Welcome to this Watch LIVE.

Hi, I'm Lydia Winters.

And I'm Blue Booey and this is episode 209 and we're not together.

What?

What?

Wait, did we wake up?

Break.

Up not in the same place.

We are not in the same place you are in Florida.

You're the one who said, oh, news alert, we are not together.

We are not physically in the same place.

The same place I'm in Sweden, it is Tuesday.

Late at night, and for you it is the afternoon.

It is afternoon, I'm here visiting my family.

It's actually been quite a long time for about, I don't know, nine months, which is very long for me, even though for normal people like who live internationally, that's pretty but last.

Year you had done extra trips, so it feels like this year you kind of waited a while.

Yeah.

And since a lot of we have a lot of long time listeners, I just want to say my dad is doing so much better after his cancer treatment and he's now in remission.

So thank you for all of your thoughts.

And people still write and ask, you know, how he's doing.

And it's really wonderful to be back home and get to spend time with him when he's doing well.

We don't do this often, but what's on your wrist, Lydia?

Oh, I am not going to say what's on my.

Wrist.

Oh, you're not going to say I didn't know that?

OK.

I picked out a watch that is a very inexpensive watch.

So that's what I'll say.

And like, not where it's like, oh, depending and expensive.

It's like pretty inexpensive.

It's a very, very attainable watch and a well loved watch in the watch community.

And it's a a watch.

How many times can I say watch, watch?

And how many hints can you give?

OK, so my then we'll do my hints.

My hints are it's a beloved watch in the watch community.

It's affordable.

It's a watch that's under no, if I say that, I think I it's give it away.

It's very affordable and those are my only hints, but people really love it and I've never had one.

So I decided to ship one to my sister's house when I was here.

And that's what I've been wearing on the whole trip to kind of just try something different.

But I'm we're going to do this in our episode next week.

I like to really talk about how it feels.

Yeah, your, your idea was to wear this watch for this whole trip that you're in Florida and then report back.

So I guess.

That'll be.

Oh, I'll also say one hint.

This isn't a hint for anyone, but my little nephew has the same watch.

He's 7, so it's very versatile.

All right, well, I will do what's on my wrist.

Yeah, which is the reason you asked me, Because you want me to ask you?

Hey, Boo.

Yeah, hey, Boo.

What?

What?

What?

What?

What are you wearing on the list today?

Oh lilo me well.

Could could you have another new watch who always has a new last?

You're like getting a reputation.

Hold on, it's every episode.

No, it's not every.

My last new watch was a gift from you and this.

So it doesn't count as being it doesn't count.

Oh, new watch.

No, and this is also a gift, but not from you.

This is a gift from Lil Sweetie.

It is, yes, the Arkin Alterum, one of the speakeasies.

For those of you who don't know, Arkin is done by Ken, who we have, or I say we, Lydia has nicknamed Lil Sweetie.

Because he's wonderful.

He is wonderful.

We met a few years ago actually at a red bar in Bristol and we have become very good friends.

I also I Co host a podcast with Ken and James about once a month.

It's called form and function.

You're a very Blakey Co host.

You're an occasional Co host.

It's once a month but then we took a little break but I'm back.

So Ken makes Arkin watches.

The Altarium is his second model ever and it caused a huge stir.

If you've never heard of them, check them out.

This is my second one.

I know that it's going to sound like I'm just like oh I got this free gift from my friend so I love it.

But at both times I've gotten all terms I I tried to pay for them and Ken as my good friend said no.

So I would happily pay for these watches.

They're amazing, great for the money, but also great without considering how much money they cost.

So it's a kind of an adventure go anywhere watch with a custom day night indicator and a second hour hand for another time zone.

It's really, really cool way 'cause it, like I said, it's a custom module, but also just the design of the watch.

So this specific one, what's cool about it?

It's the speak easy concept where you have to go see Ken in person to see the watches and to order them.

And I saw Ken, he showed me this watch and I said yes.

It is kind of an OD green olive drab green with black but it's most watches when you put color on them.

So it's titanium but with color.

Most swatches it's done with DLC coating diamond like coating this.

I never knew that's what it stood for, so thank you for the audience and for me.

And there's also PVD, physical vapor dispersion.

Those are the two methods.

DLC is usually it depends, but usually preferred because it's a little bit longer lasting.

This is ceracote, a completely different process check it out.

A lot of knives are done with ceracote.

It is a really cool coating and allows you to do a different type of color and texture on things.

And the cool thing that I didn't realize is that it's actually done in house by alt, by Arkins Watchmaker in the UK.

