Soundbars made for computers are external speakers ideal for those with small workspaces or who prefer a minimalist setup. The compact sound systems easily fit under a monitor, with tidier cabling for a clutter-free office desk. They also deliver better sound quality than most built-in monitor speakers, which is great if your monitor is your primary medium for entertainment.

Many soundbars are too big for computer setups, mainly because they’re normally intended for TVs and full-fledged home entertainment systems. So, we took it upon ourselves to hunt down a few great soundbars specifically for computers (don’t thank us, you’re welcome). In so doing, we dug around the net, nerded out a lot, and shimmied through a veritable ocean of verified buyer reviews.

The result is the following list, featuring a handful of the best soundbars for computers on the modern, sound-savvy market. To the daytime desk jockeys and WFH warriors; the podcast connoisseurs, and Fortnite…rs? This one’s for you.

The Best Soundbar for Computers

TaoTronics Bluetooth Computer Speaker

Featuring a minimalist frame with discreet branding, the TaoTronics Bluetooth Computer Speaker is a 16.1-inch wide soundbar under $300 that pairs nicely with monitor setups no matter their footprint. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0 (intuitive!), USB 3.0 plug-in (lag-free!), and auxiliary (old school!).

The SK025 soundbar is TaoTronic’s most popular soundbar to date. And that’s saying something — the company practically sh- …makes some of the best soundbars for computers available today. According to tech nerds and customer reviewers alike, this TaoTronics bar ranks among the best budget pc speakers — subcategories notwithstanding.

At less than three inches tall, the pc soundbar fits easily under many a monitor setup. Its slightly angled design and low profile make it discreet, and its non-skid feet plant it securely. The circular control panel, comprising a power button and media controls, is located on the right side and is easy to access.

The TaoTronics SK025 packs a helluva punch in its appealing and condensed form factor, offering (alleged by many) decent sound quality at a nearly unbeatable price point.

Purchase

JBL Bar 2.0 – All-in-One Soundbar

When shopping for quality sound systems, whether it’s headphones or Bluetooth speakers, JBL is one of the first brands you should check out. Take a look at its Bar 2.0 for seamless sound quality. It’s a sexy-sounding 80-watt speaker with a sleek and compact design featuring Bluetooth 5.0 capability as well as an HDMI input cable for theatre-quality, latency-free connectivity.

At around 24.2 inches, this puppy is on the heftier end of the spectrum. But how else do you expect to house two 40-watt speakers? JBL says the Bar 2.0 utilizes Dolby Digital for virtual surround-sound engineering and a native smart sound mode to deliver “incredible sound every time.” And per the litany of customer reviews, this soundbar’s relatively big footprint is more than justified by the symphonic boom it delivers.

Regarding sound quality, this JBL soundbar is good, with “mega-luscious bass,”…or so we’re told by one (of thousands) of seemingly satisfied customers.

For controls, the Bar 2.0 has both a set of easy-access buttons up top and a remote, which offers the usual button array plus input and channel controls.

Word of the wise: if you prefer to connect to the Bar 2.0 using a traditional 3.5-mm aux, you’ll need to invest in an aux-to-optical converter, as this model does not come with an integrated auxiliary input. That said, the multitude of input options (Bluetooth, HDMI, optical) will work with just about any pc made in the last 5 to 10 years.

Purchase

Razer Leviathan Soundbar and Subwoofer

Ranked for several years as some of the best computer speakers for PC gaming, the Razer Leviathan Soundbar and Ancillary Subwoofer system offers 10-meter/30-foot range Bluetooth 4.0 aptX connectivity (read: muy dynamic and hella sexy).

The gaming hardware specialist’s latest Leviathan iteration also boasts Dolby 5.1 surround-sound config with 4 “finely tuned” drivers and a 5.25-inch downward-firing, bass-dedicated subwoofer. This versatile unit works well for games, movies, and music, featuring three preset sound profiles dedicated to each.

Housed in a sleek, all-black frame with the Razer logo in the middle of the front grille, the Leviathan soundbar measures 19.7 inches wide, 3 inches tall, and 2.8 inches deep. The accompanying subwoofer is a little more cumbersome, measuring 9.5 inches tall and 9.5 inches at the square base. Thoughtfully, Razer carved out a central notch in the soundbar base for clean channeling of mouse and keyboard wires.

Featuring multiple input options — including analog and Bluetooth — PC gear pros and buyers alike report exceptional immersive sound quality.

Heads up, though: if you’re looking for RGB light effects, look elsewhere. Although a staple in many of Razer’s pc peripherals, backlights are noticeably missing from the Leviathan.

