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By Ariel Adams
4.3
3434 ratings
The podcast currently has 313 episodes available.
The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

This week on SUPERLATIVE, Ariel Adams is joined by Thomas J. Sandrin, founder of WatchDNA, to discuss what defines a watch brand and how consumers navigate an industry with more choices than ever. Thomas shares his journey from more than a decade with the Swatch Group and Hamilton to earning his MBA and launching Northern Watch Services and WatchDNA. He explains the thinking behind WatchDNA, an educational platform built to help enthusiasts discover brands, understand the people and history behind them, and make more informed decisions without blurring the line between education and selling. Ariel and Thomas also explore why a strong sense of identity matters for watch brands, the growing challenge of knowing who to trust for watch information, and the role independent retailers continue to play in the buying experience. They discuss how social media has changed perceptions of expertise, why relationships and third party validation remain important in the watch industry, and why the ability to experience a watch in person still carries so much weight. Thomas also explains how WatchDNA is developing tools to connect consumers with retailers and make discovering and comparing brands easier in an increasingly crowded watch market. Learn more about Thomas and WatchDNA: WatchDNA Website - https://watchdna.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/WatchDNA/ - https://www.instagram.com/thomasjsandrin/ SUPERLATIVE IS NOW ON YOUTUBE! To check out Superlative on Youtube as well as other ABTW content: - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ablogtowatch To check out the ABTW Shop where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology: - Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/ To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on: - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/ - Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH - Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/ If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Key Chapters: [00:35] Introduction to Thomas Sandrin and WatchDNA [03:55] Leaving the Swatch Group and Taking an Entrepreneurial Leap [05:00] Thomas’s Personal Journey and Going Back to School [08:01] What an MBA Taught Thomas About the Watch Industry [14:08] Why Brand DNA Matters [18:34] Thomas’s Career at Hamilton and the Swatch Group [21:44] Building Trust Between Watch Brands and Retailers [28:13] The Changing Role of Authorized Dealers and Brand Boutiques [33:10] Why Thomas Created WatchDNA [36:24] The Three Pillars of WatchDNA [41:40] Building a Community Around Watch Education [44:44] Social Media, Algorithms, and Watch “Experts” [51:41] Trust, Transparency, and Third Party Validation [54:04] Building WatchDNA’s Global Retailer Directory [56:00] The Business Model Behind WatchDNA [59:54] How Consumers Choose Where to Buy Watches [01:02:26] Thomas Turns the Questions on Ariel [01:04:08] Ariel on Building aBlogtoWatch and Becoming an Entrepreneur [01:06:27] Lessons, Mistakes, and Trust in the Watch Industry [01:13:28] Thomas’s Personal Philosophy and the Future of WatchDNA

This week on the Superlative Podcast, Ariel Adams is joined by Nate Borgelt, Head of Watches at Joopiter, to discuss the evolving world of watch auctions and how a new generation of collectors is changing the market. Nate shares his path through Christie’s, Patrizzi & Co., Antiquorum, and Sotheby’s, along with the experiences and mentors that shaped his perspective on watches and the auction business. He also explains what drew him to Joopiter and how the auction house is approaching curation, accessibility, and collectibility differently from more traditional players in the space. Ariel and Nate explore how the growth of online marketplaces, social media, collecting communities, and private sales has transformed the way watches are discovered, bought, and sold. They discuss the challenge of bringing attention to great watches that fall outside the usual Rolex and Patek Philippe conversation, the importance of giving collectors context around what makes a watch interesting, and the opportunities created by curating watches alongside other areas of culture and collecting. Nate also discusses Joopiter’s connection to founder Pharrell Williams, its efforts to make auctions more approachable, and why provenance and personal connections can make private consignments especially compelling. Learn more about Nate and Joopiter: Joopiter Website - https://www.joopiter.com/ Nate on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielborgelt/ SUPERLATIVE IS NOW ON YOUTUBE! To check out Superlative on Youtube as well as other ABTW content: - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ablogtowatch To check out the ABTW Shop where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology: - Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/ To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on: - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/ - Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH - Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/ If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Key Chapters: [00:34] Introduction to Nate Borgelt and Joopiter [03:52] What Makes Joopiter Different? [08:50] Nate’s Career in Watch Auctions [16:06] Osvaldo Patrizzi and the Evolution of Watch Auctions [25:33] The Importance of Curation and Storytelling [32:19] Finding Value Beyond the Usual Collectible Watches [37:22] How Collectors Decide What to Buy [40:49] Bringing Attention to Overlooked Watches [45:16] Mixing Watches With Other Collectible Categories [49:20] Pharrell Williams and Joopiter [53:41] Making Watch Auctions More Accessible [56:00] The Joopiter Marketplace [58:08] How Watches Make It to Auction [59:41] Dealers, Private Sellers, and Provenance [1:03:56] Where to Learn More About Joopiter

