The Rowing Blazers x Wind Vintage x Seiko 5 Sports Rally Divers

Are coming!

Courtesy of Wind Vintage

This is the latest collaboration between Seiko, Rowing Blazers and vintage savant (& fellow Vulcain Cricket authority) Eric Wind of Wind Vintage.

Courtesy of Wind Vintage

The Seiko / Rowing Blazers / Wind collaborations remind us once again that you can flex with a watch, but it's even better if your flex shares the fun!

Courtesy of Wind Vintage

The two models are defined not just by dial colors, but by size. The green dial version (above) measures 38 mm in diameter.

The blue dialed version (below) comes in a bit larger at 42 mm. 

Courtesy of Wind Vintage

This latest collaboration officially drops next Thursday. Here are the pertinents:

The two Rowing Blazers x Wind Vintage x Seiko 5 Sports models from this collection are SRPM21 (green dial with a 38mm diameter and an additional blue nylon strap) and SRPM19 (Blue dial with a 42mm diameter and an additional green strap). Additional details for the watches include: the automatic caliber 4R36 with 24 jewels operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour with approximately 41 hours of power reserve, luminous hands and markers in a warmer vintage color, 20mm lug width, uni-directional bezel, stainless-steel cases and bracelets, and day and date calendars with days that can be changed between English and Spanish. The Rowing Blazers x Seiko 5 Sports capsule launches Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 11am ET on the Rowing Blazers and Seiko USA websites, as well as a small selection available for sale at the Rowing Blazers flagship at 262 Elizabeth St in New York City. The watches retail for $495 each.

Follow the Leader

I know Jack Carlson a little bit. He is unfailingly kind and generous with his time, has good taste, and he tends to follow a guideline that has also been attributed to Ralph Lauren. Not trying to figure out what people will like, but rather taking what he likes and betting that what he likes, they will like. By and large he has been on the money. When I first encountered Jack and his business partner David, it was in a small pop-up on Newbury Street in Boston. fast-forward to 2023 and Rowing Blazers has launched several sold-out collaborations and own brand items. They have moved into watches with the guidance of Jack's friend from his Georgetown and Oxford days, Eric Wind. Yes, that Eric Wind. It seems nice, friendly folks bond with nice, friendly folks ; ) The results have been impressive, with a few capsules from Seiko, a collaboration with Zodiac & Harrys Bar, and the invitation only Tudor x Rowing Blazers (of which one example bearing JEH is on my wrist as I type this).

So it goes without saying, we were all wondering might be coming next. This past Thursday there was a reveal in New York City, followed by the release of the Rowing Blazers x Bamford TAG Heuer Carrera -

Courtesy of Rowing Blazers

According to the press release, Jack had longed to make something that drew on the inspiration of a Tag Heuer Yacht Timer. So partnering with George Bamford, a very special and very limited edition of the Tag Heuer Carrera has been brought to fruition.

Courtesy of Rowing Blazers

It is limited to 99 pieces and available directly from Rowing Blazers. It is priced at $8,900.

Courtesy of Rowing Blazers

You can find it here -

Rowing Blazers x Bamford Tag Heuer

A Few Minutes With Eric Wind

There was a time, gentle reader, when buying vintage watches carried more than a bit of risk. I am not referring to fakes in the traditional Canal Street vein. What makes vintage watches desirable is not only the provenance (although that is certainly important), but also the stories (both known and untold) that the scuffs, dings, and patina tell about not only the watch but those who wore it. But with age comes maintenance, and maintenance sometimes means that an original part might not be available, or put more plainly, it often is more expeditious to use a "secondary market" solution. 

So in these increasingly uncertain times, it is great to know that there is at least one guy out there making sure that you not only get the vintage watch you want, but that it comes to you as advertised.  Ladies and Gentlemen, a few minutes with Eric Wind -

Courtesy of Eric Wind

Henki Time -

What was your first watch?  Was it a gift?  Is there a story behind it?

Courtesy of YoJoe.com

Eric Wind - My first watch was a G.I. Joe digital watch with a compass embedded in the green rubber strap. I loved it! My first mechanical watch was a Hamilton Neil my mom gave me in 2008 after my grandfather passed. It was a gift from my grandmother to my grandfather for their wedding in 1947 and my grandfather wore it daily his whole life. It opened up my passion for vintage watches!

