Episode 19: Tenn & Two join us for watch matchmaking, new Breitling and hidden treasure, y'all
Full disclosure, there's quite a lot going on in this episode. We cover off treasure, Scorpions and why Andy was suddenly inundated with Breitlings. But the stars of the show are, without doubt, Kat and Katlen from Tenn & Two. We roped the Tennessee watch fans in to help us wrangle a particularly tricky watch matchmaker; finding a watch for a guy who needs to ditch his ugly digital habit and get something a bit more grown-up
Episode 18: James Dowling – Mister Rolex on Rolex (obviously) and collecting in 2020
James Dowling — author, dealer, collector and connoisseur is considered by many to be one of the world’s leading authorities on Geneva’s green giant — they don’t call him Mister Rolex for nothing. And in his decades of collecting and focusing on the watch industry, James has some firm opinions about — well — everything (he’s also got some pretty wild stories). From vintage Rolex collecting going too far, the state of watch knowledge in the Instagram generation through to what (and who) makes a good watch, he pulls no punches. So if you’re looking for a 45-minute crash course in watch collecting and appreciation, you can’t afford to miss this.
Episode 17: Dr Richard Harris. Cave Diver. Hero. Australian of the Year.
Three years ago Dr Richard Harris dived into a cave in Thailand and came back a hero. That cave — of course — was part of the Tham Luang cave system, and 4 kilometres deep in it were trapped a football team of 12 young men and one of their coaches. The caves had flooded, and incoming monsoonal rain meant they had to get out of the submerged cave system quickly. As this crisis emerged the list of people with the relevant skills to put in place a rescue became very short, and at the top of it was Richard Harris. An experienced cave diver and anesthetist he had a unique skillset, well suited the incredibly complex rescue situation. We talk to Richard about just how unlikely a success the Tham Luang rescue was, and how it changed his life. We also talk about his other cave diving exploits, the importance of gear to a diver and his Bremont S2000.
Episode 16: James Cox, the man who sold Paul Newman’s Daytona (yes, that one)
On the 26th of October, 2017, after 12 minutes of bidding, a Rolex Daytona reference 6239 that belonged to legendary actor Paul Newman was sold for $17,752,500 USD (including premiums). It’s widely regarded as the most significant watch auction to date, not just for the hammer price achieved, but for the significance of the watch. In the room was James Cox, who, for decades, wore that watch on his wrist. That was nearly three years ago now, so we thought it was high time to catch up with James and revisit the story of ‘Paul Newman’s Paul Newman’, how it ended up on James’ wrist. We talk about what he’s done with the millions of dollars (hint: making the world a better place), why even he can’t get a new Daytona at retail, and what watch has replaced the most famous Rolex in the world.
Episode 15: Massimo Frascella: Land Rover’s Creative Director on designing the new Defender, watches and updating Icons.
This week we take a turn for the automotive with special guest Massimo Frascella. Massimo is the creative director for Land Rover and heavily involved in the delicate dance that is updating the iconic Defender. We get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into car design, as well as the veteran car designers take on watch design, from the Zenith collaborations through to his take on vintage reissues, ‘iconic’ design and the importance of good proportions. Plus, we chat about the watches that make it onto Massimo’s wrist, such as the Panerai he bought in the Florentine boutique and everyone’s favourite French micro, Baltic.
Episode 14: Bark & Jack on winning Youtube with integrity, Rolex Explorers and the subtle art of click-bait
Like many people in the watch media, Adrian fell into it following a passion. That passion led to Bark & Jack, one of the most popular watch channels on YouTube, with 93K subscribers who appreciate Adrian’s laid-back, low-BS approach to watches. We chatted to Adrian about what it’s *really* like to be a big-shot YouTuber, the reality of Rolex content and grind of traffic and the algorithm, and why Adrian tries not to play that game. We also talk about the perfect watch size, Adrian’s favourites from Watches & Wonders.
Episode 13: 6 ways to drop $80K, including Lange, Vacheron Constantin, Rolex and more
We were super excited to feature Wing's watch matchmaking request this week. Mostly because he's got a solid budget and wants something sporty and slightly left of centre. So, we brought it home with offerings from Hublot, A. Lange & Söhne, Urban Jurgensen, F.P. Journe, Vacheron Constantin and everyone's favourite underdog, Rolex.
