Aug. 25, 2026
021: Category Kings and the James Cameron Grail with Christopher Lochhead (Part 2)
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In part two of this deep dive, Christopher Lochhead joins David to explore the evolution of watch collecting in a world dominated by smart technology. Christopher shares his stance on why "hell will freeze over" before an Apple Watch replaces the mechanical piece on his left wrist and how he uses AI tools like ChatGPT to research his next major acquisitions. They discuss the "new child dilemma" of balancing a nine piece collection and take a detailed look at some heavy hitters, including the historical Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the rugged Marathon GSAR, and the white gold "Dark Knight" Yacht Master. Christopher also reveals the secret behind his "Frankenstein" Daytona, explaining how a savvy modification allowed him to capture the spirit of a six figure platinum grail for a fraction of the cost while emphasizing that the best collections are built on personal joy rather than corporate hype.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – The Lost Art of Watch Spotting
-
Christopher explains why mechanical watches have become a rare signal in a world where smartwatches dominate the market.
-
Why he views the Apple Watch as a great wellness tool for his mother but a non-starter for his own left wrist.
01:46 – Finding Your Online Tribe
-
A look at the "Watches, Travels, and Adventures" Facebook group and the importance of finding community outside of bots.
-
How to identify "real people" in the digital space who cheer on your collection rather than being critical or shitty.
06:14 – The Famous Scott White
-
Meeting the most famous watch collector on Facebook and his legendary "fashionista" modifications.
-
Exploring how custom dials, bezels, and straps turn a standard Rolex into a personal work of art.
11:35 – Building a Collection with AI
-
Christopher shares his tactical approach to using ChatGPT to research the pros and cons of pieces like the Batman GMT.
-
The "new child dilemma" where falling in love with a new watch inevitably leads to wearing your old favorites less.
14:31 – The Fifty Fathoms and the $3,000 Bracelet
-
A history lesson on the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms as the first true professional dive watch to ever ship.
-
Why Christopher spent thousands to swap a hated sailcloth strap for what he calls the most comfortable sports bracelet in existence.
20:45 – The Official U.S. Military Beater
-
The rugged lore of the Marathon GSAR and its status as the only mechanical watch currently contracted by the military.
-
Why this $1,500 workhorse is the ultimate under-the-radar tool that you can wear with anything from a wetsuit to a tuxedo.
22:47 – The Dark Knight Yacht Master
-
Exploring the clean, sexy aesthetic of the white gold Yacht Master 42 on an Oysterflex strap.
-
How the sliding extension mechanism allows for a perfect fit without the need for any tools during international travel.
27:54 – The Frankenstein Platona
-
The story of modifying a black dial Daytona to mimic the look of a legendary $200,000 platinum grail.
-
Why Christopher prefers to have 90 percent of the fun for 10 percent of the price while keeping his "Frankenstein" watch a genuine Rolex.
30:21 – The Lightning Round
-
Christopher breaks down why he would rather have five awesome watches over one singular Patek Philippe.
-
A surprising turn toward the beauty of all-gold Rolexes and the potential for a vintage piece in his near future.
36:18 – Parting Words of Wisdom
-
Why the best watch in the world is the one that makes you feel awesome every time you look at it.
-
Final advice for beginners on investing in quality and never trying to make one single watch do everything.
You do not need to spend two hundred thousand dollars to own a watch that tells a legendary story.
==========
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WEBVTT
NOTE
This file was generated by Descript
00:00:00.056 --> 00:00:03.816
Christopher: Even if you like watches
that are very similar in a theme, in
00:00:03.816 --> 00:00:08.026
a category, mine are dive and tool
watches, don't try to buy a watch
00:00:08.036 --> 00:00:09.785
that does everything every time.
00:00:09.815 --> 00:00:15.216
David: Welcome to Watch Smarts, where
smart people get smarter about watches.
00:00:15.466 --> 00:00:16.826
I'm your host, David Newman.
00:00:17.046 --> 00:00:18.275
Let's jump right in.
00:00:29.696 --> 00:00:32.586
Earlier, right before we flipped
on the mics, Christopher, you,
00:00:32.586 --> 00:00:39.656
you said, "Guys like us need a
place to talk about watches."
00:00:39.696 --> 00:00:40.056
Christopher: Yeah.
00:00:40.086 --> 00:00:43.795
David: Like, like, watches need a
community- Yes … to be like…
00:00:43.796 --> 00:00:45.826
And, and so share more about that.
00:00:45.945 --> 00:00:51.755
Christopher: So since I, you know, this
is my 2.0 watch run, and I think I'm
00:00:51.775 --> 00:00:55.675
on it now for life, um, but we'll talk
about collection building if you want.
00:00:55.705 --> 00:00:58.206
It's kind of an interesting
dilemma that's kind of one of the
00:00:58.206 --> 00:00:59.355
greatest first-world problems.
00:01:00.005 --> 00:01:03.025
But we now live in a world where
nobody gives a about watches.
00:01:03.675 --> 00:01:06.035
You know, when I first started buying
watches, people noticed watches.
00:01:06.085 --> 00:01:10.726
Everybody in business, 'cause I was an
entrepreneur at 18, wore nice watches
00:01:10.736 --> 00:01:12.875
or, or, you know, some kind of a watch.
00:01:13.725 --> 00:01:16.046
Today there's a lot of people of
course, who don't wear a watch.
00:01:16.605 --> 00:01:17.715
You don't need to wear a watch.
00:01:17.716 --> 00:01:21.395
Your phone tells you what time it is, and
most of us always have our phones with us.
00:01:22.076 --> 00:01:25.465
And of course the Apple Watch
is roughly f- half of the entire
00:01:25.466 --> 00:01:27.605
watch market now, the smartwatch.
00:01:28.205 --> 00:01:32.155
And so most people are wearing no
watch or an Apple Watch or some other
00:01:32.155 --> 00:01:35.355
smartwatch, so nobody really even
notices or gives a fuck anymore.
00:01:35.665 --> 00:01:36.565
That's a bummer for me.
00:01:37.345 --> 00:01:40.985
I, I don't care about the noticing part,
but, like, I w- I was on a plane yesterday
00:01:41.555 --> 00:01:48.385
and there was a young couple sitting next
to me, and the husband or boyfriend had on
00:01:48.425 --> 00:01:52.505
a, uh, Datejust, like, just like my dad's,
but with a bl- with a black face, not the
00:01:52.506 --> 00:01:54.685
blue face, and it looked great on him.
00:01:54.686 --> 00:01:57.435
I don't know how old
he was, late 20s maybe.
00:01:57.616 --> 00:02:00.205
Wonderful looking young couple,
very friendly, very nice.
00:02:00.885 --> 00:02:05.115
And at the end of the flight I said
to him, "Hey, man, thanks for wearing
00:02:05.116 --> 00:02:09.195
a real watch." And look, I get all
the benefits of an Apple Watch.
00:02:09.225 --> 00:02:10.775
My mother turns 80 this year.
00:02:10.775 --> 00:02:12.056
I bought her an Apple Watch.
00:02:12.065 --> 00:02:15.075
There's incredible features in
there for your wellbeing, one in
00:02:15.076 --> 00:02:16.405
particular for somebody her age.
00:02:16.415 --> 00:02:20.705
If you fall down and it can't reach
you for a minute, it dials 911.
00:02:20.735 --> 00:02:21.666
It calls me.
00:02:22.006 --> 00:02:25.016
You know, there's incredible
benefits to some of this technology,
00:02:25.016 --> 00:02:26.216
so I'm not on any of that.
00:02:26.225 --> 00:02:27.265
I'm a technology guy.
00:02:27.305 --> 00:02:31.565
I've spent 40 years building technology
categories, companies, and products.
00:02:31.905 --> 00:02:38.165
And hell will freeze over
before I replace with that.
00:02:38.355 --> 00:02:42.726
Will there be a day that I might consider
wearing one on my right arm for going to
00:02:42.726 --> 00:02:44.915
the gym or sleep or some other things?
00:02:45.745 --> 00:02:46.185
Maybe.
00:02:46.775 --> 00:02:52.506
But, uh, you are not going to find
an Apple Watch on my left wrist, NFW.
00:02:53.065 --> 00:02:54.035
My wife has one.
00:02:54.035 --> 00:02:55.595
She lo- everybody, they all love it.
00:02:55.605 --> 00:02:56.176
Not me.
00:02:56.196 --> 00:02:56.805
Not doing it.
00:02:56.806 --> 00:02:56.936
Yeah.
00:02:56.936 --> 00:02:58.305
I, I'm, I'm old school.
00:02:58.306 --> 00:02:59.276
I'm gonna stay old school.
00:02:59.295 --> 00:03:00.225
I appreciate the tech.
00:03:00.905 --> 00:03:05.385
And so to get back to your question,
Dave, since I started buying watches-
00:03:06.358 --> 00:03:09.228
We've gone from a world where everybody
had one, was something that people
00:03:09.228 --> 00:03:13.028
did notice and talk about to virtually
nobody even notices, never mind
00:03:13.028 --> 00:03:14.358
ever says anything to you about it.
00:03:14.877 --> 00:03:20.418
So those of us who love watches,
we now don't get to talk to
00:03:20.418 --> 00:03:24.007
people in the IRL about watches
'cause nobody's paying attention.
00:03:24.408 --> 00:03:28.028
So if you wanna get into it and you
wanna share your collection, you wanna
00:03:28.028 --> 00:03:31.808
see other folks' collection, you wanna
talk about watches, you wanna talk
00:03:31.818 --> 00:03:36.697
about which watch did you take when
you went to, you know, Brazil or,
00:03:36.697 --> 00:03:39.537
you know, all the stuff that people
who wear watches like to talk about.
00:03:40.237 --> 00:03:42.327
You know, the wrist shot of the day-
00:03:42.847 --> 00:03:43.448
David: Oh, yes
00:03:43.478 --> 00:03:44.647
Christopher: this is a thing we do.
00:03:44.658 --> 00:03:44.687
Oh, yeah.
00:03:45.117 --> 00:03:48.588
And so we like to share photos,
we like to share stories.
00:03:48.647 --> 00:03:50.507
Of course, we all have questions.
00:03:50.947 --> 00:03:54.427
Right now I'm wearing a Blancpain, which
we can talk about, the Fifty Fathoms.
00:03:54.908 --> 00:03:58.402
And when I was thinking about
buying that watch- I talked to
00:03:58.402 --> 00:04:00.031
guys online who had the watch.
00:04:00.031 --> 00:04:02.101
I asked all kinds of
questions about the watch.
00:04:02.341 --> 00:04:05.332
I hadn't s- I bought it having
never seen one in the wild.
00:04:05.911 --> 00:04:06.591
David: Really?
00:04:06.591 --> 00:04:09.052
Christopher: Yeah, I'd never seen a
Blancpain in the wild, and I bought it.
00:04:09.571 --> 00:04:10.802
And boy, am I glad I did.
00:04:10.821 --> 00:04:16.121
And, and so all of those kinds of things,
sharing watches, talking about watches,
00:04:16.461 --> 00:04:19.531
talking about watch decisions, what
should I wear, what should I buy, what
00:04:19.531 --> 00:04:23.301
should I sell, y- you know, what do you
think of my collect- All these crazy
00:04:23.301 --> 00:04:26.591
things that make no sense to anybody
else, nor should they, by the way.
00:04:27.001 --> 00:04:27.361
David: Yeah.
00:04:27.711 --> 00:04:31.281
Christopher: But collectors of things
and people who enjoy certain kinds of
00:04:31.282 --> 00:04:35.461
things, uh, we like to hang out with
each other and, and in, because in the
00:04:35.461 --> 00:04:39.871
IRL, there's very few people who care
about this stuff, we go to online.
00:04:40.001 --> 00:04:45.642
And if you can find an online group that's
really good that is not full of fake bots
00:04:45.931 --> 00:04:52.301
trying to get you to invest in some fake
crypto bullin Qualalala Ding Dong to sell
00:04:52.301 --> 00:04:57.062
you, you know, cha- fake Rollies and all,
i- if you can get outside of that, and
00:04:57.062 --> 00:05:02.051
there's a lot of that, and find a, a watch
group online, uh, a Facebook group, a
00:05:02.052 --> 00:05:03.841
Reddit group, whatever, whatever you like.
00:05:03.931 --> 00:05:06.751
David: What are some of your favorite
groups that you like to hang out in,
00:05:06.751 --> 00:05:10.532
or that you, that you sometimes go
to for some of these conversations?
00:05:10.622 --> 00:05:12.941
Christopher: Yeah, so I'm
gonna pull this one up.
00:05:12.972 --> 00:05:14.181
It's brand new.
00:05:14.582 --> 00:05:20.941
This guy just created it not long ago, and
he and I … I, I don't know this person.
00:05:21.012 --> 00:05:22.412
He lives in New Jersey.
00:05:22.751 --> 00:05:24.071
He's a big-time watch guy.
00:05:24.082 --> 00:05:27.011
He travels like crazy for business.
00:05:27.641 --> 00:05:31.061
And I think it's called
Watches, Travels and Adventures.
00:05:31.061 --> 00:05:34.141
Or it's, if it's not that,
it's very close to that.
00:05:34.171 --> 00:05:36.271
Let me see if I can get the exact-
00:05:36.321 --> 00:05:37.591
David: And that's a Facebook group?
00:05:37.611 --> 00:05:38.971
Christopher: That's a Facebook group.
00:05:39.431 --> 00:05:45.011
Yeah, it's called Watches, Travels and
Adventures, and it's a brand-new Facebook
00:05:45.041 --> 00:05:50.211
group, and at least so far, this group
appears to have real people in it.
00:05:51.152 --> 00:05:51.491
David: Hmm.
00:05:51.841 --> 00:05:53.281
It's very small right now, Chris,
00:05:53.431 --> 00:05:53.671
Christopher: right?
00:05:53.671 --> 00:05:54.341
It's very, very small.
00:05:54.451 --> 00:05:54.631
Okay.
00:05:54.631 --> 00:05:55.261
Very small.
00:05:55.851 --> 00:06:00.371
And you know they're real people because,
uh, first of all, nobody's tried to do
00:06:00.371 --> 00:06:04.331
anything stupid since the, the, the, the
nickname the guy goes by is Scarsome.
00:06:04.351 --> 00:06:05.471
I don't know what his real name is.
00:06:05.481 --> 00:06:10.502
It's clearly not his real name, and he's
clearly protecting his- identity, which
00:06:10.502 --> 00:06:12.412
is fine, but he seems like a real person.
00:06:12.442 --> 00:06:17.812
Anyway, the guys on here, and there's a
few gals as well, they seem very real and
00:06:18.032 --> 00:06:22.472
everybody's just, you know, enthusiastic
about watches and cheering each other on.
00:06:22.472 --> 00:06:26.941
And he's also, this guy travels
a ton, and so a lot of the photos
00:06:26.941 --> 00:06:30.641
are, you know, I'm, I'm in Dubai
and I'm in Singapore or I'm in- How
00:06:30.642 --> 00:06:31.342
David: about that?
00:06:31.351 --> 00:06:32.912
Christopher: Wisconsin
or wherever it is, right?
00:06:32.912 --> 00:06:34.851
So there's just something
fun about that group.
00:06:35.502 --> 00:06:37.392
You know, there's a whole
bunch of other Rolex groups.
00:06:37.402 --> 00:06:39.381
The Rolex GMT group is pretty good.
00:06:39.642 --> 00:06:42.821
David: Do they talk about other watches
there too, or just purely Rolex?
00:06:43.301 --> 00:06:44.792
Christopher: Uh, mostly Rolex.
00:06:46.722 --> 00:06:46.752
Sure.
00:06:46.752 --> 00:06:46.961
That makes sense.
00:06:46.961 --> 00:06:50.512
And the Rolex groups, there's a, there's
Rolex bigotry, uh, members of the Rolex
00:06:50.521 --> 00:06:55.602
Sea-Dweller group because the, the JC
is part of, uh, the Sea-Dweller line.
00:06:55.801 --> 00:06:58.681
And so it's just fun to see where,
where guys are and what they're
00:06:58.681 --> 00:07:02.501
doing and, y- you know, some, some
folks are incredible photographers.
00:07:02.951 --> 00:07:05.321
There's a guy that's in
all of these watch groups.
00:07:05.391 --> 00:07:06.161
I, I'll never forget.
00:07:06.161 --> 00:07:09.221
His name's Scott White, at least
that's the name he goes by.
00:07:09.231 --> 00:07:09.251
Yeah.
00:07:09.391 --> 00:07:11.451
And he… Do you know who he is?
00:07:11.911 --> 00:07:12.601
David: I don't.
00:07:13.281 --> 00:07:16.862
Christopher: So he might be the
most famous watch collector on
00:07:16.892 --> 00:07:22.702
Facebook, because what this guy
does is he's a fashionista And he
00:07:22.702 --> 00:07:24.912
modifies his watches all the time.
00:07:24.922 --> 00:07:24.932
Ah.
00:07:25.042 --> 00:07:28.942
He puts custom colored dials,
custom bezels, custom straps.
00:07:29.492 --> 00:07:33.522
And so he- he'll take a picture
of himself wearing, you know, very
00:07:33.522 --> 00:07:40.001
expensive pink pants and pink, you
know, Givenchy or Gucci loafers and
00:07:40.001 --> 00:07:44.672
some cool shirt, and he'll be wearing,
you know, a Rolex Submariner with
00:07:44.681 --> 00:07:48.471
a pink, uh, aftermarket bracelet or
s- you know, something like that.
00:07:48.601 --> 00:07:49.161
David: Sure.
00:07:49.222 --> 00:07:51.401
Christopher: And he's all
over most of these groups.
00:07:51.462 --> 00:07:55.881
And, um, I remember seeing one of
these groups a while ago, and somebody
00:07:55.882 --> 00:07:59.231
was talking about him even though he
wasn't on the thread, and some other
00:07:59.231 --> 00:08:02.582
guy said, "Well, you know, who's Scott
White?" And some other guy jumped
00:08:02.582 --> 00:08:06.191
in and said, "Oh, if you hang out
in these Facebook watch groups long
00:08:06.191 --> 00:08:07.211
enough, you're gonna meet Scott."
00:08:08.222 --> 00:08:09.351
David: That's funny.
00:08:10.171 --> 00:08:13.981
Quick commercial break here to ask
you, have you seen all of the cool
00:08:13.981 --> 00:08:18.251
resources, downloads, and guides
waiting for you at watchsmarts.com?
00:08:18.411 --> 00:08:19.321
Go check it out.
00:08:19.371 --> 00:08:20.301
You'll love it.
00:08:22.292 --> 00:08:23.551
I just went to my car.
00:08:23.551 --> 00:08:24.341
This is so funny.
00:08:24.341 --> 00:08:27.802
Not, not now, 'cause I was here with you
the whole time, but before we flipped
00:08:27.802 --> 00:08:31.071
on the mics, I went to my car and I
realized, oh my gosh, I have this bag
00:08:31.071 --> 00:08:32.682
in my trunk from a couple days ago.
00:08:32.682 --> 00:08:35.511
I forgot to bring in some
magazines from Barnes & Noble.
00:08:35.812 --> 00:08:36.022
Christopher: Right.
00:08:36.032 --> 00:08:40.271
David: And I picked up,
there's this magazine, Watches.
00:08:40.771 --> 00:08:42.371
The Watches Magazine.
00:08:42.411 --> 00:08:42.761
Christopher: Yeah.
00:08:42.801 --> 00:08:43.121
Okay,
00:08:43.921 --> 00:08:43.961
David: great.
00:08:43.961 --> 00:08:45.732
I guess that's claiming
some kinda category design.
00:08:45.742 --> 00:08:46.681
The Watches Magazine.
00:08:46.691 --> 00:08:46.911
The
00:08:46.911 --> 00:08:47.472
Christopher: Watches, yeah.
00:08:47.472 --> 00:08:48.432
David: As if there's one.
00:08:48.641 --> 00:08:50.871
And then of course, this
is an old-timer, right?
00:08:50.882 --> 00:08:52.691
Watchtime, yeah.
00:08:52.691 --> 00:08:52.761
Great.
00:08:52.761 --> 00:08:53.111
This has been around forever.
00:08:53.111 --> 00:08:53.181
Watchtime.
00:08:53.181 --> 00:08:57.011
These are the only two magazines I could
find at this particular Barnes & Noble.
00:08:57.011 --> 00:09:00.792
Are there magazines or online
blogs that you follow, either paper
00:09:00.792 --> 00:09:02.991
publications or online publications?
