Pocket Edition: A Watch Podcast

La Touraine started as a seven-year side hustle and became a full-time brand in 2026 after taking off on WatchTok. In this episode the founder sits down with Daniel to talk about how it got there and where it’s headed.

We start with the Victorinox he bought at fourteen and still owns. Then we get into the SS La Touraine, the 1893 ship that brought his great-grandparents from Italy and gave the brand its name. That voyage now shows up on the watches. The new Cartographer GMT carries a topographic map of the Atlantic floor along the ship’s route, set in an open-lug Art Nouveau case.

Then the technical round. He covers where he draws the line between homage and original (it’s the case). He explains how every movement gets regulated before it ships, and why the Heritage Racer runs a Seagull chronograph. He’s also candid about the roughly 20% of Seagulls that need service. You’ll hear how a $150 Maritimer Sport gets a sapphire crystal, a ceramic bezel and 200 m of water resistance. And he explains what happened when a batch of pink dials came back lavender.

On the business side, he shares the pre-order threshold he needs before a watch goes into production. He also lays out his plan to split off an affordable line while La Touraine moves into the $500 to $1,000 range. He closes with advice for anyone starting a watch brand.

Support the show on Patreon at Daniel’s Pocket Watch.

Welcome to Pocket Edition. In this first episode, I explain who I am, why I’m starting a podcast about watch microbrands, and what you can expect from the show.

I talk about returning to watches after buying one for my wedding, and how that turned into watch fairs, estate sales, and a lot of late-night research into small brands most people have never heard of. I also explain how the show works: conversations with founders about how their companies started, what goes into their watches, and what buyers should know before ordering. We’ll start with American microbrands and expand from there, with occasional episodes looking into brands that haven’t earned your trust.

Every interview pairs with a full brand review on the Daniel’s Pocket YouTube channel, where I grade each company on quality, originality, price for what you get, transparency, and reputation.

Read every interview on Substack: pocketeditionfm.substack.com
 Watch the reviews: https://www.youtube.com/@DanielsPocket
 Follow the show: @PocketEditionFM
 Contact: [email protected]