Purchase

TaoTronics 16-Inch Gaming Speaker

For powerful sound, a small footprint, and RGB light effect options, check out TaoTronic’s gaming-specific soundbar.

One of the best budget pc gaming speakers according to the cloud, the 16-Inch Gaming Speaker soundbar boasts 360-degree sound with zero audio distortion, small but mega drivers, Bluetooth 5.0, and hardwired connectivity options. Plus three optional light modes (flow, pulse, sync).

One self-proclaimed “old-school analog kind of audiophile” stated that they swapped a busted 5.1 surround-sound system out for the compact TaoTronics Gaming Speaker. The buyer states that, while having a pc that’s fitted with a high-quality soundcard is necessary, they were impressed with the soundbar: “This is a fantastic soundbar for computer use. Overall, the dynamic range, clarity, and nuances that you get with this soundbar far surpassed my expectations.”

For more top-quality audio devices, check out our guide to the best powered speakers.

Purchase

ELEGIANT Wired Computer Sound Bar

Although this soundbar from ELEGIANT lacks wireless capabilities, it offers reportedly high sound quality. In fact, customers writ large celebrate it as one of the best cheap computer speakers across multiple categories due to dual 3-watt built-in subwoofers. And — and — the wired plug-in connectivity mitigates any risk of lag common among Bluetooth-enabled alternatives.

The ELEGIANT Wired Computer Sound Bar almost comes complete with optional RGB (red, green, or blue) light settings, a microphone interface, a headphone jack, and a single dial that controls power as well as volume. And, if verified buyer reviews are any indication, this sub-$25 soundbar is one of the best computer speakers for gaming at the price point.

Purchase

Soundbars for Computers Buying Guide & FAQ

Features to Look for in the Best Soundbars for Computers

Size/Width – A great advantage to computer soundbars is the small physical footprint and vertical space they take up. The low, horizontal form allows users to neatly situate the bar in the empty space directly under their monitor, creating a clean and linear vertical profile while opening up usable desk space.

Similarly, soundbars aren’t very deep, which means they’re less apt to jut out awkwardly from under your office monitor.

More so than other computer speaker styles, soundbars appeal to those of us that are minimalist-minded, short on horizontal space, or both.

Connectivity – Most of the best soundbars for computers available today feature at least two types of device input technologies: 3.5-mm aux-in (wired) and Bluetooth (wireless). There are a few options on the market (though usually the higher end of it), which also boast HDMI, optical, USB-C, and Wifi connectivity.

Generally speaking, a 3.5-mm wired connection will be the most reliable and experience the least amount of latency.

Bluetooth connectivity is obviously appealing for its convenience factor — you can pair a Bluetooth soundbar to numerous devices and, with most models, seamlessly switch play control from one device (like your pc) to another (like your smartphone or tablet).

Ultimately, the types of connectivity you prefer and your physical parameters should determine whether a variety of input options is important to you or not. If you have a stationary desktop and intend to use your speaker as a dedicated pc soundbar, then maybe a simple wired configuration will do the trick. If however, you intend to connect multiple devices to your soundbar, or if portability is a big factor in your selection, then absolutely look for a Bluetooth-capable soundbar.

Stereo or Surround Sound – It’s substantially easier to find soundbars offering stereo sound technology as opposed to virtual surround sound. The difference is a matter of audio compression technologies used; virtual surround output requires newer, more advanced engineering and equipment than good ol’ stereo output.

While it’s impossible to create “true” surround sound without an arrangement of several strategically placed and synchronized speakers, modern audio engineering has done a pretty pretty pretty good job of synthesizing the effect. You’ll see synthetic surround-sound systems commonly referred to as “virtual” or “virtual surround sound.”  So, no duh, that’s what you get with an independent, “surround” soundbar. It’s not uncommon for mid and high-end soundbars to come with brand-specific surround-sound technology; take “Dolby virtual,” for example.

If you’re looking for a sound experience close to cinematic, dig into the computer soundbars that offer Dolby 5.1 virtual surround sound, and keep your eye out for bars that come with (or can at least connect easily to) an accompanying subwoofer.

Best Soundbars for Computers FAQ

What is the best way to connect a soundbar?

The best way to connect a computer soundbar depends on what you’re working with. The good news is that you probably have some options, and setup for each is fairly simple.

Connecting your soundbar via a 3.5-mm aux tends to be the simplest. And since aux cables are designed specifically to carry sound (unlike many do-it-all USB cables), the sound fidelity should be pretty solid. Make sure you have a quality cable, especially if your soundbar didn’t come equipped with one. You can upgrade to any of the leading aux cables for less than $10.

