Alle afleveringen
33 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
-
Making ‘Chasing Time,’ the First Real Watch Documentary (w/ Adam Golden and Chris Gary)
23 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
This week’s guests are Adam Golden of Menta Watches and Chris Gary, the producer and director behind Chasing Time, a documentary about watch collecting premiering at the Austin Film Festival at the end of October. Lees meer
We start with a market update from Adam: whether the indie boom is sustainable, the institutional money driving the market, and why a headline auction result doesn’t make your watch worth the same. Plus the obsidian-versus-onyx debate that runs through the documentary, and how to deal with the court of public opinion.
Chris was an enthusiast and collector for a dozen years before he spent 2023–2024 following Adam to Geneva, Tokyo, New York, and Miami. We talk about what that access changed for him, the independents he sat down with–Sylvain Berneron, Naoya Hida, Xhevdet Rexhepi—and why the most interesting young watchmakers are looking at 1940s design and Breguet for inspiration instead of Rolex.
I sat down for an interview for the documentary in 2024, so we chat about the process of making the documentary, which follows Adam’s day-to-day life as a dealer, with appearances from Ben Clymer, Davide Parmigiani, Daryn Schnipper, John Goldberger, Wes Lang, and more.
Chasing Time screenings are being planned for Miami, Atlanta, LA, Chicago, Geneva, London, and New York, with a wider release expected in early 2027.
* Podcast episodes are published on Fridays. Subscribe to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
* Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors. Join for free or become a paid subscriber for $8/mo or $80/year: unpolishedwatches.com
Show Notes
* Chasing Time, official website
* Chasing Time on Instagram
* Menta Watches; Menta on Instagram
* Chris Gary talking about collecting in 2020 with Grey and Patina
Unpolished Store: shop.unpolishedwatches.com to shop our collection of Canvas and leather straps. Everything has been restocked for the fall.
* Pick up a 3 Canvas Strap Bundle for $169, a 10% off the single-strap price ($15…
-
Am I Buying Microbrands All Wrong? (w/ Zach Kazan, Worn & Wound)
2 oktober 2026 · 54 min
Zach Kazan is the managing editor of Worn & Wound, and he’s covered microbrands as closely as anyone for the last decade. Lees meer
In two weeks, Worn & Wound puts on its Windup Watch Fair in New York (Oct 16–18) with 160+ brands under one roof. I’ll be there, along with some of you, so I wanted to get Zach on to talk about the state of the microbrand.
We talk about whether “microbrand” still means anything, and why some brands hate the word (while others embrace it); the boom of a decade ago and the more experimental one happening now; Ming, and the point where a brand stops being micro; pre-orders as interest-free loans; why Zach keeps coming back to watches made by people he knows; the founders who still answer their own DMs and Reddit threads; how Serica and Anoma collect feedback before a launch; Halios, and the case for staying small; the AP x Swatch, the Bulgari x Vianney Halter, and other watches built to be loud for a week; Moser’s move into the main hall at Watches and Wonders, the Streamliner 34, and the $4,900 ana-digi Off-Grid; whether a shakeout is coming; why the Apple Watch isn’t the cool thing to have anymore, and which brand should be saying so; the Gallet relaunch.
I also ask which watches from Geneva Watch Days he’s still thinking about, a few weeks later.
“It’s all gone from my brain, Tony,” Zach says.
* Podcast episodes are published on Fridays. Listen here, and subscribe to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
* Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors. Join for free or become a paid subscriber for $8/mo or $80/year: unpolishedwatches.com
Show Notes
* Worn & Wound; Zach on Instagram
* Windup Watch Fair NYC, October 16–18
* Behind Lorier’s Acquisition by Worn & Wound, Unpolished
* Prevail Onward Future Field Watch
* The Geneva Watch Days Debrief, The Worn & Wound Podcast
* Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic Superleggero, Monochrome
* Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dual Time x Vianney Halter, SJX
* Royal Popped, Unpolished
* Late …
-
Titaniumize Everything (w/ Austin Rogers, @rehaut)
25 september 2026 · 54 min
Austin Rogers is a New Yorker by way of Ohio, and goes by @rehaut on Instagram. He’s also scuba certified and an aspiring mountaineer—he’s tried to summit Mount Baker three times but has encountered some truly terrible luck. Each time, he’s had a Rolex Explorer on his wrist. Lees meer
The first video of Austin’s I saw had him tossing a few Doxas into a hazy lake to find out whether orange really is the most visible color underwater.
Austin describes himself as “maybe the most credulous watch buyer”—as a diver and climber, he uses his watches, and he’s got lots of opinions on them. We talk about grade 2 vs. grade 5 titanium, and whether choosing grade 2 is cutting a corner; the watches he’d titaniumize (Submariner, Explorer II, a shrunken Sky-Dweller, the Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin) and the ones he wouldn’t; why the “Omega’s catalog is too bloated” critique doesn’t land for him; the baby Ultra Deep he’d build if he got the keys to the factory; which Tudors from the 2013-onward rebirth era could be collectible in 20 years— North Flag, smiley dials, early FXDs, the double-signed stuff; the Submarinerization of the Longines HydroConquest and whether Longines had any option; his Grand Seiko problem; the Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] he regularly thinks about selling everything else for; boomerang watches; and why he keeps buying the nicest new-old-stock neo-vintage on the market and then eating an enormous loss on it.
“I like to think of it as a service that I’m offering,” Austin says.
* Podcast episodes are published on Fridays. Listen here, and subscribe to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
* Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors. Join for free or become a paid subscriber for $8/mo or $80/year: unpolishedwatches.com
Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Join for free or become a paid subscriber for $8/mo ($80/year):
Show Notes
* Austin on Instagram
* Austin’s Doxa test video
* Weekend Edition: Let’s lig…
-
How A $42 Watch from India Went Viral (w/ Delhi Watch Company)
18 september 2026 · 59 min
Subscribe: https://unpolishedwatches.com/ Lees meer
In December 2025, a surprising watch went viral. It wasn’t from Switzerland, Japan, or any of the traditional watchmaking hubs.
It was from India and cost about $42. The brand did no marketing, and it sold out more than 5,000 pieces in just 2 minutes.
Maybe you’ve seen the Delhi Watch Company Terra. It’s a unique take on a field watch: monobloc titanium case, a case design inspired by a climbing carabiner, and with a parachute-style strap.
Released for DWC’s 5th anniversary, it surprised everyone, and I wanted to get the story behind the Terra. So I reached out to Delhi Watch Company’s founder Anish Dandwani and designer Ishaan Vajpai, the duo behind the Terra. We talk about the Terra, but also a lot more—what’s it like to go viral, how watchmaking is developing in India, what makes it different, and what’s next.
This episode is also on YouTube here—the guys share their screen a couple of times to show renders of what they’re working on, so check it out there if you want the full look.
Unpolished is a collector-supported newsletter about watches. Join for free or support with a paid subscription. Subscribers get 2 newsletters/week, a 10% discount on all orders from the Unpolished store, $50 off a watch service, community perks, and much more.
* Podcast episodes are published on Fridays. Listen here, and subscribe to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
* Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors. Join for free or become a paid subscriber for $8/mo or $80/year: unpolishedwatches.com
Show Notes
* Delhi Watch Company
* DWC Terra
* Ishaah Vajpai on Instagram
* Vincent’s early hands-on review of the Terra, Mainspring Magazine
* Inside Titan Watches, Hodinkee
* Sebastian Watch Co., artisanal dials made in India
* Quest Precision on Instagram
shop.unpolishedwatches.com: Shop Unpolished straps, including the new Textured Taupe, made of durable, versatile Epsom leather. Available in 18-20mm:
Th…
-
Sell Your Watches, Checklist Collecting, And When Heuer Was Hype (Jeff Stein, On the Dash)
11 september 2026 · 56 min
Jeff Stein is a collector, researcher, scholar, retired lawyer from Atlanta, and the proprietor of On the Dash, the resource for all things Heuer. Since 2003, he’s meticulously documented nearly 600 watches there. In 2016, he was featured in a Talking Watches episode on Hodinkee. Lees meer
Ten years later, he still owns slightly more than half of the 50 or 60 Heuers that were on his kitchen table while filming that episode. Jeff registered on eBay in 1998 and he’s been collecting watches ever since.
We talk about his “checklist era” of collecting and upgrading his collection; the personal Heuer grails he’s chasing that no one else is; why community grails like Chronomatics and Seafarers are strong while so many other vintage tool watches have gone soft; an assessment of Heuer collecting over the last few years; what he’d buy if he had $5,000 or $10,000; the TAG Heuer divers that kept the company alive; the $500 S/eL his daughter wears; the Breguet, Audemars Piguet, Piaget, Sinn, and other watches that Jeff also enjoys.
We close with some advice: Know when to sell your watches. “The only way I could have never sold a watch might be if I’d never made a mistake in buying a watch,” Jeff says.
Thanks to Jeff for joining the Unpolished Watches Podcast.
* Podcast episodes are published on Fridays. Listen here, and subscribe to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
* Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors. Join for free or become a paid subscriber for $8/mo or $80/year: unpolishedwatches.com
Show Notes
* OntheDash.com; Jeff on Instagram
* Jeff Stein’s Talking Watches from 2016
* Absolutely Everything About the Heuer Autavia “Viceroy” Chronograph, On the Dash
* Guide to TAG Heuer Dive Watches, On the Dash
* Berneron Mirage at LoupeThis
* New TAG Heuer Monza Flyback, On the Dash
* Sinn EZM1, Unpolished
Unpolished Store: shop.unpolishedwatches.com to shop our collection of Canvas and leather straps. Everything has been restocked for the fall.
* P…
-
The 2026 Mid-Year Awards Show (w/ OT: The Podcast)
28 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
It’s almost the end of summer. Before we head back to school and a few of you lucky folks head to Geneva Watch Days, I decided it was time for a Mid-Year Awards Show. I called up Andy Green and Felix Scholz of the O.T.: The Podcast to talk about the releases we’ve seen so far in 2026. Lees meer
We start by discussing trends: The rise of “economy gold,” the second generation of microbrands, outer space is back in a big way, and our most worn watches of the year.
Then, we give out some fun awards: Best Watch Under $2,000; the Discourse Award, for generating the most posts per unit of watch actually produced; the Beige Award for most boring release; Best Release of the Year (overall); Most Likely to be a Grail in 20 Years; and the ‘Big Dog’ Award.
We also talk plenty about Chanel Blue and the Best Blue Award, craft, value, and if it’s okay to take five years to “develop” a color.
Unpolished is a newsletter for collectors and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Join for free or become a member for $8/mo ($80/year):
What will be a grail in 2046?
We closed the episode with a question that turned out to be two questions. I asked Felix and Andy to name the watch from 2026 they think will be a grail twenty years from now, and they immediately answered different prompts.
Felix went predictive: His pick was the Jubilee motif Oyster Perpetual, and his reasoning had nothing to do with whether he wants one. It’s about how the catalog will read in 2046: Rolex made a weird dial for a single year, 20 years ago, and then never again. It’s the kind of thing collectors love.
Andy went personal: The watch he still expects to want in 20 years, the Chopard L.U.C 1860 Areuse Blue. It’s not that the latest L.U.C will be breaking auction records in 20 years, he just likes it. We talk about the new Alpine Eagle XPS “Mountain Glow,” but Andy’s pick for 2046 is the L.U.C 1860—something about it feels more certain as a future classic. He held it back from his Best Release of the Year list to save it for t…
-
What We Want from IWC, and How to Make a T-Shirt (Wesley Smith, Standard H)
21 augustus 2026 · 53 min
Full show notes: www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/what-we-want-from-iwc-and-how-to Lees meer
Today’s Collector Conversation is with Wesley Smith, founder of Standard H, an automotive-inspired clothing brand. Wesley has worked in fashion and menswear for 30 years, and he’s also a big watch enthusiast.
During his recent visit to Chicago, we sat down to talk about both. First, we get nerdy about t-shirts. The simplest garment there is, but dozens of decisions go into making one, whether it’s from Uniqlo, Buck Mason, or Standard H. How can you tell if it’s a good t-shirt? Besides his own, what’s Wesley’s favorite?
Then we talk watches. What bugs us about the Lange Saxonia Annual Calendar; how to fix IWC; loud rotors; a TAG Heuer Carrera we’ve both owned; the spec sheet-ification of watches; the problem with most midsize watches; and more. The first ~20 minutes are clothing talk, then we get into watches.
We’ll continue publishing podcasts every other Friday. Subscribe to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Join for free or become a paid member for $8/mo:
Show Notes
* Standard H website; on Instagram
* Standard H Avant t-shirt
* Real Review: Lange Saxonia Annual Calendar
* TAG Heuer CS3111 Carrera Re-edition from 1996
* My TAG Heuer Carrera ‘Glassbox’ Week on the Wrist
* Barrelhand
Shop our line of straps in the Unpolished Store: shop.unpolishedwatches.com
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
Collecting 'Boomer Watches' in Pairs (w/ John Cote)
7 augustus 2026 · 52 min
John Cote has been collecting watches since the 1990s. He learned from his dad, who collected pocket watches while John was growing up in Manhattan. He’s one of the guys that’s still out there hunting watches every single week. In addition to collecting, he’s written for Hodinkee, Fratello, in addition to being a prolific contributor on the NAWCC forums. He’s been the president of his local NAWCC chapter and served as a board member until 2025. Lees meer
John says his collecting philosophy is that “a collection should tell a story. He’s got a different approach to acquisition—he buys watches, usually mid-century chronographs, in pairs. He looks to pair the steel tool watch with its dressier counterpart.
We talk about what you learn that you might not otherwise by hunting pairs; why John loves these boomer chronographs; how he’s seen watch collecting evolve over 30+ years; what he thinks about all these little dress watches; and a whole lot more. John’s from my hometown of Indianapolis, so it was a pleasure to have him on to talk watches.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter for collectors and a top-20 Fashion Substack. John for free or become a paid member for $8/mo:
I’m going to continue publishing these shorter ‘collector conversations’ in between full podcast episodes—let me know if you’re enjoying them, and what other topics you’d like to see covered.
Show Notes
* John Cote on Instagram
* The Boomer Watch Is On Sale, Unpolished
* American Pocket Watches: A Primer For The Wristwatch Collector, John’s article on Hodinkee
* A Very American Way to Lose an Industry, Unpolished
* NAWCC Forums
* John’s Wittnauer chronograph pair—he wore the black dial when we chatted:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
Taking His Watches to the Titanic (David Concannon)
24 juli 2026 · 57 min
Today’s guest is an explorer, attorney, writer, and watch collector. He’s been on five dives to the Titanic, and led the expedition that recovered the Apollo engines that launched men to the Moon. He’s a member of The Explorers Club, the society that counts astronauts, mountaineers, and famous explorers as its members. Lees meer
I’m excited to be joined by David Concannon. He’s also an accomplished attorney with 30+ years of experience, and has a hell of a watch collection.
As part of his work with the Explorers Club, he works with Rolex on its Explorers Club Grant, which puts watches in the field. We talk about that program and what it’s like working closely with Rolex.
We discuss his first Submariner, collecting watches, what watch he plans to take on his next expedition, and a whole lot more.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
For those of you listening on audio, the Unpolished Podcast is also now published as video on our YouTube channel HERE.
Show Notes:
* David Concannon on Substack
* Relics of Apollo, Part 1, 2, 3 (David Concannon)
* Rolex GMT-Master recall ad (Hodinkee)
* Early Rolex Le Mans ad (Ad Patina)
* The Explorers Club
* Rolex Explorers Club Grant
* Carl Spencer’s Rolex Sea-Dweller (Hodinkee)
Unpolished is the newsletter for watches, and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Join for free or become a member for $8/mo ($80/year):
Subscribers also get (1) 10% off in the Unpolished Store, (2) $50 off a service at Watchcheck, and (3) access to all comments and Q&As.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
Meet Canada's Best Watchmaker (Bradley Taylor)
17 juni 2026 · 53 min
Full show notes: www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/meet-canadas-best-watchmaker-bradley Lees meer
Canada isn’t exactly known for its watchmaking, but today’s guest is changing that, one handmade watch at a time.
When I saw Bradley Taylor announce his latest watch, the Ardea, I knew he’d be a good guest.
It’s a well-made, time-only watch—in vogue right now—but completely his own. The Ardea ($62k in steel; $82k in platinum) features a retrograde seconds that snaps back to zero every minute, and almost all of the components are made by Bradley in his Vancouver workshop.
Bradley went to watchmaking school in Le Locle, Switzerland, and earned his Patek Philippe Level II certification before setting off on his own in 2020. We talk about his journey to becoming an independent watchmaker, the challenges of running a solo workshop, his thoughts on the market for high-end (and high-priced) indies, and where he fits in. Then, we dig into his latest release, the Ardea.
For more on Bradley or to get in contact with him: bradleytaylor.ca
Thank you to The Escapement for sponsoring today’s episode. For more info and tickets, visit theescapement.com.
For those of you listening on audio, the Unpolished Podcast is also now published as video on our YouTube channel HERE:
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors, and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Join for free or become a member for $8/mo:
Subscribers also get (1) 10% off in the Unpolished Store, (2) $50 off a service at Watchcheck, and (3) access to all comments and Q&As.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
Bonus: Collecting the 1990s with Trevor Wynn (Paré Paré)
11 juni 2026 · 37 min
Full show notes: https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/bonus-ep-collecting-the-1990s-with Lees meer
Subscribe to Unpolished: unpolishedwatches.com
Today’s a bonus episode with Trevor Wynn, host of the Paré Paré Podcast. Trevor was in Chicago during Memorial Day weekend, so we sat down for a short chat at Huckberry after filming a YouTube video. We talk about Trevor’s brief foray into acting, leaving your passion behind, some of our favorite watches from the 1990s from Rolex, IWC, TAG Heuer, and more, and other updates to Trevor’s collection.
We’ll be back next week with a full episode featuring an interview with an independent watchmaker who recently announced his latest release. Thanks for listening!
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors, and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Join for free or become a member for $8/mo:
Subscribers also get (1) 10% off in the Unpolished Store, (2) $50 off a service at Watchcheck, and (3) access to all comments and Q&As.
Show Notes:
* Paré Paré on Apple Podcasts
* How we all become sellouts, Decoder Ring
* The Feed is Fake, Vulture
* Benrus Type II, Analog Shift
* The Best Field Watches, Unpolished YouTube
* Cartier Santos SIHH 2002 LE, Tony’s Instagram
* Omega Seamaster Chronograph 007 ‘First Light’ (17mm thick!), Omega
* Modern two-tone Rolex GMT-Master II, Rolex
* A Guide to TAG Heuer Dive Watches, On the Dash
* Shop Unpolished Straps, Unpolished Store
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
A Visit to Geneva's Newest Independent Watchmaker [Audio]
28 april 2026 · 18 min
This is the audio edition of the April 28 newsletter, a visit to Geneva’s newest independent watchmaker. Lees meer
Show Notes
* Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
* Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors and a top-20 Fashion & Beauty Substack. Join for $8/mo or $80 year: unpolishedwatches.com.
* Chicago events: I helped organize a small get-together in Chicago last week. We didn’t promote it much, and I got a bunch of messages after posting about it asking how to attend the next one. If you’d like to hear about future events, send an email to tony[at]unpolishedwatches.com with the subject line “CHICAGO.” I’ll add you to a separate list just for future events.
* Shop all our U.S.-made straps at shop.unpolishedwatches.com.
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors. Join a community of 13k+ and become a free or paid subscriber:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
The Psychology of Collecting (w/ King Flum)
11 april 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
One of the reasons I find watch collecting so fascinating is that it puts on full display the entire breadth of human psychology: Why we want the things we want, and how to be happy with what we already have. Lees meer
Today’s guest is kingflum, who writes the newsletter Screwdown Crown. He’s known just as much for his diversions on psychology as he is for calling out the BS he sees in the watch industry.
We discuss how to appreciate watches without having the sometimes unhealthy desire to own every single one; the two systems always at work in our brains; how Instagram has changed watchmaking; enjoying his titanium Rolex Yacht-Master and Romain Gauthier C6; why your taste is not as personal as you think; the McMansion effect and the power of mimetic desire; the difference between a community and a cult, and which are FP Journe owners? On the eve of Watches & Wonders, we also talk about the industry: Is the slowdown cyclical or existential; the rise of Chinese manufacturing; the death of the middle market. We close with a few minutes on the current state of watch media: How brands are (or aren’t) interacting with independent newsletters, handling criticism, and is now the most exciting time to be an enthusiast?
Subscribe to Unpolished here.
Subscribe to Screwdown Crown here.
Our book recs:
* Thinking, Fast and Slow
* Alchemy: The Dark Art of Creating Magic
* Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire
Unpolished subscribers get:
* 2 newsletters/week
* 10% off U.S.-made straps in the Unpolished Store
* $50 off any service from Watchcheck
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors, and a top-20 Fashion & Beauty Substack. Join for free or get all the good stuff for $8/mo:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
How to Sell a Watch (w/ Wes Wynne)
21 maart 2026 · 49 min
Paid subscribers can see the full Unpolished Guide to Selling a Watch: https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/the-unpolished-guide-to-selling-a Lees meer
In early February, I went to Miami for a small vintage meetup. While there, I sat down with Wes Wynne of Collectors Corner NY to discuss a question we’re both asked often:
How do you sell a watch?
We discuss the who, what, when, where, why, and how of selling, including:
* The players: From large dealers like 1916 Company or Analog Shift to niche dealers like Wes, along with platforms, marketplaces, and auctions.
* When to consider selling vs. consigning, and the margins for each, with a few real examples. When do you need a consignment agreement, and how to get rid of the “dogs” in your collection?
* What to ask a dealer, along with a few of our pet peeves and red flags.
* A rough Chrono24 Rule for thinking about what your watch is actually worth.
I’ve published a companion guide on “How to Sell a Watch,” exclusive to paid subscribers, that goes into more detail on working with and navigating this complicated, confusing world. A useful, practical guide for paid subscribers.
Subscribe at: unpolishedwatches.com
Subscribers get:
* 2 newsletters/week
* 10% off U.S.-made straps in the Unpolished Store
* $50 off any service from Watchcheck
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors and a top-20 Fashion & Beauty Substack. Join for free or get all the good stuff for $8/mo:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
You Are Your Watch's Biggest Problem [Audio]
28 februari 2026 · 12 min
Paid subscribers can see the full newsletter and show notes here: https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/precision-and-the-protection-of-disbelief Lees meer
Welcome back to the newsletter for watch collectors. A few notes:
* Canvas Straps are now available in 20mm and, for the first time, 22mm. Shop the Unpolished Store here—all paid subscribers get 10% off. Pick one up at the launch price of $65 for the next week.
* Upgrade to Founding Membership here to get the 2025 Rewind Magazine. For annual subscribers: An email from Monday also has another easy way to upgrade.
* Unpolished hit #20 on Substack’s Fashion & Beauty leaderboard, which I believe roughly tracks paid subscriptions. There are just two male writers in front of me—Jake Woolf, I’m coming for you.
* I was on Derek Mon’s YouTube and talked about a few watches here.
* Today’s letter is brought to you by Pushers.io—more below.
This is the podcast version of the Unpolished newsletter from February 28, 2026.
* To subscribe and get full access to the newsletter and show notes, head to: unpolishedwatches.com
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter (and podcast) for watch collectors. Join to get all the good stuff for $8/mo or $89/yr:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
Notes from Tudor's (Quiet) 100th Anniversary [Audio]
23 februari 2026 · 19 min
For full show notes, visit this link: https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/notes-from-tudors-quiet-100th-birthday Lees meer
This is the podcast version of the Unpolished newsletter from February 23, 2026.
* To subscribe and get full access to the newsletter and show notes, head to: unpolishedwatches.com
* Shop straps in the Unpolished Store: shop.unpolishedwatches.com (Canvas Straps on sale this week!)
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
How to Collect: The Vintage Rolex Daytona [Audio]
13 februari 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
Paid subscribers: Follow along with the full show notes here. To become a subscriber, join Unpolished Watches or manage your account here. Founding Members receive the 2025 Rewind Magazine, which you can learn more about here. Lees meer
This week’s format is a little different.
Last year’s most popular podcast was How to Collect Neo-Vintage Watches. We’ll have more “How to Collect” episodes this year, but in addition to a podcast, I’ll write a more comprehensive Collector’s Guide for paid subscribers to follow along. Each episode will feature a dealer or expert going deep on their particular niche.
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Subscribe now ($8/mo) to get all the good stuff, including the show notes to follow along with this podcast:
This week: The vintage Rolex Daytona with dealer Michael Morgan of Iconic Watch Company. Michael’s a dealer based in Orange County who focuses on vintage Rolex.
