Episode 28 - The World's Best Independent Watchmakers
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
- In this episode, joined by Michael Senderovich of the On Time Podcast, we discuss our favorite independent watchmakers! We define an independent as not only a watchmaker outside the typical fold of corporate ownership, but a watchmaker-led business not held down by its own traditions. Independent watchmakers can freely design avant garde pieces in small volume and sell them for extraordinary amounts of money. We explore Roger W. Smith, H. Moser, RGM, MB&F, Vianney Halter, Habring, and more in this episode.
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MB&F watches take the cake. What a true work of art. They break every mold against other brands. They have
my #1 Vote.
They aren’t the best in finishing or hand making parts but they are top 5 in terms of creativity for sure
An independent, from Japan I believe, named Masahiro Kikuno. There's a documentary on RUclips about him called "In Tune with Time". Pretty interesting, especially the movement he created for the Myriad Year Clock. Also the youngest member of the AHCI, the independent watchmakers group.
Loved this episode, you should definitely do a part 2!
Love this podcast!!!! Can you guys please do an episode that shows step-by-step how Cameron makes a Weiss watch, perhaps on-location in his shop? I would love to see the raw materials transform into the parts that are then assembled into the watch!!!!
Cameron, have any other US watch companies approached you about buying your movements for their watches?
Great episode guys. Lead to a few google searches and possibly a purchase! Also, received my Weiss strap changing tool while watching this episode, it looks great!
Thanks Matt!
Glad you guys finally got to the independents. It was a great overview, but I'd love to see a deep dive on a particular brand.
Me too! We will work to hopefully secure some timepieces to show as well.
TLGAuto Bow deep? 20atm?
You should check out Jaquet Droz. it's owned by the swatch group but the have some crazy designs like the charming bird
My favorite episode so far! Great job covering Sarpaneva and his astonishing relationship with the moon out there on the north pole. Very interesting man! For episode 2 don't forget to mention Alain Silberstein's funky creations. He is a fun gentleman to talk to too! His website could easily nominate in the "Let me upload a jpg and pretend there are links to it" category in the independents epic website award. Worth a click!
I also appreciate Cameron's modesty towards his own brand. Very nice personality and I learned a lot thanks to him. I would love to buy one of his creations but his sizes and designs are just not for me.
I friggin love this podcast! You guys are awesome
Check out Masahiro Kikuno's watches. His Wadokei Revisions are masterpieces!
Best watch videos out there. Love your work guys! Love the Talking Watches from Hodinkee, but your channel is now on my top of the list. Please continue
Habring2 is probably my favorite affordable independent at the moment. Really impressive stuff for the money.
Hacking seconds is not the same as foudroyante, guys (27:04). Hacking seconds can stop the seconds hand with a crown to accurately set the time, a foudroyante is a constantly running hand that (normally) spins around once every second, broken down into 1/6ths.. Loving the podcast, guys.. I need a watch channel with cussing and no snobbery !
I don't know if he's still active but Ludovic Ballouard has made some incredibly cool watches. He worked for Franck Muller and F.P. Journe before starting his own brand.
If you like the Sarpeneva, you need to get James from Black Badger on the show. He makes the SuperLuminova dials that make it shine like a torch and he has also worked with MB&F on their HMX. Cool guy worth chatting to.
some day I'll buy one of Cameron's watches
Enjoying the channel and the discussions, but would like to suggest using some audio compression to even out the levels. I turned up the volume to hear the soft trailing words in spots and had my head blown off when everyone suddenly pipes up loudly.
"$950....$250,000.......$950.......$250,000" Just having fun talking about a great topic, loved it!
Best, IC
MAN, I wish that Ressance type 1 moved like that on its own :D
There`s a winder on the back letting you move the complications from what I saw in other videos, but IMAGINE how awesome it would be if it moved like that all the time :o
Then make it a rattrapante lol
Don't forget Greubel Forsey...amazing stuff.
Really enjoyed this episode! It would be nice if you can talk a bit more about F.P. Journe next episode about independents since you only talked about him for 10 seconds here. And could you also talk about Masahiro Kikuno. And what book do you have on the table?
Mathias Mehari “Wrist Watch Handbook” by Ryan Schmidt. Excellent book.
Michael Senderovich Okay, thank you! Will read it
Matt’s favorite RGM model is also my favorite! 👍🏻
Really enjoyed the dive into some lesser know makers. Only name I was disappointed not to hear was Ochs Und Junior, as I would love for someone knowledgeable like Cameron to spend some time on how so few parts can enable such incredible complications
I really love what Ochs Und Junior does. That sounds like a great suggestion for an episode. We'll see what we can do.
ekul taylor they’re geniuses.
Awsome podcast. Check out Masahiro Kikuno. Cheers from Portugal.
Independent watch makers all the way, i think that next year Basel World will revolving around independent watchmakers and micro brands, as Swatch group will not be there next year. I think FP Journe, H Moser & Cie, Laurent Fleurie, and Parmigiani Fleurier are the top of the top when talking about independent watch makers. Grönefeld, MB&F, Resounce, Ressence and Czpak are worth mentions.
Agreed
Abdul Rahman Abdel Razek that may be a good way to save Basel.
Hey guys, thanks for this episode. Was actually hoping you would do this episode. Wondering if you guys will review Bremont. Really interested what you guys think of Bremont.
puck971 yes I spoke with the CEO of Bremont who will be coming in studio in person the next time he is passing through LA
With some of these independent watchmakers its more like buying a painting or sculpture. Like Cameron said you are buying the artist so in the future the value may go up based on their reputation over time.
Habring developed the IWC Doppel Chronograph (split chrono) and then went out on his own.
Roger Smith has his own YT channel with some really cool stuff on it rwsmithwatches his latest addition is a 30min profile about George Daniels (from the 1970s). Lovely!
Do a show on the history of American watchmaking. Hamilton, Elgin, Waltham, Keystone, E. Howard. Also ever one likes a good fusee
I second that!
"ever one"?
Fjols, hehe..
xD
I wish you would have had more of these style of watches to put under the camera in this episode. Michael has a pretty cool personality. I'm going to have to check out his podcast. Bring him back but with more watches. Where's that Craniotes guy? Bring him back too. And go find Ben Clymer. I bet he has some great shit to show off.
We are definitely working on getting more watches from independent watchmakers for future episodes, but they are very challenging to find.
toastedtiresify thanks for the kind words.
Cameron Weiss What's funny is when I think Indy, I think of cheaper watches usually. Yeah. I imagine getting independent watches of a certain value is rare for multiple reasons. Like it's a rare product with an equally rare buyer. Love the show btw. Keep them coming please and thank you.
I would be up for supporting independent watchmakers if they were more affordable
Plenty are you just need to be ok with Seiko, miyota and entry level swiss movements. I have a phoibos that's an independent chinese, getting a spectre phantom 2 in October that's using an entry level fossil STP1-11 movement. Both are well under 1000 combined. And theres a ton more. Getting special movements or complications will probably not happen at the cheap end
Nothing and noone indepentent is affordable, low volume+high quality=high cost, just a fact of life ;)
U are showing a $30k watch
(at 7-8mins) it's not a $500k watch
Hey Matt, don't know if you've heard but Tim Mosso from Watchbox has addressed you in one of their videos, saying they can sponsor you much better than Crown and Caliber can :)
Luciole Dizerot never heard of he guy. I say put up or shut up. I have a 50-episode deal with Crown and Caliber and they are lovely people with a large supply of watches to lend us.
Would you people consider FORTIS an independent watchmaker??? I love the brand.
You forgot to mention Speake-Marin. 👍🏻
6:56 that’s what she said
Fun fact: Rodger Smith doesn’t own one of his own watches. He makes them in such low numbers he decided he can’t take the time to make one for himself!
Right! Many of the really high end independents can't justify holding on to a piece for themselves. When the timepiece is hundreds of thousands of dollars and the wait list is growing, it's hard (and maybe impossible) to keep one.
He probably had to make one for his wife. I know that George Daniels did one for his wife....it's the only ladies watch he ever made!
scuba453 more than likely! He did a video interview with Hodinkee and said his daily watch is a Rolex Explorer 1, which his wife got him for his 40th birthday. If that isn’t a seal of approval, I don’t know what is!
I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing him and writing a piece on him. He’s a very humble and genuine guy. He travels and meets fans/clients periodically. You can email them to see if he will be in your area. If you have a chance to meet him, i would highly recommend spending a few minutes with him. Very interesting gentlemen.
Cull Obsidian saw that on the HODINKEE TW with him
You guys left out Urwerk - One of the greatest independents out there!!!!
yeah those guys are awesome. Next Independent episode for sure.
Avi Bernstein, MD take a look at Barrel Hand watches. Felix Baumgartner’s protege. Felix personally sat down with him. Similar to the Daniels’s, Smith story. Cheers.
Are Parmigiani Fleurier considered an independent? I love that brand.
Yes. And they are AWESOME!!!!!!!!
Parmigiani Fleurier is part of a larger corporate group that manufactures watches and components for many other brands too. It allows them to be fully vertically integrated making almost all of their components of each watch. So yes, Parmigiani Fleurier is independent from other watch brands, but they do have a large corporate structure behind them with many people holding ownership.
Thanks for the reply John Doe and Cameron Weiss. Cameron, may I ask what your opinion is of the Parmigiani brand?
I really like Parmigiani Fleurier a lot and I think they are doing great things to support a strong future for watchmaking in Switzerland.
Great to hear :) Thanks for the feedback.
A lot of these watchmakers look too gaudy for me. Who are the independents that make simple and elegant watches, like a time only A. Lange & Sohne? The most beautiful watch I've ever seen is the Credor Eichi ll with Ruri blue dial. It is my grail watch.
Sarpaneva watches: "These watches are not created for everyone. They are exceptional timepieces intended for exceptional people". What a pretentious fu...
Haha weird how somehow chihuly is brought up. My sister trained under him a bit
don't be in an anti russian mood, matt, most of us are quite alright
I`d take russia over america any day.. At least they won`t give polio to children under the guise of vaccination, put troops all over the world for money, and invent wars while training terrorists and destabilizing entire regions (also for money) having a population thinking they`re "nr.1" voting for a goat like trump.. Average IQ of FIVE, sheep.
Some of them think we ride polar bears to school smfh..
Sorry about the rant, but those people should shut the fuck up about other countries.
привет из Норвегии!
Jan Christian Frodahl the US doesn’t give polio to children dumbass.
Philip Defour makes every part himself by hand he does not order parts from anyone. How does Weiss not know that?
joseph miller the simplicity is based on a JLC caliber. He does not produce is own hairsprings, among other parts. Roger Smith and possibly a couple of other watchmakers are that vertical. Smith uses the Daniels method and still has parts suppliers.
If you like independents you need to check out TickTocking...he only reviews the best of the best.
scuba453 Steve knows his stuff. Great Rec.
Doesn't even know about Smith or Dufour ......
and he asks if Breguet was a real person ....
Was there a breguet person? Stopped listening right there.
There’s was a Karl Benz person?
You missed a really interesting podcast, but I guess being so in the know is more important
First
That's what he always says at home :p
H. Moser is an independent and the original watchmaker is no longer alive.
I stopped watching a couple of episodes back. Don’t get me wrong, Matt is a great host and Cam is a wealth of knowledge...but I have no interest in low-tier, no-heritage watches.