On this week's edition of aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel, Rick, and David engage in heady discourse for another hour of the latest and greatest in the world of watches. The trio pick apart the divisive automotive watch genre, wonder why a Rolex X Toyota Corolla watch never happened, question the rationale of industry players diversifying their offerings, muse on the merits of expensive watches from fashion brands, and desperately try to tie the World Cup into the conversation. Plus, emotionally satisfying complications, a slew of new watches, the ideal watch for today's tropical Scotsman, and why it's so difficult to be a Swedish spy. Listen below or on your podcast player of choice.

We’d love to hear from you with feedback or suggestions for future show topics or guests. Advertising opportunities are also available. Comment below or contact [email protected].

This special edition of the aBlogtoWatch Weeklypodcast is brought to you by Bulgari, recorded earlier this year at Geneva Watch Days 2022. Rick and David sit down with Fabrizio Buonamassa, Product Creation Executive Director at Bulgari, to discuss how Bulgari is pushing the limits of watch design through cross-cultural collaboration.

Founded in 1884 by Greek silversmith Sotirio Bulgari, the eponymous Bulgari brand has become synonymous with luxury, with a reputation for stunning jewelry creations and, more recently, exceptional watchmaking. After acquiring the personal brands of Gerald Genta and Daniel Roth in 2000, Bulgari's ascendance in the watch industry was almost guaranteed. Buonamassa joined in 2001, eventually moving into his current role leading the brand's watch design, but it wasn't until 2012---a year after the brand joined the LVMH group---that the Bulgari Octo we know today was introduced. Distinguished by its angular octagonal case, it built off designs from the Gerald Genta brand catalog, and, along with the Serpenticollection, has come to define Bulgari watchmaking. In 2014, though, the brand pushed things further with the Octo Finissimo, an ultrathin hand-wound timepiece that leaned into the original Octo's aesthetic and set the stage for an astonishing string of record-breaking watches and breathtaking collaboration pieces.

In this special episode, Buonamassa builds on the brand's stunning collaborations with Japanese architects Tadao Andoand Kazuyo Sejimato explore how the similarities and differences between Japanese and Italian ideals of design and beauty make for a perfect partnership, and what it's like collaborating with outside designers halfway around the world. Buonamassa goes further, though, musing on the concept of beauty, the emotionality of design, and the challenges and rewards of collaboration. Plus, he compares Italian and Japanese cars, and Rick gets him to reveal his personal design process and his biggest regret. Listen below or on the podcast player of your choice.

To learn more about Bulgari, please visit the brand's website.

Highlights

On this week's edition of aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel, Rick, and David gallivant through this week's latest articles from aBlogtoWatch and the biggest news from the wider watch world.  The team dives into the cutthroat world of watch journalism and the future of watch shows, laments the unlimited string of limited edition watches, and calls out the hypocrisy of watch award shows. Plus, new watches, LVMH demotes the London Stock Exchange, and the unspoken holy trinity of the watch industry is revealed! On a less upbeat note, more watch collections are getting stolen, so keep your watches safe, people! 

Highlights

On this week's edition of aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel, Rick, and David spend another delightful hour covering all the latest from the watch world. Listen to hear them go green with a discussion of sustainability efforts in the watch industry (including a drop-in from Oris CEO Rolf Studer), think deep about why people even bother buying luxury watches. Hear about another alarming watch theft, an auction house gets eviscerated on social media, and the horrible truth behind the new titanium Rolex Deepsea Challenge. You can listen below right now or on the podcast player of your choice.

Highlights

3:27 Grinding Gears: Is The Luxury Watch Industry Unsustainable      & Secretive About It?

