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1 week ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
We’ve always had a soft spot for Brew here at TBWS. Maybe it’s the unapologetically fun colors, or the fact that Jonathan Ferrer seems like one of the few brand founders who still treats watch design like art class instead of a shareholder presentation. He’s also a genuinely fun guy to be around and talk watches with. But with the new Metric Manual Wind, Brew is doing something I honestly didn’t expect: they’re asking to be taken seriously.
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2 weeks ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
Sometimes a watch hits your feed and you pause. Not because it’s outlandish or overbuilt or some weird Kickstarter experiment. But just because it looks good. That was my first reaction to this new Seiko Prospex 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT—specifically, the SPB519J1. Seiko loves an anniversary.
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2 weeks ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
After getting into watches seriously, the Orient Mako was the diver that served as the gateway drug into this hobby. I know it was either that or a Seiko SKX for most of us but because of this, the Orient Mako will always have a special place in the collection. I still have it, it was my wedding watch, and that beautiful blue dial still gets me from time to time.
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2 weeks ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
Iceland is a place of extremes: glaciers, geothermal hot springs, and black sand beaches shaped by volcanic fury. It’s also a place where time seems to slow down, and I thought it was ideal for reflecting on both nature and time spent with family—shaping memories I’ll never forget. Watches were also part of the journey, of course. And as I prepared for the trip, the exercise behind choosing which timepieces to bring was something I deeply enjoyed.
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3 weeks ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
Some watches grow on you. Others you grow with. For me, the Seiko Presage Style60s series has always felt a little stuck in the middle. I’ve tried to love them—the vintage nods, the clean layouts—but I’ve never quite been sold. That said, this latest trio—SRPL71, SRPL73, and SRPL75—might be the best-looking batch yet. You still get the same compact 39.5mm case from last year’s SRPL07 and SRPL09 models, which were… let’s call them controversial, thanks to the oddball 4:30 date window.
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3 weeks ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
If you’re like me and you can never get enough of the whole vintage military watch thing, then Timex’s latest collaboration with Bespoke Post might be right up your alley. Based on a 1970s gem from their Viscount collection, this throwback is wrapped up in a 36mm steel case that’s just the right size for something that looks rugged without feeling cumbersome. Let’s be real.
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3 weeks ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
Quartz movements get a bad rap from mechanical purists and I’ll never get it. The ticking second hand can apparently leave you feeling cold, especially when you’re used to the smooth sweep of an automatic. But for me, that’s always been a bit unfair. The real question isn’t whether quartz can match mechanicals—it’s whether it should have to. Bulova’s HPQ (High-Performance Quartz) Precisionist movement is out to prove that quartz doesn’t just get the job done.
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4 weeks ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
Orient Star’s been around nearly as long as Orient itself, but unless you’ve really dug into their catalog, it’s easy to miss just how far they’ve stretched over the years. The sub-brand’s usually the more polished sibling—slightly dressier, slightly more experimental—and this year, with its 75th anniversary humming in the background, they’re dialing up some seasonal flair with two new versions of the Layered Skeleton.
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1 month ago | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
Timex, as usual, is still on a roll, bringing back some of its best hits from the past few decades. The brand’s recent reissues—like the Marlin and Q Timex—have become cult favorites, but now, Timex is going deep into the archives for something a bit more unexpected: the 1995 Intrepid Reissue. This isn’t just any retro throwback; it’s a nod to a time when sports watches were as much about functionality as they were about style.
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Jan 25, 2025 | 
twobrokewatchsnobs.com | Michael Peñate
Aquastar’s Benthos 500 holds an important spot in dive watch history. First unveiled in 1970, it stood out from the crowd with its unique chronograph-like functionality and slow-moving 60-minute elapsed-time counter. It was bold, unconventional, and ahead of its time—until the Quartz Crisis swept the industry off course. But what if quartz hadn’t disrupted the market so quickly?
