Inspired by the genius of Leonardo da Vinci, who could draw/write with both hands and also write in reverse, the folks at Col&MacArthur designed the Leonardo 1519 – a watch that, just like da Vinci’s writing, runs in reverse. An incredibly intriguing watch that pays tribute to the greatest genius of the Rennaissance, the Leonardo 1519 quite literally runs anti-clockwise, with the hands running ‘backward’ and the numbers on the watch oriented in reverse. The watch sports a few other key details that celebrate the Italian artist and creator’s life, from his artworks like the Vitruvian Man and the Battle of Anghiari, as well as concepts like the Fibonacci sequence, which da Vinci’s believed to have used heavily in his art and architecture.

Have you ever thought of why clocks move ‘clockwise’? The reason’s pretty simple if you work backward to the ancestor of the modern clock – the sundial. Invented in the northern hemisphere, sundials relied on the shadow of the sun to tell time, and as a result, the sun cast its shadow in a way that caused the dial to move ‘clockwise’. So naturally, when clocks were first engineered, they were made to mimic the movement of the shadow on the sundial. If sundials were first made in the southern hemisphere, clocks would rotate the absolute opposite of how they do today. With the Leonardo 1519, the watchmakers at Col&MacArthur are simply exploring this unique ‘reverse’ timekeeping trend while celebrating the most notable genius of the 15th century.

Designer: Col&MacArthur

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The name “Leonardo 1519” holds particular significance—it marks the year of da Vinci’s death. In choosing this date, the collection honors not just the man, but his enduring influence on art, science, and innovation. The year 1519 represents a turning point when the world lost a visionary, but his ideas continued to shape generations of thinkers and creators. This watch isn’t just about looking back; it’s about carrying da Vinci’s spirit of discovery into the future, making his genius relevant to today’s world.

At first glance, the reverse movement catches you off guard. It’s a direct nod to da Vinci’s mirror writing, a technique he often used in his notebooks. This unusual feature may seem like a simple design choice, but it transforms the experience of checking the time into a reflection on da Vinci’s constant challenge of conventions. The watch comes with a choice between mechanical and automatic movements – codenamed Codex and Mecanicca. You can get a variant of the watch that tells the time clockwise – just in case you’d like a time-telling tribute to da Vinci that isn’t difficult to read. However, if you want an absolute conversation starter, the Codex Reversed feels like living in the mirror dimension. The Codex Reversed model runs on a quartz Ronda movement that ticks in reverse. Reading the time definitely is a bit of  learning curve, but the watch makes up for it with clear numerals on the dial, and in just a few days it comes naturally to you. Moreover, it’s a perfect visual metaphor for people who believe in doing things differently!

For those who prefer their time to move in a more traditional direction, the Codex Classic offers the same impeccable craftsmanship with a clockwise movement. Both Codex models are encased in stainless steel, topped with sapphire glass, and backed by a two-year warranty. The collection’s flagship model, the Meccanica Classic, elevates the experience with an automatic Japanese Miyota movement, visible through an exhibition case back. Limited to 1,519 pieces, this model commemorates the year of da Vinci’s passing and makes it a rare collector’s item. Its embossed “elevato” dial design, which plays with light and shadow, adds a layer of visual complexity, reminiscent of da Vinci’s own studies on light and form.

Every detail in the Leonardo 1519 collection is steeped in symbolism. The Vitruvian Man, da Vinci’s famous drawing exploring the harmony of human proportions, is intricately etched into the watch’s dial, a reminder of the perfect balance between art and science that da Vinci so masterfully embodied. The dial also has a close-up of the soldier from da Vinci’s sketch of the Battle of Anghiari, along with his self-portrait, all masterfully blended into a collage that celebrates the man. Other features include birds depicted in flight, a tribute to da Vinci’s groundbreaking studies on aerodynamics and his Codex on Flight. The Fibonacci sequence, symbolizing nature’s mathematical harmony, is also subtly embedded, reflecting da Vinci’s fascination with the intersection of mathematics and the natural world. While the Codex models don’t come with an exhibition back, they do have an artistic depiction of the da Vinci sculpture by Marino Marini.