That said, Bluetooth reliability is rapidly catching up to that of traditional wired connections. And the effective range for Bluetooth devices typically far outstrips that of wired alternatives. Most affordable soundbar options offer BT ranges starting at 10 meters/33 feet; some even boast 15 meters/50 feet.

Since Bluetooth is probably here to stay for a while, we recommend looking through the best soundbars for computers that offer both 3.5-mm aux and Bluetooth v4.0 or higher input.

Do I need a 2.1, 5.1, or 7.1 Setup?

That depends on your interior space, desired audio quality, and budget.

To borrow from the pros at The Home Theater DIY, “A 2.1 soundbar includes two speakers, usually a left and right channel and a subwoofer. A 5.1 soundbar includes five speakers. Usually, front left, front right, front center, surround left, surround right, and a subwoofer. You can also opt for bigger systems, like a 7.1 soundbar if your wallet can handle it.”

Expect 2.1 systems to be the run-of-the-mill varietal in today’s market.

You can score a decent 5.1 setup for under $200, although it’s likely limited to wired-only connectivity. Expenditure between $200 and $400 should secure an ample and multi-speaker 5.1 digital/virtual surround system.

7.1 setups, while sexy af, may be a little much for scenarios in which the primary input source is a computer. 7.1 arrays typically start around $600 and go up from there; they are usually found in the rare air of ample home theatres. But hey, live your dream. If all that’s missing from your Minecraft experience is a little 7.1 blast to the ears, go for it.

Sources

1. How Virtual Surround Sound Works – HowStuffWorks
2. How to Choose a Surround Sound System – HowStuffWorks

ForeverPen: Everlasting Everyday Carry

Out of Manchester, UK comes something of epically bite-sized proportions: a 0.99-inch-long inkless writing implement. If titanium everyday carry pens are your kind of kink, welcome, my friend, to the ForeverPen fore.  Let’s unpack its most unordinary feature: it doesn’t use ink.

First: How?

World’s Tiniest — the creator behind the inkless pen — modernized “a centuries-old drawing technique called silverpoint.” The result is an exceptionally durable, hard-wearing silver tip that leaves behind a sort of solid silver ink, much to the same effect as its ballpoint or gel-ink counterparts. But the crucial ways in which solid ink outperforms liquid ink are well worth noting:

• Permanently adheres to any solid receiving surface (paper, card, plastic, wood, etc.)
• Works independently of gravitational pull (write upside-down or in zero-gravity arenas without failure)
• Provides full functionality “practically forever” (no need to refill nor replace)
• Demarcations resist smudging and endure all types of weather
• Offers versatile applications (use it as a parcel opener, a pry tool, or to get that unidentified funk out from under your nail)

Second: Why?

The World’s Tiniest team developed the ForeverPen’s inkless design for one primary reason (sustainability) and a few secondary ones (convenience, durability, fail proofing, uniqueness).

Discarded pens and cartridges are non-biodegradable and highly toxic — think of them as plastic straws on steroids. Not only do their hollow, straw-like constructions pose the same threat to wildlife and waterways as single-use straws, plastic pens also seep chemically caustic ink into the environment. The ecological damage from one pen may be trivial, but the collateral damage created by the annual tossing of ≈1.6 billion pens (the US alone) isn’t so erasable.

Thoughtful yet rudimentary, the pen’s architecture is meant to mitigate material waste on all fronts — from development and production to transit emissions, then through the entirety of its useful life (which, we’re told, should be at least as long as your useful life).

Its miniature size means it requires minimal raw materials. The writing tip is tempered silver. The body (only one-third the length of a fresh Crayola) features one of three metals: titanium, copper, or brass. A sizable passthrough at the pen’s crown accommodates most keyrings, zippers and further reduces the ForeverPen’s footprint.

The absence of ink further minimizes the material impact required to sustain the pen’s usefulness. And the materials comprising each ForeverPen are naturally occurring, ecologically compatible, and enduring.

Third: Buy.

Pledges for the ForeverPen start at £24 ($34 USD) for a single package. All orders are eligible to ship anywhere in the world, with the first round of deliveries slated for August 2021. Specifically, backers can choose between the following finishes:

• Grade 5 Titanium
• High Purity Copper
• Naval Grade Brass

At the time of writing, the ForeverPen Kickstarter campaign has enjoyed a bit more than 9,000 pledges totaling $442,000 in funding. It’s an amount that far outstrips the creators’ $3,500 pledge goal by a giddy $437,000.

If that strikes you as too much cash for something so petite, remember that not always is it the bigger tool that gets the job done, but the most adept.

