Stephen

@watches_in_nature

-Watches + Nature = 😁 -OG photographer of watches out in nature -Tool watch obsessed -Champion for the small brands -All pics were taken by me 📷
Posts
3,869
Followers
10.8k
Following
1,384
It’s an affair of the crown! Happy Friday! Even though I work this weekend, I am glad it’s Friday. Hope you all have a great weekend! I absolutely love the crown on this watch! Can you tell that I do?!? It’s an incredible piece. I know I have talked about this before but I just love how this was a spur of the moment trade and when I got this watch, I was blown away by how much I loved it. I was scrolling the gram last night and I found myself compelled to comment on things I was reading. Sometimes I feel like I should just keep my thoughts to myself but then I feel like the other side should be represented. I like to question things, I like to represent the flip side of the coin and I like to provoke thought. It’s never from a malicious place or with ill intent. When a post asks, “what do you think?” I always answer honestly. I feel like that’s better than not saying anything at all and 1,000,000 x better than being fake. Watches are like people. We are attracted to certain people and others we aren’t. Some people prefer brunettes, while others prefer blondes. That sort of thing. So we aren’t all going to be attracted to the same watches. Watches that I like, other people think they are ugly and vice versa. The laws of attraction are always at play. Take this watch for instance, how many of you would honestly wear it? Be honest. I started my blog for people like me who appreciate watches that are off the beaten path. I always thought that if I helped/reached just one person that I was a success. I still feel that way. Have a great Friday fam! . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @officialennebi 🥾 @cordesleather . . . . . . . . . . #ennebi #ennebifondale #watchoftheday #watchdaily #watchphotography #watchpics #watchcollector⌚️ #watchnerd #watchmania #moodywatchshots #watchsociety #toolwatch #toolwatchfriday #watchoftheday #italy🇮🇹
24 7
39 minutes ago
Thursday aka the eve of Friday can only mean one thing, it’s mini Fondale Friday! This piece is classic @officialennebi through and through. It’s the quintessential Ennebi. Whenever I think of Ennebi, I always think of the Fondale first and foremost. An Italian tool made by two of the OG masters who experience with Panerai dates back to when Panerai was still just a military supplier. Any watch can be marketed as a tool watch, but a real tool watch has the engineering that makes its a real tool. That being sad, we all have different expectations for our watches. Some of us might not need their watch over engineered while some of us do. There’s no right or wrong, you just have to understand what you want as an individual and what your personal definition of a tool watch is. My issue lies with companies that market their watches as tool watches and people like me expecting one thing but getting another. My experience with Rolex and other brands that fit into that category, well those experiences taught me that there is nothing that goes into the engineering that separates from their watches that are marketed as dress watches. I am not brand bashing here either. I just learned that those brands aren’t for me. I bought them so I could personally experience them first hand and make my experienced based studies/opinions. When I was able to pop off a bezel, with very little effort and see that there was a very thin piece of metal, a piece of metal that I could easily bend…..well that’s one of many examples of how I came to realize that I personally needed something more from my watches in terms of engineering. A person using their watch as a desk diving tool doesn’t require over engineering in their watch, so Rolex and like brands work perfectly fine for them. Just because I like talking about my experiences with a brand, doesn’t mean the brands are lesser or beneath me, it means I know what works for me and what doesn’t work for me. That’s all. Experience is the best teacher and sharing those experienced based opinions is a healthy thing! . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @officialennebi . . . . . . . . . . #ennebifondale #ennebi #toolwatch #toolwatchthursday
0 71
1 day ago
