Phil's Fine Finds

This is where I talk about things. I admire design that is simple, subtle and elegant. I value products that are organic, well made and functional. I revel in the quiet details, and I love anything that requires me to look closer.

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Chimala, yes. Especially the denim Painter Jacket.

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Timex x Red Wing Waterbury  Link

This caught my eye because it looked like a Rolex Explorer 1, which is one of my grail watches because I love how elegant and understated it is. The association with Edmund Hillary and Everest doesn’t hurt. Back to the Timex - the only reason I’ll buy this is because they got the dial dialled in. It looks clean, proportionate and handsome. And it comes in 38mm. Yes, I love smaller dials because they are simply more refined and classy. Do you know that back in the days, the common dial sizes for men are 36mm-38mm? Those guys knew what they were doing, and they looked good. The dinner-plate sized watches we have today are hideous monstrosities.

The Red Wing strap is a nice touch, but the ultimate draw is the nice case and dial. They really did a good job on these. At the end of the day, it’s still a quartz watch - and I understand how that might put some people off. At least the price is still sensible, unlike some of the more outrageous fashion watches out there.

Personally, if I need a quartz beater, I’ll strap on my good old Analog Camper. In fact, I’ve been wearing it a lot in the past months because of how light and thin it is. 

A little story about the Analog Camper - we were on the ferry to Teshima Island in Japan when I saw this fella wearing the Analog Camper. I didn’t know what it was at the point of time, except that I remembered the exact shade of olive, the wide cloth loop and the exceptionally thin profile. When we got back to Tokyo, we went looking and found it! 

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Tactile Turn Mover/Shaker Link These look absolutely gorgeous, especially in titanium. If budget were no object, I’d go for the titanium. The aluminium at half the price looks stunning too. I like these because they are not overly tactical like some other offerings out there. There are two models, with the Shaker being the smaller/shorter one. It’d make a wonderful addition to any men’s everyday carry.

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Thorogood Dodgeville Link These are giving the Iron Ranger that I’ve always wanted a run for the money. In fact it costs more than the Red Wing. The only reason I’d spring for the Thorogood is because they are using the Horween CXL. At the end of the day, I’d stick with the Red Wing because they’re my tried and tested daily beaters. 

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Rouge Territory Indigo Dyed Field Jacket Link

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Freewheelers Guthrie Cap Link / Link Almost everything that Freewheelers make is spot on. I particularly love their Guthrie cap. I cannot decide between the dark denim or the olive one. I always have a thing for that slubby denim finish, but the olive is just stunning with that weave. Both look gorgeous - but if I really had to choose, I’d probably pick the olive first. What a beautiful, beautiful cap - the conical shape and short beak is just perfect - and flattering for my odd shaped crown. If I could have them all, I’d get the olive first and then the dark denim - on merits of versatility. I’d follow up with the herringbone one (because it’s a more of a seasonal look), and round off my collection with the striped engineer denim cap. Yes!

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Bison Designs Kool Tool Belt

Link

I can’t decide if this is cool or laughably overkill. Wire strippers, screwdrivers, bottle opener, hex tools and it even holds your pants up.

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Restoration Hardware Premier Edition Scrabble

Link So I don’t forget.

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Triumph Salt Racer

Link

All killer, no filler.

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The Hill-Side Selvedge Panama Cloth 6-Panel Ball Cap, Indigo Link Exasperatingly redundant naming aside, this is a very nice cap. 

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Sandwich Lo Two Tone Denim Trainer

Link

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Dyer and Jenkins Minimalist Pack Link

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Nova Time Ora Lattea

Link

Clean, cute and refreshing. They even have these in 36mm, which is just lovely. This would be a great point of distinction in any outfit. My only gripe is that it’s priced way too high for a very cheap quartz movement. 

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Victory Sportswear New York Trail Runners Link

These are special because they are welted. That means that you can get them resoled. Potentially, these sneakers could last you a very long time. For ages, the one thing that has always prevented me from shelling out bigger bucks for sneakers is that they're cemented. Cementing places a very finite lifespan on your shoes. Unlike my leather shoes which are welted, cemented sneakers cannot be resoled. Once they start splitting, you can pretty much dump them. These not only look good and are hand-welted, they are also made in the States. They're going to be pricey, but at least now I can assuage myself by saying that they will last me, and that this is a worthy investment.

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Ouvert Cotton Work Jacket Link

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Alder & Co Key Hook - Picture 01, 02, 03 Superior Labor Key Hook - Picture 04, 05 Iron Heart Key Hook - Picture 06 Deluxe Silver and Brass Key Hook - Picture 07, 08

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Foot the Coacher x Takahiro Miyashita Link