We’re still working on the spaceships to get people to Mars, but our Martian wristwear is all set to go. Russian watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin has created the aptly-named Mars Conqueror Mk3 Fighter — the first Martian mechanical watch in history. And holy cow, is it loaded with features.

Mk3 Fighter Features

Like everything with this watch, the titanium build is an intentional nod to the traditional aircraft and spacecraft material. Triangular edges complement the trapezoidal design, which resembles the mooring lock of a spacecraft docking system.

Guided by what he needed from a watch during his time in the military, Chaykin made the hands large enough to be clearly distinguished from the dial. And as a tribute to the vehicles that would be getting the explorers to Mars, he designed the hands with the distinctive shape of rockets.

Martian Time

One of the most interesting features of this watch is the “Mars Time” feature. To figure out Martian time, Chaykin had to actually work out a synchronization between Mars time and Earth time. On the watch face, the larger dial tells the terrestrial time, while smaller dials display the time and date on Mars. As a result, the watch can be used to show the duration of missions in sols (Mars-days).

While it’s a unique and showy piece, this “Mars Time” function gives the Mars Conqueror Mk3 Fighter some actual street cred. Its functionality as a potential timepiece for Mars explorers makes it one of a kind.

Universally Rare

Well, eight of a kind, anyway. If you’re looking to get one of these watches, you have about as good a chance of snagging one as you do of actually going to Mars, since only eight of the first edition have been made. Each Mk3 Fighter demands €19,710, or around $24,000 USD at the time of writing.

There’s no word on water resistance, but until we find water on the Red Planet, that shouldn’t be an issue.

Purchase

French Swiss-made watch brand Bell & Ross has built its reputation on performance and readability. B&R says it “regularly supports elite units,” and its experience vindicates that claim: its chronograph watches have been in outer space and on bomb squads.

Leave it to B&R, then, to build a civilian watch that’s highly legible and capable, but professional enough for the board room. As its name implies, the V2-94 FULL LUM has a fully luminous face in two colors. It adds a chronograph and 100-meter water resistance, and secures with a subtly patterned black rubber band.

Take the limited edition V2-94 FULL LUM into the field with confidence, no matter where you do battle.

Chronograph Watch Performance

Bell & Ross uses Super-LumiNova to make the V2-94 FULL LUM glow. It’s an intentional choice of material based on function: Super-LumiNova pigment charges with sunlight or artificial light, resists temperature and environmental influences, plus it’s non-radioactive and complies with the EU’s REACH protocol that protects human and environmental health.

The V2-94 FULL LUM showcases pale yellow and pale green Super-LumiNova, using skeletonized hands, bubble numbers (reminiscent of aircraft instrument panels), and robust pips to create a high-contrast face readable at any light level.

It counts seconds on a small dial at 3 o’clock and houses a 30-minute chronograph in another at 9 o’clock. It has a modest date window.

The case is satin-finished and polished steel, and the crystal is ultra-domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters.

Inspiration

Military aesthetics and functionality inspired Bell & Ross’s co-founders, who committed to a function-shapes-form approach and took aesthetic cues from aeronautical instruments to deliver highly readable pieces that perform specific functions.

The V2-94 FULL LUM plays the role of a versatile chronograph, with its professional appearance, stopwatch functionality, and readability under any lighting conditions.

The Buy

A reputation of high-leverage tactical excellence does not come cheap — neither does a trip beyond the atmosphere, or wearing a watch from a brand that’s been there. Find the V2-94 FULL LUM on Bell & Ross’s website for $5,100 and proceed with intent: it’s a limited edition of 250 pieces.

If the Swiss are known for two art forms, they’re chocolate and watchmaking. Whether the Swiss are master chocolatiers is a matter of subjective taste. Timekeeping, however, is a matter of objectivity; watch aficionados around the world celebrate Swiss watchmakers for their remarkable engineering, unconventionally old-school craftsmanship, and emphasis on artisanal metallurgy. If you’ve got reason to doubt it, we encourage you to take a look at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s latest, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque.

After 6 years of preparation, 12 patents, and countless human hours spent on re-engineering, the Calibre 185 comes to market as a first-in-kind, four-faced mechanical dress watch.

Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Features

First, let’s run down the global list of features that make this timepiece so significant, and then we’ll wind our way through the unique facets of each face.

Global Features:

• A slim, rectangular case measuring just 51.2 mm x 31 mm x 15.15 mm
• Hand-wound movement
• 97 jewels across 11 complications
• 50-hour power reserve at a 28,000 bph beat rate
• Simple reset via an automated winding and setting mechanism

Face I:

• Time display
• Perpetual calendar
• Flying tourbillon/running seconds indicator (at 7 o’clock position)
• Partially skeletonized guilloche pattern dial to reveal day, month, and date wheels

Face II:

• Situated on the reverse side of Face I
• Smaller time display with digital jumping hour
• Visible, chiming minute repeater components

Face III:

• Situated inside the case
• Incorporates three predictive lunar cycle displays (anomalistic, draconic, and synodic)

Face IV:

• Situated in the case back
• Displays moon phase as seen from the southern hemisphere

Availability & Pricing – Hold on to Your Seats!

The Calibre 185 is JL’s 90th-anniversary commemorative watch. Given the severity and human hours spent crafting just one of these master timepieces, it should come as no surprise that the Swiss horologist is releasing only 10 pieces.

The cost? A humbling €1.35 million each, or about $1.6 million at the time of writing. For availability and reservations, visit the brand’s website.

If this is the first time you’ve considered the idea of a sustainable watch, you’re not alone. I’ll admit I hadn’t thought about it until Danish accessory maker Skagen introduced its Aaren Naturals line to us. For watches under $150, you’ll have a hard time accessing a more sustainable brand.

Aaren Naturals is Skagen’s latest collection of environmentally sustainable watches. The watches incorporate pro-planet features that range from common sense to cutting edge. The line, released in celebration of Earth Day, furthers Skagen’s company sustainability goals and carries the pedigree of parent company Fossil.

Background and Concurrent Events

Brands at every level of the fashion industry face ever-stronger criticism for unsustainable practices, but there are indications that it’s beginning to turn a corner. Skagen, originally a family-operated business now owned by Swiss watch titan Fossil, aligns itself strongly with sustainable values.

Chief Brand Officer Steve Evans says, “our teams are working diligently to transform our processes from sourcing to design, for a greater, more sustainable future.”

What does that look like? Skagen has set concrete sustainability goals for its products, such as reducing its water consumption from leather tanning by 45% and designing all its in-store promotional materials to be recyclable. Each goal has a deadline of 2025.

The Skagen Aaren Naturals Watch displays progress toward both goals, using a plant-based leather alternative for its strap, and 100% recyclable core packaging.

Reducing Waste with Watches Under $150

The Skagen Aaren Naturals watches utilize basic and highly innovative sustainability features. For most, its 100% recyclable paper packaging is a no-brainer. But leather alternatives made with bark, cork, and apples?

Actually, plant-based leather alternatives are on the rise — most, like Skagen’s, incorporate some polyurethane but use mostly plant material. The fashion industry is actively at war over whether “vegan leather” is actually “more” sustainable than leather made from animal skin.

Determining the truth is a pretty challenging task — as you can imagine, many interested parties have some “skin” in the game. But there’s no question that leather alternatives reduce water consumption from tanning and mitigate land depletion from cattle farming. Skagen even commits to sustainability in the traditional leather it does use. To source its leather, the company consults with the Leather Working Group, a non-profit worldwide organization dedicated to identifying and developing the best sustainability practices for the leather industry.

The Aaren Naturals watch also incorporates recycled material in its steel case. The handsome, straightforward watch is available in several colors with various leather and leather alternative band choices.

Upshot and Purchasing Skagen Aaren Naturals Watches

Skagen commits to environmental sustainability in its product line by using best sustainability practices for its traditional materials and deploying alternative materials when possible. The brand’s watches have established a positive reputation under the Fossil umbrella.

Skagen releases the Aaren Naturals watch line to commemorate Earth Day 2021, at MSRP $125 — a small price to pay for a sustainable future in fashion.

