Watches, Pens, and the Craft of Analog Living
Ellen Ashford · July 4, 2026
I still remember the first fountain pen I bought for under $50. I was convinced it would feel cheap, skip constantly, and end up in a drawer within a week. That’s the misconception I hear most from new journalers and writers: that a decent fountain pen requires a triple-digit budget. After a decade of collecting, … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 4, 2026
Fountain Pen Buying Guide Under $50: Nib Sizing, Fill Systems, and 8 Pens Worth Buying Ten years ago, I dismissed fountain pens as nostalgic affectations. Then I spent $35 on a pen that changed everything. The smoothness of the nib, the intentionality of every stroke—it wasn’t a gimmick. It was better than ballpoints in ways … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 3, 2026
The first time I considered restoring a vintage watch dial, I almost made a catastrophic mistake. I had just picked up a 1968 Seiko 5 — caliber 7005 movement, beautiful original matte black dial with applied silver indices — for $45 at an estate sale. It had a few hairline scratches and some minor spotting … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 3, 2026
A few years ago, I sat across from a watchmaker named Hiroshi at a small repair bench in Kyoto. He had just serviced a 1968 Seiko 5 that belonged to my grandfather. He held it up to the light, wound the crown three turns, and said: “This watch does not need batteries. It does not … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 2, 2026
Seven years ago, I convinced myself that a watch winder was essential. I’d just picked up a 1970 Omega Seamaster—a beautiful bi-directional automatic—and I wasn’t wearing it daily. A watch winder, I reasoned, would keep it wound, accurate, and ready. So I bought a $25 Amazon special with a brushed aluminum case and what the … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 2, 2026
Seiko 5 Review: The Watch I’ve Bought Seven Times and Keep Coming Back To I own seven Seiko 5 watches. Not as a collector’s flex—I genuinely wear most of them. The SNK805 sits on my desk right now, case brushed to a soft matte from years of field work. The SRPD55 with its ocean-blue dial … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 1, 2026
People assume that finding the best vintage watches under 200 dollars means settling for something beaten-up, unreliable, or just decorative. I used to think the same thing, until a $45 Seiko 5 with a 7S26 movement proved me completely wrong. That watch kept better time than a $300 quartz I’d owned for years. After a … Read more
Ellen Ashford · June 30, 2026
I’ve owned exactly one watch strap that made me feel genuinely stupid. It was a gorgeous cognac leather band on a dive watch I wore kayaking in the Chesapeake. By the time I paddled back to shore, the strap had absorbed so much water it felt like wet cardboard against my wrist. The buckle had … Read more
Ellen Ashford · June 30, 2026
The first vintage watch I ever bought cost me $45 at an estate sale — a beat-up Seiko 5 with a rattling case back and a crystal so scratched it looked frosted. I thought a quick clean and a new strap would be enough. What I didn’t know about vintage watch repair costs could fill … Read more
Ellen Ashford · June 29, 2026
The first watch I ever bought new at full retail cost me $340 and taught me almost nothing useful. I walked into a department store, pointed at something shiny, and walked out feeling like a collector. I wasn’t. Starting a watch collection as a genuine beginner — without a mentor, without a roadmap, and with … Read more