Col&MacArthur’s watches are museums in their own right. Previous timepieces from the brand have featured parts of the Berlin Wall, fragments of Moon dust and Mars dust, and even honored legends like Napoleon and historical events like Dunkirk. The Leonardo 1519 is just the next chapter in this series, celebrating historic times through something as befitting as time itself!

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The post Why the Leonardo 1519 Watch Runs Backwards: A Col&MacArthur Tribute to da Vinci first appeared on Yanko Design.

Named after the world’s most fearless animal, the Honey Badger, the A2 Badger from Tekto has quite a reputation to live up to… and let’s be honest, it does. It’s tiny yet ridiculously capable, with a 1.85-inch OTF blade on the front that deploys as soon as you hit the switch on the handle, and a glass-breaker on the end that makes the A2 Badger a formidable EDC literally from head to toe!

OTF knives are a little different from your standard folding blades; they’re spring-loaded switchblades that shoot straight out from the front of the handle. It’s a thrill to watch and even better when you realize just how functional that quick deployment can be. Whether you’re a tactical aficionado or just someone who appreciates a well-designed knife, the A2 Badger could be your new favorite.

Designer: Tekto

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At first glance, you wouldn’t expect much from a knife that measures just 5.26 inches when open. But don’t let the size fool you. The A2 Badger packs a 1.85-inch tanto-style blade made from titanium-coated D2 steel. This isn’t your average pocket knife. The tanto blade’s angular tip is engineered for strength, perfect for piercing tasks or cutting through tough materials. And because it’s coated in titanium, the blade offers added durability and resistance to wear and tear. It’s the kind of material you want on your side when you’re deep into an outdoor adventure or facing a split-second emergency.

The A2 Badger doesn’t just stop at being sharp; it’s thoughtful in its design, too. The oversized lanyard hole is a small detail, but one that makes a big difference. You can easily thread larger cords or paracords through it, making the knife more accessible when you’re in challenging environments. Speaking of environments, the 6061 aluminum handle is lightweight yet durable, designed to withstand the kind of rugged conditions that would send a lesser knife packing. Plus, there’s a button lock mechanism in place that ensures the blade stays secure, whether you’re opening or closing it, so you can count on the knife when it matters most.

But what makes the A2 Badger stand out isn’t just its functionality—it’s how easily it fits into your life. At a featherlight 2.18 ounces and just 3.3 inches small when closed, this is Tekto’s smallest OTF knife (even tinier than their A5 Spry Mini). Yet, its size is deceptive; this little tool is nimble, quick to deploy, and engineered for ambidextrous use. A pocket clip can be attached on either side of the handle, making it perfect for left or right-handed users. Plus, at the end of the handle is a glass-breaker tip that can be used to shatter through even laminated and reinforced glass panels – perfect for an emergency escape (especially when paired with the D2 blade for cutting through seatbelts). It’s an ideal everyday carry tool, whether you’re heading into the great outdoors, running errands around town, or even protecting yourself in an emergency.

For those who like options, Tekto delivers. The A2 Badger comes in three grip colors—Black, Desert, and OD Green—so you can match it with your style or other gear. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoorsman, a first responder, or just someone who values great design, the A2 Badger proves that sometimes, the best things really do come in small packages.

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The post The Ultimate Tactical EDC Upgrade: Tekto’s A2 Badger OTF Knife Packs a Punch first appeared on Yanko Design.

For the longest time, Apple MacBooks have set themselves apart from the rest of the laptop crowd with their stylish designs, while laptop manufacturers preferred to focus on the performance and technical aspects of their products. Consumer tastes have shifted, however, and brands have started their search for thinner and lighter designs, though they always get stumped by the laws of physics and the limits of technologies and materials. Always in Search of Incredible, ASUS decided to look to other places for inspiration, both from other industries and Mother Nature herself. The result is a new “meta-material” Ceraluminum, which debuted on the ASUS Zenbook S 14, a rather striking laptop that promises the best of all worlds. Naturally, we couldn’t resist getting our hands on it and taking it for a test run to see whether its beauty runs deep.

Designer: ASUS

Aesthetics

Laptop lids are often made from metal like aluminum or plastic, both of which offer different strengths but also weaknesses. Lately, titanium has become the hot new material for electronics because of its durable and lightweight properties, but it is far from the end-all and be-all of metallic products. Taking a page from the aerospace and luxury watch industries, ASUS developed a new oxidation or “ceramization” to produce a sort of hybrid or meta-material, if you would, that combines not only the lightness of aluminum and the hardness of ceramic but also creates a new visual and tactile experience never before seen on a laptop.

