A Blog To Watch Weekly

This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel, David, and Ripley are back with a colorful mix of watches, industry talk, and a few reasons why Geneva might be better to visit than to call home. The guys recap the recent Time at Wynn event in Las Vegas and discuss why the watch industry needs more consumer focused events that give enthusiasts a reason to come together. They also get into vintage military watches, the growing hype around F.P. Journe, and what happens when collector enthusiasm starts looking a little too much like following the herd.

Then it is on to Gerald Charles and their Masterlink Perpetual Calendar, where Gerald Genta design DNA and a map of Geneva somehow turn into a debate over whether the city's best feature is how easy it is to leave. Finally, Rolex enters the color mosh pit with the Oyster Perpetual 36 and its colorful Jubilee dial. The trio digs into the surprisingly complicated process behind creating the dial, Rolex's ability to execute it at scale, and whether the brand's increasingly playful approach to color is refreshing or risks becoming too much of a good thing. Plus, David makes the case for the 36mm Oyster Perpetual, Ripley considers just how far Rolex should take the trend, and Ariel imagines a future filled with increasingly chaotic color combinations.To check out the ABTW Shop, where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology:

- Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/

To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aBlogtoWatch

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

Key Chapters:
00:04 Welcome & Rick’s Latest Disappearance
02:08 Vintage Longines & Why Military Watches Endure
10:52 Time at Wynn Recap & The State of Watch Events
20:10 F.P. Journe Hype & Collector Sheep Mentality
28:04 Biver Watches, Cheese & Collector Appeal
29:55 GPS Watches, Gnomes & The Breitling Emergency
38:05 Fitness Trackers, Smartwatches & Double Wristing
41:13 Gerald Charles Masterlink Perpetual Calendar
45:01 Escaping Geneva & Navigating By Watch
48:01 Perpetual Calendar Pushers & Complication Design
51:00 Gerald Charles Dark Blast & Genta Design
52:48 Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 Jubilee Dial
56:25 How Rolex Makes The Color Mosh Pit
59:12 36mm vs. 41mm & How Colorful Should Rolex Get?
1:04:04 Price, Final Thoughts & Geneva Watch Days

This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel, David, and Ripley are live, or at least they think they are, as they attempt to navigate the unfamiliar world of live broadcasting without Rick. They dig into the never ending watch size debate, why case dimensions rarely tell the whole story, and whether the enormous status watches of years past simply lost their natural habitat. From there, things get considerably weirder with the unusually shaped Nectere Eclipse, a potential pair of watch inspired sunglasses, and NOMOS finding a clever way to make the date complication both useful and visually interesting.

Then, a roughly $600 CIGA Design sparks a much bigger conversation about Chinese watchmaking, perceived value, and what happens when an affordable watch can look considerably more expensive than it actually is. The guys consider whether Swiss luxury brands should even care about the growing competition before turning their attention to Tudor and the exceptionally dark Black Bay Ceramic on a full ceramic bracelet. Is it worth the premium, does that butterfly clasp deserve the engineering effort, and has Tudor finally achieved peak Black Bay? Plus, “vintage” officially means nothing, the Wheel of Death may be living on borrowed time, and the Rolex way somehow finds its way back into the conversation.To check out the ABTW Shop, where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology:

- Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/

To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/
- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aBlogtoWatch

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

Key Timestamps:
[00:07] Are We Live? & Island Audiences
[03:38] Upcoming Watch Shows & New Releases
[07:22] Does Watch Size Actually Matter?
[17:43] Is It Time To Kill The Wheel Of Death?
[19:40] Nectere Eclipse & The Rise Of “Melted” Watches
[29:05] NOMOS Tangente Neomatik 38 & The Date Problem
[36:31] CIGA Design & $600 Richard Mille Vibes
[40:06] Should Swiss Brands Be Worried About China?
[46:49] Tudor’s Blackest Black Bay Yet
[56:22] Final Thoughts & Live Show Sign-Off

This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, Ariel, Ripley, and David tackle another wonderfully strange week in watches. There are questionable industry accolades, tactical watch identity crises, Italian marketing, and enough oil to make airport security nervous. The guys debate whether watch certifications and awards still mean anything and why accuracy should still matter as luxury watch prices continue to climb.

