STANDARD H Podcast

Nick Federowicz has a role within the Watch community that is unlike any other. If you’re not familiar with him as a person, perhaps you’ve heard of his company, Ad Patina. That’s right, Nick doesn’t sell watches, or watch straps, or even watch pouches. He sells vintage magazine ads which highlight some of the most iconic watches ever produced. I think it’s fair to say the watch industry (along with the car industry) has produced some of the most whimsical & thought-provoking, if not provocative, ads over the last 50+ years, and Nick has brought them to offices around the world…framed and beautifully-displayed. When I attended Windup Watch Fair in Chicago, Nick and I decided to meet before one of the show days to record since it would be the first time for both of us not only meeting in person, but also exhibiting at a show. I’ve bought from Nick, as perhaps have many of you, because he treasure hunts to find old ads and present them as art, which is something I’ve enjoyed buying to pair with the pieces in my own collection. I wanted learn more about Nick and how he goes about his operation of Ad Patina, and since I had never heard him on another podcast, I wanted to share his story with you. I really love his perspective, how he got into collecting ads, how he sets his prices, and how he embraces the challenges of running his business. I hope you enjoy it.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Ad Patina

https://www.adpatina.com/

@adpatina

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Cole Young has done a lot in a very short time frame. This was even more apparent when I learned he is 5 years younger than I even thought. What he’s building with his golf-inspired apparel brand, Metalwood Studio, has already far-surpassed the point of being “impressive” to me. We planned a golf outing not far from his hometown of Carlsbad, California at none other than Torrey Pines & more specifically the South Course for those of you scoring at home. Like many guests on this show, Cole and I met through Instagram. I heard him on the Erik Anders Lang podcast & immediately reached out. There were so many parallels in our lives I was dying to talk to Cole. Prior to teeing it up, we discussed his introduction to golf, his experience playing in college followed by what brands he was enthralled with as a Marketing major. We certainly share a strong value of community - something Cole took note of growing up surrounded by skate culture. We discuss our shared distaste for gatekeeping and how hype culture somewhat occurs on its own. As it happens, Cole is one of the more connected dudes I’ve ever met. If you were to name someone in the apparel industry doing things of note, Cole probably knows them. If you were to name a professional skateboarder in and around LA who happens to play golf, Cole has probably already played with them. His network blows my mind and I love to see it. I could go on but I don’t feel like making this intro any longer. Brass tax: hanging with Cole is the perfect elixir of humor and knowledge and I can’t wait to get together again soon. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Metalwood Studio

@metalwoodstudio

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Blake Buettner and I connected originally in conjunction with the Worn & Wound Podcast, which he graciously hosted me on back in the Spring. If you haven’t heard that episode, there’s a link to it in the show notes, as well as in the Press section in the footer of the STANDARD H Website. That conversation comprised of all things STANDARD H, watches and Formula 1, which paved the way to the friendship Blake and I would now have. As a result, we marked our calendars for the weekend of the WindUp Watch Fair in Chicago to sit down and reverse the roles so I could interview him. Blake was an early HODINKEE employee, he worked at StockX, he’s a great writer & editor, an incredibly friendly guy, and he is a man with a ton of F1 passion, so I was excited for this one. Blake is a consummate professional since he hosts the podcast for Worn & Wound. This is effectively an uncut conversation which was delightful. More than likely, a Part 2 will take shape in the future, I’m sure especially as the world of watches continues to grow, things in racing maintain their spicy nature, and not to be overlooked: our next meet-up - the WindUp Watch Fair in New York City October 21st through the 23rd. Be sure to come find us both and say hello as well as check out the latest from STANDARD H live and in person! For now, my conversation with Blake Buettner!

