Time To Unwind by WatchGecko (WatchGecko)

In this episode, I sit down with Ben to chat about a large topic in the watch industry, vintage watches. With the adoption of vintage designs, we have seen a lot of re-issue watches appear on the market which is met with huge success. But is this something that can withstand the test of time? Listen below for our thoughts on the interesting topic…

Show Notes;

OW P104S https://ow-watch.ch/products/ow-p-104-s

Tudor Black Bay https://www.tudorwatch.com/watches/black-bay-collection

Omega Diver 300m Bond https://www.omegawatches.com/en-gb/watch-omega-seamaster-diver-300m-omega-co-axial-master-chronometer-42-mm-21090422001001

Omega Spectre 300 LE https://www.omegawatches.com/watches/seamaster/seamaster-300/spectre-limited-edition/product

Black Dial Breitling Superocean 57 Rainbow https://www.watchgecko.com/the-latest-releases-from-the-breitling-summit-webcast/

Blue Dial Breitling Superocean 57 Rainbow https://www.breitling.com/gb-en/news/details/a-new-rainbow-to-honor-our-frontline-heroes-32969

Breitling 806 Navitimer Re-Issue https://www.watchgecko.com/the-breitling-navitimer-ref-806-baselworld-2019/

Zenith A384 Revival https://www.watchgecko.com/the-zenith-el-primero-a384-revival-review/

Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow https://www.watchgecko.com/zenith-chronomaster-revival-shadow/

@tfjj on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tfjj/?hl=en

@timvaux for the images from Spain! https://www.instagram.com/timvaux/?hl=en

Watch brands and charity collab auctions have produced some spectacular results this year. In this podcast, Richard takes a closer look at Time For Art 2024.

Nicky Grist is a former British rally co-driver who enjoyed a successful career in the World Rally Championship during the 1990s, especially with his partnership with Colin McRae. Apart from his passion for rallying, Grist is an enthusiastic watch collector with a particular fondness for Rolex. He shares some incredible stories about his journey as a full-time rally co-driver and part-time watch collector and showcases some of his favorite watches.

Jon gets the ball rolling by telling us about Schitt’s Creek, which is apparently a TV series rather than a place we’ve often found ourselves up without a paddle. It can be easy to get there by buying a watch on eBay too, but there are many weird and wonderful bargains to be had if you’re careful. Anthony and Ben cast a quick eye over what has caught their attention in the eBay classifieds, ranging from some Frankenstein-like monsters to other stuff that’s surprisingly cool. And there’s a theme emerging to what we’re liking this week: skin divers (lightweight dive watches that is, not people who go diving in the nude). There’s a great new dive watch out from Glashutte (which polarises opinion) and an established alternative from Delma, while Tim revisits his two wonderful vintage Caravelles.

Show Notes;

Schitt’s Creek: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80036165

Endurance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvbkr-nXpjE

The truth in 24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFwoxM1MiBw

What Ben found on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orologio-Watch-Cressi-Aquastar-Skin-Diver-Automatic-Top-Condition-Rare-SwissMade/283915816150

Anthony’s favourite watch this week: https://www.glashuette-original.com/new-versions-seaq-panorama-date

But here’s a good alternative: https://www.watchgecko.com/santiago-automatic-divers-watch-on-rubber-strap

Jon’s favourite watch this week: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/grand-seiko-sbgj237-and-sbgj239-introducing

Tim’s favourite watch this week: https://oris.ch/WH/hoelsteinedition2020

And there’s more bronze here: https://monochrome-watches.com/oris-holstein-edition-2020-bronze-hands-on-review-price/

Big news from Patek Philippe: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/patek-philippe-ref-6007a-001-calatrava-celebrating-the-new-manufacture-in-geneva-introducing

What Anthony spotted on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124219015817

Another cool eBay dive watch: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orologio-Watch-Avia-Marino-Skin-Diver-Top-Rare-Vintage-Swiss-Made/283914685531?_trkparms=aid%3D1110001%26algo%3DSPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200423095753%26meid%3D765ace7f6a114cd58e5dd88ffa8bc749%26pid%3D101224%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D5%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D124219015817%26itm%3D283914685531%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c101224.m-1

Tim’s Caravelles: https://www.watchgecko.com/the-caravelle-sea-hunter-devil-diver/

This week, we were privileged to welcome a very special guest to Time To Unwind: Adrian Hailwood. Adrian is a well-known writer, speaker, journalist and watch valuer, and we really appreciate him spending some time with us. He’s got some fascinating insight from the world of watches – and also philosophy – as this week we continue the endless debate about form versus function. In other words, do you need a watch to look beautiful or merely functional? We could go on for hours about this, but thankfully for you we limit it to just one hour of fascinating listening. We hope, anyway…

Red Dead Restoration: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCci1MUB7x7yRkwgqIFpD7WA

A moment in time captured in pieces: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/fashion/a-moment-in-time-captured-in-pieces.html

Rolex Space Dweller, an amazing story from Adrian in GQ: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/watches/article/rolex-space-dweller

Le Mans film: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Mans_(film)

Lange and Sohne Rattrapante Honey Gold – stunning: https://www.alange-soehne.com/en/timepieces/1815-rattrapante-honeygold-homage-to-fa-lange-425050

Shuck the Oyster Autavia Vintage Chronograph: https://www.shucktheoyster.com/heuer-autavia-2446c-vintage-chronograph-3/

Schwarz Etienne Roma Synergy by Kari Voutilainen. Blue or grey? https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/schwarz-etienne-roma-synergy-by-kari-voutilainen-introducing

Ressence make a very red charity watch: https://www.atimelyperspective.com/ressence-unveils-red-type-3mc-for-art-in-time-charity/

Meet Adrian: https://adrianhailwood.com

The history of wristwatches: https://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/wristwatchinvention.php

Minimalist watches: https://manofmany.com/fashion/watches/best-minimalist-watches-men

Andy Warhol’s Cartier: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/fashion/article/andy-warhol-cartier-tank-watch

4m33s. What's your favourite bit? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoAbXwr3qkg

It was the month that we went back to space with the sale of a space flight worn Rolex GMT-Master wristwatch formerly owned by NASA astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell. Keeping with the pilot theme, in this case racing car drivers, an IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s watch worn by Sir Lewis Hamilton on the winner’s podium at this year’s Formula One™, Qatar Airways British Grand Prix™ has sold at a charity auction for CHF 220,000. What else was going on in the opulent world of watch auctioneering?

Tune in as our resident auction expert Richard Fox gets us up to speed with the ⁠⁠⁠watch auction highlights for October 2024⁠.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠WatchGecko⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy your next watch strap from us!

Today we’ve got some exciting news! Going forward we’re going to try filming our podcasts and uploading them to YouTube. Hopefully, the thought doesn’t put you all off, and offers a fun new twist on the current format.

But until then it’s business as usual, and in this episode we talk about a few bits of news that have caught our eye, including some fantastic news from Oris about their new in-house calibre.

We also chat about a couple of cool new vintage watches that Tim & Ben have bought. Tim has picked up an early quartz Cartier Tank, with some killer Breguet numerals. Meanwhile Ben has snagged himself an absolute bargain off eBay – a vintage Aquastar dive watch from the Sixties!

Christopher Ward C65 Chronograph

https://www.christopherward.com/retro-dive/c65-chronograph/C65-41ACH1-S0BB0-B0.html

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Ayrton Senna Edition

https://www.tagheuer.com/gb/en/special-edition-heuer02/formula1-senna.html

New Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400

https://www.oris.ch/en/watch/oris-aquis-date-calibre-400/01-400-7763-4135-07-8-24-09peb

The Richard Mille RM 72-01 'Lifestyle' Flyback Chronograph

https://www.richardmille.com/collections/rm-72-01-automatic-flyback-chronograph

Tim’s Must De Cartier Tank

https://www.watchgecko.com/time-to-unwind-podcast-26

An example of Ben’s Aquastar

https://www.shucktheoyster.com/aquastar-geneve-vintage-diver-1701-2/

James’ Accurist

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Vintage-Accurist-600-Automatic-Divers-watch-All-Stainless-Steel-Gents/113726154217?hash=item1a7a9b65e9:g:VagAAOSw~jpZ2nlk

Thank you for listening to the Time To Unwind Podcast. If you enjoyed listening, we’d love to hear some feedback, so please leave your ratings of the show through your podcast app, and be sure to reach out on social media, @watchgeckomag, with your thoughts. Adding a rating and a comment really does help the podcast so we’d be grateful for your support. See you soon in the next one!