Sources:

Infographic: Pens and Pencils by the Numbers – Earth911

Plastic Pen Pollution: Find Out the Right Way to Write – Sustainable Living

What I Plan To Do About My Disposable Pen Peeve – We Hate to Waste

For those of us drawn to handwriting, there aren’t many options that allow us to both enjoy the format and seamlessly get our written ideas into the cloud. Fortunately, technology is leaving few stones unturned, including the analog ones. The Wipebook Pro + by Wipebook is a 20-page notebook with a classic notebook-style form, the functionality of a whiteboard, and a form factor compatible with the Wipebook Scan app. Just jot, scan with your mobile device, upload, wipe, and start again.

Wipebook Pro + Specifics

The Wipebook Pro + features 10 grid-lined pages, 10 ruled pages — each measuring 8.5 by 10 inches. A handsome, understated faux leather cover keeps it neat while protecting those words, scribbles, and sketches of yours. Really, it looks like it would make for an exquisite everyday carry notebook.

In tow with the Wipebook Pro + is one black dry erase marker “to get you started.” It stows handily in the Wipebook’s integrated marker holster. Oh! And of course, feel free to use any dry-erase pen you like; the pages’ whiteboard-like coating is no different than that found on the surfaces of larger classroom predecessors.

Wipebook Scan App

The partner app integrates with a litany of popular software. Save your work (allegedly without a hitch) through the app to Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive.

Availability

Analog. Tirelessly reusable. Connected. And at an MSRP of only $45, it seems like an experiential bargain that’s rather difficult to outdo. Click the link below to find out more and queue one up for yourself, you old-school hipster, you.

The new Victorinox Swiss Classic Trends Colors breaks the lauded brand’s mold — and in more ways than one. Not only has the famed Swiss Army knifer segued into the home goods department with a fresh set of affordable cutlery, but it’s also broadening its classic red-cross crimson color palette, too.

Read on for details on the surprising release from the esteemed brand that brought us the original Swiss Army knife in 1897. Developed and trusted by adventurers around the globe, this new Swiss Classic Trend Colors line brings Victorinox history, quality, and usefulness to culinary conquests.

Swiss Army Gets Cheffy & Affordable

The company takes to the kitchen this week, dropping its Swiss Classic Trend Colors line of chef knives and peelers. The fresh pastel palette “pairs Victorinox’s award-winning steel blades with soft-hued handles.” Victorinox says the marriage yields an impressive and good-looking set of dishwasher-safe essentials that “inspire confidence in hand.”

The Victorinox knife set targets a price-conscious market without sacrificing the quality and convenience baked into Victorinox’s reputation.

Victorinox Swiss Classic Trends Colors Lineup

The new Victorinox Swiss Classic Trend Colors collection offers the following carbon stainless-steel tools in light green, light orange, light red, and rose colorways:

Paring Knife Set of 3 (MSRP $18): includes three varied blades, 8-cm straight edge, 10-cm wavy edge, and 11-cm wavy edge

Paring Knife Set of 2 + Tomato and Kiwi Peeler (MSRP $18): 8-cm straight edge, 11-cm wavy-edge, and a horizontal micro-serrated peeler

Universal Peeler (MSRP $7): vertical micro-serrated blade, integrated potato eye remover

Tomato and Kiwi Peeler (MSRP $7): horizontal micro-serrated blade, integrated potato eye remover

Legendary Swiss utility, clean design, and uncompromised precision, all in the kitchen. And Victorinox branches out aesthetically with a new pastel color scheme.  Spruce up your kitchen by placing orders today at Victorinox’s site.

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.

Cord-cutting is all the rage for audio tech. En masse, makers and consumers flee from the wiry arms of yester-tech and charge ever so eagerly into the mostly experimental bosom of true wirelessness. But is wireless equipment really what we want? And what do we cost ourselves by cutting the (very literal) cord? The forthcoming, first-of-its-kind, dual digital-to-analog converter and amp USB-C cable by Astell&Kern got me wondering.

It’s Kind of a Big Deal: Dual DAC & Amp USB-C Cable

Astell&Kern’s dual DAC and amp cable, slated for release this May, is the missing link between USB-C media devices (i.e., Windows and macOS laptops, non-iOS smartphones) and headphones. It’s also a lot more than that. Don’t think of it as a USB-C cable: the device is a smart, hi-fi igniter.

In an era that’s all but done away with the headphone jack, A&K is bringing it back with precision audio-circuit engineering. Here A&K introduces us to the concept:

As streaming services begin to support high-quality, high-resolution audio, are wireless earphones and headphones able to provide the full audio playback experience?