This week on the Superlative Podcast, host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Ahmad Shahriar, a longtime watch industry executive who currently works alongside Samir Shah representing Arnold & Son, Angelus, and Favre Leuba in North America. Ahmad reflects on his career with brands including Ulysse Nardin, Blancpain, and Breguet and explains why having passionate, accessible people behind a watch brand is so important. They discuss how relationships influence collectors, why independent brands are connecting with enthusiasts, and how Ahmad’s current role has allowed him to return to a more personal and hands-on approach to the watch business. Ariel and Ahmad also explore the differences between working for independent brands and large corporate groups, including the challenges that can arise when decisions are made far from the markets they affect. Ahmad shares his experiences with corporate micromanagement, the importance of giving local teams the autonomy to make decisions, and why focusing too heavily on numbers can come at the expense of passion. They also discuss changing collector expectations, the importance of celebrating both products and people, and why strong relationships may ultimately be one of the watch industry's most valuable assets. Learn more about Ahmad Shahriar and the brands he represents, including Arnold & Son, Angelus, and Favre Leuba: - https://www.arnoldandson.com/ - https://angelus-watches.com/ - https://www.favreleuba.com/ Ahmad on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-shahriar-6709774/ SUPERLATIVE IS NOW ON YOUTUBE! To check out Superlative on Youtube as well as other ABTW content: - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ablogtowatch To check out the ABTW Shop where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology: - Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/ To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on: - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/ - Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH - Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/ If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Key Chapters: [00:36] Introduction to Ahmad Shahriar [01:39] Representing Arnold & Son, Angelus, and Favre Leuba [02:46] Why Watch Brands Need People on the Ground [07:56] Why Relationships Sell Watches [11:21] The Rise of Independent Brands and Changing Collectors [14:35] Independent Brands vs. Corporate Watch Groups [21:06] Why Swiss Headquarters Struggle With North America [26:44] Inside the Swatch Group and Its Management Structure [28:29] The Reality of Leading Breguet North America [33:29] Why Great Watch Brands Get Stuck [36:44] What Happens When Corporations Buy Watch Brands [40:08] When the Watch Industry Stopped Being Fun [44:24] Watches, Celebration, and the Culture of Luxury [47:57] Bringing Passion Back to the Watch Industry [50:02] When Micromanagement Goes Too Far [55:03] Swiss Watches Face More Global Competition [58:22] What Makes Arnold & Son, Angelus, and Favre Leuba Exciting [1:00:24] How Watch Collectors Have Changed