00:09:03.211 --> 00:09:04.581
Christopher: Well, uh, yes and no.
00:09:04.632 --> 00:09:06.421
Uh, so none like that really.
00:09:06.562 --> 00:09:06.952
David: Okay.
00:09:07.001 --> 00:09:07.801
Christopher: I like Teddy Baldassarre.
00:09:08.602 --> 00:09:09.451
David: Oh, yeah.
00:09:09.871 --> 00:09:10.271
Christopher: Right?
00:09:10.271 --> 00:09:11.001
And his-
00:09:11.211 --> 00:09:12.092
David: He's a machine
00:09:12.102 --> 00:09:14.731
… Christopher: forget buying watches
from him for a second, which I think
00:09:14.731 --> 00:09:15.661
is probably a smart thing to do.
00:09:15.661 --> 00:09:16.721
I haven't, but I would.
00:09:17.231 --> 00:09:18.201
I think he's great.
00:09:18.221 --> 00:09:18.631
First of all-
00:09:18.672 --> 00:09:18.932
David: Yeah
00:09:19.331 --> 00:09:22.181
… Christopher: you and I look like maybe
we're the same vintage or near enough.
00:09:22.211 --> 00:09:22.651
David: Yeah.
00:09:22.861 --> 00:09:27.481
Christopher: And as a guy who came
from, you know, nothing and achieved
00:09:27.632 --> 00:09:32.062
a certain level of, of, of success,
in a business context, the most
00:09:32.062 --> 00:09:35.262
important part of my life now is
throwing down a rope to younger people.
00:09:35.950 --> 00:09:37.210
You know, I started with nothing.
00:09:37.210 --> 00:09:37.990
I have no education.
00:09:37.990 --> 00:09:41.580
I don't have a GED, and I retired
as an operating executive and
00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:43.240
multimillionaire at 38 years old.
00:09:43.830 --> 00:09:44.770
God bless America.
00:09:45.259 --> 00:09:50.819
And so whenever I see younger people doing
legendary shit, I love it- Yeah … and
00:09:50.820 --> 00:09:52.169
I go out of my way to support them.
00:09:52.229 --> 00:09:56.010
I do that in my lane of
tech entrepreneur startups.
00:09:56.309 --> 00:09:57.959
There are a lot of great
young entrepreneurs.
00:09:57.979 --> 00:10:00.850
There are a lot of great thought leaders
who are writing books, and teaching
00:10:00.850 --> 00:10:05.209
courses, and podcasting, and so forth,
who do great work, many of whom have
00:10:05.219 --> 00:10:08.320
built on our work around category
design, which we absolutely love.
00:10:08.330 --> 00:10:10.430
We, we wrote- Yeah … all
our shit on category design.
00:10:10.430 --> 00:10:11.499
We said it clearly.
00:10:11.689 --> 00:10:13.389
We are open sourcing category design.
00:10:13.389 --> 00:10:14.559
Take it and do whatever you want.
00:10:14.579 --> 00:10:17.710
And so there's all sorts of offshoot
podcasts that younger people have
00:10:17.710 --> 00:10:19.109
done that incorporate the idea.
00:10:19.579 --> 00:10:20.290
Love all of it.
00:10:20.310 --> 00:10:22.279
Wanna see all of them be successful.
00:10:22.290 --> 00:10:22.310
Yeah.
00:10:22.659 --> 00:10:25.499
And so when a guy like Teddy
shows up, kinda, I don't know much
00:10:25.509 --> 00:10:27.979
about his backstory, but out of
nowhere and becomes very dominant
00:10:27.989 --> 00:10:29.849
on the internet, I just love it.
00:10:29.849 --> 00:10:30.500
I think he's great.
00:10:30.520 --> 00:10:31.669
I think his videos are great.
00:10:31.689 --> 00:10:32.779
I think the articles are great.
00:10:32.790 --> 00:10:34.559
They're incredibly professionally written.
00:10:35.180 --> 00:10:36.600
So, you know, I look to him.
00:10:37.249 --> 00:10:42.570
And then, you know, the other one,
ChatGPT, Claude, I geek out on
00:10:42.570 --> 00:10:45.109
watch shit w- with AI all the time.
00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:48.109
David: What kind of prompts
do you put into AI for the,
00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:50.140
for the watch conversations?
00:10:50.289 --> 00:10:52.399
Christopher: Oh, I, I mean, you name it.
00:10:52.439 --> 00:10:55.399
Uh, I'll start off and I'll … So,
you know, when I was thinking about
00:10:55.399 --> 00:10:59.859
getting the Batman, I was like, got
on, uh, ChatGPT and started to talk
00:10:59.869 --> 00:11:02.859
about my collection and my thoughts
and the pros and cons of getting a new
00:11:02.859 --> 00:11:04.850
watch and this and that and the other.
00:11:04.850 --> 00:11:08.469
And ChatGPT's trying to help me
build out my collection or not.
00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:11.979
Mm. 'Cause o- one of the things very
few people talk about is if you're
00:11:11.979 --> 00:11:15.029
buying watches for investment, that's
one thing, and we can talk about that.
00:11:15.209 --> 00:11:17.670
But if you're buying watches 'cause
you love them and you want to wear
00:11:17.670 --> 00:11:21.430
them, you know, I'm now up to nine,
which is a great size collection.
00:11:22.060 --> 00:11:25.020
And every time I get a new
00:11:25.069 --> 00:11:31.079
So when I get the Batman, I wear
the Bruce Wayne and the Deepsea and
00:11:31.079 --> 00:11:35.199
the Panerais and the Blancpain less,
'cause I buy them to wear them.
00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:36.069
I love wearing them.
00:11:36.389 --> 00:11:40.030
So for me to buy a new watch, there's
all that thrill of the hunt and the
00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:43.669
research and watching the videos and
all that stuff that's really fun.
00:11:44.250 --> 00:11:47.219
Um, but then you get the watch,
which is really fun, and then you
00:11:47.229 --> 00:11:50.459
wear the watch and fall in love with
the watch, which is really fun, and
00:11:50.459 --> 00:11:52.949
after about two weeks of falling in
love with a new watch, you realize
00:11:52.950 --> 00:11:54.149
you're not wearing your other watches.
00:11:55.299 --> 00:12:00.686
So when you introduce a new child into
the family It's a little bit of a dilemma.
00:12:00.746 --> 00:12:03.126
And again, it's the, maybe the
greatest dilemma one could have.
00:12:03.136 --> 00:12:03.396
Like, oh
00:12:03.396 --> 00:12:07.726
David: Now, it sounds like, it sounds like
you wear one watch fairly continuously.
00:12:07.746 --> 00:12:11.765
I've gotten into this weird habit, and
again, just the last couple years, I
00:12:11.765 --> 00:12:17.046
will sometimes wear up to three of my
watches in a single 24-hour period.
00:12:17.426 --> 00:12:20.215
I'll start the day with the Rolex.
00:12:20.475 --> 00:12:21.906
I'll switch over to the Seiko.
00:12:21.906 --> 00:12:25.515
I'll pop on a Timex just for fun.
00:12:25.785 --> 00:12:28.385
I'll go and, you know,
grab one of my Bulovas.
00:12:29.215 --> 00:12:33.886
It's just, I, I… Literally,
phases and stages of the day, right?
00:12:33.886 --> 00:12:37.296
Let's say the morning is errands,
the afternoon I've got podcast
00:12:37.325 --> 00:12:40.705
interviews, and then going out
to dinner with friends at night.
00:12:40.965 --> 00:12:42.525
That's three different watches.
00:12:42.895 --> 00:12:43.245
Christopher: Right.
00:12:44.145 --> 00:12:44.465
I do it, too.
00:12:44.465 --> 00:12:44.595
Do you
00:12:44.595 --> 00:12:45.455
David: also do this?
00:12:45.516 --> 00:12:46.296
Christopher: Absolutely.
00:12:47.115 --> 00:12:48.765
You know, as I said, I'm semi-retired.
00:12:48.766 --> 00:12:52.935
Today I invest, I advise, I
write, and I teach and podcast.
00:12:53.595 --> 00:12:56.165
And so I have tremendous
agency over my time.
00:12:56.566 --> 00:12:56.726
David: Yeah.
00:12:56.775 --> 00:12:58.976
Christopher: And, uh, I only
do the things that I love.
00:12:59.045 --> 00:13:01.875
And, um, I have my watch box right here.
00:13:01.875 --> 00:13:03.136
I brought it into the studio.
00:13:03.666 --> 00:13:05.805
And it… You know, it's in my
bedroom where you might expect.
00:13:05.806 --> 00:13:09.616
And yeah, I'll be going to get a
sandwich at lunch, and I'll think,
00:13:09.645 --> 00:13:12.605
"Let me go into that watch box and
see what I got in there." Yeah.
00:13:12.605 --> 00:13:16.485
The other thing is, not all my
watches I would consider a daily,
00:13:16.815 --> 00:13:18.965
but most of them are very daily.
00:13:18.975 --> 00:13:18.995
Yeah.
00:13:19.656 --> 00:13:21.316
Could be dailies, most
of… Not all of them.
00:13:21.316 --> 00:13:25.526
I have, I would say I have two that
I wouldn't really consider dailies.
00:13:25.705 --> 00:13:28.305
David: Walk us through the ones that we
haven't seen yet, or just talk- Oh … us
00:13:28.306 --> 00:13:29.715
through the ones we haven't seen.
00:13:29.915 --> 00:13:29.975
Christopher: Yeah, perfect.
00:13:29.975 --> 00:13:31.665
So this is the Blancpain.
00:13:32.236 --> 00:13:37.835
And the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms
is the first ever real dive watch.
00:13:38.205 --> 00:13:40.806
So the Rolex Sub makes a claim to it.
00:13:41.545 --> 00:13:45.275
What m- the historians will tell you is
this watch shipped about a year and a
00:13:45.275 --> 00:13:47.525
half to two years before the Sub did.
00:13:48.086 --> 00:13:48.196
Hmm.
00:13:48.235 --> 00:13:51.896
Now, Blancpain went bankrupt and
wasn't building watches for a
00:13:51.896 --> 00:13:56.525
while, so the Sub is the longest
continuously made dive watch.
00:13:56.535 --> 00:13:56.995
And of course- Yeah
00:13:56.995 --> 00:13:57.905
it's a legendary watch.
00:13:57.906 --> 00:13:59.655
I got nothing but praise for the Sub.
00:14:00.295 --> 00:14:06.245
And if you look at this Fifty Fathoms,
it has a much more vintage-y look.
00:14:06.545 --> 00:14:06.925
David: Yes.
00:14:06.935 --> 00:14:10.615
Christopher: It has a classic
look that's a little less tool-y
00:14:10.625 --> 00:14:12.235
watch and a little more dressy.
00:14:12.655 --> 00:14:12.825
David: Yeah.
00:14:12.825 --> 00:14:14.145
Christopher: But not s- too much so.
00:14:14.196 --> 00:14:18.995
And the other thing, it's hard to tell
here, but the bezel is fully lubed.
00:14:19.375 --> 00:14:20.625
David: Oh, that's cool.
00:14:20.636 --> 00:14:21.655
Christopher: And that's really cool.
00:14:22.086 --> 00:14:26.135
And when I first got this Blancpain,
Dave, I, I got it on the sail cloth,
00:14:26.145 --> 00:14:29.166
the black sail cloth- Yeah … 'cause
I had so many steel watches.
00:14:29.655 --> 00:14:33.276
I thought, "Let's do something different."
I fucking hated that sail cloth.
00:14:34.045 --> 00:14:36.046
I kept expecting it to mold to my wrist.
00:14:36.065 --> 00:14:36.716
It didn't.
00:14:37.355 --> 00:14:37.665
David: Hmm.
00:14:37.715 --> 00:14:38.655
Christopher: It didn't feel good.
00:14:38.735 --> 00:14:40.196
And then I realized something.
00:14:40.735 --> 00:14:43.995
That movement on the wrist, that
feeling of it move around a little
00:14:43.996 --> 00:14:46.615
bit, goes away with the sail cloth.
00:14:46.785 --> 00:14:47.205
David: Yeah.
00:14:47.806 --> 00:14:48.845
Christopher: At least it did for me.
00:14:48.845 --> 00:14:51.706
I couldn't find a way to have
it loose enough that I liked it.
00:14:52.862 --> 00:14:53.682
Where it didn't move around.
00:14:53.722 --> 00:14:55.742
Anyway, I hated the sailcloth.
00:14:55.792 --> 00:14:58.582
And so I had this watch for
a year and I hardly wore it.
00:14:59.542 --> 00:15:02.882
And one day I thought, "This is crazy.
This is a great watch. I'm not wearing
00:15:02.882 --> 00:15:06.622
it, and I'm not wearing it 'cause I
fricking don't like… I just gotta
00:15:06.622 --> 00:15:09.112
admit, I don't like this damn strap."
00:15:09.382 --> 00:15:09.702
David: Yeah.
00:15:10.311 --> 00:15:13.092
Christopher: So I thought about
a NATO strap and, and decided no.
00:15:13.561 --> 00:15:18.342
And it turns out that Blancpain
is famous for this bracelet.
00:15:19.001 --> 00:15:22.262
It's known to be one of the most
comfortable, some people say the most
00:15:22.262 --> 00:15:24.942
comfortable sports watch diving bracelet.
00:15:24.962 --> 00:15:25.992
It is- Mm … amazing.
00:15:26.001 --> 00:15:27.491
It has incredible features.
00:15:28.142 --> 00:15:29.941
Anyway, so I bought the bracelet.
00:15:30.732 --> 00:15:31.752
David: You went back to the dealer?
00:15:31.771 --> 00:15:32.921
Christopher: I went back to my dealer.
00:15:33.372 --> 00:15:40.002
I said, "Get me a bracelet." He got me
the bracelet, set it all up, and now I
00:15:40.002 --> 00:15:41.832
can't take this Blancpain off my wrist.
00:15:42.032 --> 00:15:42.342
I-
00:15:42.342 --> 00:15:44.441
David: Now, what a lot of people
don't know, and I, I only found this
00:15:44.442 --> 00:15:47.901
out recently, I, I'm gonna guess
the bracelet was, like, 1,000 bucks.
00:15:48.231 --> 00:15:49.371
Christopher: I actually don't know.
00:15:49.541 --> 00:15:49.601
And-
00:15:49.661 --> 00:15:50.141
David: Okay
00:15:50.541 --> 00:15:52.801
… Christopher: the reason I don't
know… So I have a after… I have
00:15:52.802 --> 00:15:54.861
a gray market AD. I love the guy.
00:15:54.942 --> 00:15:56.031
His name's Mark Arias.
00:15:56.731 --> 00:15:58.091
He's turned into a buddy-
00:15:58.331 --> 00:15:58.671
David: Yeah
00:15:58.712 --> 00:16:01.351
… Christopher: you know, 'cause we bought
jewelry and watches from him over time.
00:16:01.352 --> 00:16:05.881
He made my… I upgraded my wife's
engagement ring, and he did…
00:16:05.892 --> 00:16:07.071
You know, et cetera, et cetera.
00:16:07.072 --> 00:16:07.102
Sure.
00:16:07.102 --> 00:16:08.652
So he's… And he's a local guy.
00:16:08.661 --> 00:16:10.811
His daughter works in the
business with him, and she
00:16:10.811 --> 00:16:11.881
just had- Yeah … some babies.
00:16:11.881 --> 00:16:12.051
And-
00:16:12.212 --> 00:16:13.371
David: And you have a real relationship
00:16:13.371 --> 00:16:13.981
… Christopher: real relationship.
00:16:14.011 --> 00:16:16.601
His staff's worked with
him for 25, 30 years.
00:16:16.602 --> 00:16:19.002
His- Yeah … his senior
guy's been with him forever.
00:16:19.002 --> 00:16:19.621
He's an amazing guy.
00:16:19.671 --> 00:16:21.132
So it's just, it's what…
00:16:21.171 --> 00:16:25.421
I think it's what most watch
people or jewelry people
00:16:25.421 --> 00:16:27.791
really, in my taste, would like.
00:16:27.791 --> 00:16:31.391
I prefer a local small business
person who's a craftsperson.
00:16:31.761 --> 00:16:34.181
My wife got me a Daytona from Mark.
00:16:35.541 --> 00:16:35.661
David: Oh.
00:16:35.771 --> 00:16:37.891
Christopher: And my buddy
Flip went to pick it up.
00:16:38.761 --> 00:16:39.922
I didn't know I was getting it.
00:16:39.922 --> 00:16:42.301
It was for my birthday, uh, last year.
00:16:43.252 --> 00:16:48.026
I didn't know this was happening So my
buddy Flip goes and picks up the Daytona
00:16:48.676 --> 00:16:54.996
from Mark, and he realizes- he says,
"Oh, do I- have they paid for it already?
00:16:55.635 --> 00:17:00.446
Like, h- I can- am I walking out of
the store with this Daytona?" And
00:17:00.465 --> 00:17:03.955
Mark says, "No, they haven't paid for
it, but just, sh- it's fine." And he
00:17:03.955 --> 00:17:05.915
goes, "What?" He goes, "It's fine.
00:17:06.086 --> 00:17:12.086
When I'm dealing with Chris Rivera,
I'll catch up with him." And so
00:17:12.095 --> 00:17:17.715
a buddy of mine, who Mark barely
knows, walks out with the Daytona,
00:17:18.456 --> 00:17:19.745
and Mark just puts it on my bill.
00:17:20.076 --> 00:17:22.796
So I don't know for sure, I think
it might have been three grand.
00:17:22.806 --> 00:17:24.415
Actually, let's see if we can look it up.
00:17:24.415 --> 00:17:24.616
David: Yeah.
00:17:24.616 --> 00:17:29.285
Well, my point is, for the folks that
don't know, if you have, like, a $20,000
00:17:29.285 --> 00:17:34.315
watch, when you go back and get the strap,
it's not like 60 bucks or 100 bucks.
00:17:34.675 --> 00:17:40.685
I mean, there are- No, no, no … for the
high-end watches, the bracelet costs more
00:17:40.795 --> 00:17:45.015
than a medium-end watch, like, $3,000.
00:17:45.535 --> 00:17:49.035
And it's just, it's … That was a
very eye-opening learning for me.
00:17:49.875 --> 00:17:50.155
Christopher: Yeah.
00:17:50.156 --> 00:17:53.286
I'm just asking ChatGPT
how much the bracelet is.
00:17:54.015 --> 00:17:54.685
Um-
00:17:54.686 --> 00:17:55.725
David: But it makes perfect sense.
00:17:55.735 --> 00:17:59.175
I mean, you can't … It's an
integrated part of the piece of jewelry.
00:17:59.186 --> 00:17:59.206
Yeah.
00:17:59.206 --> 00:18:01.415
It's not like, "Oh, it's gonna
be 60 bucks." Like, no, no,
00:18:01.415 --> 00:18:02.925
it's gonna be quite expensive.
00:18:02.945 --> 00:18:05.526
Christopher: ChatGPT says
the … So this is the Blancpain
00:18:05.945 --> 00:18:07.936
45, which is the big, big daddy.
00:18:07.965 --> 00:18:08.255
David: Yeah.
00:18:08.335 --> 00:18:09.025
Christopher: 45 mil.
00:18:09.355 --> 00:18:10.418
3 to 5,000.
00:18:10.418 --> 00:18:10.465
Yeah.
00:18:10.465 --> 00:18:10.705
Yeah.
00:18:10.705 --> 00:18:14.645
So I think I paid around $3,000
for the bracelet, and as you well
00:18:14.646 --> 00:18:19.445
know, as you just said, you can
buy a lot of legend- There's a ton-
00:18:20.195 --> 00:18:20.755
David: Great watches
00:18:20.756 --> 00:18:23.565
… Christopher: great watches in
that- For 3K … 3, 3 to 5.
00:18:23.565 --> 00:18:26.755
If, uh, you know, under
5,000, over 1,000- Yeah
00:18:26.755 --> 00:18:27.916
that's the sweet spot, right?
00:18:28.205 --> 00:18:28.725
David: Yeah.
00:18:29.686 --> 00:18:33.815
Christopher: So yeah, for the price of
a Blancpain 50 Fathoms bracelet, you
00:18:33.815 --> 00:18:37.125
can get a world-class legendary watch.
00:18:37.125 --> 00:18:40.075
I mean, I think you could probably get
some Grand Seikos for around five grand.
00:18:40.385 --> 00:18:41.786
You could certainly get a Longines.