How can you enjoy high-quality music playback or games with dynamic and realistic sound on your computer without an expensive high-end sound card?

The dual…DACs are paired with an independent analog amplifier, designed to provide true audio playback so you can feel the live, warm and clear sound as intended, without distortion.

The cable’s dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 MasterHIFi DACs and analog amplifier drive its performance. The amp has enough thump to channel premium sound through a wide range of phones — even those with high impendence or hefty power requirements.

What Is DAC, Really?

If you’re between, idk, 12 and 60 years old, you’re probably familiar with analog-to-digital conversion in some make or manner (e.g., converting print photos to digital files or ripping .mp4s from compact discs, etc.). Digital-to-analog conversion (DAC) does just the opposite. Today, ‘DAC’ is a term most strongly associated with audio equipment companies like Astell&Kern.

The digital-to-analog conversion requires demigod-like expertise and best-in-class audio equipment. The process involves digging into studio-quality OG copies of digital audio tracks to find, preserve, and amplify those tracks at high fidelity.

Original digital tracks contain abundant sound data, which makes for high-quality sound. The problem is, most of it gets squashed or lost when recordings get compressed into low-byte, easily streamable formats, like .mp4. A&K makes its passion for sound quality clear, calling the compression process “scarification.”

Pre-Order Info

You can pre-order Astell&Kern’s 25-gram, titanium-bodied dual DAC and amp USB-C cable from the company at MSRP $149 or put a request in with one of the company’s retail partners.

Machine Era is a tiny company started in 2013 by two machinists out of Richmond, Virginia. Since then, the duo has zeroed in on manufacturing finery out of the ordinary. Today we’ll look at one specimen in particular — the Machine Era brass pen. Okay, okay — a $38 brass pen.

And no, the pen is not a Signet or one-of-a-kind;  it’s meant to commemorate nothing more than the everyday. As Machine Era puts it, “a key part of our every day is a favorite pen…And for something we carry everyday [sic], we want something well made and fit for use.”

This Brass Pen is Pragmatic

What would I have to say to compel you to drop $38 on a gel rollerball? Before you write this EDC pen off as just another late-stage capitalistic trap for 30-something hipsters, hear me out.
The allure of the Machine Era Pen is twofold, as I see it. First, the pen’s technical aspects, like any small-batch everyday carry object, are familiar but exceptional:

• A solid-brass body that matures to a honey golden tone with use
• Swiss-turned machining for optimal balance and ink flow
• Heavy-weight, compact construction (1.6 ounces, 4.6 inches long, 0.4 inches in diameter)
• Threaded cap and dual-threaded ends for a secure, screw-on fit when open and when closed
• Compatibility with all colors and line weights in the Pilot G2 cartridge family (Machine Era includes one classic black G2 cartridge with each pen)

…But It’s Wistful, Too

Second, the well-designed but common item evokes a tactile and inviting experience; it’s the antithesis of entering data on a screen. So, let’s meditate on that experience for a moment:

• What it feels like to put a perfectly weighted pen to paper
• To whisp your thoughts across the page in 0.7-mm fine-point ink
• Notice that this simple act unionizes mind, sight, and movement; how it leads you to rediscover the shape and breadth of your letters and marks
• Feel the calm that comes with unbroken attention, without blue-violet rays and browser tab cacophonies

As an editor and copywriter, I spend much of my time tip-tapping away on a computer. And the longer I’m at it, the more I miss the simple pleasure of putting pen to paper without worrying about pushing it into the cloud somehow.   I know that I’m not alone — digital fatigue is a global phenomenon. The modern digital grind commodifies our attention — socially, academically, in terms of work and leisure. It’s an information super-highway robbery of increasingly rare sensory experiences.

The fellas at Machine Era get it. And, in their own way, they are doing something about it.

So, yeah, at the end of the day, the Machine Era Pen is simply that: a pen. But isn’t that what makes it so remarkable?

See it — and everything else the Richmond boys are up to — at machine-era.com.

Slated for release this winter, the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost brings with it much from the luxury maker’s long history of excellence and grandeur. Yet, this rendition promises to be the cleverest Rolls-Royce progeny thus far.

Rolls-Royce’s Architecture of Luxury aluminum chassis and a severely quiet 12-cylinder engine are all par for the course, really. But when coupled with modernity’s latest technologies? Well, that’s a specter worth investigating. It’s the spirit of ecstasy indeed.

