After skipping last week, the TGN boys are back with a big episode mostly focused on our favorite releases from last week’s Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva.
I agree with the idea of being mindful when wearing certain watches in certain areas. I also agree with Jason with an Omega vs a Rolex overall. Attracts less attention but I also question if sometimes we’re so wrapped up in this tiny enthusiast bubble that we become numb to this notion.
I agree with “wear what you want” but also “be aware of your surroundings.”
Regarding the Omega Speedswatch - I'm all on board with this, and although I haven't picked one up yet I do plan on doing so. For a long time I've heard people debate regarding getting the Speedmaster Pro wet, and I get that (although I have no qualms about it). For me, however, here's an Omega, at a manageable price point, that I fully plan on wearing in the pool as part of my swimming exercise. No, I haven't any plans for snorkeling with it, or deeper dives. I have my Planet Ocean for that, but in the pool, with my hand 12-20" under the water, yes, absolutely. I fully plan on using the Speedswatch for that, and I think that's how people need to look at it. The Speedmaster Pro is a different tool with a different purpose, and the Speedswatch is for a different purpose. I'm looking forward to picking it up.
I agree. I too am fully on board. I was at first a bit turned off by the flipping, but I agree with James. These people waited online and if someone wants to pay 100x the sales price, then that’s on them. As a speedy professional moonwatch owner, I loved to see the playful colors and just the excitement globally around this release. And the fact that it isn’t limited means we all can get one eventually. What’s also cool is that my wife and I can each get one and it will be just fun for us to both wear. It won’t replace my actual moon watch, but I don’t think that’s the point. It makes watches fun for a wider range of people, brings some speedmaster thrills to persons who might not be able to afford the professional moonwatch, and overall is just an exciting collaboration in my view. I want the mission to Mars and the Sun myself and my wife hopes to get the Jupiter one. For those out there wanting one too, I hope you will eventually get one!
I get your point about wearing and enjoying it but with 30m of WR I am not sure if I would take it into the pool. Interested to hear how yours hold up.
I will be picking one up when they are available on the Swatch site. Happy to help the hype die down.
"Which I had on for the fateful dog bite... Which turned out to be just a fine choice for that". HAHAHAHAHA! I've picked out the "right" watch for a lot of different occasions, but never for an animal attack. HAHAHA... That line killed me. HAHAHA. Seriously, I'm glad you're okay.
I have had a handful of speedies in my day, and currently own a pretty traditional 1861 hesalite speedy pro. Personally, I love the idea of the MoonSwatch. Super fun, and it expands the reach beyond just "watch people" and makes something really cool, inoffensive, and accessible to the gen-pop. We will discuss watches being somewhat affordable in prices that would make "normal" people vomit. This is all fun, and I love it.
Fun episode, gents! I enjoyed James' daily show updates in the Hodinkee feed, but this was a more conversational and reflective tone that was a nice change of pace.
Jason, glad you are staying safe. I had been listening to the news from your part of the world with some concern.
I would like to see a MoonSwatch in person. I don't feel the urgent need to buy one, but no hate on Omega/Swatch for putting it out. I went to a retailer about a week after the initial surge, and they still had a bare display case set up with all the accoutrements of the campaign but no actual watches. A little sad. Of course, then I went to a two-story Rolex boutique that was full of "Display Only" watches with absolutely nothing for sale...
It has been out for a couple of weeks, but shoutout to the Apple TV+ Slow Horses series. The books have been mentioned a few times in TGN book club or final notes. I won't get into the TV vs. books debate, but Gary Oldman is an excellent Jackson Lamb. Even having read the books, I am still enjoying it.
Loves this episode and agree on the flipping points. Also I know it got over shadowed by w&w but was looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the news that citizen is releasing a “re issue” to the challenge diver later this year in full titanium! Seems very TGN
Great episode, good content, and insightful opinions. No take on the Zeniths though? Please do a Challenge: Zenith, or a Brand Spotlight: Zenith episode.
And James, please get that white dial Doxa on the black rubber.
Jason, hope that hellhound bite heals up.....watch those full moons.
Regarding the Omega MoonSwatch, I do agree that if someone waited for hours (maybe even days) for a watch, they should be able to resell it for however much the market is willing to bear. I was jazzed with the release and will likely get one someday either for myself or as a gift. However, what I think is missing from this discussion (and was also missing from the H Radio discussion) is the more insidious side of the flipping culture and what happened at several Swatch stores (including the ones in London, where I happened to be that weekend).
The people that lined up for days/hours ahead of the launch were not the problem; I would venture to say that they are not even the ones that had any intent on flipping. The problem was with the people that showed up when the store opened, attempted to cut the line as if they were better than those who had been waiting and then got aggressive (both verbally and physically), causing such a scene that the police was called in and stores had to shut down operations for the entire day. These were the people who were attempting to cash in on the flipping culture, with no regards whatsoever for others. As a result, after about 15 minutes, no one was able to buy a watch and the people who had been calmly waiting in line were asked to leave by the police.
