Month: February 2025

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Here’s a secret that luxury watch brands don’t want you to know: You don’t have to shell out thousands of dollars to get an excellent timepiece. Companies like Bulova and Citizen make well-respected models that look great and work well without breaking the bank—especially when they go on sale. If you’re shopping for your first watch or looking for a new ticker to add to your collection, Amazon has a deal on an eye-catching Bulova chronograph, and it’s over $150 off.

The Bulova Sport 6-Hand Chronograph Quartz Watch is on sale for $243, a 38% discount from its normal price of $395. This stylish chronograph watch is a winner among Amazon shoppers: Reviewers are calling it “beautiful” and “very comfortable to wear.” If blue isn’t your color, it also comes in a black color scheme and is on sale for about $20 more.

Bulova Sport 6-Hand Chronograph Quartz Watch with Silicone Strap in Blue/Silver-Tone, $243 (was $395) on Amazon

This Bulova chronograph watch measures 44mm in diameter and wears an iconic Pepsi-esque red and blue color scheme on its bezel, making it a real standout on the wrist. It’s also packed with helpful features, including the chronograph function (controlled using the pushers on the side), a water-resistant case (you can swim with this watch), and luminescent hands and indexes for good low-light legibility. It’s made from stainless steel, the horological standard for everyday durability, and it’s paired with a sporty and comfortable silicone strap that’s super easy to keep clean—just rinse it off if it gets dirty.

Amazon shoppers have been waxing poetic over this Bulova. One called it a “strong and beautiful watch” that’s “very accurate.”

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“Great watch for the price and awesome quality,” they added.

“You can never go wrong with a Bulova,” said another. “This watch did not disappoint.”

Stylish and sturdy, the Bulova Sport 6-Hand Chronograph Quartz Watch is a timepiece you can put on in the morning and wear all day, from meetings in the office to swimming laps in the gym. Bulovas are known for their superb value, but with its hefty 38% discount, this particular model really ups the ante. Want one on your wrist? Click buy today—this stellar deal won’t stick around long. 

While LVMH has already rolled out a number of impressive watches to start off 2025, thanks to their late January Watch Week, it was the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Rainbow’s unveiling that may have received the most chatter during the French luxury goods company’s annual event.

While Zenith might not have the name recognition on this side of the Atlantic of other Swiss watchmakers such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, or Omega, the brand carries serious weight in other markets and an equally impressive history that stretches back to 1865.

Zenith launched its first Chronomaster in 1994 (five years before being purchased by LVMH) and then its new sporty version in 2021. The new iteration quickly became one of the Swiss watchmaker’s best-selling pieces thanks to its El Primero 3600 column-wheel chronograph movement, which offers 1/10th of a second resolution. While the company has released a variety of iterations since the first, this latest edition adds an extra level of excitement by jumping on the “rainbow” trend.

The last few years has seen the rainbow gem-setting become a popular trend in the high watchmaking world and this Chronomaster Sport Rainbow seems to be released as a direct competitor to the Rolex Daytona Rainbow.

Featuring a black face and a 41mm white gold case, the watch’s palette of 52 colorful sapphires that transition through the entire color wheel, punctuated by 10 baguette-cut diamonds to mark the seconds, feels like a true standout, even if Zenith is a touch late to the Rainbow watch game.

The famed El Primero movement, meanwhile, runs at 5Hz and delivers a comfortable 60-hour power reserve. In addition, the movement can be viewed through its clear caseback. glow-in-the-dark minute and hour hands.

The Zenith Chronomaster Sport Rainbow comes on a 3-link white gold bracelet and is available exclusively at the brand’s official website as well as physical boutiques. It retails for $112,100.

Related: Best TAG Heuer Watches of 2025 to Add a Luxury Swiss Timepiece to Your Collection

A lost version of Star Wars is currently streaming online, for free. But for how long isn’t clear.

As of right now, those who use Roku with their TVs can locate an app called Cinema Box. And on it, users will find the 1977, theatrical version of Star Wars. No use calling this version of the movie “A New Hope,'” because this streaming version doesn’t have that subtitle. This means the version uploaded to Cinema Box predates 1981, which is the year that George Lucas retroactively added “Episode IV, A New Hope” to the opening title crawl. If you watch this version of Star Wars on Cinema Box right now, with your Roku, you won’t see the words “A New Hope” in that opening title sequence at all. This is the version from before the 1997 “special editions.”

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Finding an original, theatrical version of the original 1977 Star Wars film—before it got the A New Hope subtitle in 1981, and before George Lucas retroactively made various changes in 1997—has been difficult. Sure, if you have VHS tapes or LaserDisc versions of Star Wars, watching the 1977 version of the movie, without any of the subsequent changes is possible. In 2006, a standalone version of A New Hope was released on DVD, which contained the theatrical cut of the movie.

