Superlative

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Zoe Abelson. Zoe is the Founder of Graal Limited, a one stop destination for those looking to buy, sell, and trade luxury watches. To start the show Ariel and Zoe jump into how watch collecting has infiltrated social media, and what people are looking to get in return when they showcase their watch hobby online. Ariel asks if there are any differences between how men and women collect and talk about watches in Zoe’s experience. Zoe goes through some of her day to day duties and how she forms and maintains relationships with her clients. Ariel dives into the rapport that is built between Zoe and her clients as they talk about the benefits of having a watch friend who can also enable your watch “addiction”, or hobby as some people refer to it. Zoe also gives us some insight into the typical “water cooler talk” that might occur on a watch sales floor. The two talk about Zoe living and working in Hong Kong for years, how prevalent the watch culture is there, and what the rest of the industry can learn from HK and their passion for watches. 

To stay updated with Zoe:

Website - https://www.graallimited.com/

Instagram @Watchgirloffduty - https://www.instagram.com/watchgirloffduty/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoeabelson/

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Founder of Strayer Watches, Ola Stray. To start the show Ariel gives our guest some praise for his career and what he has created with Strayer Watches. Ola gives us a bit of background on what he made and designed before watches, which happened to include some of the tools that are used to create watches. Ariel asks Ola to explain his thought process when he says a product, how he begins to envision the improvements that he would make, and ultimately how that mindset has taken him to where he is today. Ariel asks about some of the struggles that Ola has faced with Strayer Watches when it comes to manufacturing, suppliers, and other aspects of the industry. Ola explains his fascination with the world of mechanical objects, and watches in particular, and what is next for Strayer Watches.

To stay updated with Ola and his work:

Website - https://strayerwatches.com/

Instagram @Strayerwatches - https://www.instagram.com/strayerwatches/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/strayer-watches/

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Chris Mitchell, the Co-author of Patina Modern. Ariel and Chris start the show reminiscing about Chris’s memories of the late Baselworld when he was a magazine publisher at different publications such as GQ, and Vanity Fair amongst others. The two talk about different brand parties that were attended and some not so fond memories of traveling to the show. As Ariel brands Chris as an expert with interiors, Chris talks about why he was drawn to the interior design world and how it all came to be. They talk about balancing the challenge of practicality and aesthetic as it pertains to design, but also how Chris and his wife Pilar are able to bring emotion out of their designs. Ariel asks about the investment it might take for someone to reinvent their space or renovate a home, and Chris talks about some of the challenges of renovation that they face such as the logistics of shipping. As they talk about design as a whole, Ariel starts to draw comparisons to the design and creation of watches to interior design, and he asks Chris to talk about his recent book that he co-authored with his wife Pilar, titled “Patina Modern”. 

To stay updated with Chris and his work:

Website - https://www.patinamodern.com/

Instagram @ChrisMitchellOfficial - https://www.instagram.com/chrismitchellofficial/

Instagram @Patina.Modern - https://www.instagram.com/patina.modern/

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by the Co-Founder of the OC Chrono Group, Michael Haymond. As the conversation begins Ariel recounts first meeting Michael and his group several years ago, and how OC Chrono came to be. They both dive into how watch collecting connects people, and how this hobby opens up social doors for certain enthusiasts that would otherwise not have access to like minded people with similar interests. Ariel asks about group meetups and what they mean to the collecting community, and they look into the finances and business plans of different groups. Michael gives advice on the power struggle that happens within groups sometimes, and Ariel asks what things can the industry do to help groups like OC Chrono and others. 

To stay updated with Michael and The OC Chrono Group:

Website - https://chrono.group/

Instagram @OC_Chrono - https://www.instagram.com/oc_chrono/

Michael’s Instagram @mhaymond321 - https://www.instagram.com/mhaymond321/

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by author, journalist, and editor, Nicholas Foulkes. To start the show the two begin by discussing the North American watch market as well as what makes the watch industry unique in comparison to other industries of manufactured goods. They dive into Nick's introduction into watches and why the suits he wanted to wear influenced his watch interests. Ariel asks Nick how he was able to impress and demand respect from the brands and CEO’s that he worked with in his career, and when he started to see the demographic of watch enthusiasts start to change over the decades. Nick talks about London in the 1970’s and what collecting and watch enthusiasm was like during that time, and the two get into why brands seem to have an inability to track and tell their own brands history. As the discussion continues Ariel has our guest really jump into the different bodies of work and books that he has written over the years and what subjects he has written about, such as the early 19th century in England. Nicholas somewhat surprisingly, by his own accord, gives his advice to new collectors, and he tells us about the show that he currently does with his son on YouTube.

About Nick from his website:

“Nicholas Foulkes is the author of around 25 books on the arts and history. He is best known for his critically acclaimed trilogy of 19th century histories: Scandalous Society, (a biography of Count d'Orsay); Dancing Into Battle, A Social History of the Battle of Waterloo; and Gentlemen and Blackguards, Gambling Mania and the plot to steal the Derby of 1844.

His most recent books include, Bernard Buffet: The Invention of the Modern Mega-Artist, 'Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century' and 'Swans, Legends of the Jet Society'.