Speed

Those familiar with the outgoing model will see that much under the hood remains the same. And why shouldn’t it be? If the 6.75-liter, twin-turbo V-12 engine isn’t broken, don’t you dare fix it. From its precision-engineered bay, the 12-cylinder behemoth churns out 563 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque.  That’s a near-unwieldy amount of verve pulsing the powertrain and more than enough to glide the Ghost’s 2.85-ton aluminum assembly from 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds.

The eight-speed automatic transmission manages all the shifting, which dovetails nicely with the grand touring machine’s all-wheel-steering and 50/50 weight distribution.

Semblance

Regarding interior specifications, Rolls makes it abundantly clear that customization of the Ghost means that the sky is your limit — well, or your bank account. Whichever comes first. So, we’ll stick to describing the standard options for the sake of brevity (and dignity).

Open the classic Rolls-Royce coach-style doors (now with gesture control) and enter the totally opulent cabin. Lush leather upholstery with painfully acute contrast piping; densely piled carpet lining; a cabin-wide overhead starfield that glimmers ephemerally and would be ostentatious were it not so spellbinding.

Rolls likes to call their styling “post-opulent,” but little about this reimagination strikes us as a Ghost of opulence past. In fact, its opulence seems quite grounded in modernity.

Safety

Rolls-Royce clearly put some thought into driver and pedestrian safety — heeding its call to a great power with great responsibility. From the 600-meter range laser headlights to park distance control, safety and driver-assistance aren’t afterthoughts with the Ghost. Automated emergency braking with optical pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assistance, responsive road-scanning optics, adaptive cruise control, and semi-autonomous driving mode all come standard in the 2021 Ghost, too.

Spirit of Ecstasy: The 2021 RR Ghost

That’s right, semi-autonomous driving mode, not fully-autonomous. Semi. After all, you’d be silly to totally opt out of revving a machine with the Ghost’s amperage and éclat. It’s made to be engaged. This isn’t some glorified, electric cross-town cradle, crafted to bathe you in the low hum of a noncontroversial podcast. This is a razor-edge beacon that’s waited all day to rouse you from antipathy with an honest-to-asphalt, 12-cylinder, purring-engine verve.

And while the entry-level Rolls is nothing if not elusive – $332,500 gets you the standard options – for the luckily entitled few, giving up this Ghost won’t be easy.

Swiss-Danish watchmaker Linde Werdelin (‘LW’) may not be an every-household name. What the watch brand lacks in usualness, it overcomes with extreme engineering and cosmopolitan allure. Lauded by divers, mountaineers, and armchair horologists alike, Linde Werdelin watches are limited-edition, adventure-bound timepieces. Though shy of 20 years old, the watchmaker is revered in the world of horology, too. And rightly so.

Attempting to script a word-count-limited entre to the acclaimed maker’s in-depth collection borders on daunting. The versatility and the functionality of each series mean that styles and price points are hardly simple to summarize. But stick with me, and I can assure you that you’ll be glad you did. Let’s debrief you on some of the finest rugged wares this side of Y2K.

Linde Werdelin (Not So Humble) Beginnings

Perhaps it’s thanks to two well-known mountaineers, Conrad Anker and Leo Houlding, that Linde Werdelin rose to fame. It wasn’t so long ago (June 25, 2007) that the extreme duo claimed the first truly free ascent of Everest’s North East Ridge. And on their wrists? First-generation Linde Werdelin Biformeters. The watchmaker was just 5 years old.

The universe of extreme adventure is an uncial one — every ounce of gear must be essential to the endeavor’s success or eliminated. To keep the Biformeter watches exceptionally light for Mt. Everest, LW engineered an ancillary readout system, dubbed ‘The Land Instrument’: “Measuring heart rate, temperature, altitude, weather, and compass readings, The Land Instrument principally kept the expedition team safe, whilst monitoring how the body reacts to extreme conditions.” Think a smartwatch, except exceedingly more precise, and with all of its computational faculties outsourced to a much larger digital instrument.

Later generations of the Land Instrument are known as The Rock (specific to snowsports and alpinism) and The Reef (specific to diving). Common to every one of LW’s watches is a specialized dial that interfaces with both extraneous instruments.

Not dissimilarly, the wristwatch evolved, too. The Biformeter Founders watch, launched in 2006, developed into the 3 Timer Series (founder’s legacy), the Oktopus Series (water), and the Spido Series (land). Why don’t we sample a little of each?

3 Timer Series

Closest in likeness to the original Biformeter Founders watch, the 3 Timer collection is, perhaps, LW’s most cosmopolitan series. True to the collection’s name, each submodel lets the wearer keep track of three separate time zones simultaneously. It does so via three in-situ timekeeping readouts: a stage-set 12-hour dial, bezel-set 24-hour dial, and GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) function.¹

At present, you’ll find nine 3 Timer submodels gracing LW’s site, commanding between $6,433 not exceeding $7,802.

