you, then save popping the question after dinner. If she says yes, you two could extend it to an intimate moment together after dinner to celebrate.
The drawback of proposing after dinner is having to get through the entire dinner anxious and tense. Make sure you can contain your excitement when you decide to propose after dinner.
The answer, therefore, to the question, “Should I propose before or after dinner?” is not absolute and straightforward. It still depends on your personality when you’re under pressure.
Consider other significant factors as well before you decide whether he will get down on one knee to propose before or after dinner. This includes the nature of the proposal dinner like is it a fine dining experience with a six-meal course.
Ask yourself how your mate will like a proposal before dinner or one after. Also, your decision will vary if your plan includes inviting close friends and family.
Let’s now go to the How question of your plan. We go over this question to help you cook your surprise proposal dinner to perfection.
Include the restaurant with your plan
Fine dining restaurants will be happy to assist you in what you need to make it an extraordinary experience. The engagement night should be so memorable for both of you.
By involving them in your plan ahead of time, the crew will see to it that the service is exceptional. The cozy ambiance will set up the romantic mood, from candlelight to great-tasting wine, and sumptuous food. Perhaps, they can hire violinists to serenade you while having dinner to elevate the occasion with beautiful tunes.
The restaurant will reserve a special spot for the occasion, with perfect lighting, flowers, and a romantic backdrop to make beautiful photos. They can also concoct the most scrumptious choices on their menu and the finest wine to offer.
Tell your future fiancée to dress to kill for the evening
To keep your plans a secret, make up a story about why she has to put on her best evening dress. You want your engagement photos to be awesome.
Memories fade but beautifully captured photos are there to remind you often. You also want to share amazing photos of your proposal dinner on social media.
Pre-arrange taking of photos and videos
You can’t miss out on special moments that need to be photographed or shot during your proposal dinner. Pre-arrange taking of photos to capture priceless moments you’d put in a frame.
Capturing the reactions of your soon-to-be fiancée when you take out the engagement ring would be priceless! A video of you on one knee while asking her to marry you would be as monumental.
So, needless to say, ask help from the restaurant crew to set a fantastic backdrop for this special occasion. It can be on the rooftop under starry skies, in the resto’s garden, or near the fireplace.
Ask the staff if they have an in-house photographer to do the job. Otherwise, you can request your good friend to do it for you. You may also opt to commission a professional photographer (if it suits your budget) to be sure the photos will be amazing!
Never hide the ring in her champagne glass
Don’t go through the same horrendous disaster on your engagement night by hiding the ring in her champagne glass. Neither you should do the same trick hiding the ring in a slice of cake or food.
Imagine the horror if your girlfriend swallowed the ring, or cracked a tooth, or choked. It’s a big no. That’s not how you like to remember your engagement.
Be ready with a box of Kleenex
Perhaps your girlfriend has long waited for that very moment you’d ask her to marry you. As she brims with uncontainable happiness, tears of joy will overflow.
When she cries, you’re ready to offer her your handkerchief or a box of Kleenex.
Relax, your proposal need not be flawless
Bear in mind that you are in love with each other. Your fiancée-to-be will see all your efforts just to make it special. It doesn’t have to be flawless.
She will say yes, so just relax. What’s important is you got a plan, hence, it will turn out well for both of you.
As for your speech, the key is to practice what you’d say facing the mirror. You can keep your words simple and direct but touch her heart enough to see her teary-eyed.
If you’re not the poetic type, you seek help from Mr. Google. There are tons of proposal speeches you can use as an example. Just be yourself. Your future wife loves you the way you are.
Ready yourself for a no answer
You know when at this point in your relationship, you’re ready to take it to the next level. Deep down, you know she’s “the one” to spend your life with until you draw your last breath.
So, you propose, because you feel she’s up for it and she’d say yes. But think that there’s still the slightest possibility that she has doubts if she’s ready for this kind of commitment.
Children and all. In such a case, no matter how confident you are that will accept your proposal, be prepared for a no answer. It’s an absolute no and maybe she’s not yet ready as you are.
