It's finally time. We're sitting down to discuss the most popular, most recognizable, and arguably most controversial watch brand in the world: Rolex.

Rolex is synonymous with wealth, status, and well... luxury wrist watches. Today as we always do we're looking at the history of the brand including where and how they were founded, their status as a charitable organization, and of course, all the essential horological achievements they've made throughout the decades.

We wrap up Part 1 by discussing the Rolex Submariner and DateJust and answering a listener question.

Come back for Part 2 on August 21 where we'll tackle the Day-Date, Sky-Dweller, GMT Master, and Explorer 1 and 2!

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Show Notes:

4:13 - Rolex History

27:10 - Rolex Submariner

56:04 - Rolex DateJust

1:08:28 - Mailbag

This episode covers the hottest summer releases thus far including the new Oris Diver 65 in stainless steel with "cotton candy" dials and the "Summer Blue" Omega Seamaster collection. We also tackle the controversial new MoonSwatch "Strawberry Moon" and what these monthly releases mean for the Omega brand.

We also discuss some new watches the Strap and Link family have acquired including a Monta Noble swap for the Opalin dial, a new Grand Seiko, and some others we hope to see more of in the future such as the Grand Seiko SLGH017 "Black Birch."

Show Notes:

2:50 - Oris Diver 65

12:23 - MoonSwatch "Strawberry Moon"

25:06 - Omega Seamaster "Summer Blue" Collection

34:00 - New Watch Alert (Monta Noble & Grand Seiko GMT)

37:42 - Window Shopping at Mayors

45:47 - Grand Seiko SBGH295

49:46 - Mailbag

Today we dive deep into the world of high watchmaking and jewelry, specifically, Cartier watches. Cartier has been at the forefront of some quite interesting horological achievements. You can make the case that the Cartier Santos was the world's first pilot's watch.

Whether or not you want to give them that nod, what they have achieved as a jewelry brand making waves in the luxury watch industry cannot be denied. Today they make some of the most recognizable mechanical and quartz watches on the market, specifically the Tank and Santos collections. We discuss each one, and two versions of each to be exact - the Tank Louis and Tank Must, as well as the Santos Dumont and Santos de Cartier.

Be sure to subscribe to the show to get notifications when new episodes are released (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other directories) and follow us on Social Media @strapandlink!

Show Notes:

3:44 - New Releases & News

11:55 - Cartier History

20:27 - Cartier Tank Must

27:43 - Cartier Santos-Dumont

35:50 - Cartier Tank Louis

42:21 - Water Resistance - how important is it?

47:07 - Cartier Santos de Cartier 

54:46 - Mailbag

On our tenth episode, we have the honor of being joined by our good friend Miguel from @SoCalWatchReviews - you may know of or already follow him on YouTube or Instagram, but if you don't we highly recommend it!

The three of us casually discuss watches, what's in our collection, and maybe what's to come, and some awkward experiences you will undoubtedly encounter as a watch collector. 

If you have any questions, please DM us on Instagram @strapandlink or @socalwatchreviews, or both - also please give a subscription and like if possible.

Please subscribe to the show for notifications when new episodes are released (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other directories), and follow us on Social Media @strapandlink!

Founded by Louis Brandt in 1848, OMEGA is seen as one of the most prominent watch brands in the world today. Owned by the Swatch Group, and worn by everyone's favorite British spy, OMEGA is a very significant brand that always plays alongside the likes of Rolex and Breitling.

In this episode we're discussing everything from their founding in Switzerland to the creation of the OMEGA caliber where the brand got its name, the Speedmaster Professional getting a screaming endorsement from NASA, and everything in between. OMEGA is full of history, and its current watch collection is full of variety.

We discuss the Aqua Terra and its more than 200 variations, the Seamaster Professional 300 and its flawed bracelet, Speedmaster Professional, and Globemaster Constellation to name a few. We also discuss the MoonSwatch, and whether or not that was a good idea for the brand in the long term.

Be sure to subscribe to the show to get notifications when new episodes are released (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other directories) and follow us on Social Media @strapandlink!

An OMEGA-Exclusive Collection: 3:30

History of OMEGA: 7:09

Co-Axial Movement: 17:35

Aqua Terra History: 19:40

Ultra Deep History: 22:27

Seamaster Professional 300: 28:28

Aqua Terra: 37:23

Globemaster Constellation: 49:13

Speedmaster Professional/MoonSwatch: 57:57

Mailbag: 1:11:37

We're joined by Monta co-owners Justin Kraudel and Michael DiMartini to discuss their small but mighty microbrand founded in St. Louis, MO, USA. We discuss and revisit how they conceived Monta, their journey into the retail space, and many aspects of their design language and current collection including the new mint-colored-dial Monta Noble, the revised Oceanking, and their Skyquest GMT which is a fan-favorite of the podcast.