8:49 aBlogtoWatch Weekly: The Breitling Super Chronomat Origins      And The Brand’s Commitment To A More Sustainable Future

10:10 Oris Unveils Waldenburgerbahn Limited-Edition Watch

21:09 Ariel's Thoughts: The Four Styles Of Luxury Watch Buying

31:44 Good Week Bad Week

           ARCHIELUXURY      Returns Home Only to Find His Watch Collection Stolen

           Horological Dicktionary Takes Down Antiquorum and      Ingenieux on Instagram Stories

47:05 The First All-Titanium Rolex Watch Is Here: Rolex Deepsea      Challenge In RLX Titanium

53:12 https://www.ablogtowatch.com/no-longer-made-seiko-tv-watch-from-1982/

aBlogtoWatch launched the first ever podcast about watches back in 2010 and continues to be the most referenced and respected publications in the world for watch enthusiasts, buyers, and collectors. Today, in addition to the website and social media channels, aBlogtoWatch produces the SUPERLATIVEinterview podcast as well as aBlogtoWatch Weekly news podcast.  The aBlogtoWatch Weekly podcast features the editors of the timepiece enthusiast publication aBlogtoWatch.com, coming together each week to discuss some of the latest industry stories and hottest new releases.

We’d love to hear from you with feedback or suggestions for future show topics or guests. Advertising opportunities are also available. Comment below or contact [email protected].

This special episode of aBlogtoWatch Weekly is brought to you by Breitling and its Sustainability Mission Report. Earlier this year during Geneva Watch Days 2022, Rick and David got a chance to sit down with Aurelia Figueroa, the Global Head of Sustainability at Breitling to talk about the new Super Chronomat Origins series and Breitling’s industry-leading commitment to a more sustainable future.

While there is quite a lot of talk within the industry about recycled stainless steel, Breitling found that the actual impact of sourcing its steel alloys was relatively insignificant (less than 1%), while the impact of sourcing gold and diamonds was exponentially higher, despite the fact that these materials make up significantly less volume compared to the amount of stainless steel that the brand uses each year. The new Breitling Chronomat Origins is constructed from 100% fully traceable-to-the-origin gold that comes from ethical mines, along with completely sustainable lab-grown diamonds. Additionally, rather than being secretive to try to maintain a manufacturing advantage, Breitling embraces a model of complete supply chain transparency with the Chronomat Origins series and openly discloses its various suppliers as a way to cultivate more sustainable production within both the watch industry and beyond.

During the conversation, Aurelia offers some insight on some of the things that Breitling has recently been doing to promote a more sustainable future, such as the transition to 100% renewable energy and biogas, plus a commitment to producing zero plastic waste. Additionally, she also sheds some light on the brand’s plans to be using 100% ethically sourced, traceable to the origin gold by 2025 and 100% sustainable and fully traceable lab-grown diamonds by 2024. Actions always speak louder than words, and Breitling is actively taking steps towards a completely sustainable production process, with the latest tangible results being the new Super Chronomat Automatic 38 Origins watch that is made entirely from gold and diamonds that are all ethically sourced and fully traceable to their respective sustainable origins.

For this episode of aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel is back from his recent trip in Sicily with Jacob & Co., so our trio of usual hosts reunite to talk about the latest news stories and new releases from this week in the world of watches. To start the show, Ariel asks the ever-important question of whether or not anyone other than Rick (and potentially maybe other farmers) is actually legitimately in favor of daylight savings time, and whether or not the industry can just create a watch for those who do prefer it, which will be able to help them keep track of their altered schedules. The Casio G-Shock Plowman and Rolex Farm-Dweller were two of the more promising sounding options for potential watches to fill this category.

Next is a discussion about the various crazy watches that Ariel saw on his recent trip with Jacob & Co. and the type of people who wear them, followed by a quick edition of Good Week/Bad Week, where our hosts aren’t quite sure whether or not it could possibly be taken as a compliment that Rolex was recently was vandalized by activists with orange paint for being emblematic of wealth and success. From here, the conversation turns to the new Omega Speedmaster Chrono Chime and the purpose of this ultra-expensive and complex model within the greater market. Up next, it's a discussion of the new Jacob & Co. Opera “The Godfather” Movie 50th Anniversary Musical Triple-Axis Tourbillon watch that Ariel got to check out while in Italy, along with a brief explanation of the laser engraving technique that he believes will start to make an appearance on other timepieces in the coming years. To close out the conversation, it is an interview with Mike France from Christopher Ward about the new C1 Bel Canto chiming watch, followed by a discussion among our three hosts about how deep the rabbit hole of watches that make noise really goes.