Propose after dinner
Are you still looking for a straightforward answer to the main question, “Should I propose before or after dinner?” Here it is: propose after dinner.
It appears that the pros outweigh the cons of proposing after dinner. You two have enjoyed your six-course meal at a high-end restaurant as one of its benefits.
If in any case, her answer is an unexpected no (which is highly unlikely), both of you can exit the place fast, and away from the prying eyes of the people around you.
Imagine proposing before dinner. Either of you will feel awkward after she said no that you would have lost appetite. You’d see your great plan shattered into pieces right before your eyes and you’d rather not.
It’s better to enjoy this riveting experience of proposing marriage until after you’ve eaten your delicious dinner, don’t you think?
To top it off, let’s have a run-down of some important dos and don’ts when proposing marriage to the love of your life.
Fetch some clues
You can’t read your girlfriend’s mind so you need to fetch some clues if she believes in the sanctity of marriage.
Before you pop the question and delve into your plan, slyly know her thoughts on getting married and having children. Let her speak her mind and listen attentively so she sees you’re serious to know her answer.
If ever she says she’s not yet ready for something like that, consider postponing your plan to propose. Just wait, because she will drop a hint when she’s ready.
Make your proposal a surprise
Keep your plan to propose to her a secret until the day arrives. It will keep her off-guard and her reaction is as real as it gets. Make this occasion a significant stage in her life she can’t forget ever, just like her wedding day.
Prepare your proposal speech a few times
When it’s time to propose, you just don’t get down on your knees and ask her, “Will you marry me?” It shouldn’t be that simple.
Write down a short speech, telling her why you want to marry her. Practice reciting it a few times to memorize it by heart. This will also save you from a mental block and forget your lines. It will ruin the moment if you’d be tongue-tied.
Hide your engagement ring in a safe
Once you purchase an engagement ring, it’s better to keep it in a safe where she can’t open it. If not in a safe, hide it in a place where she won’t find it by accident. It will spoil the element of surprise of your proposal if she does.
Tell her parents about your engagement plan
It will look old-fashioned, but it will be respectful if you ask their daughter’s hand in marriage. Ask their blessing. Involve them in your plans to surprise her at your proposal dinner. They will like you more in doing so.
This way, you will find them as new allies in sharing your life with their daughter. You’d be needing their help later in taking care of your kids.
Add a personal touch to the proposal venue
Consider proposing to your future bride at a restaurant where you first dated, or someplace that is special to her. If you pick a fancy restaurant you have not been to, make sure to add a personal touch.
Include in your plans her favorite song, flowers, dish, or other stuff. You’d see a twinkle in her eyes. She’d be all over you for it.
Drop on one knee
A proposal is a celebrated tradition embedded in many cultures. Dropping on one knee as you propose to your bride-to-be can’t be more romantic.
This gesture signifies prayer that she’d accept you as her future husband. It is also linked to a man’s submission, deference, and respect for his partner.
Share the news anyway
Family and friends will be elated to see you two getting engaged. In this day and age, news travels fast even if you want to keep it low-key.
Share the news anyway. You can post your pictures on social media. It’s something to celebrate with people who care what’s going on with you.
Never make it public
You may invite close family and friends to join you for an after-party after she says yes to you. But it’s best to keep the proposal initially intimate between the two of you.
Enjoy the bond you share during dinner to feel the romantic vibe in the air. She’ll think it’s just another big celebratory date of sorts, without any clue that you’ll propose!
Never hide the ring in food or drinks
Hiding the engagement ring in food or drinks is an old and horrifying trick. Trust us, it will save both of you from a disaster.
As much as possible, keep it close to your heart or in your pocket instead. You can be creative in other ways, but offer the ring as you bend on one knee. There’s nothing more romantic than that.
Never propose at a sports game
Okay, you two love basketball or baseball that sometimes, you watch the games in person. However, don’t ever think of proposing to her during NBA finals or a Major League Cup.
Your proposal will be an epic fail. She won’t hear what you’ll say amid a cheering crowd. Besides, she will be distracted by the intensity of the game. So, forget it. Go for the more traditional and romantic proposal plan.