In my opinion, this is the actual negative side of the flipping culture. I agree that if someone waits, they should be able to do with the watch what they want, including flipping it for a massive profit. Not that it's great to see a $260 plastic watch trade for thousands of dollars, but that's the buyers' problem. The much bigger and more concerning problem lies with the people who heard of this launch, figured it was a way to make fast money, ignored any sort of civilized behavior, cut lines, got violent and threatened people in line and store workers all in the hopes of making a quick buck, erasing the effort of those who had waited in line for days/hours to buy the watch.
I obviously understand it's impossible to cover every aspect of this story, but I had hoped to hear someone mention this more nepharious turn of events. It was a real dark spot on an otherwise innovative and exciting product launch.
I agree 100% on the Moonswatch. I don't necessarily think we need to take all the seriousness out of the hobby, but a push in that direction is a wonderful thing - especially with where the watch market has been for the past few years. My only reservation is that it's yet another insta-hype phenomenon, which I think is terrible for the hobby and society in general.
i liked Jame's top picks for W&W - I think I'll need to see the Oris in person before making a judgement because in photos the finishing on the hands and the texture of the dial seem a bit of a mismatch.
The other watch that caught my eye is the new Mont Blanc GMT - I really like how they've implemented. Again though I'd have to see it in person to see if it's worth the asking price.
Strangely, the BBPro does nothing for me at all - part of me wants to like it, but the colouring and overall vintage feel just feel flat.
I really enjoy that Tudor continues to mine the Rolex family archives for inspiration for new watches, and to make attainable 'homages' to unobtainable pieces (thinking about the 1655, Marine Nationale Submariners, Big Crown Subs, etc). If anyone can get away with getting THIS close to a 1655, it's Tudor. It would be way outside of Rolex's playbook to do a look-back like that, and other manufacturers attempts to take a stab at the 1655 seem cheap, lazy and just so obvious. Someone could argue the same can be said about Tudor making the BB Pro, but it somehow feels acceptable since they are in the same family.
One of most exciting aspects of the BB Pro, to me, is the lume. I love that they are going for the 'printed' look, even if the lume plots on the BB Pro are three dimensional. Makes me wonder if a a 36mm Ranger with applied all-lume indices may coming up soon.
Always great to hear you guys talk about new releases! One correction on the Sinn EZM 13 vs 13.1 - I think I heard the change was from a 30 min counter to a 60… the actual change was the removal of the small hour numbers on the dial. The 13 has always had 60 min counter. So much easier to use than the standard 30 min counter imo!
Thanks for the correction on this, I noticed shortly after finishing the edit while I was working on the photos of the 13.1 and went back into my catalog to find the 13. Not sure what watch I was thinking of, but I was certainly wrong. Thanks for the correction as ever!
Moonswatch – I didn’t follow this too closely, but I have to say it sounds like a brilliant marketing move. Rather like Apple ensuring so many kids in school get early exposure to their offerings. As you said, there is a lot of “Rolex fatigue” and certainly their products are a bit stodgy and conservative (around here it is rare to see someone born after 1960 wearing one). At a price point below the apple watch, what better way to get the post baby boomer generations excited about Omega and increase name recognition with the average consumer?
James, after listening to all the fun you had last week, I’m not surprised you are a little worn out. Its good to be able to travel a little again, isn’t it?
Great episode as always! I agree with James top 3 from the show. I think I’m going to have to sell a few to justify getting the Doxa! I fell in love with the carbon line when it came out, but this one did the trick! The thing I can’t figure out is if I can also order a black strap with it! Like James I can’t see myself wearing the white strap much.
I dig the carbons a lot, but have always felt like lumed dials looked a bit too much like a toy. Like those glow in the dark stars that kids put on the ceiling. But after hearing James gush about it I might have to reconsider my opinions and lume-based worldview...
I don't think you're wrong. I do love the look of the watch, but admittedly have a somewhat hard time imagining walking around with the whole dial glowing. Might be a lot. I don't know. But I imagine the rest of my collection being somewhat tame and muted. This one is purely for fun - why not? I've had so many watches at this point that I'm finding my somewhat traditional tastes starting to expand beyond my normal comfort zones. Mind you, I'm writing this with a grey dial Halios Universa on my wrist at the moment. It's VERY muted and under-the-radar. I feel like the carbon Doxa is anything but muted and under-the-radar, but it's not ostentatious.
I agree with the idea of being mindful when wearing certain watches in certain areas. I also agree with Jason with an Omega vs a Rolex overall. Attracts less attention but I also question if sometimes we’re so wrapped up in this tiny enthusiast bubble that we become numb to this notion.