Show Notes

2:32

A defense of daylight savings

5:42

Introducing the Rolex "Farm Dweller"

6:22 

aBlogtoWatch Weekly Watches Watches

7:47

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hands-on-jacob-co-bugatti-chiron-sapphire-green-crystal-watch/

13:12

Last week's show this week.

16:12

Good Week / Bad Week

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11364677/Just-Stop-Oil-target-Rolex-Eco-mob-jet-luxury-watch-shop-Knightsbridge-orange-paint.html

19:42

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hands-on-debut-omega-speedmaster-chrono-chime-and-1932-chrono-chime-watches/

28:13

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/jacob-co-opera-the-godfather-movie-50th-anniversary-musical-triple-axis-tourbillon-watch/

38:32

Christopher Ward Bel Canto

For this episode ofaBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel is still away in Italy with Jacob & Co. so Rick and David are joined by Sylvain from Breitling. To start the show, our trio of hosts get into a deep discussion about all things related to titanium and watchmaking. Given that titanium watches can exist at a remarkably wide range of different prices, Sylvain offers some insight from a manufacturing perspective on what factors can separate expensive titanium watches from affordable ones, and how differences in the production process itself can ultimately influence both the quality of the titanium and the overall watch. After getting into some of the cost premiums associated with titanium, our trio of hosts discuss the fake letter that was allegedly from Rolex, which was recently making headlines and said that production was going to be cut due to the brand’s efforts to help the Swiss government conserve fuel. After breaking down a few of the reasons why this letter is clearly a fake, we briefly get to hear from a listener who is sending his vintage G-Shock into the select restoration program that was discussed on a previous episode of the show, and we will be circling back later with him to learn more about his experience.

Next is an in-depth conversation about the latest new releases from Patek Philippe, and our hosts offer their opinions about three of the most noteworthy new models that recently joined the brand’s catalog. One of the reasons that Patek Philippe stated for discontinuing the reference 5711 Nautilus was that the brand felt it was becoming too associated with that single model. Given that the new reference 5811 is largely the same watch from a visual perspective, except now 1mm larger and crafted from white gold, hosts discuss whether or not the new reference 5811 is essentially Patek Philippe going back on its word in less than a year. From there, our hosts turn their attention to the rainbow gem-set Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph, and what factors might be responsible for it only having 30 meters of water resistance. To wrap up the conversion, it’s a look at Patek Philippe’s new left-handed, Split-Seconds Monopusher Chronograph Perpetual Calendar reference 5373P and whether or not the destro configuration is just Patek Philippe copying Rolex’s green GMT-Master II, or if it was actually something that Patek Philippe had planned before.

Show Notes

3:46

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/actually-affordable-titanium-watches/

22:19

Good Week - Bad Week

30:19

Last Weeks Show This Week.

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/casio-announces-factory-restoration-program-for-select-vintage-g-shock-watches/

33:40

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/patek-philippe-nautilus-5811-watch-debuts-as-the-white-gold-5811-1g-001/

41:11

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/patek-philippe-unveils-aquanaut-luce-rainbow-chronograph-watch/

45:27

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/patek-philippe-unveils-the-split-seconds-monopusher-chronograph-perpetual-calendar-watch-ref-5373p-001/