If Omega Speedmasters are your thing, whether a lifelong fan, or new to the Speedy world, this podcast is one not to be missed.

There are few watches which generate as much interest or passion as the Speedmaster. Its exploits are, quite simply, unmatched in terms of accompanying intrepid human explorers.

In an ongoing series of written and audio features celebrating the history of this watch in space and at the race track, we were lucky to spend time chatting to Darren Townend, the founder and expertise behind Vintage Speedmaster (the UKs most respected centre of knowledge and provider of fine examples of this chronological icon).

In a relaxed conversation, Darren and Richard delve deep into the world of this amazing watch covering subjects as diverse as NASA qualification, unique sport special editions, Speedmaster auctions and when is a Moonwatch not a Moonwatch?

Make yourself a coffee, rehydrate your NASA rations, strap on your favourite Michael Schumacher t-shirt and get ready to embrace all things ‘Speedy’!

Welcome back to the Time To Unwind Podcast. A slight change of pace today as we recently asked people signed up to our newsletter to submit their questions so we can answer them on an episode. The result was some great, interesting and funny questions. This is part 1 of the QNA, with part 2 coming out next week.

Sit back and enjoy another time to unwind episode!

Show Notes;

The Oris 65 2 Tone Bronze Diver - https://www.watchgecko.com/the-oris-divers-sixty-five-bronze-2-tone-diver-first-impressions-and-hands-on/

The modern Rolex Root Beer - https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-master-ii/m126711chnr-0002.html

Apple Watch - https://www.watchgecko.com/the-best-apple-watch-straps-in-2020/

Tim’s smart watch - https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ueZfknxDe/

Apple Watch Double Wristing - https://www.watchgecko.com/the-joys-of-double-wristing/

Steel Lange 1s - https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/lange-one-101026-steel

Gino’s Italian Express - https://www.itv.com/gino

Jag Petrolicous video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKbVQEBuemQ

The Hour Glass Rexhep Rexhepi & AkriviA video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scMLzXHldWE&

Stay tuned next week for part 2 of our QNA!

Thank you for listening to the Time To Unwind Podcast. If you enjoyed listening we’d love to hear some feedback, so please leave your ratings of the show through your podcast app, and be sure to reach out on social media, @watchgecko, with your thoughts. Adding a rating and a comment really does help the podcast so we’d be grateful for your support. See you soon in the next one!

In part one of our tool watches two-parter, Anthony, Richard and Tim delve into the backstory of the now ubiquitous tool watch, try to reach some sort of consensus as to what a tool watch is and highlight some of their original practical uses.

As well as discussing some of the iconic tool watches of the past such as the Omega Speedmaster Professional and Rolex explorer, Tim questions the validity of the ‘polo’ watch, Richard lets his inner geek free as he unleashes his extensive knowledge of moon watches, and Anthony gets a hard time as the boys try and persuade him to finally take his Rolex into the water!

In part-two, coming soon, we will give our top picks for tool watches under £5k!

In this episode we talk about things from the watch world that have caught our eye recently. Everyone was asked to bring one watch story to the discussion that peaked their interest in the past week. We had a hunt for a new watch, a confession of love for a certain Cartier, a chat about one of the most impressive independent watchmakers active today and all of our health addictions to Chrono24…

Show Notes:

After Life

Darkest Hour / Dunkirk

Vikings

Devs

Geckota Scott McKenna LE

OW P104S

Corniche

Rolex Submariner

Tag Heuer Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco Historique LE 

The Submariner 14060

The Cartier Cintrée video by Revolution Watch and Goldberger Cartier Auction

Fp Journe Chronomètre à Résonance

The Tudor Prince Oysterdate Chrono-Stop

The Favre Leuba Harpoon

NOS LIP Vintage Watch

NOS Fortis Shipman

Sinex Vintage Chronograph

It was the month that an exceptionally rare Patek Philippe watch went up for sale, as well as Captain Bob Maloubier’s Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, but what else was going on in the opulent world of watch auctioneering?

Tune in as our resident auction expert Richard Fox gets us up to speed with the ⁠⁠watch auction highlights for July 2024⁠⁠.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit ⁠⁠WatchGecko⁠⁠ and buy your next watch strap from us!

We had the privilege to spend an hour with Jupp Philipp, the new owner of Fortis watches, where he shared some exciting things about the heritage of the company but also how Fortis is changing and what can fans of the brand expect in the next 20 years. Jupp has a great vision for Fortis and his passion for space watches is reflected in some of the newly redesigned iconic watches.

0:00 Intro 01:56 Who is Fortis? 05:21 Reissue of Golden Age Watches – just a trend? 08:32 Jupp’s journey to the watch industry 12:45 “Can I buy Fortis?” 15:20 Fortis was in chaos! 17:20 First five objectives and Arnold Schwarzenegger's philosophy 20:25 In-house manufacturing & major refurb 26:20 The current portfolio – 3 families of watches 26:30 New Fliegers 34:30 Marine Master 38:55 We love scratches! 42:15 Stratoliner 48:50 The missing Cosmonaut 51:20 Future missions to the Moon and Mars 56:14 The next 3-5 years for Fortis

Richard went on location to meet his local pre-owned Rolex dealer to learn as much as possible about what is going on behind the scenes.

00:00 Intro

01:56 Avanti as a business

03:50 Sourcing and watches in stock

08:59 PX and servicing

10:10 Depreciation of watches

12:47 Benefits of buying in a shop

24:06 Independent watch retailers

25:45 The pre-owned market

29:40 What are the most sought after models

35:30 Who is buying?

39:30 Current prices

44.30 Availability

47:30 How to avoid buying a bad watch

51:20 Our choice of five beautiful watches in stock

1:09:30 The future of Avanti

In the follow-on to Part One of our tool watch special, we ask ‘what makes a modern tool watch?’ and discuss how it differs to the tool watches of the past.

The guys also give their top choices for tool watches under £5000 and pick a wild card ‘no holds barred’ option for those with an unlimited budget’.

Richard reveals the watch that has been his trusty companion in some truly unforgiving environments, from the desserts of the Kalahari to the jungles of Trindad and Tobago. Plus he selects the watch that he’d choose to cross the dessert with now. We think you’ll be surprised by his choices!

Antony throws down the gauntlet to his co-hosts as he sets them a challenge to find him a G-shock he actually likes and can take with him when he secures a job at the North Pole.

Meanwhile Tim argues the case for true tool watches to be affordable and maybe not even mechanical at all; in fact, maybe something more akin to a hammer!

Discussion also widens into the realms of Faraday cages vs non-ferrous materials to achieve anti-magnetic watches, and we’re left wondering why more watch brands don’t harness the power of the sun to keep their tool watches ticking.

Finally, can you guess whose heart was in his mouth as he feared for his Rolex at the Science Museum of all places?

In this episode, Richard, Anthony, George and Martin discuss what they would like to see from the watch industry.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit WatchGecko.com and buy your next watch strap from us!

In this episode – which comes to you in glorious technicolour – we’re talking about our brand-new watch: the Sierra Zero One Phalanx. We’re delighted with it, and even happier to introduce you to a man who was absolutely instrumental in its creation: Richard Brown. Richard worked for many years with Special Forces units globally, and we’d love to tell you exactly what he did – but then we’d have to kill you, which isn’t exactly going to boost our audience figures. Instead, Richard talks about what the Phalanx was inspired by and how it was created, throughout a process that took nearly two years. It's a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes that tells the full story of how an exciting new watch came into being, from concept to reality. Let us know what you think…

Introducing the Phalanx: https://www.watchgecko.com/introducing-the-new-geckota-s-01-phalanx-watch/

The story behind the Phalanx: https://www.watchgecko.com/explore-the-story-behind-the-geckota-s-01-phalanx/

Phalanx goes to Russia: https://www.watchgecko.com/travelling-through-russia-with-the-s-01-phalanx/

Rolex Military Submariner: https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/articles/feature-the-milsub

James Bond NATO strap: https://www.watchgecko.com/geckota-vintage-bond-nato-watch-strap

Phalanx video with Richard Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emtjoesu6JE

Creating the Phalanx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d8AAg2FohY&t=3s

What is a Phalanx? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx

A-11 military watch: https://wornandwound.com/military-watches-world-11-watch-won-war/

Dirty Dozen watches: https://www.acollectedman.com/blogs/journal/59621443-the-story-of-the-dirty-dozen-the-first-wristwatches-specially-commissioned-for-the-british-army

The story of an incredible Eterna: https://www.watchgecko.com/the-family-history-of-a-1961-eterna/

Waltham A-17 military watch: https://www.craftandtailored.com/products/1940s-waltham-type-a-17-wwii-u-s-military-issued

More articles from Richard Brown: https://www.watchgecko.com/author/richardwg484brown/

Anthony, Ben and Tim all dive into the details of a special vintage Omega to Anthony that just so happens to be one of the Dirty Dozen from the 40s. We end up chatting for a while about the Dirty Dozen watches as a whole and the fascinating story associated with them. There is plenty to chat about.