Collecting is about recognizing patterns, and whether or not you’re interested in the Daytona, this episode will help you understand those patterns in vintage Rolex and how to think about originality and period correctness. We cover all four-digit Daytona references, starting with the last Pre-Daytona 6238.
The vintage Daytona can be divided into three eras:
* Pump pusher era: Refs. 6239 and 6241 (1963–69)
* Transitional era: Refs. 6262 and 6264 (1970-71)
* Screw-down era: Refs. 6263 and 6265 (1972-1988)
* “Experimental” reference 6240 (1965-69)
The Daytona’s been covered again and again, so instead of repeating what you already know, I’ll try to fill gaps I see in what’s been published and talk about the market right now.
Why now? While everyone else is going crazy for neo-vintage Patek Philippe, smart collectors are zagging, baby!
We focus on standard dials, though the exotic Newman is mentioned a few times. In 1988, Rolex discontinued the manual-wind Daytona, replacing it with the automatic Zenith Daytona.
Other Show No…
-
Independent Watch Design with Toledano and Chan
28 januari 2026 · 57 min
View full show notes here. Lees meer
This week, I’m joined by Alfred Chan and Phil Toledano of Toledano & Chan. They’ve just announced their latest release, the b1.3r, an updated take on their brutalist integrated bracelet watch. Alfred is a talented watch designer, and Phil is an inscrutable artist and collector.
We talk about that their latest release, but also: manufacturing in China vs. Switzerland (their first releases were made in China, while the b1.3r is made in Switzerland); stone dials and the state of the microbrand space; making an asymmetrical crystal; the best watches they bought in 2025; marketing, TikTok, brand ambassadors, and Timothee Chalamet; making something that’s intentionally divisive; why their costs $10,000 (!); and what’s next for Toledano & Chan.
The case and bracelet of the b1.3r is now in titanium, and it’s been slightly shrunk down compared to previous releases. The main feature of this watch is the solid-gold “ripple” dial, meant to look like ripples on the water (very Grand Seiko).
For more, visit Toledano & Chan or find them on Instagram.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors, and a top-25 Fashion & Beauty Substack. Join a community of 1,000+ enthusiasts for just $6/mo:
Below: The new Toledano & Chan b1.3r, and the massive “soup bowl” Phil talks about at the start of the episode.
UNPOLISHED STORE
If you’re enjoying the podcast, head over to the Unpolished Store to pick up one of our Canvas or Leather straps. The leather straps are a high-quality french calfskin that sits right between dressy and distressed. The Canvas Straps are 100% cotton—unlike other canvas straps, they aren’t lined which means they’re thin, flexible, and comfortable:
* Shop the Unpolished Store
I’m able to keep the podcast free thanks to your support with subscriptions or buying straps!
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers …
-
From Rolex Watchmaker to Indie Founder: Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, Fears Watches
21 januari 2026 · 59 min
Paid subscribers: All winners of the holiday giveaway are being individually emailed today. If that’s you, please respond in 24 hours before I draw the next name! Lees meer
Welcome back to the Unpolished podcast. Our first conversation of 2026 is with Nicholas Bowman-Scargill. He’s the 4th managing director of Fears Watches, based in Bristol, U.K., and the great-great-great-grandson of Edwin Fear, who founded Fears in 1846. Fears closed its doors in 1976, but Nicholas reopened them in 2016. This year, Fears is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its re-founding and the 180th anniversary of its original formation.
Nicholas made an early-career pivot to watches, joining Rolex in the U.K. as a watchmaking apprentice. After five years at Rolex, he set off on his own to relaunch his family’s dormant watch company. We talk about what he learned at Rolex, why the Crown makes such good movements for watchmakers, 10 years of Fears, mistakes he’s made, the state of British watchmaking, how to make a good watch case, and a lot more.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
UNPOLISHED STORE
If you’re enjoying the podcast, head over to the Unpolished Store to pick up one of our Canvas or Leather straps. The leather straps are a high-quality french calfskin that sits right between dressy and distressed. The Canvas Straps are 100% cotton—unlike other canvas straps, they aren’t lined which means they’re thin, flexible, and comfortable:
* Shop the Unpolished Store
I’m able to keep the podcast free thanks to your support with subscriptions or buying straps!
Show Notes:
* Fearswatches.com
* What does craft actually mean to you? (last week’s newsletter
* Fears Brunswick collection
* Fears Arnos (my favorite Fears)
* A Theory of the Case, last weekend’s newsletter
Get in touch:
* tony[at]unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Tap the heart, leave a comment, or review the podcast wherever you’re listening.
This is a public episode. If you'…
-
Unpolished Year-in-Review 2025
19 december 2025 · 16 min
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com Lees meer
Click here for podcast show notes
Welcome to Unpolished’s year-in-review newsletter. It won’t be the last issue of 2025, but highlights some of the most popular and interesting stories of the year, while also giving an update on Unpolished. Many of you are paying subscribers and thus stakeholders in this newsletter, so you deserve it! You can also listen above or in your podcast app. To see all the numbers and enter the holiday giveaway (more below), upgrade now:
Btw, I received a press release this morning that Kari Voutilainen is stepping back as co-CEO of Urban Jürgensen, but will join its board. Alex Rosenfeld, the other co-CEO, becomes CEO.
At its best, the internet can be amazing. Unpolished launched with a few thousand people on an email list built up over 5+ years, and 12 months later, it’s a sustainable, very small business that’s replaced my previous income.
But the internet is also frustrating. It engages us, enrages us, and hijacks our attention. Today, social media, especially Instagram, is the home of the watch “community,” while YouTube is its library of reviews and opinions.
One of the common questions I get—it showed up again in last week’s Q&A—is what other watch “content” (a gross word) I consume.
But I’ve found this question is really asking something more like: How do I stop scrolling and consume stuff that actually feels worthwhile? It applies to watches, but not only watches.
I was at a dinner with a few collectors in New York earlier this month, and one of them (hi!) said to me that his favorite coverage helps him better understand and appreciate watches—even without any intention of buying them. Whether that’s understanding the innovation, craft, or culture that’s imbued in any particular object.