Links:

Worn & Wound Podcast Featuring Wesley

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Blake Buettner

@blake_buettner

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worn-wound-podcast/id1214052645

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

The story of George Esquivel feels like it could be a movie script. From an uneasy childhood kicking his dad out of his house to starting his own shoe business, the successes & the pitfalls - most pitfalls were mere bumps in the road due to things outside of George’s control such as investors backing out and the effects of COVID for example - it’s been a roller coaster and it’s all worthy of the big screen in my opinion. I first came across George’s work in and around 2009/2010 when I was writing my lifestyle blog, Screaming Mouth. I’d seen him in some magazines as well as some stores around Los Angeles where I was living at the time. Though I wanted to interview him back then, the timing never worked out. Funny enough, while I was in Chicago at the Windup Watch Fair, the brand “Esquivel” came up in conversation with George from Everest Bands. As fate and sheer coincidence would have it, two days later I received an email from Esquivel’s marketing department about perhaps being a candidate for a podcast interview…little did they know my awareness of the brand from 10 years before. It’s so crazy how the world shrinks sometimes. I can’t believe it’s been a decade since I first learned about Esquivel which is also a testament to George's staying power. I just love his aesthetic and unique style of his product assortment, which I feel he does a great job describing even without a visual component of this show. So if you’re into shoes and/or want to learn all about how they’re made, etc. this show’s for you. So rather than summarize the conversation too much, I figured it’s best to just jump in, because George has had one hell of a ride.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

George Esquivel

https://georgeesquivel.com/

@georgeesquivel

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Golf. It exists in many ways for many reasons for a ton of people. It's social...and it's escapism. It's a game...and it's difficult. It's gratifying...and it's penalizing. And it's different for nearly everyone that takes up the activity. It can be an obsession for many and quite literally an addiction for some. But I don't think anyone gives golf more thought than Erik Anders Lang. As founder of Random Golf Club and the host of Adventures in Golf, Erik is one of the most dynamic personalities in the game. I've been a longtime fan and have admired what he's built as a company and a brand which is why it's such a pleasure to have him on the show. I enjoy his enthusiasm, his curious nature, and his overall vibe! We kick things off with some car talk - Erik happens to own my favorite 911 - a 993. He eloquently explains how his Porsche enthusiasm began, and it wasn't a poster, or a movie. In fact, it might just be the most organic appreciation I've ever heard, which doesn't surprise me. If you follow Erik, you may be like me where you feel like, "This dude's just got it!" As a creator, his content is absolutely Art. In this episode, Erik shares one major thing he wishes he'd done differently as well as gives us a glimpse into his time working with David LaChapelle - one of my favorite creators of all time. Erik explains why growing the game of golf isn't what he's set out to do and why collaboration is important. Hand in hand, I ask Erik about the genesis and the contribution of his executive coaches. I can't thank Erik enough for his time - I'm such a fan of his and his team's work. They're, hands down, making the best golf content available. I really hope we can do a Part 2 since I had so much more to talk about, but for now, I hope you enjoy my conversation with Erik Anders Lang.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Erik Anders Lang

@erikanderslang

Random Golf Club

https://randomgolfclub.com/

@randomgolfclub

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

VJ Geronimo is the North American CEO of Oris, a watch brand no doubt near and dear to many of you listening. I connected with VJ originally through previous STANDARD H Podcast guest, Josh Shanks, only to further hear what a wonderful guy VJ is from Oris collaborator, Cole Pennington. Well, the VJ rumors are absolutely true, as you’ll hear in this episode. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation getting to know VJ, who even turned the tables on me towards the end. I knew I liked Oris watches, but as VJ shares insight into their efforts both ecologically as well as ethically, my affection for the brand only grew. We dive fairly deep into the history of Oris as well as VJ’s role within the company hosting not one, but three CEO’s. When you hear all that VJ’s accomplished in his career, it only makes sense as to why he is where he is. We also spend a few minutes discussing baseball as well as the Oris Bear which is fun. It’s times like these when I truly feel fortunate to be even a peripheral participant within this wonderful community of watch folks, and I’m sure you’ll understand why upon hearing the thoughtful responses from VJ. I’m confident you’ll enjoy this one.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

VJ Geronimo / Oris

https://www.oris.ch/

@oris

@vj.geronimo

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Andrew Maness and I met through a mutual friend over the common interest of cars and watches, so it was only natural to host him on this show. Andrew is the founder and editor in chief of The Motoring Journal, an eclectic, quarterly magazine now in its second year of publication. As a snowboarder from Vermont, it turns out Andrew and I had even more in common than we thought as we reminisce over 90’s US Opens and how close he was to the action. We chat about his time in the northeast, and of course his history within the automotive space. There’s plenty of car and watch talk in this one so I hope you enjoy it!

