The Roundup: “One for the Gamers” Edition

Each week, EWC will be gathering horological industry news, cultural conversations and moments surrounding our favorite topic: timepieces. Happy Friday; here’s what’s on our watch.

Turning 20 Gets Complicated

There are loads of anniversaries to be celebrated this year in the watch world, one of them being two decades of Omega’s Seamaster Planet Ocean. Turns out, graduating from your teen years to your twenties is complicated — in the form of a worldtimer complication. For its 20^th birthday, the Planet Ocean is all grown up with the addition of a worldtimer movement for the first time ever in the collection’s history. The fancy caliber 8938 (previously seen in other Omega worldtimers) is all dressed up (or perhaps dressed down?) in ceramic attire in two colorways: sleek grey and playful turquoise.

The Real Star of Death Stranding 2

At SXSW on Sunday, the legendary video game designer Hideo Kojima announced the sequel to his popular action game Death Stranding would be dropping in June and with it, a new star character: the Hamilton Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition. Kojima collaborated closely with the watchmaker to imagine and bring to life an ultra-futuristic version of Hamilton’s iconic Boulton. The model features a titanium build with black PVD treatment and a first of its kind, highly angular design composed of seven — yes, seven — sapphire crystals: one primary viewing window with two columns of three on each side matching the lines of the case. The watch will take shape virtually in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and in the metal for die-hard fans of the franchise this spring.

It’s a Mad M.A.D. World … Again

When the M.A.D. 1 debuted in 2021, the watch world went wild. Collectors finally had the chance to own a piece of MB&F at an accessible price. Now, four years and multiple color variations later, M.A.D. Editions is back with something entirely new: the M.A.D. 2. Unlike previous editions designed by Max Büsser, the M.A.D. 2 hails from Eric Giroud (the & Friends part of Max Büsser & Friends). The M.A.D. 2 draws inspiration from the 1990s club scene, with its rotating minutes and jump-hour discs evoking the spinning vinyl of the Technics SL-1200 Mark 2 turntable. The signature visible rotor remains visible on the dial, creating a clear design link between the M.A.D. 1 and M.A.D. 2. Just like its predecessor, the M.A.D. 2 will retail for CHF 2,900 ($3,276), with the raffle opening on April 1.

Is Louis Vuitton’s Monterey Poised for a Comeback?

Spotted: Louis Vuitton’s Monterey II appeared in the Maison’s runway show this week at Paris Fashion Week. The Monterey marked the brand’s first foray into the realm of watches back in 1988, quickly followed by the Monterey II. The original model was rendered as a wristwatch, but at the Gare du Nord station where LV’s fall/winter collection was put on full display, models walked the runway with the watch — some on the wrist and others hanging from a necklace as a pendant. We’ll be waiting with bated breath as this story unfolds — stay tuned. 

A Match Made in Heaven

Between the Australian Open that kicks off the season and next up, the French Open, top players flock to the west coast for the Indian Wells Open. Rolex serves as the Official Timekeeper (no surprise here, the Crown partners with all four Grand Slam tournaments, all the major events in the men’s and women’s game, and the leading international team contests). In typical fashion, the brand has had a strong presence at the Coachella Valley event. Here, rising star Carlos Alcarez sported an 18-karat white gold Day-Date 40 Ref. 228349RBR featuring a striking green dial and a diamond-set bezel.