So very cool that they are doing the Seraco in house as well.

Yeah, I have worn it every day since I got it.

It's been a little over a week now.

And I just love this watch.

I mean, I loved my original, which was the Year of the Dragon.

I don't know.

This one is even cooler.

Yeah.

And there have been little updates to it.

This feels, even though I've said that my FXD is my zombie watch, because of the color scheme and the vibe and the feel of this watch.

Maybe I'll have to double wrist in the apocalypse.

OK, yeah, that's what you're thinking about.

Again, as my brother said, you're not going to make it because you're fiddling with your watches too much.

Wait, so you got this watch recently but I think like a couple episodes ago you put Ken on blast to say you were waiting for a speaking.

Excuse me?

So you put Ken on blast 'cause you're.

Like wait.

Don't you have two of those?

And I was like, no, not yet.

You sorry, Ken.

Oh no, I'm not a.

Little I forgot, so yeah, that's.

It's a really, it is a really cool watch.

When you try to order something the official way and you get turned down.

So, yeah, I would like to have one in a smaller size, but that's, you know, the plight of the small wrist.

So Ken, if you hear this.

A woo.

I want the Speakeasy woo has but in a smaller size.

That is a just.

Start a whole new design process.

Totally vibe.

No big deal.

Yeah, I'm very happy with this watch.

Awesome.

I it like it's just it's just super cool.

So today we have AQ and a episode.

We asked for a lot of questions because we knew that we would be apart and we love answering all of these things.

We got so many questions we can't actually get through all of them, but I decided this time to bucket them into little themes that we can answer.

And our first theme is watches online and watch photography.

And our first question comes from our friend Bite review.

Tom has an amazing tech channel.

He also just got his first, you know, watch that he's been waiting to buy, which is his tutor, Black Bay 58.

So congratulations, Tom.

And he asked ever how to watch go from Meh online to love at first sight in person.

Yes, when OK when I read this.

Question.

Here's my answer.

Yes, the answer's.

Yes, next question, when when I read this, I actually thought, oh, I haven't, but you have.

And I knew which watch it was for you.

But then right after that I remembered me too.

So why don't you go first?

OK, I'll go first.

Mine is so easy because when the Black Bay 58, the Tudor Black Bay 5854, sorry, Black Bay 54 was released, we were actually sitting at our authorized dealer watching watches and wonders all the new announcements because we weren't going yet.

And so we were sitting there and I was like, eh, it's kind of fine.

Like it's not, you know, like it looks cool.

I'm sure people will like it.

It's cool that it's a smaller size then my bestie Brit Pierce like and subscribe.

She's she's the coolest to her channel.

She got it that same week and then I was like, OK, wow, it looks really good on her.

But I it's not for me.

Like still not for me.

When I saw it in person, I immediately loved it so much.

I think the photos just didn't capture like that.

It feels that it can feel elegant and sporty at the same time.

And so for me, this watch just I mean, obviously last week I picked it, spoiler alert if you didn't listen to episode yet, as one of my 5 that I would keep in my collection because it and and honestly, if I had to keep only one, it might be that one because it's just like such a versatile watch that I absolutely love.

So that's my man to love.

Also that watch is probably the watch you have the most number of straps for.

So you own the bracelet, you own the OEM rubber strap that still works with T fit.

You have a deluxe like custom made BB54 strap?

Oh no, you have two Deluxe straps for it.

And then because it has 20mm lugs, you can also use quite a number of straps that we have at home, a bunch of leather straps from Deluxe, some Erica's Originals, like we have a lot of options and they all look good on that watch.

It's a super versatile watch when it comes to straps.

Yeah, but it really seeing it in person changed my mind.

I would like to also answer the inverse of this.

Have I ever seen a watch that I thought was amazing from the photos and then online or the online and then when I saw it I felt a little more like, I'm not sure and that's actually wait for it.

It's also a Tudor Black Bay 54, so the new, more turquoise 1 Lagoon Blue.

Sorry Lagoon, the new Lagoon Blue in the photos.

I really thought it was super cool.

I was very worried about wanting it because it's just cool and bright and fun.

But I found that for me in person it just it didn't speak to me the same way.

Yeah.

So that's so that's my love story in two parts, in two different ways with the BB50 fours.

Both with BB50 fours.

I I'll do both too.

Also same brand but not the same watch.

So when the FXD MN21 was announced, so the regular FXD Marine Nationale, the blue dial, I was not that interested and I I thought this is cool, but it was clearly.

For someone else.

Yeah, yeah, For someone else, it was clearly going to be too big for me.

I didn't think it would look good on my wrist.

I thought it would be like just something a little too bulky and not have that kind of like the right vibe.

I, I just felt like looking at the dimensions online, especially the lug to lug with the fixed lugs, I just felt like it would look silly on my fairly small 6.2 inch, 16.2 ish centimeter wrist.

And then we went and saw it in person and then I immediately fell in love.

And then you had to go and ask to get one because they were so hard to get because you wanted to buy it for me for our anniversary.

For our 10th anniversary.

Wait.

Oh, yeah.

So your BB54 and the FXDI forgot one more for a second.

They're both our 10th anniversary watches, Yeah.

They were, mine was just a few years later because I couldn't pick out what I wanted.

That why I'm not going to take the blade.

I'm not saying it's your fault.

And then what to match your reverse?

I actually there's many that are reverse.

I think like there's quite a few watches that when I see the announcement, I'm like, wow, I.

Love that and.

Then I go try it on and it just isn't what I thought it would be.

And one example that comes to mind that so we can just keep it all within Tudor, all of these examples, was the Ranger.

When I saw the announcement, I was like, yes, absolutely going to get one, no question.

And then I tried it on and it I've actually grown to love it again.

Like the Ranger has come.

Yeah, you have liked it more now, like later.

What I want to do more and more and more.

Yeah, but when I first went and saw it, I felt that the dial was a little too flat and it didn't offer as much visual impact in person as I wanted.

But over time, I grew to appreciate that fact like that's it's not meant to be a dial with tons of depth.

It's meant to be a little more vintage inspired and just represent a painted dial.

And I, I have grown to appreciate that about it.

But yeah, it was not love at first sight.

Yeah.

Or it was love at first sight online and then and then not love.

At first try.

On yeah, but the next question.

Yes, it kind.

Of has to do with this.

It is by J Bob's watches on Instagram.

Hi, I have a question I feel might make for a great episode although we will not do an entire episode on it as you guys are watch folks and photographer's photos on brands websites are so different than the watches themselves.

I either buy a watch based on photos that in person disappoints and looks nothing like the photo or the opposite, it looks nothing like the photo but is infinitely better than photos.

This has greatly affected my purchasing decisions dozens of times.

The dial colors, fonts, bracelet design, but most importantly case finishing and case shapes all completely different than the online manufacturer's photos.

Why?

Help me understand.

Actually, I would like to correct you because he said why question mark, exclamation mark, question mark, exclamation mark.

Why?

Help me understand.

That's how I read it.

OK, first of all, thank you, Jared for your question.

OK, I think about this so much.

It's a number of factors because you have, there can be both photographs, but also renders of the watches.

They're highly edited by the manufacturer.

I think that also becomes sort of a, a standard across the industry, which then gets weird if you don't make sure everything looks perfect.

You know, like if you're not, if it doesn't have this almost unrealistic look, then it could be seen as that, you know, you don't have as high a quality, which I don't really always.

That's not how I equate photography.

I think photography and renders are different things and you can use them in different ways and it's great to have both, but I think sometimes they get merged.

Would you, would you, would you agree with that?

Boo.

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, so many manufacturers aren't putting out photos at all.

They are digital.

Yeah, that's true, right, Which already can't capture the way the light hits the watch perfectly.

So like the way the eye would see it, because the IT is different, the glass is removed a lot of times.

Or like it looks as though there's no sapphire which immediate sapphire crystal which immediately changes it?

Yeah.

And then the ones that are photos are often edited so heavily that they are barely photos anymore.

They are almost digital paintings by the time the editing is done.

Yeah, that's true.

So, and you can definitely see this when you see watches where the different color dials, like you can tell that it's just the dial being replaced, right?

Like so these photos aren't just original photographs with some edits to them.

They are comps bringing things together.

Watches are hard to photograph.

And what a brand is trying to do is make the watch look as good as possible, but you kind of have to choose what that means.

Yeah, it doesn't always mean as correct to the eye.

It it doesn't and even if you wanted to represent a watch as correct to the eye on your website, the only real way to do that is a bunch of different photos in different types of light on different in different scenarios because.

Then then that never looks good together.

No, it doesn't.

As a collection of photos it doesn't work.

So This is why theme.

Falls apart, right?

Like if you're showing off a new dive watch and you might have like a few images that go with a campaign for that watch, but those images are still going to be within the world of what that watch is supposed to represent.

And.

Not only the world, but the color store, you know, like the actual color so many times you know, you, you can't release a photo of a watch where one image looks like the watch dial is in shadow and one image, you know, they really keep a certain level of light also in a color temperature and it's just.

Always the same, but that's not how as a viewer you like you see the watch you.

You don't ever see it that way when you get it in real life.

No, because you're seeing it in shadows, you're moving it around.

It looks different with like in the crystal color temperatures.

So night and day.

It's so even sunlight, although sunlight itself does have a very specific color temperature, 6500 Kelvin when the sun is lower in the sky either in the morning or in the evening or in Sweden, middle of the day in the winter.

Like if the sun is lower in the sky, it actually also can take on different tones and the color temperature changes.

That's what golden hour and blue hour are.

And so like, there's no, it's not.

I, I do see sometimes people complaining that brands are somehow being dishonest with this.

I don't think that's the case.

It's that it's very difficult to truly represent what a watch is going to look like when you look down at it on your wrist, in your life, on a brand's website.

That's why you have a very specific thing you do when you're interested in a watch.

When I'm interested in a watch, I actually look at the hashtag on Instagram and I look at the most everyday photos.

So not the photography like I try to take myself, which is set up and lit nicely.

I just want to see as many wrist shots of people, a watch on a wrist.

And that has been one of the biggest factors in whether I would decide to even continue looking at a watch because sometimes I see it and I'm like, Nope, looks too small.

It looked that I don't love the dial, the crystals way too reflective or you know, it just I see it a bunch of different light in a bunch of different light and realize, oh, that's actually not for me.

And then the opposite has happened where I see a watch and then I've looked at it on the website and it has this one version, you know, this very clean, highly edited version.

And then when I start seeing all the wrist shots, I'm like, all this would fit perfectly in my life.

And it it's my go to way to do it.

So I would highly recommend that.

First, Jared, you did not ask for advice on how to do it, but here you go.

Here's your advice.

The thing is like, obviously when you look at most watches on brand websites, they do make it seem as though there's no crystal at all so that you can see the dial, see the texture of the dial, the colors, the hands, all of that.

But in real life, especially if the crystal is in flat, like Rolex watches have flat crystals, they do like flat crystals are quite easy to photograph mostly compared to domed sapphire crystals or or at domed Tesla as well, just any domed crystal.

Domed crystals bring all the light of the world into that reflection.

And then so if a watch has a domed crystal, maybe not a lot of AR coding or no AR coding, which many watches don't have AR being anti reflective, then it's going to look completely different in a regular photo versus a brand photo on the website.

So.

We've also talked a lot about how we are used to in the watch world and especially brand photographs, seeing the watch not on a wrist in macro.

So very close up, which I think if I go back to the the Lagoon Blue BB54, I saw all the all these images of, you know, and really liked the ones where they were close up.

And it's one piece.

But I found that when I saw it all together in real life, it just didn't speak to me the same way.

But that's because you're looking at each individual piece when you're doing a macro shot.

And so you can really, the close up distorts your view and even sometimes just the regular image, if you're looking at it on your phone, it can be bigger than the watch would actually be on your wrist.

So I think that's another thing to just kind of keep in mind because that can really create a distortion of like, how would this actually look?

Or you see something and you're like the detail that I thought I hated.

It's almost not, you know, you, you really, it's not sticking out to you in the same way.

And so for me, I try to keep all of that in mind, but definitely look at regular old wrist shots.

That's the that's the key because I don't envy the brands either.

They need to try to create some sort of standard and figure out a way to do it.

And it's also an industry standard.

So that makes it more difficult to.

Yeah, This is why it's good when, especially when a watch is launched and a bunch of different people get to get them very early and take pictures of them.

And you have photos in different styles or you get other types of influencers making videos with them.

And you can see them in different lights, you can see them on different wrists.

And then you can start to get like, if you don't have a chance to go and see it in person, like you have to order a watch because of where you live or your circumstances, then just try to see it not on the website, but around.

Yeah, I think.

But it's also a really good reminder, like trying on a watch is very hard to replace.

Seeing it in person, and I mean that also goes to bite reviews question is like that in person can totally change whether you like something.

A lot of people the size, you know, the dimensions immediately turn them off.

But when they try not, which I would say like the Blanc Pond 50 fathoms, I would have been like, whatever, it's a little smaller.

No, I actually really likes the way it wore when I tried it on.

So you can't as much as you can try on the watch, but otherwise look at people's slightly bad unedited photos because that's the the best way to get a very Clearview.