I agree with “wear what you want” but also “be aware of your surroundings.”
I resonate with that.
Regarding the Omega Speedswatch - I'm all on board with this, and although I haven't picked one up yet I do plan on doing so. For a long time I've heard people debate regarding getting the Speedmaster Pro wet, and I get that (although I have no qualms about it). For me, however, here's an Omega, at a manageable price point, that I fully plan on wearing in the pool as part of my swimming exercise. No, I haven't any plans for snorkeling with it, or deeper dives. I have my Planet Ocean for that, but in the pool, with my hand 12-20" under the water, yes, absolutely. I fully plan on using the Speedswatch for that, and I think that's how people need to look at it. The Speedmaster Pro is a different tool with a different purpose, and the Speedswatch is for a different purpose. I'm looking forward to picking it up.
I agree. I too am fully on board. I was at first a bit turned off by the flipping, but I agree with James. These people waited online and if someone wants to pay 100x the sales price, then that’s on them. As a speedy professional moonwatch owner, I loved to see the playful colors and just the excitement globally around this release. And the fact that it isn’t limited means we all can get one eventually. What’s also cool is that my wife and I can each get one and it will be just fun for us to both wear. It won’t replace my actual moon watch, but I don’t think that’s the point. It makes watches fun for a wider range of people, brings some speedmaster thrills to persons who might not be able to afford the professional moonwatch, and overall is just an exciting collaboration in my view. I want the mission to Mars and the Sun myself and my wife hopes to get the Jupiter one. For those out there wanting one too, I hope you will eventually get one!
I get your point about wearing and enjoying it but with 30m of WR I am not sure if I would take it into the pool. Interested to hear how yours hold up.
I will be picking one up when they are available on the Swatch site. Happy to help the hype die down.
"Which I had on for the fateful dog bite... Which turned out to be just a fine choice for that". HAHAHAHAHA! I've picked out the "right" watch for a lot of different occasions, but never for an animal attack. HAHAHA... That line killed me. HAHAHA. Seriously, I'm glad you're okay.
I have had a handful of speedies in my day, and currently own a pretty traditional 1861 hesalite speedy pro. Personally, I love the idea of the MoonSwatch. Super fun, and it expands the reach beyond just "watch people" and makes something really cool, inoffensive, and accessible to the gen-pop. We will discuss watches being somewhat affordable in prices that would make "normal" people vomit. This is all fun, and I love it.
Fun episode, gents! I enjoyed James' daily show updates in the Hodinkee feed, but this was a more conversational and reflective tone that was a nice change of pace.
Jason, glad you are staying safe. I had been listening to the news from your part of the world with some concern.
I would like to see a MoonSwatch in person. I don't feel the urgent need to buy one, but no hate on Omega/Swatch for putting it out. I went to a retailer about a week after the initial surge, and they still had a bare display case set up with all the accoutrements of the campaign but no actual watches. A little sad. Of course, then I went to a two-story Rolex boutique that was full of "Display Only" watches with absolutely nothing for sale...
It has been out for a couple of weeks, but shoutout to the Apple TV+ Slow Horses series. The books have been mentioned a few times in TGN book club or final notes. I won't get into the TV vs. books debate, but Gary Oldman is an excellent Jackson Lamb. Even having read the books, I am still enjoying it.
My quote of the show: “I’m not gettin’ one but I think it’s really really cool that it exists”
My favorite quote of the show:
James: as a professional in the industry, “I do know watch retail…”
Or was that: “I do no watch retail…”
Took me a few beats to convert from my first interpretation to the second…
Loves this episode and agree on the flipping points. Also I know it got over shadowed by w&w but was looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the news that citizen is releasing a “re issue” to the challenge diver later this year in full titanium! Seems very TGN
Great episode, good content, and insightful opinions. No take on the Zeniths though? Please do a Challenge: Zenith, or a Brand Spotlight: Zenith episode.
And James, please get that white dial Doxa on the black rubber.
Jason, hope that hellhound bite heals up.....watch those full moons.
Regarding the Omega MoonSwatch, I do agree that if someone waited for hours (maybe even days) for a watch, they should be able to resell it for however much the market is willing to bear. I was jazzed with the release and will likely get one someday either for myself or as a gift. However, what I think is missing from this discussion (and was also missing from the H Radio discussion) is the more insidious side of the flipping culture and what happened at several Swatch stores (including the ones in London, where I happened to be that weekend).
The people that lined up for days/hours ahead of the launch were not the problem; I would venture to say that they are not even the ones that had any intent on flipping. The problem was with the people that showed up when the store opened, attempted to cut the line as if they were better than those who had been waiting and then got aggressive (both verbally and physically), causing such a scene that the police was called in and stores had to shut down operations for the entire day. These were the people who were attempting to cash in on the flipping culture, with no regards whatsoever for others. As a result, after about 15 minutes, no one was able to buy a watch and the people who had been calmly waiting in line were asked to leave by the police.