This week on the Superlative Podcast, Ariel Adams is joined by Oscar Chabrat, founder of Praesidus Watches and Chief Marketing Officer of the Montrichard Group. Oscar takes Ariel behind the scenes of the watch industry to explain how Montrichard evolved from a traditional B2B manufacturer into a global operation involved in manufacturing, marketing, and a growing portfolio of watch brands. They discuss the realities of watch production, why so many brands rely on outside manufacturing partners, the challenges of inventory and movement lead times, and how a more flexible approach to production can help brands respond to a rapidly changing market. The conversation also explores the changing economics of the watch industry, from the decline of traditional fashion watches to the rise of microbrands and increasingly aggressive luxury watch pricing. Oscar and Ariel discuss why brand recognition can command a premium, how informed enthusiasts evaluate value differently, and whether AI could change the way consumers discover and compare watches. Oscar also shares the story behind Praesidus, from its roots in recreating a WWII veteran’s lost A11 watch to the role storytelling continues to play in the brand today. He also looks ahead to the next stage of Praesidus as it moves beyond familiar WWII inspired designs and into a new generation of more modern watches, offering a glimpse at how the brand plans to evolve while staying true to what made it successful. Learn more about Oscar, Praesidus Watches, and the Montrichard Group: - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/praesidus.watch/ - https://www.instagram.com/oscarchabrat/ - Websites - https://montrichardwatch.com/ - https://praesidus.com/ SUPERLATIVE IS NOW ON YOUTUBE! To check out Superlative on Youtube as well as other ABTW content: - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ablogtowatch To check out the ABTW Shop where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology: - Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/ To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on: - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/ - Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH - Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/ If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Key Timestamps: [0:36] Introduction to Oscar Chabrat [1:12] Inside the Montrichard Group [5:09] A Global Approach to Watch Manufacturing [8:05] Just in Time Manufacturing and Watch Production [12:39] Why Watch Brands Need Manufacturing Partners [20:15] The Decline of Fashion Watches and Rise of Microbrands [22:53] Building Better Watch Brand Partnerships [27:07] Can the Montrichard Model Scale? [29:59] Watch Pricing and What Brands Can Really Charge [33:19] Why Luxury Watch Prices Keep Rising [37:27] How AI Could Change Watch Buying [39:58] GEO and Optimizing Watch Brands for AI [47:30] Why Storytelling Sells Watches [50:49] The Future of Praesidus Manufacturing [56:27] The Story Behind Praesidus and the A11 [58:20] Moving Praesidus Beyond WWII Watches [1:01:09] Closing Thoughts

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! On this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel Adams is joined by Riccardo Dana, founder and CEO of SWOP, to discuss how technology and AI are transforming the watch collecting experience. Riccardo explains the challenges collectors and dealers face when buying, selling, and trading watches online, and shares how SWOP is using AI powered tools to create a more transparent, secure, and efficient marketplace. Together, they explore trust, pricing, negotiations, and the role technology can play in simplifying every step of the collecting journey. Their conversation also looks beyond the marketplace itself, touching on collector psychology, the influence of social media, and why independent watch brands deserve more attention alongside the industry's biggest names. Riccardo shares his vision for connecting collectors, dealers, and communities through a smarter platform while preserving the passion, craftsmanship, and enjoyment that make watch collecting such a rewarding hobby. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just getting started, this episode offers a fascinating look at how technology could shape the next generation of watch collecting. Learn more about Riccardo Dana and SWOP: - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/swop.trade/ - Website - https://www.swop.trade/ - LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardodana/ This week's episode is sponsored by the Movado Heritage Kingmatic collection, learn more at the link below: - https://www.movado.com/ SUPERLATIVE IS NOW ON YOUTUBE! To check out Superlative on Youtube as well as other ABTW content: - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ablogtowatch To check out the ABTW Shop where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology: - Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/ To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on: - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/ - Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH - Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/ If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Key Timestamps: 00:34 Riccardo Dana Intro and What Is SWOP? 02:36 Why The Watch Market Needed SWOP 06:32 From In Person Buying To Online Watch Trading 10:21 Fixing Watch Marketplaces 14:29 Market Prices, Auctions, & Watch Values 23:02 Who Is SWOP Really Built For? 31:17 Dealer Fees & Global Watch Markets 35:39 Why SWOP Focuses On Modern Watches 42:17 Rolex, Hype, & Independent Watch Brands 46:10 Social Media & The Future Of Watch Collecting 54:50 How SWOP Uses AI 1:02:11 Will AI Agents Buy Your Next Watch? 1:05:53 Where To Find SWOP
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