Yeah, don't go to the photographers, go to the regular folks.

Just take in for shots.

That's where you get the truth.

Exactly.

OK, Vu this next part we I'm calling this these questions that we get to make our own watches.

OK.

So let's see what we let's see what our little brains come up with.

OK, question one from right dot arms dot watches P1.

This is Part 1, Part 1.

Would you buy a new watch solely for the Brandon movement, even if the and Part 2 is just because it didn't fit in one, even if the dial was hideous?

So would you buy a new watch solely for the Brandon movement, even if the dial was hideous?

So my first answer is I rarely.

I don't know if I've ever thought a dial was hideous, so maybe I'm the wrong person to ask that too.

Because hideous to me means so ugly I don't even want to look at it.

And although there are dials I don't prefer for myself, most things out there I'm like, I understand how someone else will like this.

Like it's not my style.

But I I have yet to see one that I'm like Nope this is idiots.

It should not.

Reject this design, but if we take it in the spirit.

In the spirit of just being a little exaggerated, then I would just say if I don't like the dial, even if I love the brand, the movement, the case, everything else, no, I I need to at least enjoy looking at the watch.

So if the dial is even if it doesn't go as far as hideous, even if it's just, then I'm probably not going to be interested.

Yeah, I want to pose this question back to the person who send it.

Do you have a lot of hideous dial?

Yes, please send me.

Please send me right arm watches.

Yeah, please send me your hideous watches and then maybe I can make a better judgement.

Yeah, I can't actually think of, oh, I can't think of a version of myself wearing some.

I mean, especially for me, like the design is what brings me in.

And I would say probably I'm the opposite that I would be if I really love the dial, the brand.

Actually, I think the brand would sway me more than the movement.

So I would just go dial brand movement just because again, like for what I'm doing everyday, I don't need the most robust movements.

I do love my, you know, open case back watches and I love, you know, I think it's more if the movement couldn't keep up with my life, then I wouldn't just buy it for the dial.

But we've talked about it before.

Most watches can keep up with you, so I think a beautiful movement is a bonus that goes with the whole watch.

But for me, I'm first drawn to the dial, so then I cannot be drawn to a hideous style, no.

Way for sure.

OK Alfaro UK asks what would your dream watch be if you could mix and match components between brands?

This one made my brain soft, is that a thing?

Wow you're like what a great question.

My brain is soft now.

Well, so I started thinking like what are watch like watches that I like from different brands that I I think could be an interesting mash up.

And so immediately I thought, OK, where would I want to put a Grand Seiko dial on?

Oh, OK, yeah.

That's where I thought actually a Rolex OP with a Grand Seiko dial.

I'm in for that.

You know, you have to make it fit the watch, all of that kind of stuff.

But like in general, there's quite a few Grand Seiko dials that I would totally put in a Rolex OP and make that little mash up happen.

Oh, I would also like that because I'm not the biggest fan of the Grand Seiko bracelets, so the OP bracelets I love so I I would I would be in line for that I believe.

So then I thought, OK, what if you could put like Citizens Ecodrive, which is quartz that is solar powered.

And they, you know, the kind of special thing that Citizen has done for years now with Ecodrive is that you don't see the the solar charging panels, right?

I mean, Cartier did that with the tank a few years back, but Citizens been doing this for a long time now.

So that ecodrive movement, like it would be really cool in more watches where you could have solar powered quartz.

The thing I like about the idea of ecodrive or any solar powered quartz is that you don't have to open that watch for a very, very long time unless you need to change the seals.

Like if the if the seals breakdown, you'll need to open it to change them.

But otherwise that thing is just going to run and run and run.

And I, I just like that idea that it can just keep on going and all it needs is light and that's just really cool.

So I I do wish more watches would come with that as an option.

Yeah.

I was also thinking it would be really cool if you took like independent watchmakers and designers and then you did like a one off with like brands, like well known brands.

I mean, I think probably maybe Would your Dreamwatch be a Jiro Katayama tutor?

Yes, you're like, OK, I'm going to take these two things that I love.

Yeah.

You have all of.

Your own super low text and the designer of those and then you have tutor and they make something I actually think you could like go through and think of all.

I find that that's the exercise where I get really excited.

If you think of independent brands, I mean, we've seen this to differing degrees of success like Studio Underdog and Moser, they released 2 watches.

I mean, I for me that collaboration got a little weird because the 2 watches you're like, but how are the, how's the value that different when they look so similar?