Episode 12: Masterchef winner Diana Chan on Rolex Datejusts, delicious dumplings and dive watches
A lot is happening in today’s episode of OT: and all of it is great. First up, we have Diana Chan, winner of Masterchef 2017 in the studio, talking about food, watches, what Patek she’s got her eyes on. But we also get her to help out with a particularly tricky watch matchmaker, courtesy of Brian. You see Brian wants a smaller, white dialled watch that can do it all. And by golly Felix and Andy deliver on that brief.
Episode 11: Mission (im)possible? Taking down the mighty Submariner one watch at a time.
Dan is a watch fan who has it all. And by all we mean not one, but two Rolex Submariners: a birth year and a solid yellow gold number. So what’s the problem? Well, he still loves watches but has nothing at the moment that can compete for wrist time with his Subs. This is where Felix and Andy come in, with six brand-new options that can rival the mighty Submariner. Expect Omega, Breitling, Jeager-LeCoultre, Cartier and more.
Episode 10: Size does matter - 6 great value mid-size watches under 5,000 dollars.
In one of the trickier watchmaking challenges to date, Andy and Felix have been tasked by a mysterious doctor to find a watch for for a young artist with a penchant for the smaller things in life.
But after some initial misunderstandings about the meaning of “not bigger than 36mm”, they come up with six actually great options, feat. Oris, Nomos, Rado, Bremont, Stowa and a surprise Mido!
They also chat new Timex, Breitling and Watches & Wonders.
Episode 9: The Grey NATO and Hodinkee’s James Stacey and Jason Heaton on watches, gear and more!
Andy and Felix get on the phone to James Stacey and Jason Heaton, hosts of The Grey NATO podcast. And, after they calm down and stop fanboying over them, they dive into a wide-ranging discussion of watches, cars, gear and changing philosophical approach to watch ownership and purchasing (it got real folks).
So, from what it's like to sit in a $15 million McLaren, to the ideal adventure watch and James' genius watch photography clothing hacks (honestly, this blew Andy's Lecia-loving mind) this is one episode you do not want to miss.
On top of that, we get the guys' takes on the most overlooked aspects of an adventure watch, as well as what it's *really* like to work at Hodinkee.
Episode 8: Nine Perfect Pilot’s watches for Enrique, including the Seiko you’ve never heard of.
We help Enrique find the perfect pilots watch
Enrique is learning to fly. So it’s our mission to find him a watch to mark this milestone. Andy and Felix suit up, unpack the Right Stuff and bust out some – occasionally odd – pilot’s watches. Breitling and Rolex make sense. But Bulgari? And that’s weird, super expensive Seiko. Odd flex but OK.
Episode 7: IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr on big new releases, Big Pilots and big celebrities!
We chat with IWC’s dynamic, design-focused CEO and discover the story behind the IWC Portugieser, as well as all the latest Watches & Wonders releases, including the unusual inspiration for those colourful dials. We also discuss the ongoing legacy of the Big Pilot and why one simply doesn’t design an iconic watch.
Episode 6: Talking tailoring, rules and when to break them with Patrick Johnson
We speak to Patrick Johnson, the man behind the eponymous (and cool) P Johnson Tailors about the Australian take on fine tailoring, creating a global sense of style and why rules about clothes (and watches) aren’t always the best idea. And then there’s yellow gold Aquanauts and why the Italians have the best taste in watches.
Episode 4: Bonus episode – Is it all over for Baselworld now that Rolex and Patek have left?
In a shocking move, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard and Chanel have just announced they are leaving Baselworld. Baselworld pushes back. It’s messy and potentially fatal for the embattled watch fair. But what does it mean for the watch industry?
Episode 3: Talking custom dials with The Dial Artist, plus bonus bling!
We pick up the phone and chat to Chris Alexander, a professionally trained artist who stumbled into the world of custom watches. Plus a healthy dose of bling and one of the watch internet’s living treasures. Oh, and Gene bought a watch – you’ll never guess what.
Episode 5: Into the woods with six ‘true’ GMTs
Brad lives on a horse farm in the woods of rural England. Honestly, this is all he needed to say to get Andy and Felix onboard. The fact that he also wants a 'true' GMT for 4000 GBP or less is the cherry on the cake. Turns out great options, including Grand Seiko, Bremont and Omega abound. Plus the perfect cup of coffee.