I have been away from the watch world for a while. Between finishing my master’s degree and pursuing my anthropological research, my family also moved from Idaho to Alaska about a year and a half ago. We have been busy exploring activities like ice climbing, mountaineering, AT skiing, snowshoeing, bear baiting (dressing up like a steak and running through the woods), and rock climbing. Most of our time has been spent learning and training. Living in Alaska has been an adjustment, and things like watches have, unfortunately, been put on the back burner.
I took a deep dive down the Garmin rabbit hole since we got up here, and for a while, I thought I would have no use for analog watches anymore. Yeah, well, I was wrong about that. The call of mechanical and quartz analog watches is too strong, and it is time to start enjoying them again (while double wristing a Garmin while exercising).
This summer, I will conduct my master’s thesis fieldwork exploring the historic Klondike Gold Rush Chilkoot Trail outside Skagway, Alaska, and this seemed like the perfect time to jump back into testing some watches. I made the trip last year with a Seiko, and I am hoping to take some more watches out on this year’s adventures into Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory. I am sure I will meet many people wearing watches as they take the trail, and this could yield some interesting stories about adventure and watches that may never have been told before.
Moving forward, I will continue my focus on testing watches I both like and believe are strong candidates to take out and explore the world. As always, these watches will be supplied by me, not the manufacturers, and I will do what I can to highlight their strengths and weaknesses. I already have five watches in the stable, all relatively “affordable” and easy to use, and I think they will make a great reintroduction to the work we once did at Escapement SV.
I have missed watches and engaging with the great watch community over the last couple years. Hopefully, the reviews will be helpful to anyone looking for a watch and seeking more than just the standard press release from brands. I will be updating the website in the coming weeks, starting with a rolling review of my new Hamilton Khaki Hodinkee limited edition as I take it climbing, mountaineering, and exploring on the Chilkoot Trail and the Yukon River.
It is good to be back wearing and writing about watches. I can’t wait to see what watches I can get my hands on in the future. Stay tuned.
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