We also pick our favourite Dirty Dozen watch which promotes Ben to take that question and really make it his own...

Sit back and enjoy!

Show Notes; 

@billydeee - Instagram

Normal People 

Rush movie 

Niki Lauda: The Biography

Taking A Look At The Famous Dirty Dozen Watches 

ACollectedMan Dirty Dozen Article 

Vintage Vertex ATP Watch

In our latest podcast episode, Andrea Maggi from legendary dive watch brand Squale joins podcast host Anthony and fellow brand owner Jon, from Geckota.

As well as exciting news about forthcoming releases from the brand, Andrea gives a fascinating insight into the history of the brand and what makes it so special, and the connection between the original owners, the Von Buren family and the Maggi family.

Andrea also chats about the brand’s strong link to the professional diving community and brand ambassador Vincenzo Ferri’s upcoming free-diving record attempt. He also reveals why the brand recently relocated from Italy to Switzerland, and answers some of the burning questions that you, our audience wanted us to put to him.

In what has been a challenging time for many, Andrea and Jon discuss the impact that Brexit and Covid has had on their businesses and what it means to you as customers. They also provide a frank account of where they think Baselworld went wrong and what future watch events could look like following its demise.

Richard and George, resident G-shock aficionados, discuss the new 40th-year anniversary G-Shock watches. Could this be the most anticipated but disappointing watch release since Omega dropped the gold Apollo 11 50th anniversary Speedmaster on us? Quite possibly!

Here are the rules of the game. You’ve got around £150,000 to spend on four cars and four watches. One car has to cost no more than £5000, the next no more than £10,000, the third no more than £20,000 and the final one £100,000. Same goes for watches: one watch to be no more than £500, the next no more than £1,000, the third no more than £2,000, and the final one no more than £10,000. Anthony and Jon are up first, with Tim and Ben making their choices next week. Expect no mercy to be shown...

The new Banksy

Richard Hammond attempts to drive an F1 car

Certina DS-1 Powermatic 80

Seiko 5 Black and Gold

Hamilton military watch found on eBay

Lorando Valjoux

Glycine Combat Sub

Yema Superman French Air Force Limited Edition

Anonimo Nautilio Vintage Blue

TAG-Heuer Formula 1

Omega Constellation

Universal Geneve Polerouter

Ben's favourite Polerouter

Sinn U50

Cartier Tank

Heuer Daytona

Girard Perregaux Laureato

Anthony's Panerai choice...

Ben's Panerai choice

With the final Daniel Craig Bond movie, No Time To Die, seemingly delayed for eternity, we thought we’d bring some light relief to those listeners getting withdrawal symptoms from the world’s most loved movie franchise!

Yes, in this epic episode we chat about all things Bond. There is a lot of ground to cover here, and just as some of Bond’s quick-witted quips are now slightly dubious, so is Antony’s hosting – so much so that we’ve nicknamed this the X-rated episode!

The guys try to reach a conclusion as to which watch is the true Bond watch as they unpick Fleming’s original novels and discuss how the movies have subliminally influenced their choice of watches in later life.

We discuss Fleming’s novels and how well (or not as the case may be) they have been interpreted for the silver screen. Can you guess which one of our intrepid wannabe spies describes Moonraker as “One of the most ludicrous films ever made…an amazing novel turned into a monstrosity”?

The clock is turned back as they reminisce about what first drew them to Bond movies, and which of the iconic Bond cars and gadgets got them hot under the collar.

Somewhat unusually our dysfunctional family is largely in agreement about their favourite Bond film, and it’s probably not the one which you think it is!

In this video, we talk to Peter McAuley, the founder of Nomadic Watches, a Northern Irish watch brand that's putting Belfast on the global map of watchmaking

The brand is only a few years old but we wanted to talk to Peter about his experience and what drives him to create the best watches possible. In this interview, Peter shares his story and details about Nomadic Watches, including the unique design process and what we can expect in the future from his team. 0:00 Brief introduction to Nomadic Watches 1:11 Background of the company 2:49 How did you get into watchmaking? 5:40 The Marai 401 dive watch 7:12 How the RNLI saved my family 9:45 Unique details about the Marai watch 13:08 What new watches can we expect in the future? 16:59 The lost Tag Heuer 18:07 What makes the Marai 401 stand out? 18:54 How big is Nomadic? 20:42 How do you grow the brand? 22:27 Proud to be Northern Irish 24:11 Running a watch company 27:56 Watch shows and future developments 29:00 What is your favourite watch story? 30:28 Cold water swimming 33:09 A watch is meant to be worn not tucked away

It was the month that Sotheby's New York announced that an iconic Heuer Monaco worn by Steve McQueen was to be auctioned, but what else was going on in the opulent world of watch auctioneering?

Tune in as our resident auction expert Richard Fox gets us up to speed with the watch auction highlights for August 2024.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit ⁠⁠⁠WatchGecko⁠⁠⁠ and buy your next watch strap from us!

Podcast regulars Anthony and Ben chat to the one and only Carl Fogarty – a.k.a. ‘Foggy' – about being brand ambassador for one of the most exciting projects we’ve ever undertaken: a limited-edition watch with motorsport at its heart.

Carl talks fondly about the time when the legendary Isle of Man TT race was one of the main fixtures in his racing calendar: a circuit that still holds a special place in his heart. 

In 1992, Foggy set the fastest-ever lap there at an incredible average speed of 123.61mph: a record that stood for seven years and was the inspiration behind the Forzo watch we’ve created with him. He describes how time slowed down and he felt at one with his bike, despite the fact that it was falling apart beneath him as he rode a lap that would go down in history. Carl later went on to win the World Superbike Championship several times and remains one of the most prolific motorbike racers the world has ever seen. 

We ask Foggy how he first got into watches, and Ben and Carl discuss how the design for the Foggy watch came to fruition. Carl also shares his love of Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna and tells us how his first-ever bike, with a deeply personal story behind it, has now been brought back to life thanks to the National Motorbike Museum.

A truly fascinating insight into the man behind the bike – and now the man behind the new Forzo watch. 

Everything you need to know - just click on the links below:

Forzo Watches

Forzo Facebook Group

Carl Fogarty

Isle of Man TT

Anthony and Richard discuss what watch should agent 007 wear in the next Bond film.

We are very excited about our collaboration with Christopher Ward, so we sat down with Mike France and we asked him to share the story behind the company. You can hear how the company started, Mike's watch inspirations, and why Christopher Ward adopted a new logo.

Later in the conversation, Mike goes in-depth about the military watch collection of the company and especially the 3 post-war watches that were the inspiration behind the C60, C63, and C65 models.

Mike France also discusses the impact of the Bel Canto watch and how it gave everyday people the chance to own an incredibly unique and complicated timepiece. The success of the C1 Bel Canto and the people's reactions had a profound effect on the CEO of Christopher Ward.

The main thing we wanted to discuss with Mike France was our first exclusive collaboration with Christopher Ward – The WatchGecko C65 Aquitaine. Limited to 50 pieces, each individually numbered for our first production batch. Every aspect of this watch has been carefully considered. The 120-click bezel uses a polished sapphire insert that’s impressively scratch-resistant, complementing the refined blue and white design of the dial.

The dial is inspired by the history of regatta races such as the America’s Cup, giving the watch a distinctly nautical feel while remaining reminiscent of the box crystals seen on the classic dive watches of the 50s and 60s.

Follow us for more interviews with watch CEO and watch professionals, as we go more in-depth about everything watch related.