LumTec Wednesday! The Super Combat B2 was a complete surprise. It wasn’t because I didn’t have faith in @lumtecwatches , this watch is just that good that it exceeded all of my expectations. There’s nothing better than when a watch exceeds expectations. I’ve been on the other side of the tracks too, when I had high expectations but the watch was a huge disappointment. Has that ever happened to you when your expectations were so high but then you got the watch and you were like WTF is this? My biggest disappointment was the Panerai 719. I wanted that watch for so long and I loved that Mike Horn was behind the watch. I also want to know what watches exceeded your expectations?!? Obviously this watch exceeded expectations. A couple of others that come to mind are the SeL Omnidiver, Ennebi Seimila Metri, and the Kaventsmann Hadal II. The finish on this case, the crown function and the dial are the details on this watch that exceeded my expectations. I have to say and I know I have said it before, this is definitely Lum-Tec’s most impressive release yet. The mechanical handwound movement is definitely the icing on this badass cake! I am such a fan of handwound movements. It given a choice of movements, I would pick the Unitas 6497 every time. It’s a beautiful and magical movement. Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @lumtecwatches . . . . . . . . . . #toolwatch #watchphotography #watchpics #lumtec #watches⌚️ #watchenthusiast #watchcollector⌚️ #watchmania #watchesinnature #timetoblogwatches #watchcollection #watchlover #watchgeek #watchesofinstagram #watchoftheday #watchdaily
0 69
2 days ago
Teseo Tesei Tuesday! The 47mm bronze beauty of a beast from @officialerrei , the sister brand of Ennebi. A watch that not only encompasses the world of Italian watchmaking but is so full of those executed details throughout. The crown is definitely a highlight of those details and is the case itself, the shape, design and patina. The case is a work of beauty but how about this dial?!? Matte black dial that not only has its own patina but also has some of my favorite style makers. The classic 12, 3, 6 and 9 is my personal favorite hour marker layout for a watch. I find it aesthetically pleasing, functionally pleasing and the balance of it all is definitely pleasing. I really appreciate that @officialerrei left the 9H in place and didn’t remove it as sacrifice to the small seconds subdial. An excellent design decision in my opinion. The sausage style numerals on this dial are so incredibly beautiful and a nice nod to the old Italian dials of yesteryear. Sandwich dials are great and all, but this style of dial is where it’s at for me. Those of you who know will definitely understand how beautiful sausage style numerals are in person. I had a few people make some sarcastic Panerai comments about this watch. Obviously those people are clueless on a multitude of levels but to state it as clearly as I can, this watch has more OG Panerai DNA than any Panerai that has been produced by the brand since moving its manufacturing to Switzerland in 2002. Bettarini’s history with Panerai dates back almost 45 years ago and his experience dates back almost 65 years ago when he started working in his father’s workshop. Amazing history in my opinion and that history is apparent in this watch. I love that the text was kept to the simple engraved 1960. Nothing more is needed in my opinion. This is an excellent example of where less is more. The matte black hands that are lumed fill are a perfect choice for this watch. They are proportional to the dial which is very important to me both from an aesthetic standpoint and a functional standpoint as well. The small red second hand is just enough color to add a beautiful touch of color detail to this dial.
0 83
3 days ago
Monday battle armed with the @varioeveryday 1918 pilot. Probably my favorite Vario watch released to date. I want a Popeye watch, but have yet to have luck finding one. That might be my favorite design though. What I appreciate most about Vario is that they keep their watches are an extremely affordable price point. I have never had one quality issue with any Vario watch I owned and this is an excellent example of affordable watches can be made with good quality without being cheaply made. I have owned some $4k+ watches that the quality was completely rubbish. Price doesn’t always dictate quality. I have to get some lume shots of this one because the lume is actually really nice. The case shape and the crystal are the two details that really stand out for me with this watch. I would have liked a screw down crown on this one but I can’t always have everything that I want and I am ok with that. Those of you who are looking for a nicely made and affordable pilot watch with a hand wound movement, this watch is a great place to start looking. Ivan and Judy are great to deal with. They are extremely friendly and extremely helpful in terms of strong customer service skills. Vario has carved out a nice niche in the world of microbrands. They have a nice following and a good reputation. I can’t recommend them enough. I hope you all have a wonderful start to your week. Happy Monday fam! . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @varioeveryday . . . . . . . . . . #vario #watchphotography #macromonday #moodywatchshots #watchreview #microbrand #microbrandmonday #watchpics #watchoftheday #watchdaily #watchfam #watchgeek #watchgame #watches⌚️