Things only get stranger with the massive, oil-filled U-Boat U-65 and its mysterious caseback. The crew considers what happens if it leaks and whether wearing one through airport security might raise a few questions. Ripley checks out the colorful ProTek Series 4000, which sparks a tangent about tactical watches and questionable military credentials, while Rick questions whether Unimatic has mastered the art of looking strangely familiar without actually copying anything. Finally, the CronusArt Spring Daydream Central Tourbillon combines erotic imagery, donuts, and unrestricted watch design to make something that has to be seen to be understood.

To check out the ABTW Shop, where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology:

- Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/

To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/
- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aBlogtoWatch

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

Key Chapters:
[00:07] Intro & Scotland’s Knife Problem
[06:50] Stallone’s Questionable Rambo Panerai
[10:06] Watch Awards, Certifications & Accuracy
[19:13] U-Boat U-65 & Oil-Filled Watch Madness
[28:51] ProTek Series 4000 & Tactical Watches
[37:21] Unimatic’s Swimming Pool Summer Watch
[44:13] The Brand Wheel of Death
[55:28] CronusArt & The Erotic Donut Tourbillon
[1:07:37] Upcoming Events & Final Thoughts

On this week's episode of aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, Ariel, and David ask a simple question with a surprisingly complicated answer: Can luxury electronic watches really make a comeback? Using the new Accutron Spaceview 314 as the jumping off point, they debate whether tuning fork technology, premium battery powered movements, and electronic innovation deserve a place alongside today's mechanical heavyweights. The team also takes a closer look at the innovative Barrelhand Monolith, discussing its space-inspired design, advanced materials, and whether it offers a glimpse into the future of watchmaking.

Of course, it wouldn't be aBlogtoWatch Weekly without a few entertaining detours. Along the way, the hosts weigh in on the latest watch industry news, poke fun at questionable marketing, and share a few thoughts on embargoes that might sound familiar to longtime listeners. Between the laughs, the debates, and a few bold predictions about the future of watchmaking, this week's episode has a little bit of everything. (The rest just happened.) 

To check out the ABTW Shop, where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology:

- Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/

To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aBlogtoWatch

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

Key Timestamps:
[0:01] Intro, Chat Returns & Hagley West

[3:44] Embargoes, NDAs & The Color Blue

[5:22] Accutron Spaceview 314 & The $6K Tuning Fork

[15:12] The Return of Luxury Electronic Watches

[19:48] Could Rolex Bring Back Quartz?

[21:07] Barrelhand Monolith & Watches for Space

[30:56] Picker Wheel of Death: Moser, Alpina & Montblanc

[38:11] Seiko Marinemaster Review

[44:40] Glashütte Original CQ Northern Tide

[49:07] Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph

[53:05] Prototype vs Production Watches

[55:40] WhatsApp Group, Wrist Shots & Closing Banter

On this week's episode of aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, Ariel, Ripley, and David dive into one of the watch industry's most talked about controversies as Swatch's MoonSwatch 1984 application process leaves enthusiasts questioning whether the experience was worth the effort. The crew also discusses the dramatically more expensive Ulysse Nardin Freak X, whether the updates justify its new price, and why Ariel believes collectors should start thinking in terms of dedicated daytime and nighttime watches.

The conversation continues with a critical look at this year's GPHG nominations and the ever growing debate over how meaningful the awards really are. Along the way, the team gets lost on the Bovet website, questions some "questionable" bracelet designs, and reacts to Fossil's Incredible Hulk watch, prompting David to ask whether every new release really needs to be another homage to the 1960s. If you thought this was going to be a normal episode, think again, because no aBlogtoWatch Weekly episode stays on the rails for long.To check out the ABTW Shop, where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology:

- Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/

To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/

- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/

- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aBlogtoWatch

If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

Key Chapters:
0:04 Intro, Potato Vision, & Daylight Savings

4:02 Cardinal Points Mystery Solved?

8:15 Actual Watch News Begins

10:00 Ulysse Nardin Freak X Sticker Shock

14:30 The World's Worst Watch Website?

19:07 Day Watches vs. Night Watches

22:40 Our Ultimate Night Watches

26:30 Swatch's ESTA Disaster

29:49 Rick's GDPR Revenge Plan

33:59 Swatch Scubaqua Review

36:17 Remember the Swatch Flymagic?

39:02 Is GPHG Pay to Play? 4

4:01 Do More Entries Mean More Awards?

47:22 Live GPHG Heckling?

53:38 Fossil's Incredible Hulk Watch

58:51 Roger Dubuis' $400K Samurai Watch

1:05:56 Potatoes, Power Tools, & Goodbye