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Lookmatic’s Vision Quest

Until recently finding a pair of great looking glasses was about as challenging as finding a great pair of pants. It wasn’t just abou nailing the style but nailing the fit and price. Fortunately a few folks in the eyewear industry decided to bring technology into the picture to develop eyewear you could not only buy online, but customize to spec and get sent right your doorstep no matter where you were. Of the lot, the New York City-based companies Warby Parker and Moscot have made converts out of many with their mid-century modern (read hipster) frames, but if it’s easy, understated frames you’re after, you’ll want to consider Lookmatic.

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Offering more than 80 prescription optical and sun frames in ’50s through ’80s updated styles via a slick, interactive website, the company touts variety and affordability as its strengths. Starting from $95, you can in fact select your frame, choose a colorway and then your tint and lens to create a pair of glasses that’s 100% you. To make sure customers know exactly what they’re getting, Lookmatic additionally offers a virtual try-on system to allow customers to sit in front of their computers to try on various styles in real-time. Alternatively, customers can choose up to five pairs of glasses and have them sent to their doorstep to try on in the privacy of their home.

About the best thing we like about this company, which has quietly collaborated with some of the coolest actors in showbiz including Jason Schwartzmann and Waris Ahluwalia, however, is its authenticity. The founders have been in the eyewear business, working with companies such as Pearle Vision, Sears Optical and Target Optical, for over 50 years, so there’s real passion and know-how behind the product. As the company chief Joe Cole puts it, “Lookmatic offers an opportunity to reshape a paradigm, breaking down barriers to a product that people can’t live without as well as one that offers everyone access to great design.” Indeed, where good eyewear was prohibitively expensive and hard to find back in the day, you can finally, as Lookmatic suggests, “own a new look for every day of the week.”

Tim Yap
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Contributing writer Tim Yap was born in Kuala Lumpur and lived in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vancouver and Toronto prior to moving…
Ming unveils 29.01 midnight worldtimer in limited 25-piece edition
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Ming 29.01 midnight worldtimer

Ming has presented a darker version of its well-received worldtimer. The new 29.01 Midnight is a timepiece with a black DLC-coated titanium case. Production is limited to 25 pieces, and its price is CHF 22,000.
After the successful 29.01 worldtimer, this variant adopts the color combination first seen on the brand's 37.09 Uni model. The Midnight edition keeps the original's functions but adds a nocturnal look. The brand describes it as suitable for secret night missions or private assignations.
The 40mm grade 5 titanium case features a deep sapphire box crystal, which serves as both the front crystal and bezel, seamlessly connecting to the case body. This construction gives the appearance of having no bezel at all. The watch is water-resistant to 50m. It also features "flying blade" lugs, which allow it to sit comfortably on a variety of wrist sizes.
Ming’s dial design uses several layers to create a sense of depth. A rotating metal 24-hour disc works with static city names, which are printed on two levels of the sapphire dial. Cities include New York, Rio, London, and Pago Pago.
The watch is easy to read at night. Every feature on the sapphire components and hands is coated with ceramic Super-LumiNova X1. The orange numerals add a pop of color against the dark layout and glow orange in the dark.
A Schwarz-Etienne ASE 222 caliber powers the 29.01 Midnight. Ming has modified this movement, giving it a skeletonized barrel for monitoring winding. The bridges are coated in 5N rose gold and finished with diamond-cut anglage. It also features a redesigned tungsten microrotor. Ming Thein designed the bridge, matching the brand’s style.
The microrotor has a new, donut-like shape. It uses ceramic ball bearings and a modified mounting system for improved winding. A four-level staircase acts as the rotor guard, adding another visual element to the movement, which is visible through the domed sapphire caseback.
The timepiece comes with a black molded FKM rubber strap, attached to a DLC-coated flying blade buckle with micro-adjustment. Buyers also receive a strap of their choice.
Shipping of the Ming 29.01 Midnight will start in June 2025. The watches are available at ming.watch and through retail partners. Ming notes that only 25 pieces will be produced. Ming notes that "chances of spotting another one in the field are vanishingly small."

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Omega brings back railmaster with improved properties
From railway to wrist: omega's anti-magnetic icon makes a gradient-dial comeback
Omega railmaster

Omega has brought back its Railmaster collection. The new models combine a design that evokes earlier times with up-to-date watchmaking technology. The latest versions feature color gradient dials. The clean, functional appearance that defined the Railmaster since its 1957 debut continues.
As part of Omega's "professional line," the Railmaster was first introduced alongside the Speedmaster and Seamaster 300. These three timepieces were created for specialists in different fields: the Speedmaster for racing drivers, the Seamaster for divers, and the Railmaster specifically for railway workers, engineers, and scientists-people who worked in environments with strong magnetic fields.
The original Railmaster stood out for its anti-magnetic capabilities. A specialized inner case provided protection against magnetic fields up to 1,000 gauss, far exceeding the typical 60 gauss resistance from competitors at the time. Because of this, it served as an important tool for professionals working around railways and industrial equipment.
The 2025 Railmaster revival continues this tradition while significantly improving anti-magnetic performance. The new models use Omega's co-axial Master Chronometer calibres (8806 and 8804 for the small seconds version), which can withstand magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss-fifteen times more than the original models. These movements are certified by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), representing the industry's highest standard.
The revived collection includes two 38mm stainless steel models. One features a grey dial with a black gradient and a minimalist look. Only the Omega logo and Railmaster name appear on the clean dial. Large indexes and numerals in white Super-LumiNova ensure excellent readability.
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Piaget polo perpetual

Piaget added two new models to its Polo perpetual calendar collection. Both display natural obsidian stone dials in striking blue and green shades.
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These stone-dialed models follow Piaget's 2023 limited edition, which reportedly sold out quickly. This continues the company's focus on expanding its technical prowess while maintaining its unique design language, as seen in recent releases like the Polo Tourbillon Moonphase.
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