The Grumpy Collector

While autumn for most people means falling leaves, crisp air, and pumpkin spice everything, for watch collectors it means it's time for Geneva Fall Watch Auctions!  We cover all the major watch auctions that have taken place in the last 10 days including two charity watch auctions, The Pink Dial Project and Only Watch as well as major watch auctions by Phillips, Antiquorum, and Christies!  Get the Grump's take on which watches were bargains and which watches were busts in this super-sized episode.  Discover what today's auction prices mean for the health of the watch market for both new and vintage.

What does it takes to be a superior coffee mug?  In this battle royale we assess the merits of 10 different mugs from the humble NYC diner mug by Fishs Eddy all the way to mugs and cups by PKK Ceramics, East Fork Pottery, Haand, Willowvane, Best Made, Granby Workshop, Object-Matter "O-M" and others!!!  What's the current "hype mug" of 2021 aka #TheMug and does it deserve all the hype?  Which mugs are worth the price and which are not even worthy to hold your morning brew regardless of cost!  You'll never look at a coffee mug the same way ever again!

In this inaugural episode we baseline our expectations and goals for the podcast and then dive head first into Grand Seiko, the fastest growing luxury watch brand in the US.  What's attributed to their meteoric rise, what will it take for them to continue to grow, and why do collectors love their watches so much?  Troy, the "grump" reviews a few in his collection, what first attracted him to the brand, and some mistakes he feels Grand Seiko has made along the way.