00:18:41.795 --> 00:18:43.935
You can get, I think, a bunch of IWC.
00:18:43.936 --> 00:18:47.495
I mean, there's some really great brands
that you can get for those price points.
00:18:47.845 --> 00:18:49.905
David: People love the Tudors now also.
00:18:49.905 --> 00:18:51.975
Christopher: Oh my God,
they're so beautiful.
00:18:52.065 --> 00:18:52.565
David: Yeah.
00:18:52.695 --> 00:18:53.565
Christopher: So beautiful.
00:18:53.565 --> 00:18:55.685
And I, one, one of the things,
I love bigger watches, so the
00:18:55.686 --> 00:18:57.526
thing about the GMTs to me-
00:18:57.936 --> 00:18:58.226
David: Yeah
00:18:58.285 --> 00:18:59.705
… Christopher: is they feel tiny.
00:18:59.715 --> 00:18:59.735
Yeah.
00:18:59.906 --> 00:19:00.895
They're 40 mil.
00:19:01.115 --> 00:19:01.995
David: Yeah, exactly.
00:19:02.186 --> 00:19:04.655
Christopher: And I, I
wore Panerai for so long.
00:19:05.005 --> 00:19:07.765
Every time I put this
on, it feels too small.
00:19:07.955 --> 00:19:08.425
David: Yeah.
00:19:08.465 --> 00:19:10.575
Christopher: But here's the interesting
thing that's happened over time.
00:19:11.186 --> 00:19:19.065
Now that I have them, so I have the two
GMTs, I have the, the Daytona, and the
00:19:19.076 --> 00:19:22.585
other one I'll show you is the Marathon.
00:19:23.315 --> 00:19:26.125
And I decided, you can get
a Marathon in 44 or 45.
00:19:26.156 --> 00:19:30.455
I decided to get it in the 41
'cause this is my ultimate beater.
00:19:31.095 --> 00:19:37.188
Mm. This is the only watch- That
is contracted with the US military.
00:19:37.258 --> 00:19:40.878
This is the only watch company that
is an official supplier to the US
00:19:40.878 --> 00:19:45.178
military for non-quartz watches.
00:19:45.198 --> 00:19:49.027
So I think it's G- I think it's
G-SHOCK, Casios, and this watch.
00:19:49.168 --> 00:19:49.518
David: Yeah.
00:19:49.928 --> 00:19:51.987
Christopher: And this
watch is f- same family.
00:19:52.578 --> 00:19:54.097
Grandson runs the company.
00:19:54.768 --> 00:19:56.578
They've never built
anything with a diamond.
00:19:57.678 --> 00:20:01.497
They do one thing and one
thing only, military, cop.
00:20:01.717 --> 00:20:06.778
This is called the GSAR, the, uh,
government search and rescue watch.
00:20:06.788 --> 00:20:08.468
Rescue divers wear this watch.
00:20:08.477 --> 00:20:08.497
Wow.
00:20:08.957 --> 00:20:10.937
Guys in World War II wore this watch.
00:20:11.608 --> 00:20:14.648
And this is a 1,500 to maybe $2,000 watch.
00:20:15.237 --> 00:20:17.737
And I mean, I love this watch.
00:20:17.768 --> 00:20:19.627
I bought one for my nephew, Cameron.
00:20:19.667 --> 00:20:21.007
He- Yeah … it's his daily.
00:20:21.007 --> 00:20:21.807
He loves it.
00:20:22.408 --> 00:20:27.227
This is a legendary watch
for 15,000-ish, maybe $2,000.
00:20:27.577 --> 00:20:29.447
It's as manly a watch as
you're ever gonna wear.
00:20:29.487 --> 00:20:31.077
I would wear this watch with a tuxedo.
00:20:31.527 --> 00:20:31.727
Yeah.
00:20:31.727 --> 00:20:33.137
Um, that's just me.
00:20:33.507 --> 00:20:35.627
And this is a great beater.
00:20:35.827 --> 00:20:37.117
It's under the radar.
00:20:37.127 --> 00:20:39.758
It doesn't look like you're wearing
a Rolex or anything expensive.
00:20:39.788 --> 00:20:42.848
You're probably not gonna get,
you know, kidnapped for this watch
00:20:43.148 --> 00:20:43.488
. David: Right.
00:20:43.498 --> 00:20:47.197
Christopher: Um, and it's an
absolute beast workhorse, and it's
00:20:47.207 --> 00:20:49.707
designed to be no failure, right?
00:20:49.727 --> 00:20:53.607
The environments in which Marathons
are worn, they cannot fail.
00:20:54.148 --> 00:20:55.117
So I love that one.
00:20:55.657 --> 00:21:00.047
And then when I first saw the Rolex
Yacht-Masters, I didn't like the
00:21:00.047 --> 00:21:01.757
traditional Yacht-Master look.
00:21:01.767 --> 00:21:01.798
Mm-hmm.
00:21:02.137 --> 00:21:04.957
It seemed a little busy to me or, I
don't know, something about the way
00:21:05.367 --> 00:21:08.578
most of the, the, let's just call it
more traditional Yacht-Masters looked
00:21:08.578 --> 00:21:11.487
that I, I didn't dislike them, but
I didn't, I didn't, well, I wasn't
00:21:11.487 --> 00:21:12.937
joning to- jonesing to buy one.
00:21:13.788 --> 00:21:19.907
And then my buddy Mark showed me this,
and what this is is the Yacht-Master
00:21:19.907 --> 00:21:24.198
42 in white gold on the Oysterflex.
00:21:25.007 --> 00:21:28.307
David: That's so funny because the
dial looks nothing like the white
00:21:28.347 --> 00:21:30.537
Yacht-Master, the old- No … the old one.
00:21:31.137 --> 00:21:31.927
Christopher: No, nothing at all.
00:21:31.947 --> 00:21:32.927
It's not busy.
00:21:32.937 --> 00:21:32.967
Right.
00:21:33.077 --> 00:21:34.027
It's clean.
00:21:34.027 --> 00:21:36.227
It's as clean as a Sub.
00:21:36.517 --> 00:21:37.317
David: Amazing.
00:21:37.327 --> 00:21:38.507
Christopher: And look at the bezel.
00:21:38.767 --> 00:21:40.608
It's a matte bezel.
00:21:41.067 --> 00:21:41.387
David: Yeah.
00:21:41.387 --> 00:21:43.438
Christopher: And the
markers on it are shiny.
00:21:44.497 --> 00:21:45.538
David: Oh, nice.
00:21:45.847 --> 00:21:46.137
Christopher: And-
00:21:46.148 --> 00:21:47.998
David: That's like a ceramic bezel, right?
00:21:48.457 --> 00:21:49.518
Christopher: Uh, yeah, absolutely.
00:21:49.518 --> 00:21:50.588
It's a ceramic- Yeah … bezel.
00:21:51.118 --> 00:21:54.917
Like I said, I didn't love
straps, but this Oysterflex.
00:21:54.937 --> 00:21:57.417
Now, it doesn't move around, so
it doesn't give me that movement
00:21:57.428 --> 00:21:58.447
thing that I really like.
00:21:58.467 --> 00:22:01.337
It needs to sit a little tighter,
I find, than I would normally.
00:22:01.667 --> 00:22:05.694
However This is such a sexy watch to wear.
00:22:06.053 --> 00:22:06.994
I love this watch.
00:22:06.994 --> 00:22:07.344
Yeah.
00:22:07.344 --> 00:22:10.914
I don't know that I daily it,
'cause it's white gold, which
00:22:10.914 --> 00:22:12.543
scratches a little bit more easily.
00:22:12.744 --> 00:22:12.974
David: Yeah.
00:22:12.974 --> 00:22:15.643
Christopher: But I'm also, I'm, I'm
not one of these idiots who loses
00:22:15.643 --> 00:22:17.283
their mind over scratching their watch.
00:22:17.313 --> 00:22:18.524
I'm not selling this watch.
00:22:18.884 --> 00:22:19.323
David: Right.
00:22:19.563 --> 00:22:21.974
Christopher: You know, the children in my
life are gonna get all these things, so-
00:22:22.023 --> 00:22:22.403
David: Yeah
00:22:22.464 --> 00:22:23.103
Christopher: I'm gonna wear it.
00:22:23.144 --> 00:22:26.543
Ev- every scratch is
a scar that's a story.
00:22:26.833 --> 00:22:27.924
So I, I'm just, you know.
00:22:28.053 --> 00:22:30.323
Now, if it got absolutely
mangled, would I love it?
00:22:30.343 --> 00:22:30.843
No.
00:22:30.853 --> 00:22:34.343
But anyway, so I, I, I do
use this as a little bit more
00:22:34.343 --> 00:22:35.724
of a special occasion watch.
00:22:35.754 --> 00:22:37.563
I, I will travel with it for sure.
00:22:37.563 --> 00:22:38.893
I will wear it to business meetings.
00:22:38.903 --> 00:22:42.893
I, the Oysterflex is incredible,
and then it's got this
00:22:43.133 --> 00:22:45.484
mechanism here that pops open-
00:22:45.894 --> 00:22:46.244
David: Yeah
00:22:46.244 --> 00:22:48.833
Christopher: so that you can
increase the size of the watch.
00:22:48.833 --> 00:22:51.953
So, like, if you're on vacation,
like, if you go to the Caribbean
00:22:51.953 --> 00:22:55.504
or Hawaii or somewhere warm, your,
your body'll, you know… That's one
00:22:55.504 --> 00:22:57.473
of the downsides to the Blancpain.
00:22:57.473 --> 00:22:57.923
Mm-hmm.
00:22:57.923 --> 00:23:01.244
Um, the bracelet doesn't have an
expansion capability, so when you wear
00:23:01.244 --> 00:23:03.774
it- Right … in Hawaii, it's gonna be
tighter than when you wear it in Chicago.
00:23:03.774 --> 00:23:04.123
Yeah.
00:23:04.673 --> 00:23:07.803
So this watch has this beautiful
movement here in the Oysterflex.
00:23:07.803 --> 00:23:08.314
The micro
00:23:08.533 --> 00:23:08.964
David: adjustment.
00:23:09.254 --> 00:23:09.323
Christopher: Oh, look at
00:23:09.483 --> 00:23:09.793
David: that.
00:23:09.793 --> 00:23:09.909
Christopher: The
00:23:09.909 --> 00:23:10.141
David: micro adjustment.
00:23:10.141 --> 00:23:10.257
Yeah.
00:23:10.257 --> 00:23:11.643
No, no tools required.
00:23:11.653 --> 00:23:14.554
Christopher: No, no, it just, it's
a beautiful sliding mechanism,
00:23:14.554 --> 00:23:15.863
and it just locks, Dave.
00:23:15.873 --> 00:23:16.853
You just pu- push it-
00:23:17.214 --> 00:23:17.704
David: Very
00:23:17.704 --> 00:23:19.823
Christopher: cool … like that, and
you literally just… I don't know
00:23:19.833 --> 00:23:21.003
if, here, if you can hear that click.
00:23:21.684 --> 00:23:22.374
Did you hear that?
00:23:22.603 --> 00:23:23.643
David: Can't quite make it out- No?
00:23:23.643 --> 00:23:24.453
… but I believe you.
00:23:25.353 --> 00:23:26.414
Christopher: It's loud in the room.
00:23:26.684 --> 00:23:26.904
Yeah.
00:23:26.904 --> 00:23:29.753
Anyway, this is just an
incredibly beautiful watch.
00:23:30.273 --> 00:23:31.603
Nobody knows what this is.
00:23:31.603 --> 00:23:32.274
That's the other thing, too.
00:23:32.283 --> 00:23:34.043
Nobody knows you're wearing,
what you're wearing.
00:23:34.043 --> 00:23:34.483
Mm-hmm.
00:23:34.644 --> 00:23:38.253
And man, does it ever… You know,
if the other two watches are called
00:23:38.254 --> 00:23:41.833
the Batman and the Bruce Wayne, then
this has gotta be the Dark Knight.
00:23:41.853 --> 00:23:44.773
I mean, it's just, I
love this Yacht-Master.
00:23:44.783 --> 00:23:44.813
True.
00:23:44.824 --> 00:23:46.183
I waited for it for a while.
00:23:46.203 --> 00:23:47.933
It was a little tougher to get ahold of.
00:23:48.504 --> 00:23:50.193
Um, Mark got it for me.
00:23:50.243 --> 00:23:52.273
When he showed me this
watch, I lost my mind.
00:23:52.293 --> 00:23:54.873
It's a 42- Yeah … which
is a great size for me.
00:23:54.873 --> 00:23:58.893
It's bigger than the 40s, little
less than the 44s and 45s, so
00:23:58.943 --> 00:24:00.913
it's a great… I love a 42 size.
00:24:00.913 --> 00:24:01.843
This is really great.
00:24:01.853 --> 00:24:01.873
Yeah.
00:24:02.644 --> 00:24:06.383
And, um, a- again, I wear it a little
bit more of a special occasion watch.
00:24:06.793 --> 00:24:07.593
I will travel with it.
00:24:07.593 --> 00:24:08.823
I will wear it to a business meeting.
00:24:09.223 --> 00:24:11.433
Uh, but I, I absolutely love this watch.
00:24:11.443 --> 00:24:17.794
I think it's, I think the Yacht-Master
II on white gold or rose gold, my
00:24:17.794 --> 00:24:21.083
wife has the gals one in rose gold.
00:24:21.593 --> 00:24:22.113
David: Mm.
00:24:22.124 --> 00:24:23.884
Christopher: I think it's a 32 maybe.
00:24:24.393 --> 00:24:24.833
David: Yeah.
00:24:24.943 --> 00:24:27.174
Christopher: Holy God, is it beautiful.
00:24:27.184 --> 00:24:29.233
Mm. It is a stunner.
00:24:30.158 --> 00:24:32.618
So that, that's the other fun th-
and I know this sounds terrible
00:24:32.618 --> 00:24:35.828
to certain people and whatever,
but we're watch nerding out here.
00:24:36.078 --> 00:24:38.378
It's, it is a little f- like,
I wouldn't wanna wear the same
00:24:38.378 --> 00:24:40.358
sweatshirt as my wife at the same time.
00:24:40.757 --> 00:24:41.167
David: Right.
00:24:41.207 --> 00:24:43.197
Christopher: But it is a little fun
wearing the same … So if we go
00:24:43.197 --> 00:24:46.397
out to dinner and we're both wearing
the Yacht-Masters on that Do you do,
00:24:46.398 --> 00:24:47.767
David: like, the double wrist shot?
00:24:47.777 --> 00:24:48.457
Have you done that?
00:24:48.467 --> 00:24:50.477
Christopher: Y- you have to
do that every once in a while.
00:24:50.487 --> 00:24:50.737
Yeah, you have to do that.
00:24:50.737 --> 00:24:53.527
It's just, it's just, it's
just part of the program.
00:24:53.558 --> 00:24:57.367
And then the last but not least
is this Daytona, and there's a
00:24:57.377 --> 00:25:01.497
interesting story about this, and
this is where having a great gray
00:25:01.497 --> 00:25:03.817
market AD, I think, really matters.
00:25:03.877 --> 00:25:08.838
So we're at dinner, I'm wearing my James
Cameron, we're talking about watches with
00:25:08.888 --> 00:25:12.747
Mark and his wife, me and my wife, and
there's a young man sitting at the next
00:25:12.768 --> 00:25:15.678
table, and he's got a black dial Daytona.
00:25:16.068 --> 00:25:16.678
David: Hmm.
00:25:16.678 --> 00:25:18.977
Christopher: And we're talking about how
beautiful that is and this and that and
00:25:18.977 --> 00:25:24.127
the other, and we start talking about
how much we love the Platona, right,
00:25:24.127 --> 00:25:30.217
which is the platinum Daytona with the
light blue face and the brown bezel.
00:25:30.237 --> 00:25:30.744
It's just beautiful.
00:25:30.744 --> 00:25:31.107
Oh, yeah, that's
00:25:31.107 --> 00:25:31.627
David: sharp.
00:25:31.697 --> 00:25:32.077
Yeah.
00:25:32.638 --> 00:25:35.750
Christopher: But I think it retails
for maybe, I don't know, 75 or 100, and
00:25:35.750 --> 00:25:39.737
it, it sells on the aftermarket for,
you know, well over that, maybe 200.
00:25:40.668 --> 00:25:43.767
And, uh, I'm just not paying
200,000 dollars for a watch.
00:25:43.777 --> 00:25:45.287
I'm just- Right … not gonna do that.
00:25:45.287 --> 00:25:48.177
I think my next watch might be a
Vacheron, but again, I'm not gonna go
00:25:48.187 --> 00:25:50.378
There's just … You know, I
just … I don't … And I also
00:25:50.378 --> 00:25:51.697
don't live in a world like that.
00:25:51.698 --> 00:25:55.158
I live in a beach town and, you
know, I'm in flip-flops a lot
00:25:55.158 --> 00:25:59.327
of the time, and so I'm just not
gonna spend 200 grand or whatever.
00:25:59.347 --> 00:26:02.037
That, that- Right … I, I, I
don't wanna go to that level, just
00:26:02.037 --> 00:26:03.457
like I don't want a Lamborghini.
00:26:04.117 --> 00:26:05.457
I could, I just don't want one.
00:26:05.467 --> 00:26:05.497
Sure.
00:26:05.777 --> 00:26:08.967
Anyway, love the watch, and so
we start talking about the, the
00:26:08.967 --> 00:26:10.117
Platona and how beautiful it is.
00:26:10.117 --> 00:26:14.048
My wife loves it, wants me to get it,
is trying to talk me into it, and I'm
00:26:14.048 --> 00:26:19.377
going, "I'm just not gonna spend that."
And Mark goes, "Well, we could build
00:26:19.378 --> 00:26:25.424
you one." I said, "What do you mean?" He
said, "I'll buy a Daytona and we'll put
00:26:25.494 --> 00:26:31.654
aftermarket bezel and aftermarket dial on
it for you, and it'll look like a Platona,
00:26:31.874 --> 00:26:33.143
but you won't spend Platona money."
00:26:33.694 --> 00:26:37.553
And I said, "That's a great
idea." And so here it is.
00:26:38.424 --> 00:26:39.824
David: Wow.
00:26:39.894 --> 00:26:41.364
Christopher: It is absolutely beautiful.
00:26:41.984 --> 00:26:43.834
It wears incredibly well.
00:26:44.533 --> 00:26:48.633
And we took a black Daytona
and we souped it up.
00:26:48.814 --> 00:26:52.003
And so I just th- you know, I'm a
longtime, uh, Mustang fan, and one
00:26:52.004 --> 00:26:55.083
of the great things about Mustangs,
of course, is you can do all this
00:26:55.083 --> 00:26:56.444
stuff to them in the aftermarket.
00:26:56.454 --> 00:26:57.543
They're sort of built for that.
00:26:57.934 --> 00:26:59.774
And so this is my little Scott White.
00:26:59.783 --> 00:27:01.303
You know, Scott does this all the time.
00:27:01.623 --> 00:27:04.533
There's a lot of people in the, uh,
watch world, the Rolex world, who
00:27:04.533 --> 00:27:06.723
consider this a Frankenstein watch.
00:27:07.123 --> 00:27:07.943
I want what I want.
00:27:07.993 --> 00:27:08.853
I like what I like.
00:27:08.893 --> 00:27:10.434
I don't really wanna spend 200 grand.
00:27:10.963 --> 00:27:13.034
This watch was 10% the price.
00:27:13.043 --> 00:27:13.063
Yeah.
00:27:13.513 --> 00:27:16.923
And I got this beautiful
watch, and it is a Rolex.
00:27:17.033 --> 00:27:17.733
It's amazing.
00:27:18.414 --> 00:27:21.983
And so, uh, I have all the fun
and I have most of the money.
00:27:22.673 --> 00:27:23.744
David: That's true.
00:27:23.943 --> 00:27:24.823
Oh, my gosh.
00:27:24.824 --> 00:27:25.803
So good.
00:27:26.414 --> 00:27:27.803
Christopher: So that's
the whole collection.
00:27:27.803 --> 00:27:28.943
That's all, all nine.
00:27:28.943 --> 00:27:32.784
So I've got, let's see, one, two,
three, four, yeah, five Rolies,
00:27:32.814 --> 00:27:34.844
two Panerais, and the Marathon.
00:27:35.573 --> 00:27:36.063
David: Nice.
00:27:36.113 --> 00:27:38.093
Christopher: Oh, and of course the
Blancpain, which I'm currently wearing.