0 86
4 days ago
I asked Master Bettarini about the Seimila Metri. In case you missed it, here it is again. Stephen: Can you describe the process of how the Seimila Metri came about? From design to finished product? Master Bettarini: The Seimila metri was created to demonstrate a design and implementation capability beyond the ordinary. We were not aware of any operational need at such depth. It was a design vanity operation. And why precisely six thousand meters. The reason was a hydraulic press that reached such a depth. A press that came from the workshop of Officine Panerai in Florence. Purchased when said company closed its Florentine headquarters. At the design stage then I discarded the idea of using that trough for watertightness and presso resistance tests. The nameplate depth, in this case 6000 meters of water column, cannot be the test pressure, but must be increased by a coefficient called the safety coefficient. I assumed a coefficient of 1.2. In addition, it was appropriate that pressure resistance and watertightness tests should be carried out by a certification body. In our case, we relied on a spin-off from the University of Florence. Each watch is tested, in a specially constructed chamber, at the pressure corresponding to a water column of 7200 meters. The most critical point of the project was the watertightness on the axis of the winding crown. The solution I adopted, with 4 radial o-rings and 1 axial o-ring, passed the test brilliantly. Another critical point was the sapphire crystal both for mechanical attachment and thickness such that it could withstand the operating depth by a wide margin. The thickness of the crystal was such that to increase the brightness on the dial I drew openings on the bezel that mechanically fixes the crystal. The material adopted for the watch is grade 5 titanium, Ti 6Al 4V. The mechanical workings of the body of the Seimila metri are similar to those of other Ennebi watches. . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @officialennebi . . #toolwatch #ennebi #watchphotography #watchoftheday #watchcollector #watchnerd #watchlover #diverwatches #diverwatch #diverwatchporn #watchgeektime #watchaddict
0 80
4 days ago
Here’s my Saturday entry for @captain_t_53 & @onewatchjustisntenough #signatureshotweek I had to get some more of my OG signature shots before week ended, so I grabbed the patina beast of Skulletor and headed to the rough waters in the Badlands of Hark. This beast is the creation of Ennebi’s sister company @officialerrei Relojes e Instrumentos-Sector relojero de / watch division of Fratelli Bettarini This company was born out of the desire of Diletta (from London, UK), Gherardo (from Barcelona, Spain) and Lapo (from Brussels, Belgium), the “Bettarini brothers (and sister)” to carry on the project of their father, Alessandro, co-founder of Ennebi and master watchmaker. “The company R&I – Relojes e Instrumentos is born from a very simple idea: to create and supply to a public of experts, professionals, collectors or simply enthusiasts, mechanical precision watches of the highest quality created, with an innovative design and extreme solutions, designed and handmade, offering the possibility of customising them to meet the needs of our customers. These features make our products unique, tailor-made.” The Icon aka the patina beast is such a well made piece with quality and Italian engineering. I like how the bezel lock is designed. Flip the lever to unlock the bezel and this allows the bezel to be bidirectionally rotated. I love out of the box engineering designs like this. Are you into engineering in your watches or do you just prefer the basics? . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @officialerrei 🥾 @gunnystraps . . . . . . . . . . #ennebi #toolwatch #watchphotography #watchpics #moodywatchshots #landscapephotography #watchcollector⌚️ #watchclubitalia #watchsociety #watchlover #watchnerd #watchdaily #watchoftheday #watchsubject #watchcollection
0 92
6 days ago