For this episode of aBlogtoWatch Weekly, David is away on a secret trip where he has signed a strict non-disclosure agreement and can’t tell anyone where he is going, so Ariel and Rick are joined by Simon from Escapement24 to talk about all of the new releases from this week in the world of watches. After briefly discussing NDA’s and what type of agreement David might have signed, our hosts turn their attention to integrated bracelet sports watches, and how the widespread popularity of the genre is slightly puzzling given that no one actually wears a metal bracelet watch as their preferred timepiece while playing sports. From there, the conversation shifts to how it seems to be exclusively watches that remain highly desirable when they show heavy signs of age, and how the concept of desirable patina seems to be virtually non-existent within the traditional jewelry industry. Next, we get a bit of last week’s show this week, as we circle back to note that Invicta is actually one of the brands that engrave its name on the side of watch cases, along with mentioning that the recent change in UK law that was going to make it an excellent place for Americans to purchase luxury watches has recently been reversed, meaning that there is no reason for us to book a flight to visit the AD.

The discussion then shifts to all of the new watch releases from this week, starting with the TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Mario Kart Chronograph Tourbillon. After briefly contemplating the type of buyer this watch is intended to target, our hosts get into the details behind how our global economy makes it hard for brands to control their image within specific markets, along with how certain releases are simply intended for particular regions but end up getting seen by a global audience due to how everything is connected. Next, attention turns to the new Bremont releases and how the Supernova and its integrated bracelet fit into the rest of the brand’s current lineup. Our hosts examine the Hublot Big Bang E FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 smartwatch within the context of what responsibilities luxury brands have when it comes to the support of global issues. The show was supposed to end with reviews of three different chronographs at different price points from Timex, Tissot, and Longies. However, just as our hosts were just about to stop recording, Patek Philippe announced a handful of new watches, including the new Nautilus ref. 5811 in white gold. 

Show Notes

6:24

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/time-machines-tracing-the-predecessors-of-integrated-bracelet-design-with-the-zenith-defy-a3642/

18:26

Last Weeks Show This Week

20:28

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hands-on-debut-tag-heuer-unveils-limited-edition-formula-1-x-mario-kart-chronograph-and-tourbillon-watches-in-collaboration-with-nintendo/

30:45

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/bremont-unveils-the-supernova-integrated-bracelet-watch/

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/bremont-debuts-the-fury-pilots-watch/

36:03

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hublot-big-bang-e-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-watch/

45:10

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/watch-review-tissot-telemeter-1938-series/

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/the-timex-q-timex-chronograph-watch-is-the-q-youve-been-waiting-for/

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/longines-debuts-record-heritage-watch/

52:06

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/patek-philippe-nautilus-5811-watch-debuts-as-the-white-gold-5811-1g-001/

For this episode ofaBlogtoWatch Weekly, our usual trio of hosts, Ariel, Rick, and David are joined by Rob Corder from WatchPro. To kick off the show, we get a quick discussion about the various gifts that watch companies have given throughout the years, including Rob’s favorite Oris Bear pajamas, and this ultimately leads to the question of what would Ariel do with a life-size stature of the Oris Bear if he were to be gifted one for the holidays. From there, it’s a deep dive into the economic side of the luxury watch industry, and Rob explains which markets are still seeing growth, along with why there will always be differences and lag in the reported figures for Swiss watch exports compared to the actual consumer behavior that can be observed within local markets. The discussion then gets into why the United States has a good chance of being positioned to be the dominant market in the near future, and how some recent changes in legislature might make the UK a great destination for Americans to buy luxury watches.

After wrapping up the conversation about all things related to the business side of the watch industry, our hosts then turn their attention to the ongoing faux patina debate that was recently addressed on the site, and they try to explain why vintage-inspired lume has become such a controversial point within the greater collector and enthusiast community. Next, we learn that Ariel has recently been sleeping with the Apple Watch Series 8 to assess its sleep tracking capabilities, and he reports back on his findings to answer the key question of whether or not Apple’s latest smartwatch actually knows when you are asleep. After briefly discussing press trips and watch events, along with what the actual purpose of them is within the modern watch media industry, it’s time to look at some of the new releases from this past week, including the numerous new watches from Seiko and the limited edition Tag Heuer Carrera x Porsche RS 2.7 watch. After collectively agreeing that Seiko’s pricing structure can be a bit all over the place, and that the brand puts out so many watches that it can actually make choosing one a difficult task, it's a closer look at the Tag Heuer Carrera within the context of automotive culture, and why vintage Porsche is so popular among today’s car collectors. Wrapping up the episode is a quick look ahead to Ariel’s upcoming trip to Italy with Jacob & Co. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Godfather, where Rob will also be attending, and Rick brings up the question as to whether or not either of them needs to be worried about waking up with the head of the Oris Bear in their bed.