00:27:38.094 --> 00:27:38.814
David: Amazing.
00:27:39.594 --> 00:27:41.794
Hey, David Newman here with
a quick commercial break.
00:27:41.794 --> 00:27:45.173
Have you seen our social media
channels that have video snippets
00:27:45.183 --> 00:27:46.803
from our favorite interviews?
00:27:46.823 --> 00:27:50.413
Check us out on TikTok,
Instagram, and YouTube.
00:27:51.143 --> 00:27:53.113
Now, back to the episode.
00:27:54.573 --> 00:27:58.133
Well, as we're landing the plane, we
just have two pieces of business left.
00:27:58.543 --> 00:28:03.113
Piece of business number one is
I always like to ask my guests a
00:28:03.123 --> 00:28:06.923
lightning round, which is kind of
a very quick A or B kinda quiz.
00:28:07.484 --> 00:28:12.933
And then any f- I'm gonna throw it to you,
Christopher, for any final thoughts or
00:28:12.943 --> 00:28:18.003
parting words of wisdom for folks that are
looking to get into or further into the
00:28:18.003 --> 00:28:20.043
watch obsession that you and I both share.
00:28:20.484 --> 00:28:21.634
Are you ready for the lightning round?
00:28:21.634 --> 00:28:21.933
I'm ready.
00:28:22.173 --> 00:28:22.323
Christopher: Okay.
00:28:22.323 --> 00:28:23.024
I'm ready, David.
00:28:23.024 --> 00:28:23.504
Let's go.
00:28:23.933 --> 00:28:27.293
David: Question numero
uno, strap or bracelet?
00:28:27.763 --> 00:28:29.813
Christopher: Bracelet all
day, not even close for me.
00:28:30.253 --> 00:28:31.814
David: Vintage or modern?
00:28:32.473 --> 00:28:34.044
Christopher: Uh, m-
modern mostly, because-
00:28:34.714 --> 00:28:37.094
David: One great watch or five good ones?
00:28:38.080 --> 00:28:40.620
Christopher: Well, it depends on what your
definition of is is, like Bill Clinton
00:28:40.620 --> 00:28:42.690
taught us, but I think five good ones.
00:28:43.110 --> 00:28:43.389
David: Okay.
00:28:43.420 --> 00:28:46.739
Christopher: I'd rather have five
awesome Rollies and Panerais and,
00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:49.780
and Blancpains than one Patek.
00:28:49.810 --> 00:28:52.570
And look, I love Patek Philippe,
but I, I'm not gonna buy that watch.
00:28:52.570 --> 00:28:53.899
I have nowhere to wear that watch.
00:28:53.919 --> 00:28:54.349
Yeah.
00:28:54.349 --> 00:28:55.480
And it's not kinda my lifestyle.
00:28:56.020 --> 00:28:58.879
I do think I would wear a, a
Vacheron Overseas, and that's
00:28:58.879 --> 00:29:00.730
kinda what I have my eyes on next.
00:29:00.739 --> 00:29:00.759
Yeah.
00:29:00.999 --> 00:29:02.699
But I'm, I'm in, I'm in no hurry.
00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:07.160
I really love… I, you know, I
got to this collection very fast-
00:29:07.669 --> 00:29:07.929
David: Yeah
00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:11.999
… Christopher: and I decided after I got the
Batman that I was gonna put the brakes on-
00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:12.700
David: Yeah
00:29:12.730 --> 00:29:14.429
… Christopher: and just enjoy what I have.
00:29:14.429 --> 00:29:18.240
And, you know, maybe at a milestone
or something like that, if one of the
00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:22.709
companies- Sure … I'm advising goes
public or is acquired or, or a child is
00:29:22.710 --> 00:29:25.510
born or, you know, big anniversary maybe.
00:29:25.510 --> 00:29:27.539
But, uh, right now I'm kinda holding fast.
00:29:27.730 --> 00:29:27.970
Okay.
00:29:27.970 --> 00:29:30.219
So yeah, I think, I think having
a couple is really, really fun.
00:29:30.269 --> 00:29:34.129
That said, if you have one grail
watch in mind, and you can af- only
00:29:34.129 --> 00:29:36.959
afford one, and I was in that place
for a very, very long time where I
00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:39.909
couldn't afford my grail watch, but I
could afford something that I liked.
00:29:40.289 --> 00:29:43.910
I had a Zodiac watch once and, you know-
Yeah … trying to get in the game.
00:29:44.460 --> 00:29:47.349
By all mean… Listen, if you,
if you fall in love with a
00:29:47.350 --> 00:29:49.909
Seiko, fall in love with a Seiko.
00:29:49.909 --> 00:29:51.289
The Seiko divers are unbelievable.
00:29:51.710 --> 00:29:54.040
Longines just came out with
an upgrade to their divers.
00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:54.909
They look gorgeous.
00:29:54.919 --> 00:29:54.939
Yeah.
00:29:55.269 --> 00:29:57.799
And I don't know,
they're $3,000 or $4,000.
00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:59.610
I think it's fun to have more than one.
00:30:00.460 --> 00:30:03.540
That said, I also love
the guys like my dad.
00:30:03.589 --> 00:30:08.659
My dad has worn the same Rollie
every freaking day, doing every
00:30:08.669 --> 00:30:10.679
freaking thing since 1973.
00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:11.079
Yeah.
00:30:11.089 --> 00:30:15.399
His whole life is in that one
watch, and there's something
00:30:15.409 --> 00:30:16.899
very romantic about that.
00:30:16.899 --> 00:30:18.500
There's something very cool about that.
00:30:18.530 --> 00:30:22.079
So I think it's a preference thing,
but in general, I think most of us
00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:23.369
would like to mix it up a little bit.
00:30:23.369 --> 00:30:27.469
So if you, if you can afford
three or four good to great or one
00:30:27.549 --> 00:30:31.759
legendary expensive, m- I think I'd
do the more versus the less, but.
00:30:32.030 --> 00:30:32.570
David: Okay.
00:30:33.419 --> 00:30:34.320
Next question.
00:30:34.329 --> 00:30:36.819
I think I know your answer
based on our conversation.
00:30:36.829 --> 00:30:39.209
Buy new or hunt for pre-owned?
00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:43.230
Christopher: So I have mostly bought
new, because there's something fun
00:30:43.230 --> 00:30:47.429
about new, and there's something
about all the scratches and
00:30:47.429 --> 00:30:48.829
all the history going into it.
00:30:49.289 --> 00:30:58.159
That said, listen, I've been looking for a
late-'60s Sea-Dweller for quite some time.
00:30:58.879 --> 00:31:01.589
So I currently don't… I
have had vintage watches.
00:31:01.649 --> 00:31:03.079
I don't have one now.
00:31:03.409 --> 00:31:03.589
Yeah.
00:31:03.589 --> 00:31:04.670
And I will have one.
00:31:05.349 --> 00:31:06.659
I'm not sure what it'll be.
00:31:07.080 --> 00:31:10.369
I also I had this experience recently.
00:31:10.419 --> 00:31:13.019
I, um, I was in Las Vegas with my mother.
00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:16.459
I took my mother to see Jerry
Seinfeld for her 80th birthday.
00:31:16.459 --> 00:31:16.489
Nice.
00:31:17.250 --> 00:31:25.060
And we rolled into a dealer there, and
I tried on an all-gold Blackface Sub.
00:31:26.062 --> 00:31:28.252
It was shockingly gorgeous.
00:31:28.302 --> 00:31:31.232
I never thought I'd want
a fully gold Rolex, never.
00:31:31.282 --> 00:31:31.401
David: Mm.
00:31:32.222 --> 00:31:34.062
Christopher: It was a stunner.
00:31:34.871 --> 00:31:37.411
Uh, and they wouldn't sell
it to me , but that's okay.
00:31:37.781 --> 00:31:38.988
So, um, I think- But
00:31:38.988 --> 00:31:42.282
David: with the price of gold, that
must cost a fortune these days.
00:31:42.341 --> 00:31:43.851
Christopher: I think it was around 50.
00:31:44.281 --> 00:31:45.282
David: Oh, that's not bad.
00:31:45.331 --> 00:31:47.619
Christopher: It wasn't, uh,
it wasn't 100, and, uh, yeah.
00:31:47.619 --> 00:31:47.792
Right.
00:31:47.792 --> 00:31:48.811
I, it was around 50.
00:31:49.051 --> 00:31:50.851
I, I don't think it was 60.
00:31:50.861 --> 00:31:53.161
Yeah, I think I … Maybe out
the door with taxes- Yeah … but
00:31:53.161 --> 00:31:54.831
it was in that sort of range.
00:31:55.792 --> 00:32:00.181
But, you know, I now think that,
uh, is there a place in my life
00:32:00.192 --> 00:32:03.831
for, um, a vintage gold Rollie?
00:32:04.451 --> 00:32:05.491
There probably is.
00:32:05.742 --> 00:32:08.411
A vintage Bluesy might be really cool.
00:32:08.602 --> 00:32:09.881
David: Yes, the Smurf.
00:32:10.321 --> 00:32:13.171
Christopher: Right, uh, the
Smurf might be very cool.
00:32:13.191 --> 00:32:17.661
So yeah, I will have a vintage watch
again probably in the next few years.
00:32:17.691 --> 00:32:21.921
I, I decided with this run
that I wanted the new . I like
00:32:21.922 --> 00:32:23.512
the longer power reserves.
00:32:23.551 --> 00:32:25.581
I like that they're tougher
than they used to be, although
00:32:25.581 --> 00:32:26.621
they've always been really tough.
00:32:26.641 --> 00:32:27.971
I'm hard on my watches.
00:32:28.621 --> 00:32:30.121
I bash my head all the time.
00:32:30.121 --> 00:32:31.271
I've had a million concussions.
00:32:31.271 --> 00:32:32.472
I slam into things.
00:32:32.472 --> 00:32:35.521
I … You know, so my watches
are gonna get hit into things and
00:32:35.521 --> 00:32:36.841
abused and all that kinda stuff.
00:32:36.841 --> 00:32:37.192
And so-
00:32:37.441 --> 00:32:37.781
David: Right
00:32:37.922 --> 00:32:42.711
… Christopher: as I recaught the disease,
I went all new, but I will add a, a
00:32:42.712 --> 00:32:44.092
couple of vintage pieces for sure.
00:32:44.092 --> 00:32:46.892
They're beautiful, and th- Yeah … and
they're somebody else's history, and
00:32:46.892 --> 00:32:49.462
there's ghosts in the watch, and yeah.
00:32:49.701 --> 00:32:50.502
David: For sure.
00:32:50.761 --> 00:32:54.481
Final lightning round question,
loud watch or quiet watch?
00:32:55.231 --> 00:32:56.121
Christopher: I don't care.
00:32:56.911 --> 00:32:58.281
Watch that I love.
00:32:58.341 --> 00:33:01.441
I, I don't wear watches for other
people like we talked about.
00:33:01.591 --> 00:33:01.761
Sure.
00:33:01.761 --> 00:33:02.911
No one even notices them.
00:33:02.951 --> 00:33:05.351
I'm not trying to impress
anybody with my watch.
00:33:05.361 --> 00:33:06.511
I'm not that guy.
00:33:07.321 --> 00:33:12.041
And so yeah, it's really a function
of wh- when you look at that watch
00:33:12.942 --> 00:33:16.062
Do you feel what I just feel when
I just did that and looked at this
00:33:16.072 --> 00:33:17.612
Blancpain and went, "Fuck yeah."
00:33:18.842 --> 00:33:19.482
That's awesome.
00:33:20.092 --> 00:33:20.182
Yeah.
00:33:20.182 --> 00:33:24.581
And if you feel that way and it's a
gold Rollie, wear your gold Rollie.
00:33:24.581 --> 00:33:27.182
Or if you want one with a bunch of
fucking diamonds in it, you want a,
00:33:27.482 --> 00:33:31.981
you, you want a Day-Date Presidential
in gold with diamonds 'cause it makes
00:33:31.981 --> 00:33:34.881
you feel like a boss, have at it.
00:33:35.411 --> 00:33:36.122
Go for it.
00:33:36.631 --> 00:33:37.492
David: Go for it.
00:33:38.022 --> 00:33:41.831
Well, as we're landing here, uh,
and, and maybe that was it, maybe
00:33:41.831 --> 00:33:46.121
that was the final words of wisdom,
but are there any additional final
00:33:46.131 --> 00:33:49.512
words of wisdom or parting thoughts
you'd like to leave our listeners?
00:33:49.681 --> 00:33:52.452
Christopher: Yeah, uh, maybe a couple,
particularly if you're starting out.
00:33:53.052 --> 00:33:54.671
No matter what, invest in quality.
00:33:55.232 --> 00:33:58.031
Buy great watches made
by great people, period.
00:33:58.892 --> 00:33:59.152
Right?
00:33:59.152 --> 00:34:02.811
Whether it's a, a Marathon that
is three or four generations, same
00:34:02.811 --> 00:34:07.392
family, or, you know, Rolex makes
apparently a million watches a year.
00:34:07.392 --> 00:34:09.291
I've heard it's actually more
than that, but whatever it is,
00:34:09.291 --> 00:34:10.611
they make a lot of watches.
00:34:10.672 --> 00:34:14.862
And make no mistake, they're
incredibly well-made.
00:34:15.641 --> 00:34:16.821
They're bomb shelters.
00:34:17.692 --> 00:34:22.101
Uh, and s- and Omega's not my taste, but
I appreciate them and, and, and love them,
00:34:22.101 --> 00:34:23.611
and guys who have them, God bless you.
00:34:23.702 --> 00:34:26.941
I, I, uh, nothing against them,
it's just not to my eye generally.
00:34:26.952 --> 00:34:27.772
Mm-hmm.
00:34:27.791 --> 00:34:30.191
Uh, and there's a lot of smaller
manufacturers that have been
00:34:30.201 --> 00:34:32.801
around since the 1700s, you know?
00:34:33.412 --> 00:34:39.391
And so I think buy what you love, invest
in quality, don't buy a piece of junk.
00:34:40.162 --> 00:34:42.972
And the other thing, if you're
gonna build a collection, you know,
00:34:42.972 --> 00:34:47.292
I have over-rotated on watches
that you can daily, on purpose.
00:34:47.951 --> 00:34:52.051
That said, I didn't try to make
every watch do the same thing
00:34:52.552 --> 00:34:54.172
or f- make me feel the same way.
00:34:54.811 --> 00:34:59.151
And so as you're building your
collection out, think about what
00:34:59.151 --> 00:35:03.101
are the different experiences
you wanna have wearing a watch.
00:35:03.781 --> 00:35:05.551
And there'll be some overlap, of course.
00:35:05.552 --> 00:35:08.511
Is there some overlap in the
feeling I have wearing a Blancpain
00:35:08.951 --> 00:35:10.471
and the James Cameron Deepsea?
00:35:10.471 --> 00:35:12.551
Yeah, it's a f- similar feel watch.
00:35:12.601 --> 00:35:19.611
However, you know, just like Slash,
Slash has one of the largest collections
00:35:19.611 --> 00:35:21.382
of Gibson Les Pauls in the world.
00:35:22.410 --> 00:35:26.640
And every once in a while he
plays an Ibanez, but in general,
00:35:26.770 --> 00:35:32.040
I think probably around 90% of the
time, Slash is playing Les Pauls.
00:35:32.949 --> 00:35:36.480
Now, why would you need, if it's the
same guitar, why would you need 10,000
00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:38.000
of them, or whatever he's got, right?
00:35:38.600 --> 00:35:43.200
Well, what he would tell you, and I've
seen the interviews, is that this one
00:35:43.209 --> 00:35:47.200
has this feel, and this one has that
feel, and this one I took on this tour,
00:35:47.200 --> 00:35:50.779
and this one we recorded this record
with, and this one I picked up from
00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:53.419
this unbelievable hero of mine who…
00:35:53.469 --> 00:35:55.720
You know, whatever the stories
are with the guitars, right?
00:35:56.269 --> 00:36:01.670
And the reality is, with effects pedals
today and computers today, you can
00:36:01.670 --> 00:36:04.369
make any guitar sound like anything.
00:36:04.370 --> 00:36:09.549
You can take a Stratocaster and make
it sound like Jimmy Page's Les Paul.
00:36:09.589 --> 00:36:10.409
You can do that.
00:36:10.889 --> 00:36:15.209
So y- you don't need it to be in the
guitar, just like you don't need a watch.
00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:21.539
And the different guitars make
Slash feel different, and they have
00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:23.460
different memories a- and so forth.
00:36:24.219 --> 00:36:26.690
And so it's a little bit like
that with watches, or I think
00:36:26.690 --> 00:36:27.889
a lot like that with watches.
00:36:27.890 --> 00:36:31.380
And so a- as you go to build a
collection, think about, okay, what
00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:35.180
is it, what is it I'm trying to
accomplish here that I don't have?
00:36:35.570 --> 00:36:39.279
What's this slight vary… If you're,
if you're like me and you're on a
00:36:39.289 --> 00:36:43.229
theme, because most of my… Well,
yeah, all of my watches are tool watches
00:36:44.108 --> 00:36:48.438
All of my watches are kind of more
rugged, more masculine, if you will.
00:36:48.768 --> 00:36:49.888
That's what I like.
00:36:50.608 --> 00:36:54.838
Could you argue that I need,
you know, a Cartier Tank?
00:36:55.228 --> 00:36:55.658
Sure.
00:36:55.788 --> 00:36:56.917
I don't wanna wear a Cartier Tank.
00:36:56.958 --> 00:36:58.057
It's a beautiful watch.
00:36:58.328 --> 00:36:59.617
I had a Cartier Pasha one time.
00:36:59.618 --> 00:37:00.648
It was incredible watch.
00:37:00.697 --> 00:37:01.937
I don't wanna wear that watch either.
00:37:01.947 --> 00:37:01.967
No.
00:37:02.268 --> 00:37:04.497
It's too dressy for me
and my lifestyle today.
00:37:05.207 --> 00:37:10.697
So my point in all that is just even if
you like watches that are very similar
00:37:11.047 --> 00:37:15.377
in a theme, in a category, mine are dive
and tool watches, don't try to buy a
00:37:15.377 --> 00:37:17.678
watch that does everything every time.
00:37:18.348 --> 00:37:22.017
David: And to quote your
stepmom, "I'm glad you love it."
00:37:22.558 --> 00:37:22.928
Christopher: Right.
00:37:23.357 --> 00:37:24.157
David: Glad you love it.
00:37:24.328 --> 00:37:26.098
Christopher: If you don't
love it, don't buy it.
00:37:26.098 --> 00:37:26.607
Yes.
00:37:26.607 --> 00:37:30.137
And if by chance, like this Blancpain,
you buy it and you don't like it,
00:37:30.168 --> 00:37:31.868
figure out why you don't like it.
00:37:31.898 --> 00:37:33.147
Oh, is, is it the watch?
00:37:33.188 --> 00:37:34.178
No, I don't think it's the watch.
00:37:34.207 --> 00:37:35.108
The watch is incredible.
00:37:35.328 --> 00:37:36.347
Oh, it's the strap.
00:37:36.867 --> 00:37:37.397
Yeah.
00:37:37.407 --> 00:37:38.347
Oh, okay.
00:37:38.587 --> 00:37:40.977
Well, it took me a year to
figure out I hated the strap.
00:37:41.947 --> 00:37:45.678
Okay, then I unfucked the watch,
and now I can't take it off, right?
00:37:46.238 --> 00:37:47.827
And so you like what you like.
00:37:48.078 --> 00:37:52.187
And again, if you said to me I could
only have this Blancpain, I probably
00:37:52.188 --> 00:37:54.307
wouldn't pick that as my only watch.
00:37:54.307 --> 00:37:54.627
Yeah.
00:37:54.627 --> 00:37:55.688
I would pick the Deepsea.
00:37:56.128 --> 00:37:59.177
But I'm not trying to … I didn't get
the Blancpain to replace the Deepsea.
00:37:59.207 --> 00:38:00.687
I'm not gonna dive with the Blancpain.
00:38:01.167 --> 00:38:01.777
I'm just not.
00:38:01.798 --> 00:38:02.798
It's a beautiful watch.
00:38:02.807 --> 00:38:07.387
It's a l- more dressy than the
Deepsea, and if I smash the bezel
00:38:07.398 --> 00:38:11.677
on the side of a, of a tank or a
boat, that would be a giant bummer.
00:38:11.728 --> 00:38:13.277
So this will be a dress watch.