But finding a 1977 version of Star Wars streaming before now? Forget it. A little digging on Cinema Box reveals that this Roku app has appeared and disappeared from the service a few times before, vanishing from Roku as recently as 2024. No one seems to know why.

But, as of right now, the Cinema Box app is up and running, and has the classic Star Wars. This means Han shoots first, Jabba the Hutt doesn’t appear, and there’s no CGI creatures or droids running around in the background. The starship models look like models, and the film appears appropriately grainy for a movie that is almost fifty years old.

Cinema Box doesn’t seem to exist on a desktop computer or mobile device. It only appears to work as an app on a Roku, or Roku TV. So, your ability to feel the original Force might be limited. And, possibly, short-lived.

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Ridge wallets have an innovative design, built-in RFID protection to stop scammers from skimming your card details, a cool EDC aesthetic, high-precision materials like aircraft aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium, and a wide range of color choices.

Ridge got its start as a Kickstarter in 2014, and over the past decade the brand has established itself as a leader in the category of minimal, slim wallets. The classic Ridge wallet has a capacity of one to 12 cards, it can accommodate any type of domestic and foreign currency in its elastic cash strap or metal money clips, and it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Ridge Wallet Overall Impressions

I have been using a rotation of Ridge wallets every day for the past three months, and over that time I’ve developed clear feelings about the features that I like best. Of the ones I’ve tried, while I love the look and solidity of the titanium version, I tend to prefer the lighter weight of the aluminum version, which is also less expensive. 

The Matte Olive aluminum version has been my most used Ridge other than the Biflex (which I’ll get to later). Comparing the money clip version with the elastic cash strap for the classic Ridge wallet, I prefer the cash strap to the metal clip because it’s easier to slide into a pocket and has a lower profile inside your pocket.

When I first started using Ridge as part of my EDC, I found that getting out credit cards was slower than it was with my regular leather wallet. After three months I can now say that I’ve gotten just as fast on the draw with credit cards and cash as I was with my leather wallet. 

Another thing that I have come to really like about the Ridge doesn’t have anything to do with wallet itself, but it’s the way it has encouraged me to pare down my daily carry. I used to bring a dozen cards around with me at all times, and now I usually just bring one or two and my license. I can bring along the Costco card or the insurance card when they’re needed, but 90 percent of the time and, especially when I’m traveling, using the Ridge has made me realize that I don’t need to carry around all that plastic.

In terms of wear and tear over these three months of daily use, I have noticed some very minor pilling on the elastic cash strap, and the smaller elastic pieces that hold the metal sides together will eventually stretch out over time and need to be replaced, but that is fairly easy and inexpensive to do at home and they include the tiny screwdriver you need to do it.

Beyond the classic Ridge, I tend to prefer the leather Ridge Biflex Wallet for traveling, and I have found that the aluminum keychain that Ridge sent me to test out has proven to be way cooler than I expected. There’s a spring that holds your keys together like blades in a pocket knife, and while it takes some getting used to to quickly flick them out to use, I love how slim and contained it is in my pocket. It’s now my favorite keychain, and comes in colors that match some of the wallets. 

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Final Verdict

I went into this thinking that it would be an interesting few weeks and I’d go back to traditional wallets, but after my time with Ridge, I think it will become a part of my daily rotation. The design, quality, and functionality sell themselves the more you use them, so it’s no surprise to me that they offer 99-day risk free trial. All things considered, there is no reason not to give Ridge a try.

Key Features

Ridge wallets can be ordered with a money clip, an elastic cash strap, or both with the option to switch. The money clip is more durable than the elastic strap, but also bulkier in your pocket and it can catch on your pocket while sliding it in and out. 

The elastic strap is slimmer than the money clip version, but it can pick up a little bit of pocket lent and can stretch a tad going in and out of your pocket, so it will likely not be durable over time as the money clip version. That said, I preferred the cash strap overall.

Certain material and color options can be ordered as MagSafe compatible, if you want to carry it attached to your phone. Another optional feature is to get an AirTag compatible cash strap.

I tested the Ridge in the aluminum, powder-coated in matte olive green. It’s one of their most popular options for good reason and turned out to be my favorite. I also tested out the Stonewashed Titanium. The stonewashed finish will hold up over time because it’s already pre-scratched, so you can’t really ding it up. 

The aluminum with powder-coat, on the other hand, will scratch over time if you’re not careful. I found the Titanium to be a noticeably heavier, which mean that the two sides shifted more in my hand and in my pocket than the aluminum version—not a big deal, but I liked the lack of play in the two sides of the aluminum version.

The Carbon Fiber versions are also popular, though I did not test them. Between the titanium and the aluminum, I think aluminum is the better option for your first Ridge because It’s less expensive and a good gateway to the brand.