Fondale Friday is upon us, my brothers and sisters! So glad it’s Friday. LDD is here right now to celebrate! I love this crown and I had to feature in honor of @theonetruecharles and his recent move. This @officialennebi is so beautifully finished. We will continue to also celebrate #signatureshotweek hosted by @captain_t_53 and @onewatchjustisntenough , thanks gents for hosting this fun week. I have reached a content phase in my collection. I’ve was on quite a run for a minute but recently had an overwhelming feeling of contentment when I was photographing my collection, as I do every week. As I was looking at my collection in its entirety, I thought “wow, look at all these beautiful badass watches. How grateful I am to be able to own these!?!” I also know exactly what pieces I want to add eventually. A clear vision. Unfortunately my watch budget for 2024 went to my Jeep, unexpected plumbing repairs and life….this will give me time to appreciate the watches that I have. Once my Omnidiver comes back, I will be truly stoked! Do any of you have a vision for your collection?!? Do you plan for the watches that you want to add or do you just add whenever you see something that you like?!? 90% of my collection was methodically planned out. Maybe not so much what watch but definitely what brands. Let me know how you do it in the comments below. . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @officialennebi . . . . . . . . . . #toolwatchfriday #watches⌚️ #watchcollector⌚️ #watches #watchmania #watchoftheday #watchdaily #moody #moodywatchshots #madeinitaly #bettarini #fondale #ennebi #divewatch #diverswatch #watchesofinstagram #watchphotography #ennebifondale
0 74
7 days ago
Here’s one that definitely shows one of my OG #signatureshotweek for @onewatchjustisntenough @captain_t_53 theme week! The eve of Friday is upon us and that means it’s mini Friday……Fondale Friday to be exact. The titanium beast! A true modern classic, 20 years, even longer it you count Bettarini’s Panerai Mille Metri prototype. These were my signature style shots for a long time. I love taking these kind of shots. I still do obviously, but what I was finding is that the nature was overshadowing the watches. The details of the watches were getting lost and that’s when I decided to go my macro shots but still including the nature but on a much smaller but still beautiful. I like that the watches are the focus. What I also like is that the small nature world that we often overlook, gets a chance to be featured and gets their beauty highlighted. I was thinking about when Panerai moved to Switzerland. Yes, this was a sad moment but there was a silver lining to that move. We got Ennebi, Anonimo, Visconti out of that move. Some amazing companies that produced some watches made with old school watch making and machined on some of that same Panerai machinery that was left behind by Panerai. There are some Panerai watches that I still love & appreciate but for me the Italian magic is in Ennebi’s, the original Anonimo models and in Visconti watches. Have a great eve of Friday fam! . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @officialennebi . . . . . . . . . . #ennebi #fondale #watches⌚️ #watchcollector⌚️ #toolwatch #watchesinnature #timetoblogwatches #moodywatchshots #watchnerd #madeinitaly #diverswatch #panerai #italy🇮🇹 #watcgesofinstagram #watchfam #watchaddict #watchmania #watchlover #watchoftheday #watchdaily
0 67
8 days ago
The badass bronze Teseo Tesei from Master Bettarini and crew @officialerrei Winding up the 6497 movement via this crown is nothing but the purest form of watch-porn there is. Each click is music to my ears. I know by the look/design of this crown, you understand how easily it can be gripped and used. Ennebi’s crowns are some of the best in the business. The Italian mastery of the watchmaking craft is so apparent by the way this crown looks and also by how it functions. I wanted to highlight so much of this crown and its crown guards. I can’t express how special the watch making is on this piece. I am not a person who cares about brand history. I think too many companies rely on it and it just comes across as smoke and mirrors bullshit. I do care about people from watch making history and Alessandro Bettarini is one of the last living legends from a watch making era that is history. A brand is just a name, but when an actual person with such watch making history, makes your watch. Holy shit!!!! It’s a magical and mind blowing experience. Then, then, then, you hold that watch in your hand and see what a master Bettarini truly is. His style, his influence is often imitated but never, ever replicated. It’s an unbelievable feeling to hold a piece of horological art, horological history in your hand, from the master himself, the OG master of Italian tool watches. It’s an experience like no other. The details, just the details alone on this crown. Each detail is like its own unique galaxy full of so much beauty that it’s near impossible for my brain and eyes to take in at once. It takes time, a lot of time to study a watch and understand all of its beautiful details. Have a beautiful Wednesday fam! . . 