Never propose in front of her family
Proposing in front of your girlfriend’s family is inviting added stress you don’t need. Focus on the two of you. This is supposedly your alone moment as a couple.
Her family will have their place on your wedding day. They may join you for an after-party once you get your answer from her and put that ring on her finger to make it official.
Welcome to Deals of Note, where Gear Patrol captures all the best deals of the day. You can also visit GearPatrol.com/Deals for constant updates on the latest deals discovered by our team.
The most rare or exceptional deals picked by Gear Patrol’s product experts.
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The ever-expanding Marvel comics story, with its endless interconnections and characters, now spans more than half a million pages and is still growing, making it the longest continuous, self-contained work of fiction ever created. This new book by superhero expert Douglas Wolk, digs into this pop-culture epic, giving fans a sweeping exploration of the comics and their significance.
There are 3 models in Specialized’s next-gen lineup of turbo e-bikes, the Como, Vado, and the Tero: a step-through mom bike, a city commuter, and a hardtail MTB, respectively. All offer a 90-mile range on full power, which means no pedaling. Top speeds are 20MPH for the Tero & 28MPH for the other 2. Innovative safety features like rear-facing Garmin radar and the security of an app-controlled Turbo System Lock provide protection. If you actually want to pedal your “bike,” you can do that, too. Available now.
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Sur La Table is holding a huge sale on cookware and home goods, but the deals won’t last long. Save on a variety of renowned cast iron brands and their signature goods like a Staub round cocotte or a Le Creuset Dutch oven. Or a Breville espresso machine. If you’re not in the market for cast iron, you can still save on essentials like an All-Clad nonstick skillet set or a Scanpan wok. As a bonus, your new favorite cookware piece ships free with purchases over $59.
Sur La Table
Sur La Table
Sur La Table
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While most high-end timepieces are tough enough to withstand the occasional impact or accidental drops, owners prefer to wear them for more casual activities. There are others that prefer to push beyond the standards many consider when it comes to durability. Vacheron Constantin is doing just that with the latest Overseas collection.
The new lineup is called the “Everest” and consists of two variations: Chronograph and Dual Time. Even though both have a lot in common when it comes to aesthetics, their functionalities and more set them apart. As for which model to get, it entirely depends on your preferences. If it were up to us, one of each should do nicely.
First up on our list for the Overseas collection is the Dual Time Everest. It features a 41-mm x 12.8-mm case that houses a matte grayish-blue dial. The outermost minute track ring is in the same shade, while the applied hour markers are a mix of sticks and batons.
You can tell the time back home via the orange hand and day/night indicator at 9 o’clock. Then there’s the date sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Powering the watch is Vacheron Constantin’s 5110 DT/2 self-winding movement with a 60-hour power reserve.
When you want different timekeeping functions and a bigger silhouette, this is it. The case measures 42.5 mm x 13.7 mm with a similar outline as the other. The dial is still a matte grayish-blue affair but sports a mix of baton, stick, and square hour markers.
You can find a date window right in the middle of 4 and 5 o’clock with three chronograph sub-dials. A total of three hands are in orange to give it much some needed contrast. Inside, Vacheron Constantin equips it with the 5200/2 automatic caliber good for 52 hours on a full wind.
The most recent Overseas collection might not look like luxury watches at a glance, but the spec sheets say otherwise. It uses titanium and stainless steel for the case, while the dial boasts 18K gold elements. Moreover, the transparent sapphire crystal of its caseback shows the 22K pink gold oscillating weight.
The intricate designs vary between the two Everest models. Depending on your mood or outfit, swap between the gray rubber or blue Cordura fabric straps. Vacheron Constantin will be offering 150 examples of each adventure-ready Overseas Everest variant.
Images courtesy of Vacheron Constantin
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The shorts we’ve been wearing all summer are now finding themselves at the bottom of the drawer and our favorite denim is coming back into the rotation. Something else we get to start wearing again in fall? Jackets. Layering is back and when it comes to autumnal layering nothing does it better than a trucker jacket. Throw it on top of a tee and your fall fit is instantly elevated. Just in time for the changing of the seasons, Flint and Tinder is offering a deal on its Indigo Waffle Trucker Jacket at Huckberry.