He contributes to a wide range of newspapers and magazines around the world. He is a contributing editor to The FT's How To Spend It Magazine; a contributing editor to Vanity Fair; a columnist for Country Life and luxury editor of British GQ. He launched and continues to edit Vanity Fair's twice yearly watch magazine On Time. He launched and continues to edit Vanity Fair on Art. In 2007 he was named Havana Man of the Year by the Cuban government, having been nominated for this award on four previous occasions. In 2009 he was appointed to the board of the Norman Mailer Centre. He is a graduate of Hertford College Oxford and lives in London with his wife and two sons.”

To stay updated with Nicholas and his work:

Website - http://www.nicholasfoulkes.com/

Instagram @N_Foulkes - https://www.instagram.com/n_foulkes/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7_ShMuTGUdhhg15ErTFtcw

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Awenate Cobbina, the CEO of Bedrock Manufacturing and Interim CEO of Shinola. Ariel dives right into Awenate’s work history and they give a list of some of the brands that he has either been CEO of or played a major role in. The two also talk about what ties everything together at Awenate’s two current companies, Bedrock and Shinola. Awenate then dives into how Shinola’s original goal was to help create jobs in the heart of America based off the passions of its creator, Tom Kartsotis, and how Awenate is honoring that goal while trying to also progress the company even further into more goals and aspirations. Ariel asks about the manufacturing of watches and if it is the “ultimate challenge” within today's industrial complex, and also asks Awenate about the best way to defend or explain the reason behind higher prices to the customers and the marketing challenge behind that. Ariel also wants to know from Awenate what he is looking to learn from his customers and stores when he is visiting the retail spaces and getting a hands-on experience. The two jump back to Shinola’s roots and how the journey may have changed since its inception, but also on how Shinola is always aiming to bring American culture into their watch designs and the stories behind them.

To stay updated with Awenate and Oris:

Shinola - https://www.shinola.com/

Instagram @Shinola - https://www.instagram.com/shinola/

Twitter @Shinola - https://twitter.com/shinola

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by VJ Geronimo, the CEO of The Americas at Oris. To start the conversation, Ariel has VJ dive right into what he does in his current role for Oris, and they begin to talk about some of the differences between markets like the South American market compared to The United States market. The two discuss some of the goals behind the brand, and how his current position influences VJ’s life while living in a place like Connecticut while working for a Swiss Watch Brand. Since a big focus for Oris is conservation and being environmentally conscious, Ariel and VJ really look into what Oris has been doing when it comes to conservation with their own products, and why it is something that is important to the brand as well as VJ. Our guest and host go deeper into industry talk, VJ talks about the R&D that goes into some of the product design, and Ariel asks what watch VJ likes to put on people's wrist when asked for guidance.

To stay updated with VJ and Oris:

Website - https://www.oris.ch

Instagram @Oris - https://www.instagram.com/oris/

Twitter @Oriswatches - https://twitter.com/oriswatches

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Ian Skellern, the Co-Founder and Technical Editor of Quill & Pad and the Executive Producer of the film “Making Time”. To start the show Ariel and Ian talk about how Ian initially turned his passion and enthusiasm for watches into a career, which Ariel mentions was actually an inspiration for him. Ian describes how he started his online journalism as an Australian living in Switzerland with his wife, and how he gained the trust of the Swiss watchmaking community over a period of time. They discuss the lack of voice that brands are putting behind their press releases and how that looks to people in the industry, and what they feel like these brands could be doing differently with that angle of marketing. Ariel and Ian really dive into the industry talk to chat about the past, present, and future of watchmaking. As the episode starts to come to an end, Ariel has Ian talk about the film he produced called “Making Time”, which is an intimate look at five extraordinary horologists and their lives.

To stay updated with Ian and to check out his work:

Website - https://quillandpad.com/

Making Time Film - https://makingtime.film/

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

 This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Mike France, the Co-Founder and CEO of Christopher Ward Watches as well as the Co-Founder of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, as well as Roger Smith who is the Chairman of the Alliance. To start the episode Roger gives us an introduction to the Alliance and what their mission is, as well as what British watchmaking means today. Mike talks about different industries in the UK that the watchmaking industry in the country could look at that could help lead to high level technological advances in watchmaking for the UK. They both give their advice and insight to an industry that is trying to re-industrialize as Ariel puts it, and how collaborations between companies can affect the industry. As the show comes to an end Ariel has our guests lay out some of the next steps for the Alliance and how you can become a club member.

To stay updated with Roger, Mike, and The Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers:

Instagram @Britishwatchmakers - https://www.instagram.com/britishwatchmakers/

Website - https://britishwatchmakers.com/ 

Twitter @Britwatchmakers - https://twitter.com/britwatchmakers

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

This is Superlative: A Podcast about watches, the people behind them, and the worlds that inspire them. This week our host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Aaron Stark, the author of Disrupting Time: Industrial Combat, Espionage, and the Downfall of a Great American Company. As Aaron states on his LinkedIn page: “Disrupting Time is the account of a remarkable turn of events driven by cunning spies, visionary leaders, and strategic choices that put the Swiss and American watch industries on entirely different trajectories. Had the events of 1876 never happened, we would likely know little of Swiss watches today.” Our host Ariel Adams has Aaron Starks dive even deeper into the story for our listeners to enjoy as he shares more unknown information about watch history and how the industry evolved to what it is today.

To stay updated with Aaron and to check out Disrupting Time:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aws64/

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Disrupting-Time-Industrial-espionage-downfall/dp/B0BPMF2K7C

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 and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Twitter - https://twitter.com/ABLOGTOWATCH

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!