If you’re looking for a generic fitness watch to track calories and count steps throughout the day, they are easy to find. Every wearable brand has a slew of options designed for casual users, fitness-minded folks, or people who like to track their daily habits. The Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition is decidedly not one of these run-of-the-mill fitness tracking watches.

This is the watch Garmin produced specifically with the military in mind. The design is jam-packed with features that provide critical information and support your need to navigate on land, at sea, or in the air with certainty.

Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition: The Basics

The Instinct watch comes in a variety of models specially geared toward general users, surfers, or Esports buffs. But this is the Tactical Edition — it is built to military specifications and ready for action when the going gets tough. Whether operating in the dark, in areas where frequent charging isn’t an option, or even when jumping out of a plane — the Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition is the real deal.

Its construction meets military standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance (up to 100 meters). It has a battery life of up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, 16 hours in GPS mode, and 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode.

The Tactical Edition uses dual-format GPS with longitude and latitude references for precise coordinates and comes outfitted with specialized modes crafted for tactical performance.

Tactical Modes

In Stealth mode, the Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition will stop storing and sharing GPS positions and disable wireless connectivity.

In Jumpmaster mode, the Instinct calculates high-altitude release points and assists in navigation after a jump. It also allows users to set projected waypoints and has a screen that is compatible with night-vision goggles.

It also comes equipped with everything you’d expect in a smartwatch, like heart rate monitoring, sports apps, and smart notifications.

Of course, it only comes in Black or Coyote Tan colorways.

How Much?

The Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition goes for an MSRP of $300. Garmin also sells the Instinct Solar Tactical Edition — which includes all the same features as the base watch plus a solar battery to drastically extend battery life — for an MSRP of $450.

The  Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition is a watch custom-built for true tactical watch performance. No matter where you are, it’s ready to help keep you in the fight.

Purchase

The CRKT Minimalist Bowie neck knife stakes its claim as a practical EDC tool. An aggressive bowie shape, easy-sharpening blade, and non-abrasive plastics distinguish the knife. Adding it to my everyday kit was an easy call: I found it comfortable to carry and conceal and suitable for a wide range of purposes.

Here’s what my test revealed.

Minimalist Bowie Neck Knife Specification and Use

CRKT designs the Minimalist Bowie to be a wearable neck knife: hanging from a cord worn around the neck, concealed beneath clothing. That’s why the knife is compact, lightweight, and low-profile.

The discreet knife is 5.13 inches long and weighs 2.1 ounces. Its 2.13-inch full-tang blade is a shade under 3 mm thick. I barely noticed the knife while I was wearing it — most of the time, I forgot it was there until I needed it.

CRKT adds to the Minimalist Bowie’s easy-carry effect with a parachute cord lanyard (with spring-stop adjustment) and skin-friendly plastics on the sheath and handle. Even against bare skin, it felt comfortable to wear.

The blade is cut from 8Cr13MoV Chinese steel, which is considered a middle-of-the-road option. Out of the box, the narrow blade cuts free-hanging paper cleanly. Even though it has a fine edge, I found it resilient enough to handle heavy-duty tasks like batoning wood and opening bottles.

Test Results

I could go on and on about the CRKT Minimalist Bowie’s ease of carrying. I tend to get fed up with EDC knives: eventually, they all seem too heavy or like they get in my way too easily, and the hassle outweighs the benefit. Instead, the CRKT Minimalist Bowie was as easy to carry as the average necklace.

It also performed solidly as an EDC knife. The 2.13-inch blade was short enough to be resilient under prying and heavier tasks but long enough to be useful for occasional food prep. The fine edge made quick work of opening packages, popping tags and zip ties, etc. Cutting more abrasive materials like wood and rope dulled the steel eventually, but it sharpened easily with both a countertop-style sharpener and a stone.

The handle’s slight texture and deep grooves delivered non-slip confidence, and the knife drew quickly, which all seemed like assets in tactical or self-defense scenarios.

As a final note, I tested the flashy “Cthulhu” finish style. Its plastic reminded me of blue Airheads, and the loud sci-fi graphic on its blade made me laugh as soon as I unsheathed it. I eventually found its aesthetics endearing, but its practical application made sense from the get-go — the knife glows in the dark for easy lights-out location.