In my opinion, this is the actual negative side of the flipping culture. I agree that if someone waits, they should be able to do with the watch what they want, including flipping it for a massive profit. Not that it's great to see a $260 plastic watch trade for thousands of dollars, but that's the buyers' problem. The much bigger and more concerning problem lies with the people who heard of this launch, figured it was a way to make fast money, ignored any sort of civilized behavior, cut lines, got violent and threatened people in line and store workers all in the hopes of making a quick buck, erasing the effort of those who had waited in line for days/hours to buy the watch.
I obviously understand it's impossible to cover every aspect of this story, but I had hoped to hear someone mention this more nepharious turn of events. It was a real dark spot on an otherwise innovative and exciting product launch.
I agree 100% on the Moonswatch. I don't necessarily think we need to take all the seriousness out of the hobby, but a push in that direction is a wonderful thing - especially with where the watch market has been for the past few years. My only reservation is that it's yet another insta-hype phenomenon, which I think is terrible for the hobby and society in general.
i liked Jame's top picks for W&W - I think I'll need to see the Oris in person before making a judgement because in photos the finishing on the hands and the texture of the dial seem a bit of a mismatch.
The other watch that caught my eye is the new Mont Blanc GMT - I really like how they've implemented. Again though I'd have to see it in person to see if it's worth the asking price.
Strangely, the BBPro does nothing for me at all - part of me wants to like it, but the colouring and overall vintage feel just feel flat.
I really enjoy that Tudor continues to mine the Rolex family archives for inspiration for new watches, and to make attainable 'homages' to unobtainable pieces (thinking about the 1655, Marine Nationale Submariners, Big Crown Subs, etc). If anyone can get away with getting THIS close to a 1655, it's Tudor. It would be way outside of Rolex's playbook to do a look-back like that, and other manufacturers attempts to take a stab at the 1655 seem cheap, lazy and just so obvious. Someone could argue the same can be said about Tudor making the BB Pro, but it somehow feels acceptable since they are in the same family.
One of most exciting aspects of the BB Pro, to me, is the lume. I love that they are going for the 'printed' look, even if the lume plots on the BB Pro are three dimensional. Makes me wonder if a a 36mm Ranger with applied all-lume indices may coming up soon.
Always great to hear you guys talk about new releases! One correction on the Sinn EZM 13 vs 13.1 - I think I heard the change was from a 30 min counter to a 60… the actual change was the removal of the small hour numbers on the dial. The 13 has always had 60 min counter. So much easier to use than the standard 30 min counter imo!
Thanks for the correction on this, I noticed shortly after finishing the edit while I was working on the photos of the 13.1 and went back into my catalog to find the 13. Not sure what watch I was thinking of, but I was certainly wrong. Thanks for the correction as ever!
oh dang, a Serica tease, have been pretty set on picking up a 4512 to go with my 5303, but may I should wait now?
Moonswatch – I didn’t follow this too closely, but I have to say it sounds like a brilliant marketing move. Rather like Apple ensuring so many kids in school get early exposure to their offerings. As you said, there is a lot of “Rolex fatigue” and certainly their products are a bit stodgy and conservative (around here it is rare to see someone born after 1960 wearing one). At a price point below the apple watch, what better way to get the post baby boomer generations excited about Omega and increase name recognition with the average consumer?
James, after listening to all the fun you had last week, I’m not surprised you are a little worn out. Its good to be able to travel a little again, isn’t it?
This the Heimdallrr NTTD strap you talked about James? https://www.heimdallrr.com/collections/hot-sale/products/stainless-steel-mesh-band-for-nttd?variant=42216319746260
Great episode as always! I agree with James top 3 from the show. I think I’m going to have to sell a few to justify getting the Doxa! I fell in love with the carbon line when it came out, but this one did the trick! The thing I can’t figure out is if I can also order a black strap with it! Like James I can’t see myself wearing the white strap much.
I dig the carbons a lot, but have always felt like lumed dials looked a bit too much like a toy. Like those glow in the dark stars that kids put on the ceiling. But after hearing James gush about it I might have to reconsider my opinions and lume-based worldview...
I don't think you're wrong. I do love the look of the watch, but admittedly have a somewhat hard time imagining walking around with the whole dial glowing. Might be a lot. I don't know. But I imagine the rest of my collection being somewhat tame and muted. This one is purely for fun - why not? I've had so many watches at this point that I'm finding my somewhat traditional tastes starting to expand beyond my normal comfort zones. Mind you, I'm writing this with a grey dial Halios Universa on my wrist at the moment. It's VERY muted and under-the-radar. I feel like the carbon Doxa is anything but muted and under-the-radar, but it's not ostentatious.