“Ceraluminum” is the marketing term for what ASUS previously called Plasma Ceramic Aluminum, and our very own Vincent Nguyen describes the material in better detail. The end result is a laptop cover that looks nothing less than a piece of art, especially with the lines that cross its surface to create geometric patterns. Not only is the laptop great to look at, but it also feels great to touch. There’s a certain degree of roughness to its surface, almost like paper. Considering its paper-light weight and thinness, it almost feels like you’re simply carrying a stack of white or gray paper.

And yes, the ASUS Zenbook S 14 is unbelievably thin and lightweight, only 1.1cm (0.47 inches) thin and 1.2 kg (2.65 lbs) light. It gives the laptop a rather striking profile that grabs attention from any angle. And with its tactile design and lightweight body, you might find yourself wanting to carry the laptop in your arms often, truly a design that you can feel.

Fortunately, the laptop’s beauty doesn’t disappear when you lift up the lid. The very thin bezels almost disappear completely, giving way to the bright and colorful ASUS Lumina OLED display. The clean and modest design of the keyboard and the touchpad pad perfectly complement the minimalism of the laptop’s lids. Even the rather unique ventilation grid lying between the keyboard and the display hinge brings functional aesthetics into the picture. No matter which way you look at and hold the Zenbook S 14, you are greeted by a strikingly elegant display that you touch with your eyes as well as with your fingers.

Ergonomics

With such a thin and light design, there is really no argument about the portability of this laptop. You can easily carry it anywhere by hand or slip it inside a bag, and use it anywhere as well, including on your laptop. This makes the Zenbook S 14 ideal for people who find themselves always on the move, sometimes even at a moment’s notice. Best of all, they aren’t losing out on power and performance, as we’ll see later, so there are almost no downsides to its design.

That said, if you’re a bit picky about your typing experience, you might have some issues with the ASUS Zenbook S 14’s keyboard. With a profile as thin as this, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the keyboard actually has a bit of a shallow travel distance, just around 1.1mm. Mind you, that’s not exactly a deal breaker and we found it to still be quite comfortable and enjoyable to type on. In fact, considering that same thin profile, it’s a miracle that this keyboard could actually feel this good. Again, your mileage might vary, but keyboard connoisseurs might want to take note of this detail.

Another minor matter that may or may not ruin your experience is the very bright keyboard backlight. Although adjustable, even its dimmest setting might feel a little blinding to more sensitive eyes, especially in a dark room. On the bright side (no pun intended), the light and the keys are also very visible even in bright surroundings. Again, not a huge flaw but something you’ll want to consider based on your personal preferences.

Performance

You might be wondering what the catch is since thin laptops have traditionally been underpowered to the point of being unusable for anything but the most basic computing tasks. There are a small number of gotchas, indeed, but not in the ways you might expect and definitely not damning enough to ruin mar the Zenbook S 14’s prestige. In fact, it’s pretty mind-blowing that this ultra-thin laptop is able to perform this well, offering a no-compromise mobile computing experience.

Part of that is thanks to the new Intel Lunar Lake processor, specifically the Core Ultra 7 258V. It uses a system-on-chip design that integrates a CPU, a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit), an Intel Arc Xe GPU, and 32GB of RAM. Yes, that memory is built into the processor, which does have an important implication we’ll get to later. Regardless, this compact silicon design is what allowed Intel and ASUS to maximize internal space, allowing them to cram more or bigger components, like a 72Wh battery.

The Zenbook S 14’s raw benchmark performance is nothing short of impressive, easily matching other 28W laptops. Considering ultra-thin 14-inch laptops often operate at a much lower 15W TDP to avoid overheating, this is quite a remarkable feat. Perhaps the most telling achievement is how this slim laptop can deftly handle gaming loads with medium graphics settings instead of the typical low settings. Although it’s not marketed as a content creation or gaming laptop, it can definitely fit the bill with some performance tweaking and adjustments.

What’s a bit more interesting, however, is how the laptop’s performance seems to lean more towards unplugged use. Of course, this is perhaps one of the most important considerations for a laptop, since wouldn’t want to have it always plugged in, defeating the purpose of its portability. Long story short, the Zenbook S 14 seems to perform best when on battery, providing a good balance of power and efficiency to meet any computing need anywhere, anytime. And with mixed use, you can get a little under 20 hours of battery life on a single charge. That’s well under ASUS’s advertised 27 hours of non-stop video playback, but the realistic numbers are still quite good.

This makes the ASUS Zenbook S 14 a great all-around laptop, and that includes multimedia and, as mentioned, even games. The 14-inch 3K OLED screen is just breathtaking with its brightness and colors, and being part of the ASUS Lumina line, it is also PANTONE-validated, making it an excellent tool for creators, and the monitor’s 120Hz is actually a must-have for gamers. Four high-quality speakers give a punchy treatment to videos and music, making this laptop a multimedia powerhouse despite its modest and business-minded looks.

One area where the Zenbook S 14 might come up short for some people is the number of ports available. Remember that time when Apple got chided for replacing all the ports on MacBook Pros with just four C-Type Thunderbolt 4 ports? It’s not as bad here, but there will definitely be some who will find the selection far too modest. There are only two of those USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, both of which can be used for charging, data, and video out. There’s also one full-sized USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, one HDMI 2.1 port, and a headphone/mic combo jack. That’s pretty much it. There isn’t even an SD card reader, which will probably disappoint photographers. Both USB-C ports are located on the same side, which forces you to have the charger and dongles competing for space. The lack of other ports might not be that big of a problem when you dock the laptop at home or in the office, but if your office tends to change locations, you’ll have to bring a hub with you as well.

Sustainability

ASUS has been working hard to step up to the challenge of making the world a greener place for future generations, and its most ambitious attempt yet can be seen in its most ambitious material design as well. Ceraluminum isn’t just a fancy new material with a beautiful aesthetic and satisfying texture; it is also a more sustainable alternative to the usual metal anodizing techniques used by manufacturers. Instead of corrosive acids that release harmful toxins into the air, ASUS’ ceramization process uses water and super-high voltage electricity to produce an even better oxide layer, creating this blend of lightweight durability your fingers will love.

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 is also made to last, thanks to that Ceraluminum material that’s not only scratch-resistant but also smudge-resistant. And despite its luxurious aesthetic, this laptop actually boasts military-grade MIL-STD-810H compliance, ensuring that it can survive accidental bumps, high-frequency vibrations, and extreme temperatures. One aspect that takes a point from its longevity is the fact that you can only upgrade the M.2 NVMe SSD, and only up to 1TB capacity. The 32GB of RAM is, as mentioned, fixed and soldered. Yes, that might be enough for most use cases, but only today. Who knows how demanding apps and services will be just a few years from now.

Value

Most people marvel at ultra-thin laptops but pass them over because those slim profiles barely have enough power to meet their needs. Finding the right balance between portability, power, and price is like a hunting game, but you don’t need to go any further than what ASUS is now offering on the table. With a beautiful 14-inch screen, only 1.1cm thick, and weighing only 2.65 lbs, the ASUS Zenbook S 14 delivers a versatile machine that doesn’t compromise on performance, at least not in significant ways.

Best of all, it’s an absolute beauty to behold and to hold! Ceraluminum might sound like a buzzword, but its aesthetic value and tactile experience are the real deal. The $1,499.99 price tag for the 32GB RAM model is indeed nothing to scoff at either, but when you realize all the value that you’re getting, it’s almost a steal.

Verdict

We have finally reached a point where laptops no longer need to be hulking blocks of metal just to catch up with their desktop counterparts. While they still lose out on raw performance and customization, today’s laptops can be slimmer than ever and, more importantly, offer a design experience that desktop towers can only dream of. Of course, it takes no small amount of creative thinking, bold decision-making, and the courage to go beyond the boundaries of convention to create an amazing experience that will satiate consumer’s thirst for better-designed products. ASUS has definitely proven that it isn’t averse to taking that big leap, and the Zenbook S 14 is a shining testament to that daring spirit to create designs that you can see and feel.

The post ASUS Zenbook S 14 Ceraluminum Laptop Review: Elegance You Can Feel, Power You Can Touch first appeared on Yanko Design.