Bênoit Mintiens, Founder of Ressence Watches, on The New Type 2

Neither a smartwatch nor an automatic one, but a hybrid mechanical piece that sets itself with two taps

Despite its name, Ressence‘s new Type 2 watch is an evolution of many of their other watches (which include a Type 1, 5 and the 3, a mechanical watch with the brand’s signature orb-like appearance but set in oil). The Bênoit Mintiens-led brand teased the Type 2 Concept last year, but the official production-ready piece is arriving now—smart crown technology included. It isn’t a smartwatch; …

Archaeology, Camels and Cars: From The Dead Sea to Petra

We ride with archaeologist Sarah Parcak and Infiniti to the ancient city in Jordan

It’s early morning in Jordan’s Wadi Rum and we’re loading our gear into the fleet of Infiniti QX80s, backed by only the sounds coming from doors opening and closing shut, and feet shuffling silently in the red sand. Despite the bright LED lights of our fleet SUVs, an observatory’s worth of glowing stars remain visible above, shining down in the pre-dawn desert. As I sit …

Visiting Monkey 47’s Fascinating Distillery in Germany’s Black Forest

As the masterful Distiller's Cut makes its debut stateside, we visit the fairytale place it's made

Gin producers rarely emphasize history or any sort of distinguishable lore. The crux of their product usually lies within the combination of botanicals they employ. But for Monkey 47—which was founded 10 years ago by Alexander Stein and is still produced by his company Black Forest Distillers—each of their products dually boasts a rich backstory and an elegant ensemble of botanicals, sourced from both the …