Because that’s the reality, isn’t it? Whether it’s a $17m Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronograph or a new $4,000 watch from Tudor, we’ll never o…
-
The Best Watchmaking of 2025 with Jack Forster
9 december 2025 · 1 uur 1 min
Jack Forster is the global editorial director of the 1916 Company. You can also find his writing on his newsletter, Split Seconds. Jack joined me to look back on 2025 in watches. Jack names his “Escapement of the Year,” “Chronometer of the Year,” and we talk about some of the biggest trends in watchmaking—finishing, craft, complications, technical innovations, and more. Lees meer
Before that, we also look at Breguet’s new magnetic escapement in the Experimentale 1. We discuss what it means to be a “collector,” and whether there’s a difference between collecting and accumulating; whether we should bring back real chronometer awards; and the best thing Jack’s had on his wrist all year. It’s not all sharp internal angles and technical innovations though, we also talk about some of our favorite releases of the year
Follow Jack’s newsletter, Split Seconds, and find him at the 1916 Company.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
Subscribe for $99/year ($8.25/mo) to get all the good stuff, plus 10% off in the Unpolished Store and $50 off any service at Watchcheck:
VISUAL NOTES
SHOW NOTES
* In Conversation with Philippe Narbel, Fourth Wheel
* The Sharp Inner Angle And The Limits Of Machining, Split Seconds
* Breguet Launches The 250th Anniversary Expérimentale 1, With Magnetic Escapement, 1916 Company
* Breguet Experimentale 1: Anatomy of a Magnetic Escapement, Relogios Mecânicos
* Some Quality Time With The Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA, 1916 Company
* Zenith Introduces The GFJ Caliber 135, An Old School Champion Of Precision, 1916 Company
* Daniel Roth, a surprising breakout watchmaker of 2025, Unpolished
Get in touch:
* tony[at]unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Like this post or leave a comment if you’re enjoying the podcast interviews and want to see more in 2026:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
The Unpolished Guide to Geneva
18 november 2025 · 44 min
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com Lees meer
[Note: Today’s audio edition for paid subscribers is different from the newsletter below. It’s a travelogue of my 8 days in Geneva: Some auction talk, manufacture visits, and sights & sounds. Listen above or on Spotify / Apple. The newsletter below is a guide to Geneva focused on watches. But not only!]
Arrive in Geneva by train, and you’ll breeze past half a dozen HORLOGERIE shops as you walk down the hill towards Lake Geneva, all trying to sell you a Tissot, Mondaine, or a brand called Jacques du Manoir. One has Victorinox Swiss Army knives in the window and cheap cuckoo clocks hung on a pegboard in the back.
Arrive by plane, and you’ll be smacked with glowing Richard Mille or Patek Philippe Twenty~4 ads. It’s where I finally caved and bought my first Airport Swatch in April—the MoonSwatch 1965—exactly 1,106 days after the original release.
Geneva is the epicenter of Swiss watchmaking. In the fairy-tale version, watchmakers spent winters working in mountain workshops before descending to Geneva each spring to show what they’d made.
And watches are everywhere. Public trolleybuses remind you that Tudor is “Born to Dare.” Rexhep Rexhepi has an impressive presence in the city’s historic Old Town. Geneva has experiences you can’t find anywhere else, which is what I’ve aimed to highlight in this Unpolished Guide to Geneva.
First Things First
If you’re visiting Geneva for the watches, I recommend visiting during one of the major “watch weeks” every year: Auctions in May or November (and GPHG), Geneva Watch Days in August, or perhaps Watches & Wonders in April. I prefer auctions or Geneva Watch Days to Watches & Wonders, which are more laid back and open to everyone—auctions for vintage, Geneva Watch Days for modern and independents. But I’ve heard W&W plans to do more to engage the public in 2026, a pattern that has continued since its first public days in 2022. It’s fun to vi…
-
At My 7 O’Clock: The Closest Look You'll Ever Get at a Steel Patek Philippe 1518
12 november 2025 · 16 min
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com Lees meer
I. Pink Gold 2499
There was a pink-gold Patek Philippe 2499 behind me, at about my 7 o’clock. On the Friday morning of the Geneva auction weekend, I was drinking a 12-franc cappuccino in the Mandarin Oriental’s restaurant with a friend. Pink Gold 2499 was at the table behind us, enjoying the CHF 42 continental breakfast with his family after landing in Geneva an hour earlier.
This wasn’t just any 2499, but a First Series, perhaps the one that sold for CHF 3.1m just last year, and the only known with the larger Wenger case. It turned out my friend knows Pink Gold 2499, so we were introduced as I left the Mandarin and my half-drunk cappuccino, pretending not to care about the wasted 6 francs. Pink Gold 2499 was friendly and casual, especially for a Pink Gold 2499. We exchanged WhatsApp and Instagram handles.
I traveled to Geneva on my own dime thanks to the support of paid subscribers. To get (1) a 10% discount to the Unpolished Store and (2) a $50 discount on a service from Watchcheck, upgrade for $9/mo or $99/year:
The next afternoon at Phillips’ 10th anniversary sale, Pink Gold 2499 was again at roughly 7 o’clock behind me. We both sat there for 90 minutes, this time surrounded by 500 people, half standing around the perimeter of the ballroom of the Hotel President Wilson, all waiting for Lot 23: Patek Philippe Ref. 1518, “A genre-defining, historically important, highly collectable stainless steel perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moonphase display, one of four known. (Estimate: In excess of CHF 8m).”
As Lot 23 came up and Aurel Bacs began his pitch for the Steel 1518, Pink Gold 2499 interrupted to shout:
“8 MILLION!”
“A bid from a savvy Chinese collector,” Bacs said from the rostrum. The interruption was the perfect hook for a short-form video, though perhaps not the way an auction house would’ve preferred to slowly build momentum for the biggest watch of…
-
What Wei Koh Wants from Independent Watchmaking
6 november 2025 · 1 uur 4 min
Wei Koh is the founder of The Rake and Revolution Magazine. This year, Revolution is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Wei is one of the smartest guys in media about watches. He can write 10,000 words about the constant-force remontoir (that’s actually readable) or capture the horological and historical importance of Patek Philippe’s entire line of perpetual calendar chronographs. One of my old favorites from Wei is a piece he wrote about visiting Frank Muller in Thailand, in which he swims into the ocean, voice recorder tucked beneath his hat, to document the story of the Crazy Hour (PDF below). Lees meer
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
Wei joined me to chat about 20 years in media; how things have changed since he started Revolution; we get into the current state of independent watchmaking; are all those internal angles missing the point, and what Wei wants to see from young independent watchmakers; is FP Journe the greatest watchmaker of all time? Then, we talk about his new eight-part docuseries about independent watchmaking, Man of the Hour. He tells some fun stories from the shoot involving a few of the most well-known indies, including what it’s like to live in the same apartment complex as FP Journe.
For more on Man of the Hour, visit its website, or as Wei says, shoot him a DM.
Shop the new Unpolished Canvas Strap:
Show Notes:
* How Hand-Finishing Became the New Complication, Unpolished
* Fam Al-Hut interview with Wei, Revolution
* Man of the Hour trailer, YouTube
* Franck Muller and Wei Koh in Thailand:
Get in touch:
* tony@unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Or my favorite, like or leave a comment on this post:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
How to Actually Develop 'Good Taste' [Audio Edition]
1 november 2025 · 18 min
This is the audio edition of my October 29 essay, How to Actually Develop Good Taste. Lees meer
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS.
Shop Canvas Straps in the Unpolished Store. Paid subscribers get 10% off. Upgrade your subscription now:
Get in touch:
* tony@unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Send me a DM on Substack:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
How to Retail Watches in 2025 (Steven Holtzman, CD Peacock)
17 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 4 min
Not many people in watches have worked at brands, distributors, retailers, and even as watch liquidators. Lees meer
Steven Holtzman is the Vice Chairman of CD Peacock, a retailer in the Chicago area that also operates in Miami. His first job was in sales for Gruen in the 1980s, slowly moving up to distribute higher-end brands. Most notably, he brought Roger Dubuis to North America in the 1990s, scaling it to a business that was doing $30 million in annual sales by the time he left in 2008.
From there, Steven founded Maîtres du Temps, a brand that created small series of watches with movements by independent watchmakers including Daniel Roth, Dubuis, Peter Speake, and Kari Voutilainen. Maîtres du Temps eventually folded, and in May 2021, Steven took over day-to-day operations at CD Peacock, an historic retailer that his father acquired out of bankrupty in 1993.
In our chat at CD Peacock’s store in Oakbrook, Ill., we talk about every aspect of the watch business Steven’s seen during his career, from growing Roger Dubuis during its heyday in the 1990s and 2000s to CD Peacock opening its massive new store in 2024. We discuss what it takes to be a watch retailer today. We also manage to break a little news about CD Peacock’s plans in the Miami Design District, which I think is indicative of where the industry’s headed.
We even talk about Steven’s time “discreetly” liquidating watches around the world. Honestly, we talked more about Steven’s career than I’d expected, and I didn’t even get to a lot of my questions about retail. Perhaps I’ll visit again for a part 2 sometime soon.
If you’re anywhere near Chicago, it’s worth visiting the CD Peacock Mansion. They rep 20 brands, have a sizable selection of pre-owned from Rolex CPO and other brands, and there’s a real bar on the second floor.
Follow the podcast for future episodes: Spotify / Apple / RSS. Please subscribe to the feed because eventually I’ll stop sending out separate newsletters for episodes!
(Btw, I have no commer…
-
Why do collectors have such a fetish for 'firsts'?
15 oktober 2025 · 16 min
Hello everyone. Like last week, today’s grab bag is also available as an audio issue. Listen above or find it on Spotify / Apple / RSS. It’s coming a little later because I saw Doechii on the first night of her Swap Tour here in Chicago. She’s awesome. Lees meer
In today’s newsletter: Two ideas for indie watchmakers, when watch design changes behavior, why collectors have such a fetish for “firsts,” my favorite watch from Monaco Legend’s auction this weekend, and how to get banned.
To get all of Unpolished’s best takes, become a paid subscriber for $9/mo or $99/year:
AHCI at 40. The AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants) is a non-profit of independent watchmakers founded by Vicent Calabrese and Svend Andersen in 1985. To mark its 40th anniversary, Europa Star ran a great roundtable with 12 of its members, including FP Journe, Philippe Dufour, and the newest, Shona Taine. Interest in indies is still hot, but nowadays watchmakers also have all kinds of opportunities to showcase their work on Instagram or wherever else, and AHCI is looking for ways to stay relevant as an arbiter of real independence. Journe was particularly outspoken, offering two ideas:
* 🥇 Grand Prix de l’Academie Awards: This takes the idea of the GPHG, Louis Vuitton Watch Prize, or Cartier Prize for Watchmaking and flips it on its head. Journe suggests the Academy awards and recognizes large brands for achievements in watchmaking. He says that brands might sheepishly accept these awards, but would be delighted by the recognition. “We need to put the Academy back at the summit and reward industrial brands when they do a good job,” Journe adds.
* 🦭 Poinçon de l’Academie: Riffing on the Geneva Seal or Qualité Fleurier, Journe suggests a certification for watches that meet criteria set forth by the Academy. For example, to be an Academy member, a watchmaker has to personally develop and make at least 60% of their watch.
They’re both good ideas. (1) Maybe the best marketing the Lange Datograp…
-
Microbrands, Frankenwatches, and What Even Is a Vintage Watch? | Q&A
7 oktober 2025 · 22 min
Good morning from New York, where I’m filming a “Masterclass” for Teddy Baldassarre’s updated website. In today’s newsletter: My complicated feelings on microbrands; vintage and modern (and the myth of ‘vintage’); GMTs under $30k, and more from last month’s Q&A. Lees meer
🎧 I tried something new: This week’s Q&A is also available as an audio issue. It feels like a format that naturally lends itself to audio. Listen above or find it on Spotify / Apple / RSS. Let me know if you like the format, and I’ll think about using it for future newsletters.
📚 I’ve mentioned before that Rebecca Struthers’ Hand of Time is one of my favorite books about watchmaking. She recently published About Time, a children’s book on the history and science of time (ages 7–11). Dr. Struthers’ co-author is a physics teacher, and they’ve managed to make a complicated subject approachable and fun. Great for kids, and while, like me, you might be outside the recommended age range for this book, you’re certainly not above it. Also great to keep in mind as the holidays approach. Amazon | From the publisher.
ICYMI
Q: What are your thoughts on every microbrand coming onto the market? What space do these microbrands fill, and do you think these brands will survive such a harsh and competitive market? –Ron
A bit of a leading question, but it accurately captures my complicated feelings about many small or microbrands (not unlike my feelings about Watches & Wonders). I like many of their watches and have bought more than my share.
That said, there are also a lot, perhaps too many, and I struggle with the fact that they’re often bringing together existing suppliers and components in different ways. No doubt, many of these microbrands do this while offering interesting designs or a unique perspective (Brew, Studio Underd0g). Some have even used this as a stepping stone to developing more interesting or complicated watches (Ming, Furlan Marri). Hell, Nomos started off using Peseux 7001s. The line between microb…
-
How to Collect Neo-Vintage Watches (Ben, Watch Brothers London)
15 september 2025 · 55 min
Last week, I sat down for a fun chat with Ben Dunn of Watch Brothers London. Ben’s a U.K. dealer focusing on complicated neo-vintage watches from the 1980s–2000s. Our conversation comes in two parts: First, we talk about how Ben’s grown Watch Brothers London since he left Facebook to become a full-time dealer in 2022. Ben’s always transparent about his business and even shares some of his numbers, which I appreciate—he’s not one of those dealers playing the fake-it-till-you-make-it game. Lees meer
Then, we get nerdy about collecting neo-vintage watches. We talk Patek Philippe 3940, some of our other favorites—and least favorites—from the era, and how neo-vintage is different than other eras of collecting.
Thanks to Ben for joining; follow him on Instagram or visit his website. Also s/o to Tim Vaux who takes the photos.
Follow the podcast for future episodes: Spotify / Apple / RSS. Please subscribe to the feed because eventually I’ll stop sending out separate newsletters for episodes.
To support the creation of more podcasts and access subscriber-only Q&A episodes, join Unpolished for $99/year or $9/mo:
Show Notes
In-Depth: Blancpain’s Six Masterpieces
Reference Talk: Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 3941
The Three Dials of the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 3940
Instagram post by Ben showing various Patek 3940 dials
Ben’s inventory we discuss:
* Breguet Classique Tourbillon Skeleton 3355
* Patek Philippe Second Series signed Beyer
* Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar 25657 Mother-of-Pearl
* Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar with a sh*t ton of diamonds
Get in touch:
* tony[at]unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Or (my favorite), tap the heart, leave a comment, or send a message in the Substack app.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
A Chat with William Massena
26 augustus 2025 · 52 min
This week, I’m joined by William Massena. Over 30+ years, William has worn just about every hat in the industry: He was an early pioneer of online forums as a moderator on TimeZone, served as managing director at Antiquorum during the auction house’s heyday, and has long been a collector with an appreciation for both vintage and contemporary indies. In 2018, William founded Massena LAB, a creative studio for collaborations. His latest collab with Vianney Halter called the Old Soul uses vintage Minerva movements. Lees meer
We talk about what William’s collecting nowadays, the early days of watches on the internet, what’s changed most, whether there are too many brands, where Journe takes a sh*t, how to love watches and not brands, and then get into his latest collab with Vianney Halter (photos below).
Thanks to William for joining. Learn more at Massena Lab.
Follow the podcast here for future episodes: Spotify / Apple / RSS. Please subscribe to the feed because eventually I’ll stop sending out separate newsletters for episodes!
To support the creation of more podcasts, and get access to subscriber-only Q&A episodes, join Unpolished for $99/year or $9/mo:
Links:
* The Watchmaking Journey of Vianney Halter, ACM
* Talking Watches with William Massena, YouTube
* The 1990s Minerva Pythagore, Unpolished
* Full show notes: https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/in-conversation-with-william-massena
Get in touch:
* tony@unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Or (my favorite), tap the heart, leave a comment, or send a message in the Substack app:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
Indie Trends, Breguet, and a 2-Watch Collection for $50k
18 augustus 2025 · 52 min
We’re back with another audio chat, a podcast by any other name. This week, I’m joined by Brandon Moore, an editor at Watches by SJX based in Seattle. Brandon’s been an editor since 2018 and on forums longer than that. I particularly look to his opinions on independent and high-end watchmaking, but he’s got a keen eye and appreciation for watches of all kinds. Lees meer
We discuss trends in independent watch collecting, the interest in hand-finishing, Breguet’s 250th anniversary releases so far, Urban Jürgensen, the LVMH watch prize, and close by building two-watch collections with $50k from our favorite releases this year.
Thanks for listening—I’ll do more regular chats throughout the rest of the year, so let me know what topics you’d like to hear more about.
Follow the audio feed to get future episodes: Spotify / Apple
To support the creation of more podcasts, join Unpolished as a paid subscriber for $9/month or $99/year:
Show Notes:
* How Hand-finishing Became the New Complication, Unpolished
* Movement Finishing in the Instagram Age, SJX
* Breguet’s 2025 releases (all from SJX):
* Up Close: Breguet Classique Souscription
* Breguet’s Latest Type XX is Vintage-Inspired and No-Date
* Breguet Introduces the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035
* Breguet Unveils First-Ever Flying Tourbillon with Tourbillon Sidéral
* Insight: Breguet’s New Sympathique Clock and Natural Escapement
* Ulysse Nardin Debuts Lightest Diver’s Watch, SJX
* Watches Have a New Idea, and I Think I Like It, Unpolished
* Editorial: Urban Jürgensen is Back, SJX
* In-Depth: Rolex Land-Dweller, SJX
Find Brandon on Watches by SJX or Instagram.
P.S. We did get some intro music!
ICYMI
Get in touch:
* tony@unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Or my favorite, tap the heart on this newsletter or leave a comment:
* Or send a message via the Substack app:
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.co…
-
Live Chat + Q&A with Max Braun (Dealer, Hairspring Podcast)
5 juni 2025 · 46 min
For those who couldn’t join our May 2025 Q&A livestream, this is the recording with Max Braun. Max is a friend, dealer, and the co-host of the great Hairspring Watches podcast. Lees meer
During our 45-minute chat, we talked about deals on the vintage market right now, Rolex Submariners, TAG Heuer and Formula 1 (and its impact on vintage Heuer), and a whole lot more.
Enjoy, and hope to see you in our next livestream! —Tony
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe
-
Watches & Wonders 2025: With The Enthusiasts + Photo Dump
3 april 2025 · 4 min
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com Lees meer
For the second day of Watches and Wonders, I joined Stephen Pulvirent and Justin Hast of The Enthusiasts.
We discuss some of our highlights from the show, the vibe amid the general industry slowdown, and more. There’s Rolex, Nomos, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, and I pitch the guys on my idea of “opulent simplicity” from yesterday.
I’ve included a portion …