Join us for a conversation with the US-based watchmaker as we discuss technical feats and the ins and outs of watchmaking and designing, grill-timer complications, and every watch collector's struggle: having too many to choose from!

You can find Monta online at montawatch.com and on social media @montawatch

Be sure to subscribe to the show to get notifications when new episodes are released (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other directories) and follow us on Social Media @strapandlink!

Show Notes:

Windup SF: 1:25

New ‘Mint’ Noble: 3:11

History of Monta: 5:41

Venture Into Retail: 14:48

Monta Noble Discussion: 25:44

Everest Bands: 44:00

Oceanking/Skyquest Design: 47:11

Triumph Design: 1:02:36

Mike and Justin’s Watch Collection: 1:07:22

What’s Next For Monta: 1:14:22

New watch alert! After dreaming of the SBGA211 for many months, the 9R65 caliber Spring Drive and that pristine white-textured dial meant to recreate freshly fallen yet wind-swept snow, Brett finally pulled the trigger on a new watch. For better or worse, it wasn't the watch he'd hoped for, and decided to instead go with the SBGJ259 "Bamboo." The Bamboo, powered by the 9S86 Hi-Beat movement (36,000 VPH) and dial inspired by a bamboo garden path, is a bold statement watch with its eye-catching green textured dial.

We're talking about new timepieces today, give it a listen and let us know what you think! Be sure to subscribe to the show to get notifications when new episodes just like this bonus episode are released (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other directories) and follow us on Social Media @strapandlink!

Founded in 1884 and known for producing precision chronometers for aviation, Breitling is a leading manufacturer of luxury Swiss watches. Popular models include the Navitimer chronograph with a slide rule bezel, the Superocean dive watch, and the versatile Chronomat suitable for everyday wear. Breitling continues to produce high-performance timepieces that combine functionality with a sleek design.

In this episode, we ask the question “When should you approach Breitling?” We see it differently, but both agree Breitling has solidified itself in the top tier of luxury watch brands.

In addition to Breitling’s history, we discuss their new releases including the vintage-car-inspired Top Time and their flagship SuperOcean, Chronomat, Premier, and Navitimer collections.

Be sure to subscribe to the show to get notifications when new episodes are released (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other directories) and follow us on Social Media @strapandlink!

Show Notes:

New Releases: 1:25

When should you approach Breitling? 5:16

History of Breitling: 10:50

Current Collection (SuperOcean / SuperOcean Heritage): 16:08

Premier B01 Chronograph: 27:03

Navitimer: 35:58

Chronomat Automatic GMT: 43:00

Final Thoughts: 54:41

Since its inception in 1853, Tissot has remained a staple in Swiss watchmaking, which remains true today. While they may not boast some of the achievements or inventions as previously discussed brands, Tissot has their hand on the market's pulse and continues producing pieces sure to appease the masses.

We discuss the Gentleman collection, the super-popular PRX, and the Le Locle dress watch, and deeply discuss their quartz offerings.

We also explain how Tissot is well positioned as a nearly perfect first automatic or "starter" watch, and what they provide above the rest of the brands playing in a similar price point.

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Show Notes:

Intro & discussing our first watch: 5:18

History of Tissot: 14:18

Current Collection - Gentleman: 23:51

Le Locle: 35:11

PRX: 41:30

SuperSport/Quartz: 53:44

Final Thoughts: 01:10:05

Longines boast the oldest active trademark in the world, amongst other things. We start with their humble beginnings in 1832 to their breakthrough horological innovations including the world's first GMT watch developed for the Ottoman Empire in 1908, and their expansive history in sports timekeeping.

Of course, we dive into their current collection and latest releases including the famous Spirit Zulu Time GMT and HydroConquest dive watch, in addition to several others.

We wrap up by giving our thoughts on what stands them apart in the market today and asking, "Are Longines still providing good value?"

Be sure to subscribe to the show to get notifications when new episodes are released (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other directories) and follow us on Social Media @strapandlink!

Show Notes:

History of Longines: 3:05

Current Collection - Spirit Zulu GMT: 12:55

Pilot Majetek: 24:00

HydroConquest: 32:30

Dolce Vita: 39:16

Discussing the Longines Value: 48:09