Conclusions

At $40 MSRP ($28 street price), it’s hard to come up with a better all-around neck knife than the CRKT Minimalist Bowie. The compact knife shines in light-to-medium-duty EDC applications and handles occasional heavier work. Its lightweight build and non-abrasive materials make it easy to carry; its small silhouette and low profile make it easy to conceal.

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The Benchmade Bugout is an icon among hikers. It’s a very light but extremely capable knife. And while it aims at outdoor use, it makes a perfect choice for everyday carry. I tested it for a year for this Benchmade Bugout review.

Benchmade launched the first Bugout in 2017. Since then, the brand expanded the Bugout family to include the original 535 Bugout, plus several variants that offer users choices in handle material, blade type, and blade materials. And for 2021, Benchmade launched a new Bugout Mini, with a smaller blade and handle for even lighter performance.

The Benchmade Bugout CF-Elite that I’ve been using for a year shows very little wear; photos by Sean McCoy

I’ve personally used the Benchmade 535BK-2 Bugout fine-edge knife for about a year. And among my dozens of knives (yes, I have a large collection), this $150 blade is among my most-used.  I reach for it most mornings as I load my pockets up for the workday.

In short: The Benchmade Bugout uses a time-tested drop-point blade shape and good knife steel for a very practical knife that holds an edge for a long time and weighs almost nothing.

Benchmade Bugout Review: A Top Ultralight Pocket Knife

Over the last year, I’ve used the Benchmade Bugout 535BK-2 with a CF-Elite handle for myriad tasks. It goes with me to work, where I use it to open boxes and letters every day. As an everyday carry knife, it disappears into the pocket thanks to a deep-carry clip and slim design.

In use, it flicks open with an easy push of the thumb and flick of the wrist. The CF-Elite handle (which uses carbon-fiber in place of plastic — a $30 upgrade over the original) gives a nice, stiff scale to grip when you need to do harder work.

The Bugout uses Benchmade’s renowned Axis lock to secure the blade open for use. It works perfectly, as promised, every time.

So yes, I really like the bugout. At just 1.8 ounces, it will do darned near any job you’d ask of a pocket knife.

But it does have limits. As a folding knife, I wouldn’t use it to baton wood outside of an emergency. It’s not designed for particularly heavy use or abuse, although I suspect it would hold up better than most lightweight pocket knives.

Beyond that, I don’t see limits to the Bugout, which is why it’s among Benchmade’s most popular knives.

Benchmade Bugout: Many Varieties Available

The CF-Elite version I’ve been testing has a CPM-S30V steel blade. While no-longer a class-leading steel, it’s still exceptionally good knife steel and holds an edge for a very long time. It can also be sharpened through hand tools by the end-user, nearly impossible with more modern “super steels.”

In literally hundreds of uses, I’ve only sharpened the Bugout once. It took some time and care, but I got it sharp pretty quickly. And of course, if you don’t love sharpening knives, Benchmade offers free re-sharpening for the life of its knives.

And yes, you can get the Bugout with S90V super steel as an upgrade. But that will bring the bugout up to the premium $300 price range. And it’ll be nearly impossible to re-sharpen without returning it to the factory due to the steel’s hardness.

Other options for the Bugout include full carbon-fiber scales, grivory handle scales, and a smaller size. You can also now purchase the Bugout with a half-serrated blade. And of course, you can customize the Bugout with many different color combinations and engraving.

So if you’re looking for a knife that will go with you every day and not weigh you down, the Bugout is a strong contender. And it transitions seamlessly to the backpack or field bag for camping, hiking, or anywhere you want a great light knife outdoors.

Dress Like a Baddie

Baddie Lessons

Hate them or love them, if you’re trying to adopt the baddie title, there’s no better place to start than the Kardashians. Each of their personal or family brands plays to an attribute of the ‘baddie’ look — skincare, make-up, clothing lines, and most definitely, their attitudes. The trendsetters may not claim the title of ‘baddie,’ but they certainly fill the criteria. One thing you don’t need to be a baddie, though, is a big budget — or a sex tape and athletically blessed husband. Dressing like a baddie isn’t far out and expensive if you know some general ground rules along with tips and tricks. Stay tuned for how to dress like a baddie.

Dress Like a Baddie: Get Low

If you don’t know where to start with your wardrobe, stick with tight-fitting clothing, hugging your curves with high-waisted everything — jeans, sweats, leggings, biker shorts, bodysuits.

Baddie wardrobe staples include a black or patterned pair of biker shorts, high waisted mom jeans, and workout leggings with matching crop tops or sports bra. The matching sets look great with a chunky shoe and jean jacket. The crop tops don’t always need to be form-fitting but should show off your figure. If you’re not feeling a crop top, throw on a vintage band tee with your biker shorts and a pair of feminine slides and call it a day.

If you’re not on a Kardashian budget, bargain sites like Shein, ROMWE, and NastyGal have pages and pages of clothing and accessories that fit the baddie lifestyle.

And don’t forget to finish your look with some jewelry and coordinating accessories. Add big hoops, layered chain necklaces, and unique, vintage-chic sunnies for a complete baddie look.

Doll-Up Like a Baddie: Contour & Highlights

Dressing like a baddie isn’t a quick slab of lipgloss and a few waves of your mascara wand. It’s a full-fledged session in front of your make-up mirror. With time and practice, the sought-after contour and highlighting will be like second nature, but only practice makes perfect.

Before applying anything or purchase make-up palettes, start with a quality make-up brush set and a skincare routine to protect your skin. Look into monthly subscription boxes for women to keep the cost of skincare products and make-up products down until you find items that work for you. The brush set and skincare routine will make achieving the badass look without suffocating your skin.

The baddie look is more than lips and eyelashes — brows, cheekbones, eyelids — it’s all part of the equation. It doesn’t have to be hot and heavy make-up, but flawless and ‘on-fleek.’ After ensuring your skin looks flawless and bright with a base foundation, highlighting and contouring cheekbones, and applying blush or bronzer, focus on bold eyebrows, long lashes, and finished with the lips. There’s something about that one baddie you follow on Instagram that you notice every time you scroll over their posts — their signature look. A rich red lipstick or bold arching eyebrows will do the trick.

Iconic baddie hairstyles are straightforward: straight or curled with a middle part, half up and half down with soft curls, Princess Leia high buns, low ponies with side-swept bangs. Nothing too high-maintenance but a look to show your baddie personality is showing.

Badditude: Boss Bitches

To be a true baddie, it isn’t just about your fashion choices, make-up skills, or signature look; it’s about being true to who you are and who you want to be. Being a baddie comes down to loving yourself and letting that love shine through in attitude and choices.

Being confident in your choices and firm with your opinions, but not judgemental or overbearing towards others. If someone is rude or judgemental of you, don’t fire back, but, also, don’t apologize. Understand that their perspective of you is limited, and their judgments may come from insecurities of their own. Don’t fault others for that; they haven’t found their own baddie lane… yet.

Setting goals and striving to meet those with integrity and honesty — glow up your professional portfolio! A little elbow grease — instead of eyebrow grease — towards your goals every day puts you in a better position tomorrow. Apply this same tactic towards fitness goals. Consistently choosing to worship your temple with physical activity is a baddie trait.

Baddie Women

To be real, without the superficial aspect of being a ‘baddie,’ confidence, assertiveness, and empathy are traits all women should continuously practice, every day. Women should repeatedly choose themselves and be, unapologetically, who they are. Baddies just do this while lookin’ fine as hell, with a showstopping cheek contour and eyebrows that don’t quit.

The 1960s Race for Space exposed us to the galaxy’s ethereal designs and kindled our collective passion for it all. The watchmakers at Citizen took cutting-edge technology and the highest quality materials to create the ultimate standard in titanium watches. Citizen’s Super Titanium multi-toned watches feature one of the most difficult to process metals, and their designers drew inspiration from satellites, rockets, and the heavens. Bring the watch from concept to creation was a major technological undertaking. So, Citizen developed the space-age technology needed to mold, elegantly design, and polish the titanium timekeeper.

Their sleek yet functional design combines the greatest satellite technology — seriously, GPS provides the time for every timezone on Earth — and incredibly beautiful detail. Marking the 50th anniversary of revolutionary titanium technology, this is the watch to defy the whims of time and fashion. This, dear friends, is the exclusive Citizen Super Titanium collection.

Titanium Specialty

Titanium is not only incredibly durable (we’re talking five times stronger than stainless steel) and scratch-resistant, but it is also one of the most comfortable metals to wear against your skin, checking the hypoallergenic boxes. Citizen uses a unique surface-hardening technology to produce two-toned colors for their watches; the appearance of the watch face, case, and band can change depending on the angle and lighting conditions around the watch. The Duratec processing also allows for a lightweight design that’s not only aesthetically appealing but also rust-resistant.

Citizen Super Titanium Watch Design

Clean lines and sharp edges are the marks of this design line. The case is made from a two-piece construction, giving it a unique and elegant look. Each piece is made from Duratec-produced titanium but employed different processing emphases to enhance each of the 11 color options. All done through Citizen’s proprietary surface-hardening technology. De-emphasized, concaved push buttons make for an even sleeker look while still allowing the wearer access the button controls. A beautifully unique triangular prism design of the band sets this watch apart from the rest, especially with the detailed, uniform hairline polish reflected on each prism.

The case itself is 47.5 mm wide and 14.7 mm thick for a commanding design without overwhelming your wrist. The face is sapphire crystal glass with an anti-reflective coating applied over top. Naturally, both the case and the band feature Duractect-technology titanium for durability, style, and quality. The included battery can run up to five full years on a full charge, no small feat in our books.

Although these watches may seem all show, their stamina is remarkable, too. Citizen’s in-house testing runs each watch through the quality assurance gamut, where they receive a rating and shock-resistance certification.

What else sets these watches apart, you ask? There are only 550 of them in the entire world.

Space Tech

The Citizen Super Titanium brandishes Satellite Wave GPS, which gives you the most precise time and date to the second, wherever you are on earth. It also self-adjusts to whatever timezone you travel to, whether you’re on the high seas, jet setting across the globe, or trekking across international mountain ranges. Citizen has joined with the HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program to provide their unique titanium processing equations to the space industry — the same titanium processing techniques and technology they engineer into their Super Titanium watch collection.

Futuristic Purchasing

This exclusive 50th-anniversary Super Titanium watch will debut for purchase in Winter 2020. Both men’s and women’s versions will be available. Where and how remains to be seen, but we would guess that with only 550 available worldwide, reserving yours at your nearest Citizen watch dealer would be a prudent investment.

Purchase

Adventure watches are durable and full of potential, and in day-to-day life, they often serve as a reminder of what you’d rather be doing. Luminox is the watch of choice for many elite armed forces and rescue professionals, from the Navy SEALs down. It’s also why the famous survivalist Bear Grylls has a collection with them.

Throughout his travels, Grylls has seen firsthand how pollution – especially ocean plastics – threatens fragile environments. That’s why he’s combined the rugged performance of Luminox with #tide ocean materials for this collaborative watch. Luminox will make only 1,500 of them.

Luminox Bear Grylls Survival ECO 3700 Series

This limited-edition timepiece draws attention to ocean-bound plastics and makes a small dent in the problem using recycled plastics in the case, bezel, and strap. The 45-mm watch uses a non-reflective sapphire crystal and a unidirectional diving bezel, and 316L stainless steel in the crown and case. It is water-resistant down to 200 meters.

Like other Luminox watches, the Survival ECO 3700 Series uses green Luminox Light on the hands and the 3-, 6-, and 9-o’clock positions. Yellow lights grace the second hand and the 12-o’clock position. Further accents include a glowing Bear Grylls logo in place of the 10-o’clock note. His “Never Give Up” reminder sits above the 6-o’clock position.

Diverting Plastics

The #tide ocean material used in the watch contains ocean-bound plastic. On coastal islands in the Andaman Sea, Thai anglers learn how to gather and sort plastic waste and earn money for their services. Others wash and shred the former waste into granular bits that can be molded or spun into a yarn.

MSRP is $445, with a portion donated directly to Project Aware, which works with scuba divers to protect underwater environments. The watch pairs with three additional straps: black nylon over black rubber, a black webbing strap with a white stripe, and a CARBONOX bracelet strap.