📸 @watches_in_nature ⌚️ @officialennebi . . . . . . . . . . #signatureshotweek @onewatchjustisntenough @captain_t_53 #ennebi #r &i #watchphotography #toolwatch #moodywatchshots #bronzewatches #diverwatch #bettarini #watchesinnature #timetoblogwatches #watchfam #watchesofinstagram #watchoftheday #watchdaily #watchcollector⌚️ #watches⌚️
0 96
9 days ago
Tuesday with the 562! Yesterday I got my first scratches on the plexi on this watch. So it’s officially mine now. 😅 Plexi is so warm and beautiful, like bronze. And like bronze, plexi wears scratches so incredibly well, which just adds to the overall beauty of this watch. The side profile of this case is so damn beautiful that I couldn’t resist and I had to have this watch. I love how the plexi crystal sits above the case/fixed bezel. I love when a watch case in one piece, and the 562 is machined from solid block of bronze. Kaventsmann is a master of this process. I just sit and admire the profile of watch. It’s that beautiful. It’s that awe-inspiring! Then Michael added this oversized crown which is my kryptonite and this crown is just perfect. I’m not necessarily a destro fan but there’s something about this 562 destro crown makes this watch even more special. I am not a vintage watch guy for a few reasons but the major reason why I am not is because I am way too rough on my watches. I love wearing my watches and not babying them, therefore there isn’t a point for me to own a vintage watch just so it can sit in my watch box. The 562 gives me a bit of a vintage experience because of the watch having a vintage Omega movement ticking away inside of this case. It’s ridiculously accurate! This 562 is a special piece and more to come on this watch soon. Here’s my entry for #signatureshotweek hosted by @captain_t_53 and @onewatchjustisntenough Thanks guys for the invite 🤜🏼⚙️🤛🏼 . . ⌚️ @kaventsmann_watches 📸 @watches_in_nature . . . . . . . . . . #kaventsmannwatch #bronzewatches #bespokewatches #madeingermany #germanengineering #moodywatchshots #diverswatch #watchaddict #watchgeek #watchnerd #watchfam #watchcommunity #watchclubgermany #watchaddict #watchcollector #timetoblogwatches #watchesinnature
0 82
10 days ago
Monday battles with the Vario 1918 pilot. I’m digging this combo. The bund strap was a great combo especially for it being the OEM strap. We all know how Vario makes a great strap, but I always like to find the perfect combo that makes a watch more me. That’s the power of a strap change, it can totally change the look and feel of a watch. It can also extend the personality of a watch. I like to try to find the perfect combo for a watch, and I have found it with some of my watches. Even when I find that perfect combo, I do like to change it up from time to time. Because let’s face it, there are so many awesome straps and options out there. Rubber straps and bracelets are soulless to me. Just my opinion. Custom leather and canvas straps are some of my favorites because they have so much character. As they age, the straps gain even more character. It’s a truly beautiful thing. There have been a few bracelets that I have liked and was impressed by. SeL’s wavelock, the first Pelagos’s bracelet, and the Formex DS2100 7020. I have to say something in closing here, just because I don’t like something and share my opinions on it doesn’t mean is a lesser thing. That it’s something beneath me. If you like and enjoy what I don’t like, it doesn’t mean I’m right and you are wrong. I’m not here to make anyone feel bad about their personal choices. This is just my journey and I am sharing that journey through my experiences. I think somewhere along the way we lost that sharing opinions (respectively) is a healthy and not something that should be shunned or be afraid to be shared. Have a great Monday fam! . . ⌚️ @varioeveryday 📸 @watches_in_nature . . . . . . . . . . #varioeveryday #pilotwatch #watchphotography #watchpics #watchcolector #watchessentials #watchgeek #watchgram #watchgame #strapguystraps #watchlover #watchgeek #watchoftheday #watchdaily #watchesinnature #timetoblogwatches
0 69
11 days ago