Two muppets talk about watches... We were able to borrow the new ProPilot X Kermit as well as the new Aquis Hölstein Edition and discuss why these watches have divided watch enthusiasts. Oris is making some really good timepieces but they love making fun watches and these two examples capture that perfectly.

Our special guest today is James Grant from Martin and Co: authorised Rolex dealers for Cheltenham (among other brands sold there). Joining him is our regular guest Neil Duckworth, and proving that it is indeed a small world, Neil and James know each other of old, when they worked together in the past. Now James is an authorised dealer and he tells us what it’s reallylike to sell some of the most desirable watches in the world. It’s a fascinating chat.

As usual, we’ve also got another James on the podcast – our resident James – and when we recorded it happened to be his birthday. So that led to another big question: which watch would you get for your birthday? The answers may surprise you.

Christopher Ward Sandhurst: https://www.christopherward.com/military/c65-sandhurst/C65-38A3H2-S00K0-B0.html

Bag yourself an Omega Deville: https://www.chrono24.com/omega/de-ville-tree-hands-gold-dial-quartz-cal1332--id13031592.htm

Rolex GMT Master, James Grant’s birthday watch: https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-master-ii.html

Tim wants a Cartier Tank Cintree: https://www.phillips.com/detail/cartier/CH080117/144

Vivienne Westwood Orb swatch: https://www.swatch.com/en_gb/watches/pwz104-orb/

Martin and Co, where James works: https://www.martin-and-co.com

Just occasionally, you get a seismic shift in an industry: as is the case right now with electric cars set to take over from the venerable internal combustion engine. But there’s nothing new under the sun that hasn’t been seen before in the world of watches. In 1969, Seiko rocked the industry by introducing the very first quartz watch. With the help of Chris, our very own in-house electric car evangelist, we take a look at how the watch industry changed - and how the automotive world is about to do the same. As is normal on this podcast, not everyone agrees...

Show Notes;

Man turns cheap Porsche into an F1 car: https://uk.motor1.com/news/439002/porsche-boxster-turned-f1-car/

Salzburger Nockerl: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salzburger_Nockerl

German nudist has his laptop stolen: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/07/german-nudist-chases-wild-boar-that-stole-laptop-berlin-teufelssee?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

History of quartz watches: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz_crisis

Seiko Astron: https://www.ablogtowatch.com/seiko-astron-worlds-first-quartz-watch-turns-40/

Beta 21: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-beta-21

Rolex Oysterquartz for sale: https://www.chrono24.co.uk/rolex/rolex-oysterquartz-datejust---steel--18ct-gold---17013---nos--id15174628.htm?SETLANG=en_GB&SETCURR=GBP

Tesla Model S: https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/models

Tesla Model 3: https://www.tesla.com/en_gb?redirect=no

Nissan electric van: https://www.nissan.co.uk/vehicles/new-vehicles/e-nv200.html

Grand Seiko quartz: https://www.grand-seiko.com/uk-en/about/movement/quartz

Porsche Taycan: https://www.porsche.com/uk/models/taycan/taycan-models/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4qTQiY-s6wIVmpntCh3t5g2fEAAYASAAEgJ9YfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

TAG Heuer Aqua Racer: https://www.tagheuer.com/gb/en/collection-aquaracer/collection-aquaracer.html

We sat down with Rolf Studer, Co-CEO of Oris, and we talked about the past, the present, and the future of Oris. In this interview, you can hear about what makes Oris tick and the real impact this independent watchmaking company has on the planet.   

If you want to read more about Oris you can click here:  https://www.watchgecko.com/blogs/magazine/everything-you-never-knew-about-oris

Hello and welcome to Time To Unwind by WatchGecko. Our very first episode, we discussed watch brands having to launch their watches online due to the current climate, some of our favourite releases from the past few weeks as well as some exciting new additions coming to the WatchGecko website.

We’ve wanted to set up the time to unwind podcast for around a year now, mainly because we’re having these sorts of chats behind the scenes, about the watch industry, all the time. Now felt like the right time to share some of these chats and opinions in a relaxed way as if we were all sat down together with some watches in front of us.

So sit back and enjoy, episode 1 of the time to unwind podcast…

Thank you for listening to the first episode of the time to unwind podcast. If you enjoyed listening we’d love to hear some feedback, so please leave your ratings of the show through your podcast app, and be sure to reach out on social media, @watchgecko, with your thoughts. Thanks for listening, we’re going to be trying these a lot at the moment so see you soon in the next one!

Show Notes:

Watches and Wonders coverage

Breitling Summit 2020

A.Lange & Söhne's video

Zenith A384 Shadow

Panerai at Watches and Wonders

Sinn 2020 releases

JLC at Watches and Wonders

Piaget at Watches and Wonders

Hermes at Watches and Wonders

Previously we spoke with Ian and Dan from Watches of Lancashire about some of their coolest vintage watches. This is the second part of our conversation where we delved deeper into the desirability of Heuer and TAG Heuer watches as well as discussed the watch that Tom Cruise would have worn in both Top Gun films.   

Products Featured: Heuer Autavia, Heuer Autavia GMT, Heuer Carrera Dato 45 and Porsche Design Orfina

The most exciting news from this week is that we have a brand new home! At Time to Unwind HQ, we’ve set up a recording studio with all the latest kit – ensuring that we now have all the gear and no idea. When it comes to recording at least: hopefully we know a bit more about watches. This week, we’re talking about the ‘one that got away’: watches that we either sold and regretted, or never bought and should have done. And for good measure, we throw in a couple of cars as well. To quote the poet T.S. Eliot: “Footfalls echo in the memory/Down the passage we did not take/Towards the door we never opened.” It’s going to be emotional.

Show Notes;

Oris Chronoris: https://www.oris.ch/en/collection/oris-chronoris

Eterna watches: https://www.eterna.com

‘JPS’ Daytona record auction: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rolex-daytona-john-player-special-sells-for-pound12-million-at-sothebys

Chopard 1000 Miglia: https://www.chopard.com/intl/watches/men-s-watches/classic-racing

Favre Leuba orange and yellow dial: https://www.watchpro.com/favre-leuba-adds-sporty-orange-and-yellow-dial-options-to-its-raider-sea-sky-family/

Sinn U50: https://www.sinn.de/en/Modell/U50.htm

Squale 1521: https://www.squalewatches.com/Squale_50_Atmos_Dive_Watches_s/101.htm

Full set of Dirty Dozen watches for auction: https://oracleoftime.com/complete-set-of-wii-dirty-dozen-watches-headline-fellows-auction/

Heuer Regatta: https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/1980s-heuer-regatta-pvd-reference-134-601?variant=29964816580683

Heuer Monza: https://www.calibre11.com/vintage-heuer-monza-series-overview/

Rolex Datejust: https://www.rolex.com/watches/datejust.html

Geckota Tourbillon: https://www.watchgecko.com/geckota-t-01-gen-2-tourbillon-hand-wound-watch

Rolex Daytona white dial: https://www.rolex.com/watches/cosmograph-daytona/m116500ln-0001.html

Tudor day-date: https://www.tudorwatch.com/en/watches/glamour-date-day/m56000-0008

Tudor Ranger on Chrono 24: https://www.chrono24.co.uk/tudor/heritage-ranger--mod1426.htm#gref

Heuer Montreal: https://www.calibre11.com/heuer-montreal/

Panerai Luminor: https://www.panerai.com/en/collections/watch-collection/luminor.html 

Porsche 993: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_993

Porsche 924 buyer’s guide: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-cars/used-car-buying-guide-porsche-924

Something fun for today’s podcast as we share our deepest darkest watch confessions. All four of us share either one watch or one style of watch that we hate to say we kind of love. There are some interesting answers here and unfortunately for me, one clear choice that the other guys didn’t approve of.

Sit back and enjoy!

In our first episode of 2021, podcast regulars Tim and James catch up with Joshua Clare-Flagg from Watch It All About (WIAA). They discuss his journey in the watch industry, from writing his first article to being taken seriously as an industry professional. Josh is well known for his blog and reviews with a focus on the affordable end of the market, and more recently his WatchIt! Watch Fair, which was launched with great success in 2019. Josh also talks candidly about the fine balancing act of authenticity vs commercial success for content creators.

The trio also chat about how the watch industry and community has had to change and adapt with the growth of social media and the challenge of a Covid climate. We also ask – ‘is the marketplace becoming overcrowded?’, and Tim explains why he thinks it’s important for bigger brands to have a solid documented archive.

In watch news, Josh gets very excited about the ground-breaking Accutron DNA, the first electrostatic watch ever. The guys also spill the beans on which brands are currently leading the way at an affordable price point, and what they really think about Hodinkee collab editions!

Click on the links below for more info:

Watch It All About

Accutron DNA

Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Outerknown

Formex 

Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor

We had the privilege of interviewing Don Cochrane about Vertex and the Dirty Dozen watches. Don is the great-grandson of Claude Lyons, who started Vertex Watches all the way back in 1912. Don wanted to restart the family business and continue the watchmaking legacy left by his great-grandfather. 0:00 The history of Vertex 5:16 The Only British Dirty Dozen Watchmaker 9:45 Vertex watches and World War 2 12:30 What happened after the war? 16:13 Designing the M100 and re-starting the brand 21:13 The coolest Peli case 23:24 MP45 - mono-pusher chronograph 24:16 M60 - diving watch 27:31 Two lug pin positions 28:17 Brand identity

We enjoyed chatting about all things watches and sci-fi with Andrew Morgan from Watchfinder. Andrew is a very knowledgeable guy with a real passion for watches and writing and he has a lot of insights into what watch enthusiasts talk about and what they buy.

It was the month that the IWC Schaffhausen x Polaris Dawn Mission space watches went up for sale, as well as three classic vintage ‘tool watches’ from Heuer, Rolex and Tudor, but what else was going on in the opulent world of watch auctioneering?

Tune in as our resident auction expert Richard Fox gets us up to speed with the ⁠⁠watch auction highlights for September 2024.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit ⁠⁠⁠WatchGecko⁠⁠⁠ and buy your next watch strap from us!

It's Christmas in New York City and the December watch auctions certainly produced some sparkling baubles for the Christmas tree for those with deep pockets and an appreciation for fine wristwatches. Sotheby's auctioned ‘The G.O.A.T Collection: Watches & Treasures from Tom Brady’ as well as a unique Tom Brady Royal Oak with custom dial, but what else was going on in the opulent world of watch auctioneering?

Tune in as our resident auction expert Richard Fox gets us up to speed with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠watch auction highlights for December 2024⁠⁠.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WatchGecko⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy your next watch strap from us!

We’re lucky to feature a very special guest on our podcast this week: Neil Duckworth from Veritime. Neil now specialises in working with a variety of different watch brands that he finds interesting – and he was kind enough to bring in a few examples to show us, which are all fascinating conversation pieces. However, he’s probably best-known for establishing TAG-Heuer in the UK: or just Heuer, as it was known when Neil started in 1982 (because TAG didn’t join the party until 1986). That puts him in a great position to look at how times and tastes have changed over the years and speculate about what’s likely to happen in the future. It’s a fascinating chat with several trips down Memory Lane – plus, of course, all the usual nonsense that you’ve come to know and love (!) from Jon, Tim, Ben and Anthony.

Show Notes;

NATO watch straps (that look good on a Submariner): https://www.watchgecko.com/nato-zulu-watch-straps

Goodwood Revival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V12PGhNY3EE

Alive: the story of the Andes plane crash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alive:_The_Story_of_the_Andes_Survivors

Jon’s recent Seiko purchases:

SKZ211K1 https://www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-automatic-sports-89/seiko-5-automatic-map-meter-skz211-skz211k1-skz211k-mens-watch-824.html

SNZH57J1 https://www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-automatic-sports-89/seiko-automatic-sports-japan-made-snzh57-snzh57j1-snzh57j-mens-watch-2298.html

Neil’s trip to Geckota: https://www.geckota.com

Reservoir Longbridge Club: https://www.reservoir-watch.com/en/collections/cars/longbridge/

Seiko 5: https://www.seikowatches.com/uk-en/products/5sports

Chronoswiss Flying Grand Regulator: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-chronoswiss-flying-grand-regulator-open-gear-resec

Delma Continental Bicompax Chronograph: https://www.delma.ch/product/continental41701-702-6-031/

Heuer Pasadena Chronograph: https://www.calibre11.com/ultimate-guide-heuer-pasadena-750-501/

Jack Heuer’s book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Heuer-Times-Life-Autobiography/dp/3375015712

The history of Baselworld: https://www.baselworld.com/en/the-show/history

How the Royal Oak evolved: https://www.timeandwatches.com/p/history-of-audemars-piguet-royal-oak.html

Jochen Rindt and Heuer: https://petrolicious.com/articles/jochen-rindt-wore-his-heuer-better-than-you-do

Veritime, owned by Neil Duckworth: https://veritime.co.uk

Last time, Anthony and Jon revealed which cars and watches they would buy in certain different price categories, inspired by a question we asked our resident racing driver Scott McKenna: https://www.watchgecko.com/the-cars-and-watches-challenge-scott-mckenna/

To summarise: you’ve got around £150,000 to spend on four cars and four watches. One car has to cost no more than £5000, the next no more than £10,000, the third no more than £20,000 and the final one £100,000.

Same goes for watches: one watch to be no more than £500, the next no more than £1000, the third no more than £2000, and the final one no more than £10,000.

What will Ben and Tim come up with? Listen (and read) on to find out. Those of a sensitive nature when it comes to budgets might want to look away now.

Show Notes;

Anthony gets pranked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isxJgB9xHf0&feature=youtu.be

Mido Ocean Star: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/mido-ocean-star-decompression-timer-1961-rainbow-diver-live-pics-pricing-introducing

Bargain BMW from Ben: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaQzEvpmDIo

Ben’s choice for £10K: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-car-buying-guides/porsche-cayman

Here's what Tim would buy for £10K: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/cars/land-rover/defender-90

Ben ups the stakes: https://www.autoscout24.com/offers/alfa-romeo-gtv-6-3-0qv-rally-klaar-gasoline-red-3e40c091-f3df-4689-85e9-152d90afaea4?cldtidx=5&cldtsrc=listPage

Here’s why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMXHqZeuEE

Tim’s choice for £20K: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/s3

Ben blows £100K: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201912115233257?make=FERRARI&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&sort=price-desc&radius=1500&postcode=gl502dr&price-to=100000&year-to=1990&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1&newApplicationVersion=true

Tim blows a bit more: https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1124017

Here's Ben’s choice for the same amount: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Yema-Wristmaster-Mens-Diver-Watch-43mm-Hand-winding/202995756093?hash=item2f437d6c3d:g:GZcAAOSw5NpdoDxk

How about this for less than £5K? https://www.chrono24.co.uk/rolex/datejust--id15518907.htm

Back on budget: https://www.watchgecko.com/the-hamilton-pilot-pioneer-mechanical/

Using chloroform, rope, and a Transit van we’ve managed to find a new recruit not only to our podcast but to our whole company. Say hello to James (“hello James”) because you’ll be hearing a lot more from him in future. He’s going to become our resident watch (and Star Trek) nerd and he’s got two cats and a snake at home. Other fascinating things we learned this week was that Tim got a Blue Peter badge when he was younger and that Ben’s middle name is James. Luckily we talk a bit about watches too: particularly some of the straps and other accessories that you can get for them.

Show Notes;

James’s blog (plug, plug): https://www.watchthatsweep.co.uk

Accutron is back! https://www.accutronwatch.com

TAG Heuer Carrera Sport Chronograph: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/tag-heuer-carrera-sport-chronograph-44mm-calibre-heuer-02-automatic-introducing

The new Montreal: https://www.ablogtowatch.com/tag-heuer-revives-the-montreal-name-for-limited-edition-carrera-chronograph/

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Day Date Desert: https://www.blancpain.com/en/fifty-fathoms/bathyscaphe-day-date-desert-edition-5052-1146-e52a

Devils Hole Pupfish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Hole_pupfish

A very Ben choice for watch of the week: https://www.breguet.com/en/timepieces/new-models-classique-complications/5345pt1s7xu

A cool Instagram account to follow: https://instagram.com/horo.my?igshid=geve2xaywyx8

The last wave: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l9rj

Another great Insta to follow: https://www.instagram.com/thespeedyshutter/?igshid=1jwjmxabenub9

How to change a watch strap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNucRn0IYa4

Check out some of our straps: https://www.watchgecko.com

Straps for a Sub: https://www.watchgecko.com/strap-showcase-rolex-submariner-straps/

An alternative look. Thoughts? https://www.instagram.com/p/BzySHtJnN1s/?igshid=l5yfjrlld7cw

NATO straps: some history… https://www.gearpatrol.com/watches/a85507/icon-nato-strap/

Louis Vuitton watch case: https://us.louisvuitton.com/eng-us/products/8-watch-case-monogram-canvas-000728

Into watch winders? Fill your boots right here: https://watchwinders.com

It was the month that Sylvester Stallone's Patek Philippe collection caused a stir. His Grandmaster Chime alone sold for $5,400,00 alone, but what else was going on in the opulent world of watch auctioneering?

Tune in as our resident auction expert Richard Fox gets us up to speed with the watch auction highlights for June 2024.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit WatchGecko and buy your next watch strap from us!

Today we’re talking about our first time… buying a watch! It’s been a long time for all of us since we had our first watch, but we all remember it fondly, though for very different reasons. Anthony’s first experience was on the cheap side, with a watch from a Christmas cracker. Whereas Ben didn’t scrimp and started off with a Tag Heuer. Wherever we started, we’ve all experienced many weird and wonderful watches since then.

So sit back, relax, and listen to four men reminisce about popping their watch-owning cherries.

Shows Notes; 

Tim & Ben’s first day photo

Folio Society James Bond Book

Cartier ABTW article

2004/2005 Timex Expedition.

Ben’s Tag Heuer

Casio Panther watch

Tim’s t watch

Baby Ben with his Grandad’s watch

Anthony’s red Casio

Casio Calculator

Ice Watches

Citizen Chronograph

Swatch mirror

Tartan swatch

Swatch skin

Ben’s Russian Watch

Christopher Ward Sandhurst

Tudor Black Bay 58

So apart from the online Watches and Wonders show it’s been a few months of silent on the watch event news front. However it was recently confirmed that Geneva Watch Days has approval and is going ahead at the end of August. We sat down to chat about this news as well as recommending some interesting stuff that has caught our eye recently.

Sit back and enjoy!

Watches and Wonders
Geneva Watch Days
Example of German watch show, Munichtime

MCH (the group behind Baselworld) quoted losses:

“In the last three years, it has reported losses amounting to CHF310 million (about $320 million), and faces enormous losses this year due to canceled shows.” HODINKEE 

F1 Drive To Survive

C'était un rendez-vous original 1976
Charles LeClarc Le Grand Rendez - Vous

Tudor P01 by @misterenthusiast

Tudor P01 Black Bay

H Moser x MB&F

The Mach Loop

The Green Ferrari that we all loved apart from Jon!

F1 driver signed Ferrari

Ferrari 250 GTO in blue

Motorsport and watches go together like gin and tonic. And for once the analogy is a good one, as there’s a slightly thirsty start to this episode (just check out the first clip below). But enough about drinking, as this episode is really all about driving. After the obligatory run through our latest inspirations, Anthony, Jon, Tim and Ben talk about their favourite motorsport-themed watches. And then we really let our imaginations run riot, by choosing which watch brands we would become ambassadors for, if only we were famous Formula 1 drivers. Finally, we meet somebody who’s making a real difference: Peter Knoflach, the founder of Racing Heroes, which is a unique initiative that allows injured veterans and disabled drivers to achieve their potential through motorsport. And of course, there’s going to be a very special watch to mark the occasion.

Show Notes;

Ice cold in Alex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouYKeeTz7Yw

2019 Wimbledon Final: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUikJi0Qhhw

Ferrari 312 V12: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_312

Heuer Silverstone: https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Tag%20Heuer/Silverstone/CAM2110-FC6258/16850/item/29182

Heuer Daytona: https://www.calibre11.com/heuer-daytona-series-overview/

Heuer Montreal: https://www.calibre11.com/heuer-montreal/

Heuer rally clocks: http://www.tagheuer-timing.com/en/stopwatches-hl880-heuer-rally-master

TAG Heuer Monaco: https://www.tagheuer.com/us/en/collection-monaco/collection-monaco.html

Rolex Daytona: https://www.rolex.com/watches/cosmograph-daytona.html

Enicar Sherpa: https://www.acollectedman.com/products/enicar-sherpa-graph-300-jim-clark

TAG Heuer Autavia: https://www.tagheuer.com/us/en/timepieces/collections/tag-heuer-autavia/

Jochen Rindt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jochen_Rindt

Baltic Aquascape: https://www.watchgecko.com/baltic-aquascaphe-diver-blue-gilt-review/

Rolex Explorer 1: https://www.rolex.com/watches/explorer/m214270-0003.html

Panerai: https://www.panerai.com/gb/en/home.html

Audemars Piguet: https://www.audemarspiguet.com/en/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3p7Du-eu6gIVG-ztCh3e3gOTEAAYASAAEgKg9fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

AP brakes: https://apracing.com

Pharrell Williams Richard Mille: https://www.richardmille.com/friends-and-partners/pharrell-williams

Can I have it like that? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNxXAFMIeAY

Ebel: https://www.ebel.com

Chris Vail, the larger than life boss of American microbrand NTH watches, is in the spotlight for our latest episode of Time to Unwind.

We get to know the man behind the brand, find out what made him start his own business, and turn up the heat as we discuss the contentious issue of homages!

Chris founded NTH watches in 2016, specialising in diver watches and the brand quickly gained a loyal following with its popular ‘sub’ models that include the Näcken and the Barracuda. As NTH fans around the world eagerly await dispatch notifications for their shiny new v2 NTH Tropics, we get the low-down from Chris about how the watches have evolved and get him to spill the beans about what else people can expect from his brand 2021.

Chris also talks passionately and candidly about the challenges that small brands face when trying to find the right movement to use for a new watch range, having to balance cost and availability with design restrictions. Also expect talk about bezel materials and challenging peoples perceptions about Swiss vs Japanese.

Enjoy the show!

We sat down with Ian and Dan from Watches of Lancashire and talked in-depth about some of their coolest vintage watches. This is part one of our conversation, in the next video we will look at more unique vintage watches.   

Products Featured:  1966 Omega Speedmaster Ed White ST 105 003-65,  1971 Tudor Submariner 7021/0, 1969 Omega Speedmaster Pre Moon, 1980’s TAG Heuer Diver 980.032, and 1970 Breitling Cosmonaute 0819

Some of the WatchGecko authors came together in person to chat about horology and how they got into watches. Meet Richard, Anthony, Martin and George in this audio podcast.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit WatchGecko.com and buy your next watch strap from us!

In case you’re not following what’s going on in the watch world, last week saw the biggest event in the industry – Watches and Wonders. Starting on 7 April and running for a whole week, the event saw some of the top watch brands in the world launch their new 2021 models. Amongst those brands participating were Rolex, Tudor, Zenith, Tag Heuer, Jaeger LeCoultre, IWC, and Panerai.

With the cream of the horological world taking part, there’s plenty of exciting new watches to talk about. So, James, Anthony, and Richard got together to chat about the highs and lows of this year’s releases. In this episode of Time To Unwind they talk about everything from the Rolex Explorer going back down to a 36mm case, to Jaeger LeCoultre’s insane new concept watch!

Enjoy the show!

We’ve all got some nice watches (especially Jon: did you happen to know that he has a Rolex Explorer 1, which apparently he quite likes?) But how can you capture good photos of them? Luckily a few of our presenters at the Time to Unwind podcast have a strong background in photography, and they share a few of their most valuable tips on how to perfectly portray your watch in all its glory. Ben, Tim, and Anthony chat about how to take photos – and more importantly, how not to take photos – as well as what’s been floating their respective boats this week.

Show Notes;

JLC Kingsman Knife Watch (only 4.25mm thick!): https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/hk/en/chronicles/new-master-ultra-thin-kingsman-knife.html

Want to know more about Russian watches? https://www.russian-watches.info

Humans of New York: https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/?hl=en

A few tips for watch photography: https://www.fratellowatches.com/10-tips-for-better-watch-photography/#gref

A bit more advice: https://quillandpad.com/2017/10/14/not-photograph-watch/

And a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkHkQZcz_Bk

Amateur photographer (no sniggering at the back): https://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

One Instagram account you have to follow: https://www.instagram.com/timvaux/?hl=en

And another: https://www.instagram.com/benadams_creative/

Fuji cameras, used by most of us at WatchGecko: https://www.fujifilm.eu/uk/

A Formula 1 photographer with a 1913 camera: https://petapixel.com/2017/05/13/photographer-shoots-f1-1913-graflex-4x5-view-camera/

How to make a camera out of an iceberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWvwt3mCu68

Adrian at Bark and Jack, a happy snapper and great blogger: https://barkandjack.com/author/adrian/

Tim’s Sinn U50 photos: https://www.watchgecko.com/a-week-away-with-the-sinn-u50/

Photography with Vintage Lenses https://www.instagram.com/p/B5vNDv4g-4N/, https://www.instagram.com/p/B5pW0btAe-U/

Finally, check out some of our other photos: https://www.instagram.com/watchgecko/?hl=en

Of all motorsport competitors, rally drivers are arguably the ones with the biggest screws loose: firing their cars through forests and gravel tracks at speeds in excess of 100mph, in rain, fog and snow. And we’re delighted to host our very own example this week: Tom Williams, who is sponsored by Geckota and driving on a number of different international rallies this year. At least that was the plan – until Covid-19 came along. But at long last, his season has finally got underway. Tom tells us all about getting back behind the wheel, the enduring link between rallying and watches, and his own unique connection with 2001 World Rally Champion Richard Burns.

Show Notes;

Crossing the Congo: Over Land and Water in a Hard Place: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crossing-Congo-Over-Water-Place/dp/1849046859

Shuck the Oyster: https://www.shucktheoyster.com

Klas Foerster: https://instagram.com/klasfoerster?igshid=ujhh9ycr0i8g

Hangar 7: https://www.hangar-7.com/en/

M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5 rally car: https://www.m-sport.co.uk/fiesta-r5

Return to Rally Stages: https://www.m-sport.co.uk/single-post/2020/08/24/A-SUCCESSFUL-RETURN-TO-RALLY-STAGES

Richard Burns, Tom’s godfather: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Burns

Geckota C-01, as worn by Tom: https://www.geckota.com/geckota-c-01-vk64-racing-chronograph-watch

Rally watch strap: https://www.watchgecko.com/vintage-prescott-rally-genuine-leather-watch-strap

Peking to Paris Rally: https://www.endurorally.com/events/the-7th-peking-to-paris-motor-challenge/

Craven Motor Club: https://www.craven-motor-club.co.uk

Heuer Rally Master: http://www.tagheuer-timing.com/en/stopwatches-hl880-heuer-rally-master

More rally clocks: https://www.retro-uk.com/page002.htm

In the car with Tom! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpCKKZWG3tg

Rally Finland: https://www.nesterallyfinland.fi/en/

Rallye Monte-Carlo: https://acm.mc/en/edition/rallye-monte-carlo-edition-2021/

Want to get into rally driving? https://www.forestrally.co.uk

Rolex Daytona: https://www.rolex.com/watches/cosmograph-daytona.html

In our latest podcast we catch up with man of the moment, Raphael Granito, the 32-year old behind Swiss brand Formex. 

Established in 1999, Formex has really come to prominence under the leadership of Raphael, who became CEO in 2016. Their recent releases, the Reef diver and the revised Essence have been flying out the door as quick as they can make them and winning over both new fans and the industry press. 

Raphael’s vision and enthusiasm is infectious. Here, he shares some of his design philosophies, and explains how the Reef and Essence will form the foundation upon which to expand their range of watches which will remain distinctly Formex, with ergonomics and engineering taking centre stage. 

We’re certainly convinced that this a brand to sit up and take notice of. What about you? 

Actually, that’s not true. Nobody’s going on a summer holiday apart from Tim, who has just come back from Cornwall. The rest of us have been stuck at work – but it’s still the perfect excuse to talk about holiday watches, inspired by Tim’s exciting tales of Cornish smuggling and surfing (OK, mostly pubs and restaurants).

So which watch would you take away – and where to? Listen away to find out – as well as all the usual nonsense about what we’ve been up to this week and what’s caught our eye.

Show Notes;

Have a heart: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53985562

The Repair Shop: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l581p

Citizen Super Titanium Armor: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/citizen-super-titanium-armor-series-introducing

Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale: https://www.longines.com/en-us/watch-heritage-l2-833-4-93-2

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Limited Edition in 18K White Gold: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/audemars-piguet-royal-oak-chronograph-limited-edition-in-18k-white-gold-introducing

IWC Portugieser, missing in action: https://www.iwc.com/en/watch-collections/portugieser.html

Seiko SKX007: the ultimate holiday watch? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8T4bdsrK5w

Tim’s summer holidays with his U50 (a must-read!): https://www.watchgecko.com/a-week-away-with-the-sinn-u50/

Orange swatch, good for dangerous places: https://www.swatch.com/en_gb/watches/?color=7

Breitling Superocean, a subtle (ish) Breitling that can go anywhere: https://www.breitling.com/gb-en/watches/superocean/?search%5Bsorting%5D=default

Hamilton Pilot Pioneer mechanical, the perfect traveller: https://www.hamiltonwatch.com/en-gb/h76419531-khaki-pilot.html

Geckota W-02 Military, another great travelling companion: https://www.geckota.com/w-02-vintage-mechanical-military-chronograph

Tudor Black Bay 58, perfect all-rounder for every occasion: https://www.tudorwatch.com/en/watches/black-bay-fifty-eight/m79030n-0001

Lange 1 Tourbillon: https://www.alange-soehne.com/en/timepieces/lange1-tourbillon-perpetual-calendar

FP Journe Chronometre Bleu, the king of blue watches: https://www.fpjourne.com/en/collection/classique-collection/chronometre-bleu

Mike Horn Panerai: https://www.panerai.com/gb/en/collections/watch-collection/submersible/pam00985-submersible-mike-horn-edition---47mm.html**

We were lucky enough to get an interview with Mike France ahead of the launch of the brand new C63 Sealander Collection. Two years in the making, the collection comprises a Sealander GMT, a three-hander with date (dubbed the Sealander Automatic), and a COSC certified Elite model which is made of titanium and features an incredible retractable crown. Trust us, when we say that this is episode you will not want to miss!

As well as revealing the inspiration behind the new watch range - said to be the ‘missing link’ for the brand - Mike offers a free watch to anybody who can bring him a watch from another brand that offers the same level of engineering as the new Sealander at the price point!

Mike also shares an unexpected amount of detail about pipeline projects and future plans, which include an impressive new dress watch, a collab that will feature an incredible new movement, a new ‘Christopher Ward green’ and even more bracelet tech.  In fact, Mike’s tongue gets so loose during our interview that he now fears returning to Maidenhead for the next design team meeting!

Also, in an unexpected turn of events, Mike makes James’ heart beat just a little faster, by inviting talk of a possible collab with our very own WatchGecko design team (James hasn’t slept a wink since!). This is despite James’ best effort to rile Mike beforehand by asking about their controversial logo. Incidentally Mike answers in a typically open fashion, and with an answer that’s sure to please many fans.

Finally, wider discussion centres around the resurgence of smaller watch case sizes, the state of British watchmaking generally, and how Mike believes innovation will help return British watchmaking to the glory days. Plus of course audience questions!

So…just how did we get to where we are now? One of the most common questions we’re asked is how to get into this crazy world of watches. We attempt to come up with a few answers that make sense, which was obviously always going to be a challenge. However, Jon tells us how WatchGecko got started, Ben explains how he summons his creative muse to create new watches, and Anthony talks nonsense about watches, cars, and other stuff. Situation normal. In the middle of all that, we also chat about what’s inspired us recently, and pass on a few bits of advice about how to work in the watch industry.

Show Notes;

Why did the Lexus LFA fail? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnwLM-zJfVc&list=LLi3mJBFWlfhsbNqcL-QN5ew&index=537

Gordon Murray T.50: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/first-look/it-gordon-murrays-astonishing-ps236m-t50

The business of drugs: https://www.netflix.com/be-en/title/80199963

How to create a watch brand: https://timeandtidewatches.com/how-to-start-your-own-minimalist-watch-brand/

Some more tips: https://bizfluent.com/how-5366461-start-watch-company.html

The Geckota story: https://www.geckota.com/about-us

How to start selling on eBay (which is how Jon started selling watch straps): https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling/start-selling-ebay?id=4081

Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso, one of Ben’s earliest watch memories: https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/eu/en/watches/reverso.html

Richard Mille, a good example of a new(ish) luxury brand: https://www.richardmille.com

Gerald Genta, an inspirational watch designer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gérald_Genta

Audemars-Piguet Royal Oak, one of his most famous creations: https://www.audemarspiguet.com/en/watch-collection/royal-oak/

Polerouter, another Genta design: https://wornandwound.com/a-brief-history-of-the-universal-geneve-polerouter/

Kickstarter, one way to make your dreams come true: https://www.kickstarter.com/about

Strapcode, an early inspiration for Jon: https://www.strapcode.com

Christopher Ward, another good example: https://www.christopherward.com

Steinhart watches: https://www.steinhartwatches.de

As a watchmaker, historian and watch restorer, Dr Rebecca Struthers knows a lot about watch history and how to keep your watch running for years. In this video, she shares her journey into watchmaking, including advice on how to maintain your watch and keep it running for decades! 0:00 Meet Rebecca Struthers 2:57 From a high school dropout to a PhD in Horology 4:57 Passion for watchmaking 7:16 Crystal case back vs solid case back 8:16 British watchmaking 10:00 Becoming a Horology Expert 13:59 Stella 15:36 Watch portfolio 17:24 Crafting bespoke watches 18:41 Project 248 19:47 Watch movements 23:06 The importance of watch servicing 26:27 Hands of Time book 32:56 WatchMakersCafe.org 37:07 What's next for Struthers Watchmakers?

Whatever Rolex announces grabs attention. They could issue a press release about what the chairman had for breakfast, and it would probably make the front page of most watch-related media. We might even make a Swiss-breakfast themed podcast about it (“So tell me Jon, have you ever tasted egg and bacon fondue?”)

Imagine then, the frenzy of excitement that followed the announcement of Rolex’s new watch releases at the beginning of September. Not only do we have new colours for the Oyster Perpetual, but also a paradoxical Submariner that’s bigger but looks smaller: among many other things.

Joining Anthony, Ben, Jon and Tim is regular guest Neil Duckworth as we analyse all the new releases from Rolex – and prepare to move into Tim’s ancestral home in France. One day.

Mike France interviewed about the Christopher Ward Supercompressor: https://usa.watchpro.com/watchpro-originals-christopher-ward-creates-21st-century-super-compressor-watches/

‘Ray’ film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVHCQfcugdw

Chateau Vaux – Tim’s ancestral home (he wishes): https://www.chateau-vaux.com

Chronoswiss Skeltec, an unusual release: https://chronoswiss.com/en/intl

A kaleidoscope of colours for the Oyster Perpetual 36: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rolex-oyster-perpetual-36-with-new-colorful-dials-introducing

Stella dial from 1970s: https://watchtime.me/life-style/vintage/article/1410/a-brief-history-of-rolex-stella-dial-timepieces

New Submariner versus old Submariner: https://www.horbiter.com/en/new-rolex-submariner-2020-model-reference-guide/

Check out all the colours on the wrist: https://www.ablogtowatch.com/rolex-oyster-perpetual-41-124300-watches-debut-for-2020/

The refinement of perfection (a great line to come up with on your next birthday): https://www.watchgecko.com/introducing-the-new-rolex-watches-for-2020/

Multi-coloured Submariners: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rolex-submariner-date-41mm-introducing

The world’s biggest Rolex store: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pme7523HVkg

The ultimate Sub? https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/found-a-vintage-rolex-submariner-with-big-crown-explorer-dia

And a cool Day-Date: https://www.acollectedman.com/products/buy-rolex-1803-day-date-watch?variant=5331625246751

Welcome back to the Time To Unwind Podcast. A slight change of pace today as we recently asked people signed up to our newsletter to submit their questions so we can answer them on an episode. The result was some great, interesting and funny questions. This is part 2 of the QNA.

Sit back and enjoy another time to unwind episode!

Show Notes;

Seiko SKX https://www.watchgecko.com/the-seiko-skx-diver-best-beater-watch/

Zenith A384 https://www.watchgecko.com/the-zenith-el-primero-a384-revival-review/

Vacheron Historiques American 1921 https://www.vacheron-constantin.com/en/watches/historiques/historiques-american-1921-82035-000r-9359.html

Jaguar XK150 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XK150

Seiko SKX https://www.watchgecko.com/the-seiko-skx-diver-best-beater-watch/

Swatch https://www.instagram.com/p/BwPXNNvnIpP/

Geckota E-01 Generation 2 Exploration Watch https://www.geckota.com/geckota-e-01-generation2-automatic-watch

Geckota GMT Swiss Quartz https://www.geckota.com/geckota-g-02-swiss-quartz-40mm-gmt

Breitling Emergency https://www.breitling.com/us-en/emergency/

Grand Seiko https://www.grand-seiko.com/global-en/

Ming Watch https://ming.watch/

NOMOS Glashutte https://nomos-glashuette.com/en

Lange & Sohne https://www.alange-soehne.com/en/timepieces

If you could have one watch, no matter if it's real or not, which one would it be? Richard, Anthony, George and Martin came together for a round table chat to discuss their fantasy watches.

Follow us for more watch-related content and if you want to support our work, visit WatchGecko.com and buy your next watch strap from us!

Ah, the endless debate of Tudor vs Rolex. Much like iPhone vs Android there is always another side of the argument that comes to the table whenever this discussion arises; and it was no different here!

Sit back and enjoy the four regulars chatting about everything Rolex vs Tudor as we muscle in our opinions on this debate for the ages…

Show notes:

Tudor Black Bay 58 Blue https://www.watchgecko.com/introducing-the-tudor-black-bay-58-navy-blue/

I am Giannis Nike Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyxLKFDwwU4

Guiliano Alesi & FP Journe https://www.instagram.com/p/CCrDJs1hBqp/

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80244088

Breguet Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/breguet-tradition-automatique-seconde-retrograde-7097-boutique-edition-introducing

Yema Flygraf , Yema Rallye Andretti LE, Yema Rallye Andretti LE Video https://eu.yema.com/

Rado Golden Horse Automatic, Rado Captain Cook Bronze Blue, Rado Captain Cook Bronze Green https://www.rado.com/en_gb

Tudor Black Bay 58 https://www.watchgecko.com/the-tudor-black-bay-58-review/

Tudor Black Bay 41 https://www.watchgecko.com/the-tudor-black-bay-review/

Tudor Black Bay GMT https://www.watchgecko.com/tudor-black-bay-gmt-straps-review/

Here’s the thing. The country’s locking down, people are going to be spending more time at home and so they’re looking for more and better entertainment: watch-related or otherwise. And that’s inspired us to have a bit of a change of direction. As well as just talking into this podcast, we’re now going to start filming it: a bit like our very own, slightly dysfunctional, reality show. Yes, I know we mentioned this already last time. But honestly, we're definitely going to do it. Perhaps as soon as the next episode.

Those who just prefer to listen rather than look at us – and that would be an entirely understandable viewpoint – can continue to do so, but isn't it great that we’re also going to be stars of YouTube? So we’d obviously like to apologise to YouTube (and everyone else) in advance.

This new format means that we won’t be coming out every week, but instead every couple of weeks. And in a perfect piece of timing, we’ve decided to launch this radical new filming idea in the middle of a lockdown, when we can’t actually film anyone. What could possibly go wrong?

For our final fling in the current format, we’ve got Tom Williams as our special guest: rally star and Geckota brand ambassador. If you like getting dirty and sideways, he’s your man.

Tom Williams, our home grown rally star: http://www.tomwilliamsrally.com

Getting dirty: https://www.dirtgame.com/uk

Sir Stirling Moss’s gold watch bracelet, up for auction: https://www.silverstoneauctions.com/events/2020-auctions/the-nec-classic-live-online-auction/the-nec-classic-live-online-auction/the-sir-stirling-moss-obe-collection-saturday/the-solid-gold-twin-bar-watch-band-worn-by-stirling-moss-for-38-years

Jaeger LeCoultre alarm watch: http://www.vintage-watches-collection.com/watch/jaeger-lecoultre/jaeger-lecoultre-wrist-alarm-2nd-generation-1956/

Richard Burns’ Peugeot 205 at Goodwood: https://www.wrc.com/en/news/season-2020/wrc/burns----peugeot-stars-at-goodwood/

Fifty years of the TAG Heuer Monaco: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/fifty-years-of-monaco