Perhaps the most boast-worthy model is also the most understated – the Labassa Wolfe x Linde Werdelin All Black 3 Timer.  Limited to nine productions, the collaborative piece is stainless steel. It features a black guilloche dial, black-laden indexes, diamond-cut hands, and black Luminova applique water-resistant up to 300 meters (985 ft).

Oktopus Series

Off the cuff, the showiest of Linde Werdelin’s collections is the Oktopus Series. But good looks are not for lack of function. If anything, an Oktopus watch’s appearance is a hint into its nuanced inner workings.

With this series of diving watches, we see The Reef instrument’s full capabilities come to life. A diver’s rendition of LW’s original digital ancillary device, The Land Instrument, The Reef’s on-board computer work in tandem with any of the Oktopus dive watches to provide the diver with crucial metrics: depth, time-lapsed, and calculates the remaining oxygen.

Presently there are 12 submodels of Oktopus dive watch collection available for purchase. Each collection member is water-resistant up to 300 meters (985 ft) and offers features befitting a professional diver, like super-luminescent accents, which glow bright in dark waters.

Five of the 12 submodels belong to the Oktopus Moon branch of the series, so named due to the watches’ in-house moon phase complication. This complication allows the wearer to “track the full moon and plan the best time for night dives.”² Moon dive watches beckon between $15,037 and $34,175 (a price reserved for the elusive Moon Gold 3DTP Carbon ticker).

The remaining seven submodels belong to the Oktopus Double Date branch, which sweeps stylings and price points broadly – beginning with the relatively pragmatic titanium Deep Sea ($9,569) and ending with the elaborately hand-etched, gold-inlaid Volcano ($26,656).

Of heartfelt notoriety, and not on offer to the public, is LW’s recent collaboration with the Danish Naval Special Operations Force known as Frømandskorpset (Frogman Corps). As an elite unit of the Danish forces, the Frogmen are few and far between, and the collaborative timepiece was commissioned to immortalize the Frømandskorpset brotherhood. Upon retirement, members of the Corps receive their very own Oktopus Frogman Dive Watch.³

Spido Series

Spido LW watches are built to vanquish the unnecessary, hold fast to precision, and deliver in the most harrowing of conditions. The Spido Series comprises two variate submodels – the ascensionist’s SpidoLite and the slope expert’s SpidoSpeed. Both branches of the Spido collection embark on “a continuous journey of weight optimization and a philosophy of no compromise – everything is removed unless essential to the function or strength of construction.”

Many configurations and material combinations are found among the 11 Spido Series watches. What distinguishes a Spido timepiece from its brethren series is the ultralight skeletonized plates and movement. The stripped-down aesthetic is a product of functionality. All 11 watches offer water resistance up to 100 meters (328 ft).

From the SpidoLite branch extend six submodels. It’s a small collection with a wide market berth — ranging in price from $10,260 for titanium configurations to $25,322 for the premier SpidoLite Gold 3D Movement watch. Similarly, the snowbound SpidoSpeed branch offers five distinct submodels, wide-ranging in the price — $13,003 for the stainless-steel favor; $32,166 for the SpidoSpeed Gold 3D Movement.

Alloy Linde Werdelin Metal – Purposeful. Proprietary.

Wristwatch designations aside, there’s something else from Linde Werdelin’s slight but abundant history worthy of particular note: Alloy Linde Werdelin (‘ALW’). ALW is a proprietary iridescent metal alloy spun from aeronautics and forged in LW’s pursuit of unseen lightness and tenacity.⁴

According to Linde Werdelin’s website, “ALW…has been subjected to a 25-micrometer treatment (standard treatments are usually only 5 micrometers in-depth), creating a protective layer and making it twice the strength of steel while remaining half the weight of titanium.” This opalescent metal’s secret lies in its porosity: “The treatment can go so deep because of the porous structure of ALW; it essentially absorbs the treatment like your hand would absorb skin cream, which results in a protective layer that is highly resistant to dents and scratches.”

All for a wristwatch? That’s a dedication to your craft, ladies and gentlemen.

Linde Werdelin Limited-Edition Watches – Maybe Not So Rote

We here at Improb are not strangers to horology — in fact, seldom are we excited to see yet another luxury watch brand assignment float across the editorial calendar. But there are exceptions to the norm. And Linde Werdelin is not just another watchmaker. Unlike many of its contemporaries, this company will never race to the proverbial bottom; Linde Werdelin watches are exquisite, proud, and complex.