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Andrew Maness

@andrewmaness

@themotoringjournal

https://www.themotoringjournal.com/

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Many of you perhaps listen to today’s guest’s show, as well. Andy Green is far more than the co-host of Australia’s OT Podcast, and with as many cookie jars he has his hand in, I was delighted to find out how close he keeps all of his worlds of interest. We discuss the country music scene and what makes it so popular, including Australia’s Yute scene which hosts models costing 200 & 300,000 dollars! Andy and I are both fans of the GTI, and he gives us a glimpse into his latest automotive purchase, and then takes us through his early days of watches, including the bridge from G Shocks to purchasing his first micro brand powered by an automatic movement. It was soon after that Andy was seated next to none other than Time & Tide’s Andrew McUtchen on a flight which opened the door to Andy’s journalism career. The OT Podcast was born from weekly conversations Andy had with his then co-worker and friend, Felix Scholz. Now co-hosts, the podcast is now a money-making show surrounding the world of watches. They’ve had some heavy hitters, and some smaller guests such as yours truly, which I’m certainly grateful for. Andy has managed to still maintain his day job working in Marketing for an electronics company, so needless to say, the man’s full of hustle. We discuss pizza fairly in-depth, as well as Andy’s switch to a plant-based diet. We wrap things up, naturally, with some more watch talk - both OT’s anOrdain Special Editions as well as the current state of the market. I hope you enjoy this episode with one of the nicest guys in the game.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Andy Green / OT The Podcast

https://www.andygreenlive.com/

@andygreenlive

https://otpodcast.libsyn.com/

@ot.podcast

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Justin Hast and I connected over Instagram - I know, big surprise isn’t it?! He and I would share the occasional DM but nothing too in-depth. I kindly asked if he’d be interested in being a guest and if you follow Justin, he responded exactly the way you’d think: with a ton of enthusiasm and appreciation…not unlike his approach to his content creation. And as two enthusiastic individuals, I can assure you this conversation jumps around like none before and I had an absolute blast. As a result, it ran longer than many, as well, which is nothing more than a testament to perhaps how much longer this chat could’ve been! We talk about Justin’s approach to story telling, his approach to watches, and well, really his approach to life. His optimism is infectious and I couldn’t wait to be reassured that it’s all honest and real - and Justin does not let us down! We talk golf and end up discussing a watch that’s due to arrive soon - a glimpse behind the curtain he typically doesn’t allow. In fact, we dig deep on watch ownership and what it’s like to “break up” with a watch. I was incredibly grateful to host Justin, and perhaps needless to say, I’m excited to share this one with you. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I did.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Justin Hast

http://www.justinhast.com/

@justinhast

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Prior to the Pandemic, I came across what would soon become one of my favorite YouTube channels. I was brought in by this UK-based car vlog and its host, Sam, mainly due to his energy, enthusiasm, and really what felt like uninhibited honesty. Seen Through Glass gained my subscription very quickly when Sam launched his adventure called Drive the World - literally a trek around the world where he drives a Porsche 911T while documenting every step of the way. It was incredible. To say this conversation is heavy on the car talk would be a drastic understatement, and as I often say about many of these episodes, it could’ve gone on for much longer had we not had a time constraint. It was a ton of fun to hear all about Sam’s process, how he films, and what he finds to be the best way to produce content. He even opens up about something never really talked about that was lurking behind the scenes when filming Drive the World. Sam’s automotive influence came from an arguably unexpected source and another fun insight arrived when we began discussing watches and what role they’ve played in his life. Turns out, his father is someone famous in his own right within the world of horology, so stay tuned for that. When Sam posted a video asking for support for his trip to Mille Miglia, I couldn’t email him fast enough. After following Sam and his automotive journey for several years at this point, partnering with him has been somewhat of a long term goal of mine for STANDARD H. Well, he happened to see my outreach and after a couple of Zoom calls and a couple headaches provided by our friends at UPS, we got some product sorted and in Sam’s hands for his trip to Italy. His first of two videos documenting his trip just released this past Sunday, so be sure to give it a watch, and stay tuned for the second one due out this Sunday!

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Seen Through Glass

https://www.youtube.com/c/seenthroughglass

@seenthroughglass

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime