Lonely Wrist: All Things Watches & Horology

Hosted by Lonely Wrist

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Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Lonely Wrist is a podcast that goes inside the movement, bringing you inside the world of watches through candid conversations with the people who drive it forward. Each episode features in-depth interviews with industry insiders including Executives, master watchmakers, designers, collectors, content creators, and historians offering rare insights into the passion, precision, and business behind every timepiece. From legacy brands to innovative microbrands, from movement architecture to marketing strategy, we explore the many layers of horology through the voices of those shaping its past, present, and future. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just beginning your journey into watches, Lonely Wrist offers a unique perspective on the artistry, culture, and the industry of watches, one episode, and one insider, at a time. Tune in bi-weekly and hear the stories ticking behind every Lonely Wrist .

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60 recent

November 10, 2026Episode 831 hr 7 min

Roy Davidoff Explains What Makes Vintage Watch Worth Buying

“Vintage” can mean soulful history or expensive regret, sometimes in the same watch. We’re joined by Roy Davidoff, legendary collector and co-founder of Roy and Sacha Davidoff in Geneva, to talk through what actually separates a great vintage watch from a problem hiding in plain sight. Roy grew up around high jewelry and rare gemstones, and that background gives him a ruthless, practical eye for surfaces, finishing, and the subtle tells that scream originality (or restoration) on everything from an Omega Speedmaster to a vintage Rolex or Cartier. We dig into Roy’s non-negotiables on condition, including why he’ll live with certain case work but refuses to compromise on dials. He breaks down patina vs damage with clear, visual language, from lume that ages beautifully to moisture and mildew that should never be romanticized. We also get real about servicing vintage watches: why “perfect accuracy” is the wrong goal, why brand service centers can be dangerous for originality, and what it means to trust a watchmaker who works carefully without a safety net. Then we zoom out to the vintage watch market. Roy shares what gets messy fast (provenance, dial swaps, missing archives), why dress watches can be more straightforward than some sports references, and how auctions and billionaire demand warp public price expectations. If you’ve ever wondered how dealers price watches with few comps, what ethical dealing looks like, or how to build a collection with a real budget, this conversation delivers. If you enjoy it, subscribe, share this with a watch friend, and leave a review so more collectors can find the show. Check out Roy and Sacha's Website Here: https://www.db1983.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

October 27, 2026Episode 821 hr 11 min

A Patent, A Bezel, And The Leap Into Independence with Mount West Watch Co.

A lot of watch talk stays on the surface: specs, hype, and wrist shots. We go the other direction. I sit down with Drew, the founder of Mount West Watch Co, to trace the full, messy path from being a long-time enthusiast to launching an independent American watch brand inspired by Utah and the rugged landscapes of the American West. We get into how Mount West’s debut collection, The Summit, was designed from the bezel outward, not the other way around. Drew breaks down his proprietary dual unidirectional bezel system, why he pursued a patent, and what happens when you put a genuinely new mechanism in front of collectors who think they’ve seen it all. We also talk real-world design decisions that matter for daily wear: a 39mm case that stays under 12mm thick, 200m water resistance, sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown, heavy lume, and the choice to start with a Swiss Sellita SW200 for credibility and serviceability. Then we hit the hard parts most brands don’t share: prototypes that broke, friends who stress-tested parts until failure, manufacturing tolerances, protecting IP, and the economic reality of pricing a watch around $1,450 in a market squeezed between entry-level buyers and status-driven luxury. Drew explains why an upcoming, more accessible model matters, why he wants to bring bezel production closer to home over time, and how special editions like the Summit Medic tie the brand to giving back and honoring people who do difficult work. If you care about independent watchmaking, watch innovation, and what it actually takes to ship something new, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves watches, and leave a review so more builders like Drew get heard. Check out Mount West Watch Co: https://mountwestwatchco.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

September 15, 2026Episode 811 hr 5 min

Gabe Oppenheim on How America Lost The Mechanical Time Race

Swiss watchmaking didn’t “naturally” become the gold standard. It got engineered. We sit down with journalist and author Gabe Oppenheim (Borrowed Time) to follow the paper trail behind the Swiss watch industry’s rise and the American collapse most collectors barely hear about. Once you see the mechanics of power behind the marketing, the words on the dial start to mean something different. We start with the forgotten high point of American watchmaking, when Waltham and Elgin showcase industrial precision that shocks Switzerland at the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition. Then Gabe walks us into the Swiss National Archives, where government involvement shows up again and again in brand-level problems, export strategy, counterfeiting pressure, and even geopolitical moments like Olympic timing. The story is less “heritage” and more industrial policy, trade leverage, and coordination across an entire ecosystem. From there, we unpack how parts dependence becomes a trap for U.S. companies, why tariffs arrive too late to matter, and what gets permanently lost when factory knowledge and quality control vanish within a generation. We also dig into what “Swiss Made” actually means as a legal definition, why it changed, and how modern supply chains complicate authenticity. Finally, we connect the history to today’s reality of high precision clone movements from China, including Dandong, Hong Kong counterfeiting, Shenzhen’s tech rise, and intentional knowledge transfer. If you care about horology, watch movements, and the real forces shaping the watches you buy, this conversation will sharpen your eye. Subscribe for more, share this with a watch friend, and leave a review with the biggest assumption this episode challenged for you. Get your Copy Here: https://link.amazon/B02vHAvh4 Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

September 1, 2026Episode 8057 min

Benoît Mintiens: How Ressence Is Rethinking the Wristwatch

A mechanical watch that reads like a screen sounds like a contradiction until you hear how Ressence pulls it off. I’m joined by Benoît Mintiens, the founder and CEO of Ressence, a brand famous for doing the things most watch companies won’t touch: no hands, no crown, rotating disc displays, and oil-filled dials that seem to float on the crystal. Benoît explains how an industrial design background (trains, aircraft cabins, medical devices) reshaped his view of watchmaking. We talk about the “mechanical screen” philosophy, why flat 2D information is easier for the human eye, and how the ROCS module keeps familiar time-reading patterns while rebuilding the mechanics underneath. Then we get technical on the Type 3: splitting the watch into air and oil sections, using magnetic transmission to avoid leaks, and why an oil temperature gauge and bellows system are essential engineering, not decoration. We also go behind the scenes on what it takes to stay independent: building a high-complexity Belgian watch brand without Swiss infrastructure, fighting for supplier capacity against mega-groups, protecting long-term service and resale value, and why cash flow can be the biggest design constraint of all. If you love independent watchmaking, modern horology, and product design thinking applied to timekeeping, this one goes deep. If you enjoyed the conversation, subscribe, share it with a fellow watch nerd, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the most user-friendly watch you’ve ever worn? Checkout Ressence online: https://ressencewatches.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

August 18, 2026Episode 791 hr 14 min

How Luxury Watch Videos Get Made with Nolan Shi

Your watch looks incredible in hand, so why does it fall flat on camera? That gap is where luxury watch photographer and videographer Nolan Shi lives. Nolan is based in New York and has quietly become the person behind the kind of watch imagery you’ve probably double tapped without knowing who shot it. We talk about how he went from acting and commercial production to filming vintage watches, then quickly leveling up to some of the most expensive, unforgiving pieces you can put under lights. We get nerdy and practical about luxury watch videography: why dust is a full-time enemy when you’re working with thousands of frames, how reflections behave on polished cases and domed crystals, and what actually helps (big diffusion, circular polarizers, even cross-polarization). Nolan also shares the small decisions that make a watch feel alive, like letting a chronograph run, embracing controlled shadows, and keeping the crystal looking real instead of “perfect.” Then we zoom out to the watch content marketing side. Clients often bring AI or 3D render references that create impossible expectations, and Nolan explains how he protects his style, prices his time, and turns down briefs that don’t fit a brand’s identity. We also talk gear without the hype: why 4K is enough, what lenses he actually relies on, the motion tools he can’t live without, and whether a robot arm is worth it. Plus, he hints at what’s next: a microbrand and a beginner-friendly masterclass for creators. Subscribe for more insider conversations, share this with a friend who shoots watches, and leave a review if you want more deep dives like this. What’s the hardest part of filming a watch for you: dust, reflections, or getting smooth motion? Follow Nolan here: https://www.instagram.com/nolanshi.himself/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

August 5, 2026Episode 7848 min

How Oris Supports the Watch Community with VJ Geronimo

Luxury watch talk gets weird fast: more hype, more ego, higher prices, and somehow less clarity. We wanted the opposite, so we sat down with VJ, CEO of Oris Americas, to hear what it actually feels like to lead one of the last truly independent Swiss watch brands while still chasing real growth in the United States. His story starts far from the usual “born a collector” path, moving from accounting to the watch world, then market research, and eventually into running Oris across the Americas. That mix of numbers and real-world experience shapes the way he leads: data helps, but relationships and trust decide everything. We dig into what independence unlocks, from the freedom to think long term to the “luxury of common sense” in everyday decisions. VJ explains why Oris can build everything from playful collaborations to serious mechanical tool watches without asking permission from a parent group. We also get the backstory behind Oris staying mechanical only, and why that commitment is more than a slogan. If you care about Swiss mechanical watches, brand identity, and product strategy that doesn’t feel copy-pasted, you’ll hear a lot to chew on. Then we go deeper on what collectors actually feel: community and value. VJ talks about Oris Social Club energy, the Wandering Watch project, and why listening matters more than buzzwords. We also unpack responsible pricing, why Oris avoids celebrity ambassador costs, and how initiatives like Change for Better and the Aquis Upcycle fit into a conservation-first approach with real partners. If this conversation helps you see the watch industry more clearly, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What’s the one thing a watch brand could do to earn your trust? Checkout Oris Http://oris.ch Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

July 21, 2026Episode 771 hr 19 min

A Trademark Fight With Pirelli Forced A Brand Reinvention with Brent of Serket Watch Co.

A global tire company nearly ends a watch brand before it even begins, and somehow that becomes the origin story. I’m joined by Brent Fedrizzi, founder of Serket Watch Company, to talk about what it actually looks like to build an independent watch brand from scratch, stay small on purpose, and still put genuinely compelling watches on wrists. We get into the early days of direct-to-consumer microbrand watches before social media, the first Scorpion-branded run, and the jaw-dropping moment Brent receives legal pressure tied to Pirelli’s “Scorpion” trademark. From there, we unpack the pivot to Serket, the Egyptian mythology connection, and how brand identity can survive a forced reset if the product and the values are real. Then we go behind the curtain on watchmaking realities: supply chain delays, minimum order quantities, the constant trade-offs between “Swiss made” and practical value, and why movement choice matters for long-term serviceability. We talk ETA 2824, Sellita SW200, and everyday workhorses like the NH35, plus what after-sales support looks like when the “company” is one person who still gets excited to ship watches from the post office. If you care about independent watch brands, microbrand pricing, design process, and building trust without hype, you’ll get a lot out of this one. Subscribe for more, share it with a watch friend, and leave a review telling us your favorite under-the-radar brand. Checkout Serket Watch Company: https://serketwatch.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

July 8, 2026Episode 762 hr 15 min

How Emerton Scott Builds Big Value Watches with Scott Lancaster

Rolex waitlists, microbrand value, and what “great design” actually looks like when you live with a watch every day. That’s where this conversation goes with Scott Lancaster, the founder of Emerton Scott, an independent brand that started years ago, detoured through branding and marketing work, and came roaring back with a clear mission: build watches that punch above their weight and celebrate the human spirit behind the grind. We get practical about the stuff enthusiasts care about but brands rarely explain well: why seeing a watch in person beats spec sheets, how events like Wind Up can make or break a launch, and what changes a watch from “nice online” to “invisible on wrist” in the best way. Scott breaks down the unglamorous work too, from years of prototyping to supplier drama that forced him to fly out and handle packaging and shipping himself. We also talk details that quietly separate a serious everyday watch from a shiny toy, like finishing choices that age well and bracelet engineering that makes comfort the default. Then we zoom out into the business side: the marketing funnel, why organic content builds trust, how paid ads can inflate prices, and why Kickstarter fees can wreck already-thin margins for microbrands. Finally, we dig into the Rolex ecosystem, how scarcity and AD behavior shape customer experience, and why more enthusiasts are saying “no thanks” even when they can afford the watch. If you’re into independent watch brands, watch design, microbrand marketing, and the real economics behind “value,” you’ll want to hear this one. Subscribe, share it with a watch friend, and leave a review if the conversation hits home. What brand has earned your trust lately, and why? Checkout Emerton Scott and Scott's Social Media: https://emertonscott.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thescottlancaster/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

June 25, 2026Episode 751 hr 13 min

How Ikepod & Klokers Returned From Bankruptcy With Christian-Louis Col

He fell in love with Ikepod in 1990s Paris. Years later, he didn’t just buy a watch, he bought the brand. Christian-Louis Col joins us to tell the unfiltered story of reviving Ikepod after bankruptcy: what you actually get when you acquire a “dead” Swiss watch brand, what’s missing when there are no archives, and why rebuilding trust means more than a new logo and a press release. We get into the real mechanics behind the comeback, from service challenges and sourcing parts to the controversial decision to bring Ikepod back with accessible quartz watches that still respect the original design language. Christian-Louis explains how he thinks about Ikepod as a design brand, why the integrated strap and ergonomic UFO case shape are non-negotiable, and how he works with designers without turning icons into copies. If you care about independent watchmaking, concept watches, and what makes collectors obsess, this conversation is packed with practical insight. Then we pivot to his second rescue mission: Klokers. We talk about buying the brand out of liquidation, why the rotating disk display and clip system are such compelling IP, and what it takes to re-engineer a design watch so it can survive real life. We close on legacy, pressure, and what “winning” looks like over the next 5 to 10 years when your goal is to save ideas worth keeping. If you enjoyed this, subscribe, share it with a watch friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Check out Ikepod and Klokers: https://ikepod.com/en/ https://www.klokers.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

June 10, 2026Episode 741 hr 4 min

Perri Dash on How Taste And Craft Turn Objects Into Culture

A watch can be a flex, a tool, or a tiny machine that marks time, but that’s not why it stays with us. Perry Dash joins me to get under the surface of modern watch culture and enthusiast life, where a piece of steel can turn into a memory, a personal ritual, and a signal of who you are. We talk about the path that starts with aesthetics and quickly becomes storytelling: who made the thing, what it meant in its era, and why that meaning still lands today. We also challenge the lazy definition of luxury as “high price.” Perry lays out a more useful frame: luxury as elevation, backed by culture, craft, and tradition. That takes us from vintage watches and the romance of heritage to how products become cultural icons. Think Air Jordan 1s as ephemera, not sneakers, and the way horology, design, and history can multiply an object’s usefulness into something bigger than function. Then we get into the modern problem: algorithms, hype culture, fast trends, and the pressure to want what everyone else wants. Perry shares how he protects his taste by experimenting, learning what actually resonates, and remembering you don’t have to own everything to love it. We also talk about what brands still miss: community, hospitality, and the stewardship that makes newcomers feel like they belong. If you care about watch collecting, vintage watches, craftsmanship, niche media, and building real community around shared passions, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s deep in the hobby, and leave a review with the one object that holds the most meaning for you. Checkout Perri on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perridash Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/support Visit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.com Watch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com 100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here

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