Pros

• Makes your cards feel secure, cool EDC vibe, very low profile
• RFID protection offers peace of mind when traveling
• Inspires you to load your wallet smarter

Cons

• Elastic needs to be replaced in time (but extra elastic and a change tool are included)
• Key cards need to be removed from wallet to use them
• I did not get fast as sliding out cards from Ridge I am with my regular leather wallet

How I Tested Ridge Wallet

Testing out a wallet is an all or nothing experiment—you have to commit to making it part of your daily carry if you want to truly know it. So, I switched over from my wallet to using only Ridge wallets for a few months. It took some getting used to, but it helped me simplify to what I really needed to carry, and I came to appreciate the secure feel of a metal wallet and the compact design that made it easy to carry around town or even while working out.

Why You Should Trust Me

I have been testing and reviewing men’s gear for almost two decades, and when it comes to EDC, I have a particular affinity for only carrying slim card wallets—which I’ve been doing for years. So, when the chance came to review the Ridge, it was an opportunity to review something new that fulfills a spot in my daily carry that is long established—the slim card wallet.

Related: The Best Slim Wallets for Men in 2024

Oh, to be alive during the Computron’s heyday. For the unfamiliar, in the free-spirited, forward-thinking 1970s, LED watches were blowing up. One the best-known models in the wake of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, Bulova Computron, signaled that the space age was upon us. 

With a shocking digital watch face and smooth, monolith-like construction, Bulova Computron broke from the natty style of mechanical watches. But since everything new becomes old and then new again, the watch has carved out a niche among today’s obsessives for its “delightfully anachronistic” aesthetics, according to watch destination Hodinkee. 

“Everything is chrome in the future,” SpongeBob SquarePants told us. But what if you’re trying to grab the unique charms of this retro-futuristic moment in time and timepieces? Where can you find the best retro-cool Computron watch alternatives right now?

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If finding such a watch is your mission, you’re in good company. The online watch community has a passionate fandom for these timepieces. Which, by the way, are distinct from modern LCD watches, which are cool all on their own. The light-emitting diode—LED—is a semiconductor device that first became capable of producing visible light in the ‘60s. Bulova Computron was actually predated by the equally bold Hamilton Pulsar in 1972. That funky innovation was worn by the likes of Jack Nicholson, Elton John, Sammy Davis Jr., and Keith Richards.

You had to push a button on the side of these watches to display the time, which flashed out in red numerals. But that didn’t bother the in-the-know mod fashion types coveting them. And it didn’t bother James Bond, who showed off his own Hamilton Pulsar P2 2900 LED digital watch in the Roger Moore-era Live and Let Die (1973). Just as the Pulsar was a sign of technological upheaval, the 007 endorsement was proof that slipping on one of these glowing wristbands was the absolute height of cool.

So it’s no coincidence that the market for similar, if not the exact same, LED watches is highly active today. Below we’ve rounded up options for today’s Computron and Pulsar fans who want to showcase their own retro-cool digital watch. The space age is back, baby.

The Best Computron Watch Alternatives

Bulova Computron Archive Series Watch, $350

If you’re trying to cop a Computron, why not go for the real thing? Though the authentic OG Computron, like its Pulsar brethren, can only be found on the secondhand market—we suggest checking eBay—Bulova has released a new-old Computron watch as part of its Archive Series. We like the silver-tone stainless steel option, unless you’re really trying to show off that gold.

According to Bulova, the modern Computron features “a blue LED display, expanded digital functionality now with dual time zone capabilities, and a distinct retro design that is as relevant today as it was in the 1970s.” Just as in the old days, the unusual trapezoid shape allows drivers to more easily see the time when they glance at their wrist. It’s also water resistant to 30 meters. Available for under $400, it’s a surprisingly affordable trip to the past.

Hamilton American Classic PSR Digital Quartz Watch, $795

You’ll have to shell out significantly more for the Hamilton American Classic PSR Digital Quartz Watch, the brand’s modern riff on the Pulsar, but you’ll get all the Bond cred that comes with it. 

The PSR “celebrates the launch of that revolutionary first digital watch,” says the brand. But there’s a twist. In the contemporary version, the display is an LED/LCD hybrid. 

There’s no denying the sublime styling of that chunky yet sleek stainless steel case. Plus, if you’re gearing up for Bond-like adventure, this watch comes with 100-meter water resistance.

Armitron Griffy Watch, $60

LED watches were once the hottest thing on the block, with the prices to match. But then was then, now is now. There’s no shame in grabbing the $60 Armitron Griffy, an update of the original ‘70s LED watch that makes an appearance in Netflix’s Stranger Things. 

The brand offers a nice variety of color options. But for our money, the flashing red display—in black sleep mode until activated—shines gorgeously against the more minimalist stainless steel case, so why not go for gold?

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