HT - When you were a boy, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?

EW - I was also interested in politics and public service, so I was interested in running for office at some point in my life.


HT - You attended Georgetown as an undergraduate and then Oxford for an MBA - not necessarily a mainstream path! What did you study at Georgetown? And why Oxford for an MBA?

EW - I studied International Politics in Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and business in the MBA program at the University of Oxford. I was always interested in studying at Oxford and I thought I would benefit from learning more about business. I loved the idea of studying business with an international cohort of students and I liked that it was a one-year program so I could return to working after a year.


HT - What got you into the world of watches in the first place?

EW - My grandfather's Hamilton Neil was given to me around the time I stumbled on HODINKEE back in 2008. HODINKEE was initially almost exclusively about vintage watches and reading about all these iconic vintage watches, from the "James Bond" Submariner to the "Steve McQueen" Monaco made me extremely interested.

HT - You then found yourself in the world of watch auctions, how did that come about?

Courtesy of Eric Wind / Wind Vintage

EW - I made a name for myself writing for HODINKEE and was recruited to Christie's by John Reardon. I joined Christie's in 2015 as Vice President, Senior Specialist of Watches and it was a whirlwind after that!

Courtesy of the Harry Truman Presidential Library

HT - You are well known as one of the top authorities on the Vulcain Cricket. What is it about this somewhat peculiar watch that attracted you?

EW - A Vulcain Cricket was one of the first vintage watches I purchased and I still have that one! Crickets have woken me up countless times. I love the history of the development of the Cricket as well as the aesthetics. I also love their presidential history.


HT - What is your take on "re-editions" / "homage" pieces? (i.e. DOXA SUB re-editions, Vulcain Cricket re-editions, etc.)

EW - I prefer the originals as a general rule!

HT - Your reputation is for not only being extremely well informed on all things vintage, but being the one person out there who can (to paraphrase the G man in Raiders of the Lost Arc) "obtain the unobtainable".  What attracts you to vintage?

EW - I prefer vintage watches to modern watches for collecting because they are all unique in terms of how they look now, the patina that many develop, and the more handmade nature of these watches compared to their modern counterparts.


HT - When you're not researching and locating rare and amazing watches, what do you like to do for fun?

EW - I love to play with my kids, whether it is dressup with my girls Adelina and Gemma or golf, soccer or basketball with my son Charlie!

HT - Of all the watches that have come and gone in your personal collection, what is the one that "got away"?

EW - Fortunately, I don't have too many regrets about watches I should not have sold! And there is always another watch just a FedEx box away around here, so there is always something new to see each day.

HT - If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

EW - Hard to say - I can't imagine doing anything else at this point!


HT - What advice do you have for the next Eric Wind out there?

EW - Keep learning some new things each day!

Worth Your Time - Wind Vintage

In a world where the line between "pre-owned" and grey market have become blurred beyond recognition, it is nice to know that there is still someone out there who is doing things in an honest, straightforward manner.  Eric Wind (below) is the proprietor of Wind Vintage, a place where you can obtain some truly wonderful watches with some true history behind them.

Courtesy of Wind Vintage

Wind Vintage, at least as near as I can tell, does not rely on a lot of hyperbole. Visit their web shop and you will quickly realize that it is a fairly simple proposition. If you're after that "BNIB" (Brand New In Box) light-grey market Omega, Zenith or Breitling, then he is probably not your go-to. But thank goodness for the rest of us that he is out there doing what he is doing!

A quick perusal of the Wind Vintage offerings this morning reveals an Angelus Chronodato, an Audemars Piguet by BVLGARI 1941 Coin Watch, and a personal favorite - an RCAF Birks Chronograph.

It is clear that Mr Wind is one of the few people in the watch business who will Sherlock Holmes the shit out of a watch search and find a piece that is far beyond the ordinary. Just the antidote in a world full of sameness.

You can check out Wind Vintage here -

We'll be reaching out to Mr. Wind to see if we can get an interview, or get him on the podcast, but if you are a fellow who appreciates the real deal, lively-up yourselves and check out Wind Vintage.