The Grey NATO - 175 - Don Cochrane And Vertex Watches
We’re back for the first show of 2022 and this episode features a chat with Don Cochrane, the man behind the revival of a British watch brand called Vertex. Likely already well known to the military watch enthusiasts among the audience, Vertex was originally launched by Don’s grandfather and Don relaunched the brand a few years ago with a focus on creating military-derived watches that honor Vertex’s storied past. From the why of Vertex to the struggles of finding a way to make a small brand as relevant and sustainable as possible, Don was an excellent guest and we really enjoyed the chance to see inside the modern expression of Vertex.
Before the chat, Jason and James have a recap of what they got up to over the winter break, which includes cold weather cookouts, piano purchases, big screens, and warm feet – so, a little something for everyone. Stay in the mix for some tips on making a cabin from scrap wood and a new book with some TGN overlap.
Click here if you want to play episode 175 from your browser – thanks so much for listening.
1:15 Support TGN https://bit.ly/support-tgn
4:29 Norrona Clothing https://bit.ly/33peiBd
7:15 Snow Peak Takibi grill https://bit.ly/333zcco
10:52 Roland FP-30 https://bit.ly/3sZDXyu
15:02 LL Bean slippers https://bit.ly/31tiG4X
15:55 Bremont S302 https://bit.ly/3xRn3lV
16:00 Hirsch Pure rubber strap https://bit.ly/39XQhWz
17:20 Garmin Fenix 6S https://bit.ly/3cOt33X
18:00 Ribbed NATO from Cheapestnatostraps https://bit.ly/3HBR50Y
21:30 Vertex Watches https://bit.ly/3eXUJ9b
29:24 Vertex M100 https://bit.ly/3t1NmFK
34:50 Vertex Monopusher https://bit.ly/3JIthu9
45:30 Fears watches https://bit.ly/31vxMaj
45:49 Schofield https://bit.ly/3n2iIbz
45:51 Pinion https://bit.ly/3mZV67F
45:52 Elliot Brown https://bit.ly/3g4G1gv
47:32 Vertex M60 Aqualion https://bit.ly/3pYRvZt
49:53 Bren gun https://bit.ly/3zuzMMo
58:30 Vertex Watches on Instagram https://bit.ly/3mYMi1y
59:15 Building a Cabin from Pallet Wood https://bit.ly/3HDTpoi
1:02:45 The Watch Annual 2021 https://bit.ly/3JNzmWn
1:04:00 Synchron Military https://bit.ly/2RTn7B3
“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” - E.B. White
Just want to say that I appreciate James and Jason's good show notes. I refer to them a lot after listening to a podcast. So frustrating listening to other podcasts without this. I know it is a lot of work, and it is appreciated!
Jason, you are correct about the ribbed nato's stiffness! I ordered a few of these about a month ago as the ribbed look was great and I especially liked the racing green color which you don't see often. I received them a few days ago and was really surprised how plastic and stiff they felt to the point of being harsh. I've been bending and flexing them and washed them repeatedly with only a minor improvement. Unfortunately, I find them to be annoyingly unwearable as they take the joy out of wearing my watches. Bottom line - the look is awesome but the feel is terrible.