00:38:13.298 --> 00:38:14.277
It'll go in the pool.
00:38:14.317 --> 00:38:17.538
It'll go for a swim in the ocean,
but it ain't going diving, whereas
00:38:17.548 --> 00:38:19.167
the Deepsea is going to the deep sea.
00:38:19.817 --> 00:38:20.167
David: Yes.
00:38:20.657 --> 00:38:23.827
Christopher: So don't try to do,
get every watch to do everything
00:38:23.828 --> 00:38:25.248
is what I'm trying to communicate.
00:38:25.807 --> 00:38:26.468
David: I love that.
00:38:26.487 --> 00:38:27.487
Absolutely right.
00:38:27.917 --> 00:38:29.978
Well, Christopher Lockhead,
thank you for being with us.
00:38:29.997 --> 00:38:33.737
I don't think any man listening
to this show, back in part one
00:38:33.737 --> 00:38:37.328
we were talking about stepping
out of the shower and catching a
00:38:37.328 --> 00:38:39.257
glimpse of yourself in the mirror.
00:38:39.537 --> 00:38:44.467
No one is gonna be doing that
the same way after today.
00:38:45.217 --> 00:38:46.127
Thank you, my friend.
00:38:46.127 --> 00:38:47.397
Thanks for being on with us.
00:38:47.438 --> 00:38:48.247
Christopher: God bless you, dude.
00:38:50.368 --> 00:38:52.998
David: And that wraps up
another episode of Watch Smarts.
00:38:52.998 --> 00:38:57.887
Listen, if you love this show, if you
love watches, subscribe, download,
00:38:57.908 --> 00:39:01.747
leave us a rating or review on
your favorite podcast platform, and
00:39:01.747 --> 00:39:06.508
check out all the free resources
waiting for you at watchsmarts.com.
NOTE
This file was generated by Descript
00:00:00.056 --> 00:00:03.816
Christopher: Even if you like watches
that are very similar in a theme, in
00:00:03.816 --> 00:00:08.026
a category, mine are dive and tool
watches, don't try to buy a watch
00:00:08.036 --> 00:00:09.785
that does everything every time.
00:00:09.815 --> 00:00:15.216
David: Welcome to Watch Smarts, where
smart people get smarter about watches.
00:00:15.466 --> 00:00:16.826
I'm your host, David Newman.
00:00:17.046 --> 00:00:18.275
Let's jump right in.
00:00:29.696 --> 00:00:32.586
Earlier, right before we flipped
on the mics, Christopher, you,
00:00:32.586 --> 00:00:39.656
you said, "Guys like us need a
place to talk about watches."
00:00:39.696 --> 00:00:40.056
Christopher: Yeah.
00:00:40.086 --> 00:00:43.795
David: Like, like, watches need a
community- Yes … to be like…
00:00:43.796 --> 00:00:45.826
And, and so share more about that.
00:00:45.945 --> 00:00:51.755
Christopher: So since I, you know, this
is my 2.0 watch run, and I think I'm
00:00:51.775 --> 00:00:55.675
on it now for life, um, but we'll talk
about collection building if you want.
00:00:55.705 --> 00:00:58.206
It's kind of an interesting
dilemma that's kind of one of the
00:00:58.206 --> 00:00:59.355
greatest first-world problems.
00:01:00.005 --> 00:01:03.025
But we now live in a world where
nobody gives a about watches.
00:01:03.675 --> 00:01:06.035
You know, when I first started buying
watches, people noticed watches.
00:01:06.085 --> 00:01:10.726
Everybody in business, 'cause I was an
entrepreneur at 18, wore nice watches
00:01:10.736 --> 00:01:12.875
or, or, you know, some kind of a watch.
00:01:13.725 --> 00:01:16.046
Today there's a lot of people of
course, who don't wear a watch.
00:01:16.605 --> 00:01:17.715
You don't need to wear a watch.
00:01:17.716 --> 00:01:21.395
Your phone tells you what time it is, and
most of us always have our phones with us.
00:01:22.076 --> 00:01:25.465
And of course the Apple Watch
is roughly f- half of the entire
00:01:25.466 --> 00:01:27.605
watch market now, the smartwatch.
00:01:28.205 --> 00:01:32.155
And so most people are wearing no
watch or an Apple Watch or some other
00:01:32.155 --> 00:01:35.355
smartwatch, so nobody really even
notices or gives a fuck anymore.
00:01:35.665 --> 00:01:36.565
That's a bummer for me.
00:01:37.345 --> 00:01:40.985
I, I don't care about the noticing part,
but, like, I w- I was on a plane yesterday
00:01:41.555 --> 00:01:48.385
and there was a young couple sitting next
to me, and the husband or boyfriend had on
00:01:48.425 --> 00:01:52.505
a, uh, Datejust, like, just like my dad's,
but with a bl- with a black face, not the
00:01:52.506 --> 00:01:54.685
blue face, and it looked great on him.
00:01:54.686 --> 00:01:57.435
I don't know how old
he was, late 20s maybe.
00:01:57.616 --> 00:02:00.205
Wonderful looking young couple,
very friendly, very nice.
00:02:00.885 --> 00:02:05.115
And at the end of the flight I said
to him, "Hey, man, thanks for wearing
00:02:05.116 --> 00:02:09.195
a real watch." And look, I get all
the benefits of an Apple Watch.
00:02:09.225 --> 00:02:10.775
My mother turns 80 this year.
00:02:10.775 --> 00:02:12.056
I bought her an Apple Watch.
00:02:12.065 --> 00:02:15.075
There's incredible features in
there for your wellbeing, one in
00:02:15.076 --> 00:02:16.405
particular for somebody her age.
00:02:16.415 --> 00:02:20.705
If you fall down and it can't reach
you for a minute, it dials 911.
00:02:20.735 --> 00:02:21.666
It calls me.
00:02:22.006 --> 00:02:25.016
You know, there's incredible
benefits to some of this technology,
00:02:25.016 --> 00:02:26.216
so I'm not on any of that.
00:02:26.225 --> 00:02:27.265
I'm a technology guy.
00:02:27.305 --> 00:02:31.565
I've spent 40 years building technology
categories, companies, and products.
00:02:31.905 --> 00:02:38.165
And hell will freeze over
before I replace with that.
00:02:38.355 --> 00:02:42.726
Will there be a day that I might consider
wearing one on my right arm for going to
00:02:42.726 --> 00:02:44.915
the gym or sleep or some other things?
00:02:45.745 --> 00:02:46.185
Maybe.
00:02:46.775 --> 00:02:52.506
But, uh, you are not going to find
an Apple Watch on my left wrist, NFW.
00:02:53.065 --> 00:02:54.035
My wife has one.
00:02:54.035 --> 00:02:55.595
She lo- everybody, they all love it.
00:02:55.605 --> 00:02:56.176
Not me.
00:02:56.196 --> 00:02:56.805
Not doing it.
00:02:56.806 --> 00:02:56.936
Yeah.
00:02:56.936 --> 00:02:58.305
I, I'm, I'm old school.
00:02:58.306 --> 00:02:59.276
I'm gonna stay old school.
00:02:59.295 --> 00:03:00.225
I appreciate the tech.
00:03:00.905 --> 00:03:05.385
And so to get back to your question,
Dave, since I started buying watches-
00:03:06.358 --> 00:03:09.228
We've gone from a world where everybody
had one, was something that people
00:03:09.228 --> 00:03:13.028
did notice and talk about to virtually
nobody even notices, never mind
00:03:13.028 --> 00:03:14.358
ever says anything to you about it.
00:03:14.877 --> 00:03:20.418
So those of us who love watches,
we now don't get to talk to
00:03:20.418 --> 00:03:24.007
people in the IRL about watches
'cause nobody's paying attention.
00:03:24.408 --> 00:03:28.028
So if you wanna get into it and you
wanna share your collection, you wanna
00:03:28.028 --> 00:03:31.808
see other folks' collection, you wanna
talk about watches, you wanna talk
00:03:31.818 --> 00:03:36.697
about which watch did you take when
you went to, you know, Brazil or,
00:03:36.697 --> 00:03:39.537
you know, all the stuff that people
who wear watches like to talk about.
00:03:40.237 --> 00:03:42.327
You know, the wrist shot of the day-
00:03:42.847 --> 00:03:43.448
David: Oh, yes
00:03:43.478 --> 00:03:44.647
Christopher: this is a thing we do.
00:03:44.658 --> 00:03:44.687
Oh, yeah.
00:03:45.117 --> 00:03:48.588
And so we like to share photos,
we like to share stories.
00:03:48.647 --> 00:03:50.507
Of course, we all have questions.
00:03:50.947 --> 00:03:54.427
Right now I'm wearing a Blancpain, which
we can talk about, the Fifty Fathoms.
00:03:54.908 --> 00:03:58.402
And when I was thinking about
buying that watch- I talked to
00:03:58.402 --> 00:04:00.031
guys online who had the watch.
00:04:00.031 --> 00:04:02.101
I asked all kinds of
questions about the watch.
00:04:02.341 --> 00:04:05.332
I hadn't s- I bought it having
never seen one in the wild.
00:04:05.911 --> 00:04:06.591
David: Really?
00:04:06.591 --> 00:04:09.052
Christopher: Yeah, I'd never seen a
Blancpain in the wild, and I bought it.
00:04:09.571 --> 00:04:10.802
And boy, am I glad I did.
00:04:10.821 --> 00:04:16.121
And, and so all of those kinds of things,
sharing watches, talking about watches,
00:04:16.461 --> 00:04:19.531
talking about watch decisions, what
should I wear, what should I buy, what
00:04:19.531 --> 00:04:23.301
should I sell, y- you know, what do you
think of my collect- All these crazy
00:04:23.301 --> 00:04:26.591
things that make no sense to anybody
else, nor should they, by the way.
00:04:27.001 --> 00:04:27.361
David: Yeah.
00:04:27.711 --> 00:04:31.281
Christopher: But collectors of things
and people who enjoy certain kinds of
00:04:31.282 --> 00:04:35.461
things, uh, we like to hang out with
each other and, and in, because in the
00:04:35.461 --> 00:04:39.871
IRL, there's very few people who care
about this stuff, we go to online.
00:04:40.001 --> 00:04:45.642
And if you can find an online group that's
really good that is not full of fake bots
00:04:45.931 --> 00:04:52.301
trying to get you to invest in some fake
crypto bullin Qualalala Ding Dong to sell
00:04:52.301 --> 00:04:57.062
you, you know, cha- fake Rollies and all,
i- if you can get outside of that, and
00:04:57.062 --> 00:05:02.051
there's a lot of that, and find a, a watch
group online, uh, a Facebook group, a
00:05:02.052 --> 00:05:03.841
Reddit group, whatever, whatever you like.
00:05:03.931 --> 00:05:06.751
David: What are some of your favorite
groups that you like to hang out in,
00:05:06.751 --> 00:05:10.532
or that you, that you sometimes go
to for some of these conversations?
00:05:10.622 --> 00:05:12.941
Christopher: Yeah, so I'm
gonna pull this one up.
00:05:12.972 --> 00:05:14.181
It's brand new.
00:05:14.582 --> 00:05:20.941
This guy just created it not long ago, and
he and I … I, I don't know this person.
00:05:21.012 --> 00:05:22.412
He lives in New Jersey.
00:05:22.751 --> 00:05:24.071
He's a big-time watch guy.
00:05:24.082 --> 00:05:27.011
He travels like crazy for business.
00:05:27.641 --> 00:05:31.061
And I think it's called
Watches, Travels and Adventures.
00:05:31.061 --> 00:05:34.141
Or it's, if it's not that,
it's very close to that.
00:05:34.171 --> 00:05:36.271
Let me see if I can get the exact-
00:05:36.321 --> 00:05:37.591
David: And that's a Facebook group?
00:05:37.611 --> 00:05:38.971
Christopher: That's a Facebook group.
00:05:39.431 --> 00:05:45.011
Yeah, it's called Watches, Travels and
Adventures, and it's a brand-new Facebook
00:05:45.041 --> 00:05:50.211
group, and at least so far, this group
appears to have real people in it.
00:05:51.152 --> 00:05:51.491
David: Hmm.
00:05:51.841 --> 00:05:53.281
It's very small right now, Chris,
00:05:53.431 --> 00:05:53.671
Christopher: right?
00:05:53.671 --> 00:05:54.341
It's very, very small.
00:05:54.451 --> 00:05:54.631
Okay.
00:05:54.631 --> 00:05:55.261
Very small.
00:05:55.851 --> 00:06:00.371
And you know they're real people because,
uh, first of all, nobody's tried to do
00:06:00.371 --> 00:06:04.331
anything stupid since the, the, the, the
nickname the guy goes by is Scarsome.
00:06:04.351 --> 00:06:05.471
I don't know what his real name is.
00:06:05.481 --> 00:06:10.502
It's clearly not his real name, and he's
clearly protecting his- identity, which
00:06:10.502 --> 00:06:12.412
is fine, but he seems like a real person.
00:06:12.442 --> 00:06:17.812
Anyway, the guys on here, and there's a
few gals as well, they seem very real and
00:06:18.032 --> 00:06:22.472
everybody's just, you know, enthusiastic
about watches and cheering each other on.
00:06:22.472 --> 00:06:26.941
And he's also, this guy travels
a ton, and so a lot of the photos
00:06:26.941 --> 00:06:30.641
are, you know, I'm, I'm in Dubai
and I'm in Singapore or I'm in- How
00:06:30.642 --> 00:06:31.342
David: about that?
00:06:31.351 --> 00:06:32.912
Christopher: Wisconsin
or wherever it is, right?
00:06:32.912 --> 00:06:34.851
So there's just something
fun about that group.
00:06:35.502 --> 00:06:37.392
You know, there's a whole
bunch of other Rolex groups.
00:06:37.402 --> 00:06:39.381
The Rolex GMT group is pretty good.
00:06:39.642 --> 00:06:42.821
David: Do they talk about other watches
there too, or just purely Rolex?
00:06:43.301 --> 00:06:44.792
Christopher: Uh, mostly Rolex.
00:06:46.722 --> 00:06:46.752
Sure.
00:06:46.752 --> 00:06:46.961
That makes sense.
00:06:46.961 --> 00:06:50.512
And the Rolex groups, there's a, there's
Rolex bigotry, uh, members of the Rolex
00:06:50.521 --> 00:06:55.602
Sea-Dweller group because the, the JC
is part of, uh, the Sea-Dweller line.
00:06:55.801 --> 00:06:58.681
And so it's just fun to see where,
where guys are and what they're
00:06:58.681 --> 00:07:02.501
doing and, y- you know, some, some
folks are incredible photographers.
00:07:02.951 --> 00:07:05.321
There's a guy that's in
all of these watch groups.
00:07:05.391 --> 00:07:06.161
I, I'll never forget.
00:07:06.161 --> 00:07:09.221
His name's Scott White, at least
that's the name he goes by.
00:07:09.231 --> 00:07:09.251
Yeah.
00:07:09.391 --> 00:07:11.451
And he… Do you know who he is?
00:07:11.911 --> 00:07:12.601
David: I don't.
00:07:13.281 --> 00:07:16.862
Christopher: So he might be the
most famous watch collector on
00:07:16.892 --> 00:07:22.702
Facebook, because what this guy
does is he's a fashionista And he
00:07:22.702 --> 00:07:24.912
modifies his watches all the time.
00:07:24.922 --> 00:07:24.932
Ah.
00:07:25.042 --> 00:07:28.942
He puts custom colored dials,
custom bezels, custom straps.
00:07:29.492 --> 00:07:33.522
And so he- he'll take a picture
of himself wearing, you know, very
00:07:33.522 --> 00:07:40.001
expensive pink pants and pink, you
know, Givenchy or Gucci loafers and
00:07:40.001 --> 00:07:44.672
some cool shirt, and he'll be wearing,
you know, a Rolex Submariner with
00:07:44.681 --> 00:07:48.471
a pink, uh, aftermarket bracelet or
s- you know, something like that.
00:07:48.601 --> 00:07:49.161
David: Sure.
00:07:49.222 --> 00:07:51.401
Christopher: And he's all
over most of these groups.
00:07:51.462 --> 00:07:55.881
And, um, I remember seeing one of
these groups a while ago, and somebody
00:07:55.882 --> 00:07:59.231
was talking about him even though he
wasn't on the thread, and some other
00:07:59.231 --> 00:08:02.582
guy said, "Well, you know, who's Scott
White?" And some other guy jumped
00:08:02.582 --> 00:08:06.191
in and said, "Oh, if you hang out
in these Facebook watch groups long
00:08:06.191 --> 00:08:07.211
enough, you're gonna meet Scott."
00:08:08.222 --> 00:08:09.351
David: That's funny.
00:08:10.171 --> 00:08:13.981
Quick commercial break here to ask
you, have you seen all of the cool
00:08:13.981 --> 00:08:18.251
resources, downloads, and guides
waiting for you at watchsmarts.com?
00:08:18.411 --> 00:08:19.321
Go check it out.
00:08:19.371 --> 00:08:20.301
You'll love it.
00:08:22.292 --> 00:08:23.551
I just went to my car.
00:08:23.551 --> 00:08:24.341
This is so funny.
00:08:24.341 --> 00:08:27.802
Not, not now, 'cause I was here with you
the whole time, but before we flipped
00:08:27.802 --> 00:08:31.071
on the mics, I went to my car and I
realized, oh my gosh, I have this bag
00:08:31.071 --> 00:08:32.682
in my trunk from a couple days ago.
00:08:32.682 --> 00:08:35.511
I forgot to bring in some
magazines from Barnes & Noble.
00:08:35.812 --> 00:08:36.022
Christopher: Right.
00:08:36.032 --> 00:08:40.271
David: And I picked up,
there's this magazine, Watches.
00:08:40.771 --> 00:08:42.371
The Watches Magazine.
00:08:42.411 --> 00:08:42.761
Christopher: Yeah.
00:08:42.801 --> 00:08:43.121
Okay,
00:08:43.921 --> 00:08:43.961
David: great.
00:08:43.961 --> 00:08:45.732
I guess that's claiming
some kinda category design.
00:08:45.742 --> 00:08:46.681
The Watches Magazine.
00:08:46.691 --> 00:08:46.911
The
00:08:46.911 --> 00:08:47.472
Christopher: Watches, yeah.
00:08:47.472 --> 00:08:48.432
David: As if there's one.
00:08:48.641 --> 00:08:50.871
And then of course, this
is an old-timer, right?
00:08:50.882 --> 00:08:52.691
Watchtime, yeah.
00:08:52.691 --> 00:08:52.761
Great.
00:08:52.761 --> 00:08:53.111
This has been around forever.
00:08:53.111 --> 00:08:53.181
Watchtime.
00:08:53.181 --> 00:08:57.011
These are the only two magazines I could
find at this particular Barnes & Noble.
00:08:57.011 --> 00:09:00.792
Are there magazines or online
blogs that you follow, either paper
00:09:00.792 --> 00:09:02.991
publications or online publications?
00:09:03.211 --> 00:09:04.581
Christopher: Well, uh, yes and no.
00:09:04.632 --> 00:09:06.421
Uh, so none like that really.
00:09:06.562 --> 00:09:06.952
David: Okay.
00:09:07.001 --> 00:09:07.801
Christopher: I like Teddy Baldassarre.
00:09:08.602 --> 00:09:09.451
David: Oh, yeah.
00:09:09.871 --> 00:09:10.271
Christopher: Right?
00:09:10.271 --> 00:09:11.001
And his-
00:09:11.211 --> 00:09:12.092
David: He's a machine
00:09:12.102 --> 00:09:14.731
… Christopher: forget buying watches
from him for a second, which I think
00:09:14.731 --> 00:09:15.661
is probably a smart thing to do.
00:09:15.661 --> 00:09:16.721
I haven't, but I would.
00:09:17.231 --> 00:09:18.201
I think he's great.
00:09:18.221 --> 00:09:18.631
First of all-
00:09:18.672 --> 00:09:18.932
David: Yeah
00:09:19.331 --> 00:09:22.181
… Christopher: you and I look like maybe
we're the same vintage or near enough.
00:09:22.211 --> 00:09:22.651
David: Yeah.
00:09:22.861 --> 00:09:27.481
Christopher: And as a guy who came
from, you know, nothing and achieved
00:09:27.632 --> 00:09:32.062
a certain level of, of, of success,
in a business context, the most
00:09:32.062 --> 00:09:35.262
important part of my life now is
throwing down a rope to younger people.
00:09:35.950 --> 00:09:37.210
You know, I started with nothing.
00:09:37.210 --> 00:09:37.990
I have no education.
00:09:37.990 --> 00:09:41.580
I don't have a GED, and I retired
as an operating executive and
00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:43.240
multimillionaire at 38 years old.
00:09:43.830 --> 00:09:44.770
God bless America.
00:09:45.259 --> 00:09:50.819
And so whenever I see younger people doing
legendary shit, I love it- Yeah … and
00:09:50.820 --> 00:09:52.169
I go out of my way to support them.
00:09:52.229 --> 00:09:56.010
I do that in my lane of
tech entrepreneur startups.
00:09:56.309 --> 00:09:57.959
There are a lot of great
young entrepreneurs.
00:09:57.979 --> 00:10:00.850
There are a lot of great thought leaders
who are writing books, and teaching
00:10:00.850 --> 00:10:05.209
courses, and podcasting, and so forth,
who do great work, many of whom have
00:10:05.219 --> 00:10:08.320
built on our work around category
design, which we absolutely love.
00:10:08.330 --> 00:10:10.430
We, we wrote- Yeah … all
our shit on category design.
00:10:10.430 --> 00:10:11.499
We said it clearly.
00:10:11.689 --> 00:10:13.389
We are open sourcing category design.
00:10:13.389 --> 00:10:14.559
Take it and do whatever you want.
00:10:14.579 --> 00:10:17.710
And so there's all sorts of offshoot
podcasts that younger people have
00:10:17.710 --> 00:10:19.109
done that incorporate the idea.
00:10:19.579 --> 00:10:20.290
Love all of it.
00:10:20.310 --> 00:10:22.279
Wanna see all of them be successful.
00:10:22.290 --> 00:10:22.310
Yeah.
00:10:22.659 --> 00:10:25.499
And so when a guy like Teddy
shows up, kinda, I don't know much
00:10:25.509 --> 00:10:27.979
about his backstory, but out of
nowhere and becomes very dominant
00:10:27.989 --> 00:10:29.849
on the internet, I just love it.
00:10:29.849 --> 00:10:30.500
I think he's great.
00:10:30.520 --> 00:10:31.669
I think his videos are great.
00:10:31.689 --> 00:10:32.779
I think the articles are great.
00:10:32.790 --> 00:10:34.559
They're incredibly professionally written.
00:10:35.180 --> 00:10:36.600
So, you know, I look to him.
00:10:37.249 --> 00:10:42.570
And then, you know, the other one,
ChatGPT, Claude, I geek out on
00:10:42.570 --> 00:10:45.109
watch shit w- with AI all the time.
00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:48.109
David: What kind of prompts
do you put into AI for the,
00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:50.140
for the watch conversations?
00:10:50.289 --> 00:10:52.399
Christopher: Oh, I, I mean, you name it.
00:10:52.439 --> 00:10:55.399
Uh, I'll start off and I'll … So,
you know, when I was thinking about
00:10:55.399 --> 00:10:59.859
getting the Batman, I was like, got
on, uh, ChatGPT and started to talk
00:10:59.869 --> 00:11:02.859
about my collection and my thoughts
and the pros and cons of getting a new
00:11:02.859 --> 00:11:04.850
watch and this and that and the other.
00:11:04.850 --> 00:11:08.469
And ChatGPT's trying to help me
build out my collection or not.
00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:11.979
Mm. 'Cause o- one of the things very
few people talk about is if you're
00:11:11.979 --> 00:11:15.029
buying watches for investment, that's
one thing, and we can talk about that.
00:11:15.209 --> 00:11:17.670
But if you're buying watches 'cause
you love them and you want to wear
00:11:17.670 --> 00:11:21.430
them, you know, I'm now up to nine,
which is a great size collection.
00:11:22.060 --> 00:11:25.020
And every time I get a new
00:11:25.069 --> 00:11:31.079
So when I get the Batman, I wear
the Bruce Wayne and the Deepsea and
00:11:31.079 --> 00:11:35.199
the Panerais and the Blancpain less,
'cause I buy them to wear them.
00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:36.069
I love wearing them.
00:11:36.389 --> 00:11:40.030
So for me to buy a new watch, there's
all that thrill of the hunt and the
00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:43.669
research and watching the videos and
all that stuff that's really fun.
00:11:44.250 --> 00:11:47.219
Um, but then you get the watch,
which is really fun, and then you
00:11:47.229 --> 00:11:50.459
wear the watch and fall in love with
the watch, which is really fun, and
00:11:50.459 --> 00:11:52.949
after about two weeks of falling in
love with a new watch, you realize
00:11:52.950 --> 00:11:54.149
you're not wearing your other watches.
00:11:55.299 --> 00:12:00.686
So when you introduce a new child into
the family It's a little bit of a dilemma.
00:12:00.746 --> 00:12:03.126
And again, it's the, maybe the
greatest dilemma one could have.
00:12:03.136 --> 00:12:03.396
Like, oh
00:12:03.396 --> 00:12:07.726
David: Now, it sounds like, it sounds like
you wear one watch fairly continuously.
00:12:07.746 --> 00:12:11.765
I've gotten into this weird habit, and
again, just the last couple years, I
00:12:11.765 --> 00:12:17.046
will sometimes wear up to three of my
watches in a single 24-hour period.
00:12:17.426 --> 00:12:20.215
I'll start the day with the Rolex.
00:12:20.475 --> 00:12:21.906
I'll switch over to the Seiko.
00:12:21.906 --> 00:12:25.515
I'll pop on a Timex just for fun.
00:12:25.785 --> 00:12:28.385
I'll go and, you know,
grab one of my Bulovas.
00:12:29.215 --> 00:12:33.886
It's just, I, I… Literally,
phases and stages of the day, right?
00:12:33.886 --> 00:12:37.296
Let's say the morning is errands,
the afternoon I've got podcast
00:12:37.325 --> 00:12:40.705
interviews, and then going out
to dinner with friends at night.
00:12:40.965 --> 00:12:42.525
That's three different watches.
00:12:42.895 --> 00:12:43.245
Christopher: Right.
00:12:44.145 --> 00:12:44.465
I do it, too.
00:12:44.465 --> 00:12:44.595
Do you
00:12:44.595 --> 00:12:45.455
David: also do this?
00:12:45.516 --> 00:12:46.296
Christopher: Absolutely.
00:12:47.115 --> 00:12:48.765
You know, as I said, I'm semi-retired.
00:12:48.766 --> 00:12:52.935
Today I invest, I advise, I
write, and I teach and podcast.
00:12:53.595 --> 00:12:56.165
And so I have tremendous
agency over my time.
00:12:56.566 --> 00:12:56.726
David: Yeah.
00:12:56.775 --> 00:12:58.976
Christopher: And, uh, I only
do the things that I love.
00:12:59.045 --> 00:13:01.875
And, um, I have my watch box right here.
00:13:01.875 --> 00:13:03.136
I brought it into the studio.
00:13:03.666 --> 00:13:05.805
And it… You know, it's in my
bedroom where you might expect.
00:13:05.806 --> 00:13:09.616
And yeah, I'll be going to get a
sandwich at lunch, and I'll think,
00:13:09.645 --> 00:13:12.605
"Let me go into that watch box and
see what I got in there." Yeah.
00:13:12.605 --> 00:13:16.485
The other thing is, not all my
watches I would consider a daily,
00:13:16.815 --> 00:13:18.965
but most of them are very daily.
00:13:18.975 --> 00:13:18.995
Yeah.
00:13:19.656 --> 00:13:21.316
Could be dailies, most
of… Not all of them.
00:13:21.316 --> 00:13:25.526
I have, I would say I have two that
I wouldn't really consider dailies.
00:13:25.705 --> 00:13:28.305
David: Walk us through the ones that we
haven't seen yet, or just talk- Oh … us
00:13:28.306 --> 00:13:29.715
through the ones we haven't seen.
00:13:29.915 --> 00:13:29.975
Christopher: Yeah, perfect.
00:13:29.975 --> 00:13:31.665
So this is the Blancpain.
00:13:32.236 --> 00:13:37.835
And the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms
is the first ever real dive watch.
00:13:38.205 --> 00:13:40.806
So the Rolex Sub makes a claim to it.
00:13:41.545 --> 00:13:45.275
What m- the historians will tell you is
this watch shipped about a year and a
00:13:45.275 --> 00:13:47.525
half to two years before the Sub did.
00:13:48.086 --> 00:13:48.196
Hmm.
00:13:48.235 --> 00:13:51.896
Now, Blancpain went bankrupt and
wasn't building watches for a
00:13:51.896 --> 00:13:56.525
while, so the Sub is the longest
continuously made dive watch.
00:13:56.535 --> 00:13:56.995
And of course- Yeah
00:13:56.995 --> 00:13:57.905
it's a legendary watch.
00:13:57.906 --> 00:13:59.655
I got nothing but praise for the Sub.
00:14:00.295 --> 00:14:06.245
And if you look at this Fifty Fathoms,
it has a much more vintage-y look.
00:14:06.545 --> 00:14:06.925
David: Yes.
00:14:06.935 --> 00:14:10.615
Christopher: It has a classic
look that's a little less tool-y
00:14:10.625 --> 00:14:12.235
watch and a little more dressy.
00:14:12.655 --> 00:14:12.825
David: Yeah.
00:14:12.825 --> 00:14:14.145
Christopher: But not s- too much so.
00:14:14.196 --> 00:14:18.995
And the other thing, it's hard to tell
here, but the bezel is fully lubed.
00:14:19.375 --> 00:14:20.625
David: Oh, that's cool.
00:14:20.636 --> 00:14:21.655
Christopher: And that's really cool.
00:14:22.086 --> 00:14:26.135
And when I first got this Blancpain,
Dave, I, I got it on the sail cloth,
00:14:26.145 --> 00:14:29.166
the black sail cloth- Yeah … 'cause
I had so many steel watches.
00:14:29.655 --> 00:14:33.276
I thought, "Let's do something different."
I fucking hated that sail cloth.
00:14:34.045 --> 00:14:36.046
I kept expecting it to mold to my wrist.
00:14:36.065 --> 00:14:36.716
It didn't.
00:14:37.355 --> 00:14:37.665
David: Hmm.
00:14:37.715 --> 00:14:38.655
Christopher: It didn't feel good.
00:14:38.735 --> 00:14:40.196
And then I realized something.
00:14:40.735 --> 00:14:43.995
That movement on the wrist, that
feeling of it move around a little
00:14:43.996 --> 00:14:46.615
bit, goes away with the sail cloth.
00:14:46.785 --> 00:14:47.205
David: Yeah.
00:14:47.806 --> 00:14:48.845
Christopher: At least it did for me.
00:14:48.845 --> 00:14:51.706
I couldn't find a way to have
it loose enough that I liked it.
00:14:52.862 --> 00:14:53.682
Where it didn't move around.
00:14:53.722 --> 00:14:55.742
Anyway, I hated the sailcloth.
00:14:55.792 --> 00:14:58.582
And so I had this watch for
a year and I hardly wore it.
00:14:59.542 --> 00:15:02.882
And one day I thought, "This is crazy.
This is a great watch. I'm not wearing
00:15:02.882 --> 00:15:06.622
it, and I'm not wearing it 'cause I
fricking don't like… I just gotta
00:15:06.622 --> 00:15:09.112
admit, I don't like this damn strap."
00:15:09.382 --> 00:15:09.702
David: Yeah.
00:15:10.311 --> 00:15:13.092
Christopher: So I thought about
a NATO strap and, and decided no.
00:15:13.561 --> 00:15:18.342
And it turns out that Blancpain
is famous for this bracelet.
00:15:19.001 --> 00:15:22.262
It's known to be one of the most
comfortable, some people say the most
00:15:22.262 --> 00:15:24.942
comfortable sports watch diving bracelet.
00:15:24.962 --> 00:15:25.992
It is- Mm … amazing.
00:15:26.001 --> 00:15:27.491
It has incredible features.
00:15:28.142 --> 00:15:29.941
Anyway, so I bought the bracelet.
00:15:30.732 --> 00:15:31.752
David: You went back to the dealer?
00:15:31.771 --> 00:15:32.921
Christopher: I went back to my dealer.
00:15:33.372 --> 00:15:40.002
I said, "Get me a bracelet." He got me
the bracelet, set it all up, and now I
00:15:40.002 --> 00:15:41.832
can't take this Blancpain off my wrist.
00:15:42.032 --> 00:15:42.342
I-
00:15:42.342 --> 00:15:44.441
David: Now, what a lot of people
don't know, and I, I only found this
00:15:44.442 --> 00:15:47.901
out recently, I, I'm gonna guess
the bracelet was, like, 1,000 bucks.
00:15:48.231 --> 00:15:49.371
Christopher: I actually don't know.
00:15:49.541 --> 00:15:49.601
And-
00:15:49.661 --> 00:15:50.141
David: Okay
00:15:50.541 --> 00:15:52.801
… Christopher: the reason I don't
know… So I have a after… I have
00:15:52.802 --> 00:15:54.861
a gray market AD. I love the guy.
00:15:54.942 --> 00:15:56.031
His name's Mark Arias.
00:15:56.731 --> 00:15:58.091
He's turned into a buddy-
00:15:58.331 --> 00:15:58.671
David: Yeah
00:15:58.712 --> 00:16:01.351
… Christopher: you know, 'cause we bought
jewelry and watches from him over time.
00:16:01.352 --> 00:16:05.881
He made my… I upgraded my wife's
engagement ring, and he did…
00:16:05.892 --> 00:16:07.071
You know, et cetera, et cetera.
00:16:07.072 --> 00:16:07.102
Sure.
00:16:07.102 --> 00:16:08.652
So he's… And he's a local guy.
00:16:08.661 --> 00:16:10.811
His daughter works in the
business with him, and she
00:16:10.811 --> 00:16:11.881
just had- Yeah … some babies.
00:16:11.881 --> 00:16:12.051
And-
00:16:12.212 --> 00:16:13.371
David: And you have a real relationship
00:16:13.371 --> 00:16:13.981
… Christopher: real relationship.
00:16:14.011 --> 00:16:16.601
His staff's worked with
him for 25, 30 years.
00:16:16.602 --> 00:16:19.002
His- Yeah … his senior
guy's been with him forever.
00:16:19.002 --> 00:16:19.621
He's an amazing guy.
00:16:19.671 --> 00:16:21.132
So it's just, it's what…
00:16:21.171 --> 00:16:25.421
I think it's what most watch
people or jewelry people
00:16:25.421 --> 00:16:27.791
really, in my taste, would like.
00:16:27.791 --> 00:16:31.391
I prefer a local small business
person who's a craftsperson.
00:16:31.761 --> 00:16:34.181
My wife got me a Daytona from Mark.
00:16:35.541 --> 00:16:35.661
David: Oh.
00:16:35.771 --> 00:16:37.891
Christopher: And my buddy
Flip went to pick it up.
00:16:38.761 --> 00:16:39.922
I didn't know I was getting it.
00:16:39.922 --> 00:16:42.301
It was for my birthday, uh, last year.
00:16:43.252 --> 00:16:48.026
I didn't know this was happening So my
buddy Flip goes and picks up the Daytona
00:16:48.676 --> 00:16:54.996
from Mark, and he realizes- he says,
"Oh, do I- have they paid for it already?
00:16:55.635 --> 00:17:00.446
Like, h- I can- am I walking out of
the store with this Daytona?" And
00:17:00.465 --> 00:17:03.955
Mark says, "No, they haven't paid for
it, but just, sh- it's fine." And he
00:17:03.955 --> 00:17:05.915
goes, "What?" He goes, "It's fine.
00:17:06.086 --> 00:17:12.086
When I'm dealing with Chris Rivera,
I'll catch up with him." And so
00:17:12.095 --> 00:17:17.715
a buddy of mine, who Mark barely
knows, walks out with the Daytona,
00:17:18.456 --> 00:17:19.745
and Mark just puts it on my bill.
00:17:20.076 --> 00:17:22.796
So I don't know for sure, I think
it might have been three grand.
00:17:22.806 --> 00:17:24.415
Actually, let's see if we can look it up.
00:17:24.415 --> 00:17:24.616
David: Yeah.
00:17:24.616 --> 00:17:29.285
Well, my point is, for the folks that
don't know, if you have, like, a $20,000
00:17:29.285 --> 00:17:34.315
watch, when you go back and get the strap,
it's not like 60 bucks or 100 bucks.
00:17:34.675 --> 00:17:40.685
I mean, there are- No, no, no … for the
high-end watches, the bracelet costs more
00:17:40.795 --> 00:17:45.015
than a medium-end watch, like, $3,000.
00:17:45.535 --> 00:17:49.035
And it's just, it's … That was a
very eye-opening learning for me.
00:17:49.875 --> 00:17:50.155
Christopher: Yeah.
00:17:50.156 --> 00:17:53.286
I'm just asking ChatGPT
how much the bracelet is.
00:17:54.015 --> 00:17:54.685
Um-
00:17:54.686 --> 00:17:55.725
David: But it makes perfect sense.
00:17:55.735 --> 00:17:59.175
I mean, you can't … It's an
integrated part of the piece of jewelry.
00:17:59.186 --> 00:17:59.206
Yeah.
00:17:59.206 --> 00:18:01.415
It's not like, "Oh, it's gonna
be 60 bucks." Like, no, no,
00:18:01.415 --> 00:18:02.925
it's gonna be quite expensive.
00:18:02.945 --> 00:18:05.526
Christopher: ChatGPT says
the … So this is the Blancpain
00:18:05.945 --> 00:18:07.936
45, which is the big, big daddy.
00:18:07.965 --> 00:18:08.255
David: Yeah.
00:18:08.335 --> 00:18:09.025
Christopher: 45 mil.
00:18:09.355 --> 00:18:10.418
3 to 5,000.
00:18:10.418 --> 00:18:10.465
Yeah.
00:18:10.465 --> 00:18:10.705
Yeah.
00:18:10.705 --> 00:18:14.645
So I think I paid around $3,000
for the bracelet, and as you well
00:18:14.646 --> 00:18:19.445
know, as you just said, you can
buy a lot of legend- There's a ton-
00:18:20.195 --> 00:18:20.755
David: Great watches
00:18:20.756 --> 00:18:23.565
… Christopher: great watches in
that- For 3K … 3, 3 to 5.
00:18:23.565 --> 00:18:26.755
If, uh, you know, under
5,000, over 1,000- Yeah
00:18:26.755 --> 00:18:27.916
that's the sweet spot, right?
00:18:28.205 --> 00:18:28.725
David: Yeah.
00:18:29.686 --> 00:18:33.815
Christopher: So yeah, for the price of
a Blancpain 50 Fathoms bracelet, you
00:18:33.815 --> 00:18:37.125
can get a world-class legendary watch.
00:18:37.125 --> 00:18:40.075
I mean, I think you could probably get
some Grand Seikos for around five grand.
00:18:40.385 --> 00:18:41.786
You could certainly get a Longines.
00:18:41.795 --> 00:18:43.935
You can get, I think, a bunch of IWC.
00:18:43.936 --> 00:18:47.495
I mean, there's some really great brands
that you can get for those price points.
00:18:47.845 --> 00:18:49.905
David: People love the Tudors now also.
00:18:49.905 --> 00:18:51.975
Christopher: Oh my God,
they're so beautiful.
00:18:52.065 --> 00:18:52.565
David: Yeah.
00:18:52.695 --> 00:18:53.565
Christopher: So beautiful.
00:18:53.565 --> 00:18:55.685
And I, one, one of the things,
I love bigger watches, so the
00:18:55.686 --> 00:18:57.526
thing about the GMTs to me-
00:18:57.936 --> 00:18:58.226
David: Yeah
00:18:58.285 --> 00:18:59.705
… Christopher: is they feel tiny.
00:18:59.715 --> 00:18:59.735
Yeah.
00:18:59.906 --> 00:19:00.895
They're 40 mil.
00:19:01.115 --> 00:19:01.995
David: Yeah, exactly.
00:19:02.186 --> 00:19:04.655
Christopher: And I, I
wore Panerai for so long.
00:19:05.005 --> 00:19:07.765
Every time I put this
on, it feels too small.
00:19:07.955 --> 00:19:08.425
David: Yeah.
00:19:08.465 --> 00:19:10.575
Christopher: But here's the interesting
thing that's happened over time.
00:19:11.186 --> 00:19:19.065
Now that I have them, so I have the two
GMTs, I have the, the Daytona, and the
00:19:19.076 --> 00:19:22.585
other one I'll show you is the Marathon.