Made with lightweight and breathable waffle cotton, this jacket takes a classic silhouette and elevates it just enough to add a different texture to a garment that was already one of the best jackets for fall. If you’ve been looking for the perfect jacket to bridge from summer to winter, this is it.
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That Zalto glassware is structurally sound seems a minor miracle. The featherlight bowl, so fine it dissolves into its surroundings, is held up by a stem not much wider than a lollipop stick. But there’s much more to aZalto than appearances. Leading sommeliers claim that it enhances the nose and flavor of a wine in a manner unlike any other glassware in the world, a feature that has solidified it as the uncontested favorite among top-tier restaurants.
While Zalto wine glasses have only been in production for little more than a decade, the artistry that laid the foundation for the glassware dates back to the 1400s. For six generations, the Zalto family has worked as the leading artisanal glassmakers in Lower Austria’s Neunagelberg, a major wine region. In 2003, Kurt Zalto approached Father Hans Denk, a local priest with a renowned palate for wine, to collaborate on a stemware collection. What resulted was a series of precision-engineered wine glasses, applying Father Denk’s comprehension of wines to Zalto’s glassmaking capabilities and marrying pure form with superlative function.
“Everything about the production of a Zalto glass has been pushed to the extreme.”
Zalto distributed primarily to local winemakers at the outset. In 2005, while touring Austrian vineyards, wine importer Stephan Schindler, of California’s Winemonger Imports, learned of Zalto glassware, which was still fairly new at the time. Stephan and his wife, Emily, worked with the company (and Father Hans Denk) to bring it to the U.S. for the first time.
The duo seeded the glassware on wine forums and message boards, offering a free set to anyone willing to cover the cost of shipping. By 2010, business began to accelerate. High-end restaurants began purchasing sets to use for VIP clientele, and by 2012, San Francisco’s Saison purchased the complete Zalto line for use throughout the restaurant.
On the East Coast, the glasses began landing on the tables of select restaurants in 2013. New York’s Charlie Bird was among the first to adopt Zalto as its exclusive wine glass. “Everyone who picks up that glass for the first time has some reaction to it,” says Grant Reynolds, wine director of Charlie Bird and its sequel restaurant, Pasquale Jones. “For us, design is really important. [We shy from the ornate or gaudy], and Zalto is really clean and beautiful and simple,” he says, adding that the glasses are “highly effective” in intensifying the underlying flavors of a wine.
The finely honed craftsmanship behind a Zalto is near impossible to ignore — and it goes a long way toward fostering conditions conducive to best tasting a wine. Whereas machine-made glasses have a rounded lip, Zalto’s glasses are polished down to be flat, essentially dissolving the barrier between mouth and wine and improving delivery to the tippler’s palate. “[The glasses] disappear into the background and let you taste the wine unadulterated by the heft or body of the vessel,” says Zalto brand ambassador and award-winning sommelier Aldo Sohm. He says that his first time sipping from the glassware was revelatory. “It was like having previously unheard-of clarity about a wine. I didn’t want to drink out of anything else.”
“Everything about the production of a Zalto glass has been pushed to the extreme,” says Winemonger Imports’ Emily Schindler of the handblown stemware. “From the finishing of the rim to how thin and light the glasses are, and even where the glass — which is one piece from the rim to the bottom of the stem — connects to the base. [The artisans] take an extra step to clean away as much excess material at that juncture, which results in a glass that balances perfectly in your hand.”
But for all its acclaim, a Zalto doesn’t inherently make a wine taste better. It merely magnifies a wine’s character. So while the stemware can deliver “the finest possible expression of a wine,” Schindler says, “it can just as easily show a wine’s faults.” Zalto’s product, then, is more than a mere vehicle for consumption. It’s a precision instrument — one that remains highly coveted for its aesthetics and effect on wine, equally and alike.