The partnerships, technologies, and ideas that LW seems to bloom from, with, and embolden the brand with something quite rare, I think – that of actual, red-blooded genuine functionality. Expensive? Sure. But, refreshing, too. Don’t you think?

Sources

What Is a GMT Function And How Does It Work? – Chrono24

Linde Werdelin – Oktopus MoonLite – Time and Watches

The Danish Frogmen Military Corps Get Exclusive Linde Werdelin Watches – Forbes

11 Watch Brands That Make Their Own Metals – WatchTime

Purchase

“Those with an affinity for the metaphorical will see a memento mori of sorts in T-REX, and not just in its invocation of a long-extinct animal. T-REX is a clock with legs. . . saying time can run away from us all.” – Maximilian Büsser, founder of the high-end watch brand, MB&F.

Damn, Max. What an eloquent way to package an existential bummer. Take one look at the opulent, bionic T-REX Bronze table clock, and you cannot help but agree with the man. Maybe it’s the wild aesthetics or the old-school manual-winding key. Maybe it’s the fact that it costs more than my first two years of undergrad. Maybe it’s that the T-REX’s iris is the same hue as my birthstone. Maybe it’s a little of each. At any rate, the contrivance is absurd, spectacular, beautiful. . . and I want one.

Aesthetic & Kinetic

From tip to all eight anatomically-correct toes, T-REX Bronze is a handsome, albeit odd-looking timepiece. Legs and all, the table clock stands nearly 1 foot (265 mm) tall and clocks in at 4.5 pounds (2 kg). A serious specimen.

Most striking? An emerald green, handblown Murano glass dial dominates the clock’s central union. Though vibrant, the clockface is minimalistic, hosting two simple hands and a small winding arbor for time-setting.

Bronze alloy is a metal that flirts with the idea of being gold, and T-REX’s collaborative design crew nailed the emulation. The golden-matte look results from a unique treatment of polishing, satin finishing, and sandblasting. Deep brown patina flocks the feet and legs, and chemical oxidation seals the deal. Light-play across the multitextured legs teases the eye – as if T-REX were winding up to pounce.

Sixty-three bronze alloy components comprise T-REX’s skeleton, and particular focus went into modeling its legs: MB&F utilized 3D scans of fossilized Tyrannosaurus Rex bones. The intended effect? To “create verisimilitude in the final design.” Ah, realism. Sweet.

The spherical frame houses 138 components and 17 jewels that make up its single-engine (or ‘movement’). It’s what MB&F refers to as “the literal time capsule.” Get it?

L’Épée engineered and manufactured the clock’s timekeeping functions. The Swiss maker endowed T-REX’s movement with a 2.5-Hz balance beating and a winding arbor, giving the table clock 8 days’ maximum-reserve power. That the mechanized brain rests behind a big iris-like display seems anatomically apropos, doesn’t it?

Collaboration & Refabrication

The T-REX Bronze clock is the lovechild of three high-end horological creatives: MB&F, L’Épée 1839, and Massena LAB.

Several years ago, Swiss watchmakers MB&F and L’Épée embarked on their first collaborative endeavor to create a timepiece/machination called ‘T-REX and Tom.’ Best known for producing ambitious, 3D kinetic watches, MB&F commanded the aesthetic details. L’Épée, a 175-year-old titan of watch mechanics, handled mechanics and manufacturing. The well-received flagship design kicked off a long-standing partnership between its co-creators that has since gained international acclaim.

Enter timepiece expert and creative phenom, William Massena. Massena’s LAB smacks of a refined passion project, stating that it “proposes ideas or concepts to manufacturers that are unusual and beyond the offerings from their collection.” And that’s precisely what Massena set out to do with T-REX – reimagine an already daring concept. A little collaboration later, and the remarkably exclusive T-REX Bronze was born.

Access & Excess: T-REX Bronze Clock

The compounding rate at which modern culture’s accelerated has borne collectors of any and every varietal. Some amass wine, others hoard vintage stamps, and still others (perhaps you included, dear reader) avidly collect timepieces.

The T-REX Bronze clock is a limited-edition model – quite limited, actually – with a mere 15 pieces on offer. And with the asking price of $27,000 a pop, this isn’t a buy for the faint of wallet. But, if you’re a groomed horological curator, what are you waiting for? Time’s a-ticking, and, true to form, this T-REX is a dying breed.

Looking for more outrageous tickers for a little less cha-ching? Scope out our line-up of the most unique wall clocks.

Purchase