00:19:23.315 --> 00:19:26.125
And I decided, you can get
a Marathon in 44 or 45.
00:19:26.156 --> 00:19:30.455
I decided to get it in the 41
'cause this is my ultimate beater.
00:19:31.095 --> 00:19:37.188
Mm. This is the only watch- That
is contracted with the US military.
00:19:37.258 --> 00:19:40.878
This is the only watch company that
is an official supplier to the US
00:19:40.878 --> 00:19:45.178
military for non-quartz watches.
00:19:45.198 --> 00:19:49.027
So I think it's G- I think it's
G-SHOCK, Casios, and this watch.
00:19:49.168 --> 00:19:49.518
David: Yeah.
00:19:49.928 --> 00:19:51.987
Christopher: And this
watch is f- same family.
00:19:52.578 --> 00:19:54.097
Grandson runs the company.
00:19:54.768 --> 00:19:56.578
They've never built
anything with a diamond.
00:19:57.678 --> 00:20:01.497
They do one thing and one
thing only, military, cop.
00:20:01.717 --> 00:20:06.778
This is called the GSAR, the, uh,
government search and rescue watch.
00:20:06.788 --> 00:20:08.468
Rescue divers wear this watch.
00:20:08.477 --> 00:20:08.497
Wow.
00:20:08.957 --> 00:20:10.937
Guys in World War II wore this watch.
00:20:11.608 --> 00:20:14.648
And this is a 1,500 to maybe $2,000 watch.
00:20:15.237 --> 00:20:17.737
And I mean, I love this watch.
00:20:17.768 --> 00:20:19.627
I bought one for my nephew, Cameron.
00:20:19.667 --> 00:20:21.007
He- Yeah … it's his daily.
00:20:21.007 --> 00:20:21.807
He loves it.
00:20:22.408 --> 00:20:27.227
This is a legendary watch
for 15,000-ish, maybe $2,000.
00:20:27.577 --> 00:20:29.447
It's as manly a watch as
you're ever gonna wear.
00:20:29.487 --> 00:20:31.077
I would wear this watch with a tuxedo.
00:20:31.527 --> 00:20:31.727
Yeah.
00:20:31.727 --> 00:20:33.137
Um, that's just me.
00:20:33.507 --> 00:20:35.627
And this is a great beater.
00:20:35.827 --> 00:20:37.117
It's under the radar.
00:20:37.127 --> 00:20:39.758
It doesn't look like you're wearing
a Rolex or anything expensive.
00:20:39.788 --> 00:20:42.848
You're probably not gonna get,
you know, kidnapped for this watch
00:20:43.148 --> 00:20:43.488
. David: Right.
00:20:43.498 --> 00:20:47.197
Christopher: Um, and it's an
absolute beast workhorse, and it's
00:20:47.207 --> 00:20:49.707
designed to be no failure, right?
00:20:49.727 --> 00:20:53.607
The environments in which Marathons
are worn, they cannot fail.
00:20:54.148 --> 00:20:55.117
So I love that one.
00:20:55.657 --> 00:21:00.047
And then when I first saw the Rolex
Yacht-Masters, I didn't like the
00:21:00.047 --> 00:21:01.757
traditional Yacht-Master look.
00:21:01.767 --> 00:21:01.798
Mm-hmm.
00:21:02.137 --> 00:21:04.957
It seemed a little busy to me or, I
don't know, something about the way
00:21:05.367 --> 00:21:08.578
most of the, the, let's just call it
more traditional Yacht-Masters looked
00:21:08.578 --> 00:21:11.487
that I, I didn't dislike them, but
I didn't, I didn't, well, I wasn't
00:21:11.487 --> 00:21:12.937
joning to- jonesing to buy one.
00:21:13.788 --> 00:21:19.907
And then my buddy Mark showed me this,
and what this is is the Yacht-Master
00:21:19.907 --> 00:21:24.198
42 in white gold on the Oysterflex.
00:21:25.007 --> 00:21:28.307
David: That's so funny because the
dial looks nothing like the white
00:21:28.347 --> 00:21:30.537
Yacht-Master, the old- No … the old one.
00:21:31.137 --> 00:21:31.927
Christopher: No, nothing at all.
00:21:31.947 --> 00:21:32.927
It's not busy.
00:21:32.937 --> 00:21:32.967
Right.
00:21:33.077 --> 00:21:34.027
It's clean.
00:21:34.027 --> 00:21:36.227
It's as clean as a Sub.
00:21:36.517 --> 00:21:37.317
David: Amazing.
00:21:37.327 --> 00:21:38.507
Christopher: And look at the bezel.
00:21:38.767 --> 00:21:40.608
It's a matte bezel.
00:21:41.067 --> 00:21:41.387
David: Yeah.
00:21:41.387 --> 00:21:43.438
Christopher: And the
markers on it are shiny.
00:21:44.497 --> 00:21:45.538
David: Oh, nice.
00:21:45.847 --> 00:21:46.137
Christopher: And-
00:21:46.148 --> 00:21:47.998
David: That's like a ceramic bezel, right?
00:21:48.457 --> 00:21:49.518
Christopher: Uh, yeah, absolutely.
00:21:49.518 --> 00:21:50.588
It's a ceramic- Yeah … bezel.
00:21:51.118 --> 00:21:54.917
Like I said, I didn't love
straps, but this Oysterflex.
00:21:54.937 --> 00:21:57.417
Now, it doesn't move around, so
it doesn't give me that movement
00:21:57.428 --> 00:21:58.447
thing that I really like.
00:21:58.467 --> 00:22:01.337
It needs to sit a little tighter,
I find, than I would normally.
00:22:01.667 --> 00:22:05.694
However This is such a sexy watch to wear.
00:22:06.053 --> 00:22:06.994
I love this watch.
00:22:06.994 --> 00:22:07.344
Yeah.
00:22:07.344 --> 00:22:10.914
I don't know that I daily it,
'cause it's white gold, which
00:22:10.914 --> 00:22:12.543
scratches a little bit more easily.
00:22:12.744 --> 00:22:12.974
David: Yeah.
00:22:12.974 --> 00:22:15.643
Christopher: But I'm also, I'm, I'm
not one of these idiots who loses
00:22:15.643 --> 00:22:17.283
their mind over scratching their watch.
00:22:17.313 --> 00:22:18.524
I'm not selling this watch.
00:22:18.884 --> 00:22:19.323
David: Right.
00:22:19.563 --> 00:22:21.974
Christopher: You know, the children in my
life are gonna get all these things, so-
00:22:22.023 --> 00:22:22.403
David: Yeah
00:22:22.464 --> 00:22:23.103
Christopher: I'm gonna wear it.
00:22:23.144 --> 00:22:26.543
Ev- every scratch is
a scar that's a story.
00:22:26.833 --> 00:22:27.924
So I, I'm just, you know.
00:22:28.053 --> 00:22:30.323
Now, if it got absolutely
mangled, would I love it?
00:22:30.343 --> 00:22:30.843
No.
00:22:30.853 --> 00:22:34.343
But anyway, so I, I, I do
use this as a little bit more
00:22:34.343 --> 00:22:35.724
of a special occasion watch.
00:22:35.754 --> 00:22:37.563
I, I will travel with it for sure.
00:22:37.563 --> 00:22:38.893
I will wear it to business meetings.
00:22:38.903 --> 00:22:42.893
I, the Oysterflex is incredible,
and then it's got this
00:22:43.133 --> 00:22:45.484
mechanism here that pops open-
00:22:45.894 --> 00:22:46.244
David: Yeah
00:22:46.244 --> 00:22:48.833
Christopher: so that you can
increase the size of the watch.
00:22:48.833 --> 00:22:51.953
So, like, if you're on vacation,
like, if you go to the Caribbean
00:22:51.953 --> 00:22:55.504
or Hawaii or somewhere warm, your,
your body'll, you know… That's one
00:22:55.504 --> 00:22:57.473
of the downsides to the Blancpain.
00:22:57.473 --> 00:22:57.923
Mm-hmm.
00:22:57.923 --> 00:23:01.244
Um, the bracelet doesn't have an
expansion capability, so when you wear
00:23:01.244 --> 00:23:03.774
it- Right … in Hawaii, it's gonna be
tighter than when you wear it in Chicago.
00:23:03.774 --> 00:23:04.123
Yeah.
00:23:04.673 --> 00:23:07.803
So this watch has this beautiful
movement here in the Oysterflex.
00:23:07.803 --> 00:23:08.314
The micro
00:23:08.533 --> 00:23:08.964
David: adjustment.
00:23:09.254 --> 00:23:09.323
Christopher: Oh, look at
00:23:09.483 --> 00:23:09.793
David: that.
00:23:09.793 --> 00:23:09.909
Christopher: The
00:23:09.909 --> 00:23:10.141
David: micro adjustment.
00:23:10.141 --> 00:23:10.257
Yeah.
00:23:10.257 --> 00:23:11.643
No, no tools required.
00:23:11.653 --> 00:23:14.554
Christopher: No, no, it just, it's
a beautiful sliding mechanism,
00:23:14.554 --> 00:23:15.863
and it just locks, Dave.
00:23:15.873 --> 00:23:16.853
You just pu- push it-
00:23:17.214 --> 00:23:17.704
David: Very
00:23:17.704 --> 00:23:19.823
Christopher: cool … like that, and
you literally just… I don't know
00:23:19.833 --> 00:23:21.003
if, here, if you can hear that click.
00:23:21.684 --> 00:23:22.374
Did you hear that?
00:23:22.603 --> 00:23:23.643
David: Can't quite make it out- No?
00:23:23.643 --> 00:23:24.453
… but I believe you.
00:23:25.353 --> 00:23:26.414
Christopher: It's loud in the room.
00:23:26.684 --> 00:23:26.904
Yeah.
00:23:26.904 --> 00:23:29.753
Anyway, this is just an
incredibly beautiful watch.
00:23:30.273 --> 00:23:31.603
Nobody knows what this is.
00:23:31.603 --> 00:23:32.274
That's the other thing, too.
00:23:32.283 --> 00:23:34.043
Nobody knows you're wearing,
what you're wearing.
00:23:34.043 --> 00:23:34.483
Mm-hmm.
00:23:34.644 --> 00:23:38.253
And man, does it ever… You know,
if the other two watches are called
00:23:38.254 --> 00:23:41.833
the Batman and the Bruce Wayne, then
this has gotta be the Dark Knight.
00:23:41.853 --> 00:23:44.773
I mean, it's just, I
love this Yacht-Master.
00:23:44.783 --> 00:23:44.813
True.
00:23:44.824 --> 00:23:46.183
I waited for it for a while.
00:23:46.203 --> 00:23:47.933
It was a little tougher to get ahold of.
00:23:48.504 --> 00:23:50.193
Um, Mark got it for me.
00:23:50.243 --> 00:23:52.273
When he showed me this
watch, I lost my mind.
00:23:52.293 --> 00:23:54.873
It's a 42- Yeah … which
is a great size for me.
00:23:54.873 --> 00:23:58.893
It's bigger than the 40s, little
less than the 44s and 45s, so
00:23:58.943 --> 00:24:00.913
it's a great… I love a 42 size.
00:24:00.913 --> 00:24:01.843
This is really great.
00:24:01.853 --> 00:24:01.873
Yeah.
00:24:02.644 --> 00:24:06.383
And, um, a- again, I wear it a little
bit more of a special occasion watch.
00:24:06.793 --> 00:24:07.593
I will travel with it.
00:24:07.593 --> 00:24:08.823
I will wear it to a business meeting.
00:24:09.223 --> 00:24:11.433
Uh, but I, I absolutely love this watch.
00:24:11.443 --> 00:24:17.794
I think it's, I think the Yacht-Master
II on white gold or rose gold, my
00:24:17.794 --> 00:24:21.083
wife has the gals one in rose gold.
00:24:21.593 --> 00:24:22.113
David: Mm.
00:24:22.124 --> 00:24:23.884
Christopher: I think it's a 32 maybe.
00:24:24.393 --> 00:24:24.833
David: Yeah.
00:24:24.943 --> 00:24:27.174
Christopher: Holy God, is it beautiful.
00:24:27.184 --> 00:24:29.233
Mm. It is a stunner.
00:24:30.158 --> 00:24:32.618
So that, that's the other fun th-
and I know this sounds terrible
00:24:32.618 --> 00:24:35.828
to certain people and whatever,
but we're watch nerding out here.
00:24:36.078 --> 00:24:38.378
It's, it is a little f- like,
I wouldn't wanna wear the same
00:24:38.378 --> 00:24:40.358
sweatshirt as my wife at the same time.
00:24:40.757 --> 00:24:41.167
David: Right.
00:24:41.207 --> 00:24:43.197
Christopher: But it is a little fun
wearing the same … So if we go
00:24:43.197 --> 00:24:46.397
out to dinner and we're both wearing
the Yacht-Masters on that Do you do,
00:24:46.398 --> 00:24:47.767
David: like, the double wrist shot?
00:24:47.777 --> 00:24:48.457
Have you done that?
00:24:48.467 --> 00:24:50.477
Christopher: Y- you have to
do that every once in a while.
00:24:50.487 --> 00:24:50.737
Yeah, you have to do that.
00:24:50.737 --> 00:24:53.527
It's just, it's just, it's
just part of the program.
00:24:53.558 --> 00:24:57.367
And then the last but not least
is this Daytona, and there's a
00:24:57.377 --> 00:25:01.497
interesting story about this, and
this is where having a great gray
00:25:01.497 --> 00:25:03.817
market AD, I think, really matters.
00:25:03.877 --> 00:25:08.838
So we're at dinner, I'm wearing my James
Cameron, we're talking about watches with
00:25:08.888 --> 00:25:12.747
Mark and his wife, me and my wife, and
there's a young man sitting at the next
00:25:12.768 --> 00:25:15.678
table, and he's got a black dial Daytona.
00:25:16.068 --> 00:25:16.678
David: Hmm.
00:25:16.678 --> 00:25:18.977
Christopher: And we're talking about how
beautiful that is and this and that and
00:25:18.977 --> 00:25:24.127
the other, and we start talking about
how much we love the Platona, right,
00:25:24.127 --> 00:25:30.217
which is the platinum Daytona with the
light blue face and the brown bezel.
00:25:30.237 --> 00:25:30.744
It's just beautiful.
00:25:30.744 --> 00:25:31.107
Oh, yeah, that's
00:25:31.107 --> 00:25:31.627
David: sharp.
00:25:31.697 --> 00:25:32.077
Yeah.
00:25:32.638 --> 00:25:35.750
Christopher: But I think it retails
for maybe, I don't know, 75 or 100, and
00:25:35.750 --> 00:25:39.737
it, it sells on the aftermarket for,
you know, well over that, maybe 200.
00:25:40.668 --> 00:25:43.767
And, uh, I'm just not paying
200,000 dollars for a watch.
00:25:43.777 --> 00:25:45.287
I'm just- Right … not gonna do that.
00:25:45.287 --> 00:25:48.177
I think my next watch might be a
Vacheron, but again, I'm not gonna go
00:25:48.187 --> 00:25:50.378
There's just … You know, I
just … I don't … And I also
00:25:50.378 --> 00:25:51.697
don't live in a world like that.
00:25:51.698 --> 00:25:55.158
I live in a beach town and, you
know, I'm in flip-flops a lot
00:25:55.158 --> 00:25:59.327
of the time, and so I'm just not
gonna spend 200 grand or whatever.
00:25:59.347 --> 00:26:02.037
That, that- Right … I, I, I
don't wanna go to that level, just
00:26:02.037 --> 00:26:03.457
like I don't want a Lamborghini.
00:26:04.117 --> 00:26:05.457
I could, I just don't want one.
00:26:05.467 --> 00:26:05.497
Sure.
00:26:05.777 --> 00:26:08.967
Anyway, love the watch, and so
we start talking about the, the
00:26:08.967 --> 00:26:10.117
Platona and how beautiful it is.
00:26:10.117 --> 00:26:14.048
My wife loves it, wants me to get it,
is trying to talk me into it, and I'm
00:26:14.048 --> 00:26:19.377
going, "I'm just not gonna spend that."
And Mark goes, "Well, we could build
00:26:19.378 --> 00:26:25.424
you one." I said, "What do you mean?" He
said, "I'll buy a Daytona and we'll put
00:26:25.494 --> 00:26:31.654
aftermarket bezel and aftermarket dial on
it for you, and it'll look like a Platona,
00:26:31.874 --> 00:26:33.143
but you won't spend Platona money."
00:26:33.694 --> 00:26:37.553
And I said, "That's a great
idea." And so here it is.
00:26:38.424 --> 00:26:39.824
David: Wow.
00:26:39.894 --> 00:26:41.364
Christopher: It is absolutely beautiful.
00:26:41.984 --> 00:26:43.834
It wears incredibly well.
00:26:44.533 --> 00:26:48.633
And we took a black Daytona
and we souped it up.
00:26:48.814 --> 00:26:52.003
And so I just th- you know, I'm a
longtime, uh, Mustang fan, and one
00:26:52.004 --> 00:26:55.083
of the great things about Mustangs,
of course, is you can do all this
00:26:55.083 --> 00:26:56.444
stuff to them in the aftermarket.
00:26:56.454 --> 00:26:57.543
They're sort of built for that.
00:26:57.934 --> 00:26:59.774
And so this is my little Scott White.
00:26:59.783 --> 00:27:01.303
You know, Scott does this all the time.
00:27:01.623 --> 00:27:04.533
There's a lot of people in the, uh,
watch world, the Rolex world, who
00:27:04.533 --> 00:27:06.723
consider this a Frankenstein watch.
00:27:07.123 --> 00:27:07.943
I want what I want.
00:27:07.993 --> 00:27:08.853
I like what I like.
00:27:08.893 --> 00:27:10.434
I don't really wanna spend 200 grand.
00:27:10.963 --> 00:27:13.034
This watch was 10% the price.
00:27:13.043 --> 00:27:13.063
Yeah.
00:27:13.513 --> 00:27:16.923
And I got this beautiful
watch, and it is a Rolex.
00:27:17.033 --> 00:27:17.733
It's amazing.
00:27:18.414 --> 00:27:21.983
And so, uh, I have all the fun
and I have most of the money.
00:27:22.673 --> 00:27:23.744
David: That's true.
00:27:23.943 --> 00:27:24.823
Oh, my gosh.
00:27:24.824 --> 00:27:25.803
So good.
00:27:26.414 --> 00:27:27.803
Christopher: So that's
the whole collection.
00:27:27.803 --> 00:27:28.943
That's all, all nine.
00:27:28.943 --> 00:27:32.784
So I've got, let's see, one, two,
three, four, yeah, five Rolies,
00:27:32.814 --> 00:27:34.844
two Panerais, and the Marathon.
00:27:35.573 --> 00:27:36.063
David: Nice.
00:27:36.113 --> 00:27:38.093
Christopher: Oh, and of course the
Blancpain, which I'm currently wearing.
00:27:38.094 --> 00:27:38.814
David: Amazing.
00:27:39.594 --> 00:27:41.794
Hey, David Newman here with
a quick commercial break.
00:27:41.794 --> 00:27:45.173
Have you seen our social media
channels that have video snippets
00:27:45.183 --> 00:27:46.803
from our favorite interviews?
00:27:46.823 --> 00:27:50.413
Check us out on TikTok,
Instagram, and YouTube.
00:27:51.143 --> 00:27:53.113
Now, back to the episode.
00:27:54.573 --> 00:27:58.133
Well, as we're landing the plane, we
just have two pieces of business left.
00:27:58.543 --> 00:28:03.113
Piece of business number one is
I always like to ask my guests a
00:28:03.123 --> 00:28:06.923
lightning round, which is kind of
a very quick A or B kinda quiz.
00:28:07.484 --> 00:28:12.933
And then any f- I'm gonna throw it to you,
Christopher, for any final thoughts or
00:28:12.943 --> 00:28:18.003
parting words of wisdom for folks that are
looking to get into or further into the
00:28:18.003 --> 00:28:20.043
watch obsession that you and I both share.
00:28:20.484 --> 00:28:21.634
Are you ready for the lightning round?
00:28:21.634 --> 00:28:21.933
I'm ready.
00:28:22.173 --> 00:28:22.323
Christopher: Okay.
00:28:22.323 --> 00:28:23.024
I'm ready, David.
00:28:23.024 --> 00:28:23.504
Let's go.
00:28:23.933 --> 00:28:27.293
David: Question numero
uno, strap or bracelet?