Show notes

3:46

https://www.watchpro.com/slump-in-sterling-and-return-of-vat-rebates-makes-rolex-31-cheaper-in-the-uk-than-usa/

16:38

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/is-anyone-listening-faux-patina-doesnt-make-a-watch-vintage-inspired/

22:58

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/sleeping-with-the-apple-watch-series-8/

28:07

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/community-over-commerce-nyc-hosts-horology-forum-8/

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/adventuring-in-jackson-hole-wyoming-with-norqain-watches/

https://live.watchpro.com/tickets/

36:11

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/seiko-debuts-new-prospex-u-s-special-edition-dive-watches-inspired-by-cave-diving/

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/seiko-debuts-presage-sharp-edged-watches-inspired-by-kabuki-theater/

46:45

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hands-on-debut-limited-edition-tag-heuer-carrera-x-porsche-rs-2-7-watches/

For this episode ofaBlogtoWatch Weekly, our usual trio of hosts, Ariel, Rick, and David are joined by Cam from the TriWatches Podcast. To kick off the show, our hosts discuss how Geneva is finally going to have its first pre-owned luxury watches event, and ponder what the Swiss version of a pre-owned watches show might look like, given Switzerland’s long-standing reluctance to embrace the secondary market. From there, the conversation shifts to the truth behind the decrease in pre-owned luxury watch prices, and how this recent change is only really allocated to the mega-hype watches that were trading hands for values significantly above their original brand new retail prices. Given that an increasing number of manufacturers are entering the pre-on space themselves, our quartet of hosts tries to answer the question as to whether or not there might ever come a time when we see the entire pre-owned luxury watch industry shift towards an in-house format. After discussing all things related to the pre-owned luxury watch industry, our hosts turn their attention to the new factory restoration program that G-Shock is offering for select vintage collectible models, and how this limited-time program shows a commitment to the brand’s heritage and its dedicated collectors. With the final word said on older watches, Ariel, Rick, David, and Cam turned their attention to new watches, and up first is the all-new Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer from Omega. After discussing whether or not the X-33 platform can still be considered a class-leading astronaut’s tool, our hosts decide to discuss the new Shinola Mechanic watches and whether or not these new models represent a new enthusiast-driven direction for the brand.  Closing out this week’s episode is a review of the new Linear Series 1 Tourbillon from Hautlence, and a quick discussion of how this decidedly modern and funky brand fits in with the rest of the various timepieces that occupy a similar space within the industry. As always, Ariel has an exciting upcoming schedule with a dinner for Hublot and a trip to Sicily with Jacob & Co., and there will also be special edition episodes of aBlogtoWatch Weekly coming down the pipeline, with the first one featuring an inside look at Bulgari watches.

Show Notes

 2:27 

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/ariels-thoughts-it-should-be-no-surprise-that-recently-inflated-watch-prices-are-down/

 9:21 

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/casio-announces-factory-restoration-program-for-select-vintage-g-shock-watches/ 

28.13 

Last Weeks Show This Week 

29:33 

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/omega-unveils-the-speedmaster-x-33-marstimer-watch/ 

37:53

 https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hands-on-debut-shinola-mechanic-watches/ 

46:08

 https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hands-on-hautlence-linear-series-1-tourbillon-watch/

 We'd love to hear from you with feedback or suggestions for future show topics or guests. Advertising opportunities are also available. Comment or contact [email protected]