00:28:27.763 --> 00:28:29.813
Christopher: Bracelet all
day, not even close for me.
00:28:30.253 --> 00:28:31.814
David: Vintage or modern?
00:28:32.473 --> 00:28:34.044
Christopher: Uh, m-
modern mostly, because-
00:28:34.714 --> 00:28:37.094
David: One great watch or five good ones?
00:28:38.080 --> 00:28:40.620
Christopher: Well, it depends on what your
definition of is is, like Bill Clinton
00:28:40.620 --> 00:28:42.690
taught us, but I think five good ones.
00:28:43.110 --> 00:28:43.389
David: Okay.
00:28:43.420 --> 00:28:46.739
Christopher: I'd rather have five
awesome Rollies and Panerais and,
00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:49.780
and Blancpains than one Patek.
00:28:49.810 --> 00:28:52.570
And look, I love Patek Philippe,
but I, I'm not gonna buy that watch.
00:28:52.570 --> 00:28:53.899
I have nowhere to wear that watch.
00:28:53.919 --> 00:28:54.349
Yeah.
00:28:54.349 --> 00:28:55.480
And it's not kinda my lifestyle.
00:28:56.020 --> 00:28:58.879
I do think I would wear a, a
Vacheron Overseas, and that's
00:28:58.879 --> 00:29:00.730
kinda what I have my eyes on next.
00:29:00.739 --> 00:29:00.759
Yeah.
00:29:00.999 --> 00:29:02.699
But I'm, I'm in, I'm in no hurry.
00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:07.160
I really love… I, you know, I
got to this collection very fast-
00:29:07.669 --> 00:29:07.929
David: Yeah
00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:11.999
… Christopher: and I decided after I got the
Batman that I was gonna put the brakes on-
00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:12.700
David: Yeah
00:29:12.730 --> 00:29:14.429
… Christopher: and just enjoy what I have.
00:29:14.429 --> 00:29:18.240
And, you know, maybe at a milestone
or something like that, if one of the
00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:22.709
companies- Sure … I'm advising goes
public or is acquired or, or a child is
00:29:22.710 --> 00:29:25.510
born or, you know, big anniversary maybe.
00:29:25.510 --> 00:29:27.539
But, uh, right now I'm kinda holding fast.
00:29:27.730 --> 00:29:27.970
Okay.
00:29:27.970 --> 00:29:30.219
So yeah, I think, I think having
a couple is really, really fun.
00:29:30.269 --> 00:29:34.129
That said, if you have one grail
watch in mind, and you can af- only
00:29:34.129 --> 00:29:36.959
afford one, and I was in that place
for a very, very long time where I
00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:39.909
couldn't afford my grail watch, but I
could afford something that I liked.
00:29:40.289 --> 00:29:43.910
I had a Zodiac watch once and, you know-
Yeah … trying to get in the game.
00:29:44.460 --> 00:29:47.349
By all mean… Listen, if you,
if you fall in love with a
00:29:47.350 --> 00:29:49.909
Seiko, fall in love with a Seiko.
00:29:49.909 --> 00:29:51.289
The Seiko divers are unbelievable.
00:29:51.710 --> 00:29:54.040
Longines just came out with
an upgrade to their divers.
00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:54.909
They look gorgeous.
00:29:54.919 --> 00:29:54.939
Yeah.
00:29:55.269 --> 00:29:57.799
And I don't know,
they're $3,000 or $4,000.
00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:59.610
I think it's fun to have more than one.
00:30:00.460 --> 00:30:03.540
That said, I also love
the guys like my dad.
00:30:03.589 --> 00:30:08.659
My dad has worn the same Rollie
every freaking day, doing every
00:30:08.669 --> 00:30:10.679
freaking thing since 1973.
00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:11.079
Yeah.
00:30:11.089 --> 00:30:15.399
His whole life is in that one
watch, and there's something
00:30:15.409 --> 00:30:16.899
very romantic about that.
00:30:16.899 --> 00:30:18.500
There's something very cool about that.
00:30:18.530 --> 00:30:22.079
So I think it's a preference thing,
but in general, I think most of us
00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:23.369
would like to mix it up a little bit.
00:30:23.369 --> 00:30:27.469
So if you, if you can afford
three or four good to great or one
00:30:27.549 --> 00:30:31.759
legendary expensive, m- I think I'd
do the more versus the less, but.
00:30:32.030 --> 00:30:32.570
David: Okay.
00:30:33.419 --> 00:30:34.320
Next question.
00:30:34.329 --> 00:30:36.819
I think I know your answer
based on our conversation.
00:30:36.829 --> 00:30:39.209
Buy new or hunt for pre-owned?
00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:43.230
Christopher: So I have mostly bought
new, because there's something fun
00:30:43.230 --> 00:30:47.429
about new, and there's something
about all the scratches and
00:30:47.429 --> 00:30:48.829
all the history going into it.
00:30:49.289 --> 00:30:58.159
That said, listen, I've been looking for a
late-'60s Sea-Dweller for quite some time.
00:30:58.879 --> 00:31:01.589
So I currently don't… I
have had vintage watches.
00:31:01.649 --> 00:31:03.079
I don't have one now.
00:31:03.409 --> 00:31:03.589
Yeah.
00:31:03.589 --> 00:31:04.670
And I will have one.
00:31:05.349 --> 00:31:06.659
I'm not sure what it'll be.
00:31:07.080 --> 00:31:10.369
I also I had this experience recently.
00:31:10.419 --> 00:31:13.019
I, um, I was in Las Vegas with my mother.
00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:16.459
I took my mother to see Jerry
Seinfeld for her 80th birthday.
00:31:16.459 --> 00:31:16.489
Nice.
00:31:17.250 --> 00:31:25.060
And we rolled into a dealer there, and
I tried on an all-gold Blackface Sub.
00:31:26.062 --> 00:31:28.252
It was shockingly gorgeous.
00:31:28.302 --> 00:31:31.232
I never thought I'd want
a fully gold Rolex, never.
00:31:31.282 --> 00:31:31.401
David: Mm.
00:31:32.222 --> 00:31:34.062
Christopher: It was a stunner.
00:31:34.871 --> 00:31:37.411
Uh, and they wouldn't sell
it to me , but that's okay.
00:31:37.781 --> 00:31:38.988
So, um, I think- But
00:31:38.988 --> 00:31:42.282
David: with the price of gold, that
must cost a fortune these days.
00:31:42.341 --> 00:31:43.851
Christopher: I think it was around 50.
00:31:44.281 --> 00:31:45.282
David: Oh, that's not bad.
00:31:45.331 --> 00:31:47.619
Christopher: It wasn't, uh,
it wasn't 100, and, uh, yeah.
00:31:47.619 --> 00:31:47.792
Right.
00:31:47.792 --> 00:31:48.811
I, it was around 50.
00:31:49.051 --> 00:31:50.851
I, I don't think it was 60.
00:31:50.861 --> 00:31:53.161
Yeah, I think I … Maybe out
the door with taxes- Yeah … but
00:31:53.161 --> 00:31:54.831
it was in that sort of range.
00:31:55.792 --> 00:32:00.181
But, you know, I now think that,
uh, is there a place in my life
00:32:00.192 --> 00:32:03.831
for, um, a vintage gold Rollie?
00:32:04.451 --> 00:32:05.491
There probably is.
00:32:05.742 --> 00:32:08.411
A vintage Bluesy might be really cool.
00:32:08.602 --> 00:32:09.881
David: Yes, the Smurf.
00:32:10.321 --> 00:32:13.171
Christopher: Right, uh, the
Smurf might be very cool.
00:32:13.191 --> 00:32:17.661
So yeah, I will have a vintage watch
again probably in the next few years.
00:32:17.691 --> 00:32:21.921
I, I decided with this run
that I wanted the new . I like
00:32:21.922 --> 00:32:23.512
the longer power reserves.
00:32:23.551 --> 00:32:25.581
I like that they're tougher
than they used to be, although
00:32:25.581 --> 00:32:26.621
they've always been really tough.
00:32:26.641 --> 00:32:27.971
I'm hard on my watches.
00:32:28.621 --> 00:32:30.121
I bash my head all the time.
00:32:30.121 --> 00:32:31.271
I've had a million concussions.
00:32:31.271 --> 00:32:32.472
I slam into things.
00:32:32.472 --> 00:32:35.521
I … You know, so my watches
are gonna get hit into things and
00:32:35.521 --> 00:32:36.841
abused and all that kinda stuff.
00:32:36.841 --> 00:32:37.192
And so-
00:32:37.441 --> 00:32:37.781
David: Right
00:32:37.922 --> 00:32:42.711
… Christopher: as I recaught the disease,
I went all new, but I will add a, a
00:32:42.712 --> 00:32:44.092
couple of vintage pieces for sure.
00:32:44.092 --> 00:32:46.892
They're beautiful, and th- Yeah … and
they're somebody else's history, and
00:32:46.892 --> 00:32:49.462
there's ghosts in the watch, and yeah.
00:32:49.701 --> 00:32:50.502
David: For sure.
00:32:50.761 --> 00:32:54.481
Final lightning round question,
loud watch or quiet watch?
00:32:55.231 --> 00:32:56.121
Christopher: I don't care.
00:32:56.911 --> 00:32:58.281
Watch that I love.
00:32:58.341 --> 00:33:01.441
I, I don't wear watches for other
people like we talked about.
00:33:01.591 --> 00:33:01.761
Sure.
00:33:01.761 --> 00:33:02.911
No one even notices them.
00:33:02.951 --> 00:33:05.351
I'm not trying to impress
anybody with my watch.
00:33:05.361 --> 00:33:06.511
I'm not that guy.
00:33:07.321 --> 00:33:12.041
And so yeah, it's really a function
of wh- when you look at that watch
00:33:12.942 --> 00:33:16.062
Do you feel what I just feel when
I just did that and looked at this
00:33:16.072 --> 00:33:17.612
Blancpain and went, "Fuck yeah."
00:33:18.842 --> 00:33:19.482
That's awesome.
00:33:20.092 --> 00:33:20.182
Yeah.
00:33:20.182 --> 00:33:24.581
And if you feel that way and it's a
gold Rollie, wear your gold Rollie.
00:33:24.581 --> 00:33:27.182
Or if you want one with a bunch of
fucking diamonds in it, you want a,
00:33:27.482 --> 00:33:31.981
you, you want a Day-Date Presidential
in gold with diamonds 'cause it makes
00:33:31.981 --> 00:33:34.881
you feel like a boss, have at it.
00:33:35.411 --> 00:33:36.122
Go for it.
00:33:36.631 --> 00:33:37.492
David: Go for it.
00:33:38.022 --> 00:33:41.831
Well, as we're landing here, uh,
and, and maybe that was it, maybe
00:33:41.831 --> 00:33:46.121
that was the final words of wisdom,
but are there any additional final
00:33:46.131 --> 00:33:49.512
words of wisdom or parting thoughts
you'd like to leave our listeners?
00:33:49.681 --> 00:33:52.452
Christopher: Yeah, uh, maybe a couple,
particularly if you're starting out.
00:33:53.052 --> 00:33:54.671
No matter what, invest in quality.
00:33:55.232 --> 00:33:58.031
Buy great watches made
by great people, period.
00:33:58.892 --> 00:33:59.152
Right?
00:33:59.152 --> 00:34:02.811
Whether it's a, a Marathon that
is three or four generations, same
00:34:02.811 --> 00:34:07.392
family, or, you know, Rolex makes
apparently a million watches a year.
00:34:07.392 --> 00:34:09.291
I've heard it's actually more
than that, but whatever it is,
00:34:09.291 --> 00:34:10.611
they make a lot of watches.
00:34:10.672 --> 00:34:14.862
And make no mistake, they're
incredibly well-made.
00:34:15.641 --> 00:34:16.821
They're bomb shelters.
00:34:17.692 --> 00:34:22.101
Uh, and s- and Omega's not my taste, but
I appreciate them and, and, and love them,
00:34:22.101 --> 00:34:23.611
and guys who have them, God bless you.
00:34:23.702 --> 00:34:26.941
I, I, uh, nothing against them,
it's just not to my eye generally.
00:34:26.952 --> 00:34:27.772
Mm-hmm.
00:34:27.791 --> 00:34:30.191
Uh, and there's a lot of smaller
manufacturers that have been
00:34:30.201 --> 00:34:32.801
around since the 1700s, you know?
00:34:33.412 --> 00:34:39.391
And so I think buy what you love, invest
in quality, don't buy a piece of junk.
00:34:40.162 --> 00:34:42.972
And the other thing, if you're
gonna build a collection, you know,
00:34:42.972 --> 00:34:47.292
I have over-rotated on watches
that you can daily, on purpose.
00:34:47.951 --> 00:34:52.051
That said, I didn't try to make
every watch do the same thing
00:34:52.552 --> 00:34:54.172
or f- make me feel the same way.
00:34:54.811 --> 00:34:59.151
And so as you're building your
collection out, think about what
00:34:59.151 --> 00:35:03.101
are the different experiences
you wanna have wearing a watch.
00:35:03.781 --> 00:35:05.551
And there'll be some overlap, of course.
00:35:05.552 --> 00:35:08.511
Is there some overlap in the
feeling I have wearing a Blancpain
00:35:08.951 --> 00:35:10.471
and the James Cameron Deepsea?
00:35:10.471 --> 00:35:12.551
Yeah, it's a f- similar feel watch.
00:35:12.601 --> 00:35:19.611
However, you know, just like Slash,
Slash has one of the largest collections
00:35:19.611 --> 00:35:21.382
of Gibson Les Pauls in the world.
00:35:22.410 --> 00:35:26.640
And every once in a while he
plays an Ibanez, but in general,
00:35:26.770 --> 00:35:32.040
I think probably around 90% of the
time, Slash is playing Les Pauls.
00:35:32.949 --> 00:35:36.480
Now, why would you need, if it's the
same guitar, why would you need 10,000
00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:38.000
of them, or whatever he's got, right?
00:35:38.600 --> 00:35:43.200
Well, what he would tell you, and I've
seen the interviews, is that this one
00:35:43.209 --> 00:35:47.200
has this feel, and this one has that
feel, and this one I took on this tour,
00:35:47.200 --> 00:35:50.779
and this one we recorded this record
with, and this one I picked up from
00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:53.419
this unbelievable hero of mine who…
00:35:53.469 --> 00:35:55.720
You know, whatever the stories
are with the guitars, right?
00:35:56.269 --> 00:36:01.670
And the reality is, with effects pedals
today and computers today, you can
00:36:01.670 --> 00:36:04.369
make any guitar sound like anything.
00:36:04.370 --> 00:36:09.549
You can take a Stratocaster and make
it sound like Jimmy Page's Les Paul.
00:36:09.589 --> 00:36:10.409
You can do that.
00:36:10.889 --> 00:36:15.209
So y- you don't need it to be in the
guitar, just like you don't need a watch.
00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:21.539
And the different guitars make
Slash feel different, and they have
00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:23.460
different memories a- and so forth.
00:36:24.219 --> 00:36:26.690
And so it's a little bit like
that with watches, or I think
00:36:26.690 --> 00:36:27.889
a lot like that with watches.
00:36:27.890 --> 00:36:31.380
And so a- as you go to build a
collection, think about, okay, what
00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:35.180
is it, what is it I'm trying to
accomplish here that I don't have?
00:36:35.570 --> 00:36:39.279
What's this slight vary… If you're,
if you're like me and you're on a
00:36:39.289 --> 00:36:43.229
theme, because most of my… Well,
yeah, all of my watches are tool watches
00:36:44.108 --> 00:36:48.438
All of my watches are kind of more
rugged, more masculine, if you will.
00:36:48.768 --> 00:36:49.888
That's what I like.
00:36:50.608 --> 00:36:54.838
Could you argue that I need,
you know, a Cartier Tank?
00:36:55.228 --> 00:36:55.658
Sure.
00:36:55.788 --> 00:36:56.917
I don't wanna wear a Cartier Tank.
00:36:56.958 --> 00:36:58.057
It's a beautiful watch.
00:36:58.328 --> 00:36:59.617
I had a Cartier Pasha one time.
00:36:59.618 --> 00:37:00.648
It was incredible watch.
00:37:00.697 --> 00:37:01.937
I don't wanna wear that watch either.
00:37:01.947 --> 00:37:01.967
No.
00:37:02.268 --> 00:37:04.497
It's too dressy for me
and my lifestyle today.
00:37:05.207 --> 00:37:10.697
So my point in all that is just even if
you like watches that are very similar
00:37:11.047 --> 00:37:15.377
in a theme, in a category, mine are dive
and tool watches, don't try to buy a
00:37:15.377 --> 00:37:17.678
watch that does everything every time.
00:37:18.348 --> 00:37:22.017
David: And to quote your
stepmom, "I'm glad you love it."
00:37:22.558 --> 00:37:22.928
Christopher: Right.
00:37:23.357 --> 00:37:24.157
David: Glad you love it.
00:37:24.328 --> 00:37:26.098
Christopher: If you don't
love it, don't buy it.
00:37:26.098 --> 00:37:26.607
Yes.
00:37:26.607 --> 00:37:30.137
And if by chance, like this Blancpain,
you buy it and you don't like it,
00:37:30.168 --> 00:37:31.868
figure out why you don't like it.
00:37:31.898 --> 00:37:33.147
Oh, is, is it the watch?
00:37:33.188 --> 00:37:34.178
No, I don't think it's the watch.
00:37:34.207 --> 00:37:35.108
The watch is incredible.
00:37:35.328 --> 00:37:36.347
Oh, it's the strap.
00:37:36.867 --> 00:37:37.397
Yeah.
00:37:37.407 --> 00:37:38.347
Oh, okay.
00:37:38.587 --> 00:37:40.977
Well, it took me a year to
figure out I hated the strap.
00:37:41.947 --> 00:37:45.678
Okay, then I unfucked the watch,
and now I can't take it off, right?
00:37:46.238 --> 00:37:47.827
And so you like what you like.
00:37:48.078 --> 00:37:52.187
And again, if you said to me I could
only have this Blancpain, I probably
00:37:52.188 --> 00:37:54.307
wouldn't pick that as my only watch.
00:37:54.307 --> 00:37:54.627
Yeah.
00:37:54.627 --> 00:37:55.688
I would pick the Deepsea.
00:37:56.128 --> 00:37:59.177
But I'm not trying to … I didn't get
the Blancpain to replace the Deepsea.
00:37:59.207 --> 00:38:00.687
I'm not gonna dive with the Blancpain.
00:38:01.167 --> 00:38:01.777
I'm just not.
00:38:01.798 --> 00:38:02.798
It's a beautiful watch.
00:38:02.807 --> 00:38:07.387
It's a l- more dressy than the
Deepsea, and if I smash the bezel
00:38:07.398 --> 00:38:11.677
on the side of a, of a tank or a
boat, that would be a giant bummer.
00:38:11.728 --> 00:38:13.277
So this will be a dress watch.
00:38:13.298 --> 00:38:14.277
It'll go in the pool.
00:38:14.317 --> 00:38:17.538
It'll go for a swim in the ocean,
but it ain't going diving, whereas
00:38:17.548 --> 00:38:19.167
the Deepsea is going to the deep sea.
00:38:19.817 --> 00:38:20.167
David: Yes.
00:38:20.657 --> 00:38:23.827
Christopher: So don't try to do,
get every watch to do everything
00:38:23.828 --> 00:38:25.248
is what I'm trying to communicate.
00:38:25.807 --> 00:38:26.468
David: I love that.
00:38:26.487 --> 00:38:27.487
Absolutely right.
00:38:27.917 --> 00:38:29.978
Well, Christopher Lockhead,
thank you for being with us.
00:38:29.997 --> 00:38:33.737
I don't think any man listening
to this show, back in part one
00:38:33.737 --> 00:38:37.328
we were talking about stepping
out of the shower and catching a
00:38:37.328 --> 00:38:39.257
glimpse of yourself in the mirror.
00:38:39.537 --> 00:38:44.467
No one is gonna be doing that
the same way after today.
00:38:45.217 --> 00:38:46.127
Thank you, my friend.
00:38:46.127 --> 00:38:47.397
Thanks for being on with us.
00:38:47.438 --> 00:38:48.247
Christopher: God bless you, dude.
00:38:50.368 --> 00:38:52.998
David: And that wraps up
another episode of Watch Smarts.
00:38:52.998 --> 00:38:57.887
Listen, if you love this show, if you
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00:38:57.908 --> 00:39:01.747
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00:39:01.747 --> 00:39:06.508
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