So I think that's to me, it's cooler if it's like 1 watch, but then it's not going to be attainable for one of the brands if the brand is quite different.

So that become like it's a complicated endeavour, but this is my dreams.

So what I.

If we go back to the Jared Katayama tutor, right, like in other worlds, like I'll take the knife world as an example, it's like it's very funny when you're in one hobby and then you see someone else talk about a hobby and like what?

How many knives can there be?

There's just as many knives as there are watches and enthusiasts are just as picky and justice as like into it as people are about watches.

Like in the knife world, it's very common that you have these knife designers who will go and work with different brands.

So some of the biggest knife brands like Benchmade or Spyderco, they will have knives designed by independent knife designers.

They don't work for Spyderco or Benchmade, right?

So you can have a Mel Pardue designed Benchmade, right?

And that is a designer who comes in and does something.

You have design designers like Ben Banter who has done, he has his own brand called NAFS and then he's also designing for Sevivi.

And so you I like that idea that you have.

Audience, if you're like me, I'm like, I don't know what any of these words mean, but I get the the general kissed of knife designer Times Company.

That's where even if they have their own.

Tutor would be a good example.

It's like Jiro Katayemark designs his own watches for his own brand, but he could take that design sensibility, combine it with another brand, right?

And so it's not a straight up Jiro Katayama, but it's like, what is Jiro Katayama's version of a tutor?

That's what I want to see.

That would be cool.

I also, I'm going to call that right now that's a GPHG winner like in whatever category price range because both him and yeah, that is that is just a winner.

I mean, I think that is when you think of like Gerald Genta, that was he was coming in as mainly an artist.

That's the thing.

He didn't want to be a watch designer.

He kind of fell into that.

And then he has done watches for so many different brands.

But then they all, you see how they tie together.

I think that's the thing that if I could dream, you know, similarly to you, it's that how can we see more of that in the watch world in an interesting way, because it just gives you the best of of both worlds.

But I've also thought about that with even bigger brands, like let's say Grand Seiko and Nomals.

You have this rich German heritage and a rich Japanese heritage and like, do you come?

And you're also neither of you are Swiss.

I would like to be very clear, this is not an idea I'm pitching while I'm working with Nomals, but I just think there's something cool, especially for it, for places that are a little more of this like underdog because they're not, you know, they are not Swiss luxury brands and they're still independent or, you know, like within a small group in the case of Grand Seiko.

That to me that's would be super cool.

And you take like you try to figure out like how these could work together, especially when the brands are so far apart.

I think that's where you would get the most interesting thing because otherwise you're like, OK, yeah.

What does a Rolex tutor look like?

We already know because they are they're sister companies.

So kind of a lot of things can go back and forth, but if you were able to really mix up, mix and match it, it's not even components.

It's actually just the brands themselves.

For me, that would be most interesting because other than just basically every watch brand that I don't love their bracelet, just saying I would like it to be an an OP bracelet.

I don't think that, you know, like.

Oyster bracelets for everyone.

And you get an oyster and you get an oyster, come here.

Other than that I don't really have as many things where I think about that, like mix and matching the components.

I liked your Grand Seiko one for the OPS, but again because it's a then you get always for race.

Also, I'm a simple girl.

The like the reason I brought up specifically the OP is I feel it's such a great canvas because the watch itself outside of the dial isn't saying too much.

It's not a bold concept.

It's actually quite conservative and muted as a watch.

So then whatever the dial is, that's what's going to matter most on a design like that, like a Grand Seiko, amazing dial.

Like my limited edition Grand Seiko has this beautiful red dial with a really cool pattern on it, but it's also in a 44 GS case, which is kind of a wild case.

So all the elements of it are very Grand Seiko.

That's where I think if you just took a Grand Seiko dial and then put it in a much more subdued watch case where the the watch is about comfort but not necessarily visually standing out, I think that could be a super cool combo.

Yeah.

I also think it would be cool if like you're hovering, they took the movement with the deadbeat seconds and then you could add that into anything and make it look really cool.

Like.

Then I would add that, you know, you could add that to a Rolex and it would give this really weird look that kind of was confusing to you if you, like looked at the OP.

So I think any of that would be fun where it's just like total, total mayhem.

Actually, I'm like mix and match like one of those, you know, kids books where you have like the head is one animal and the body is another animal and the legs are another animal.

That's me right now.

I'm like.

I don't know if that's the perfect example, but yes, I get what you're.

No, because I believe I will not come up with a good a good, good person.

OK, watch girl life.

Trish asks.

Oh wow, OK, we just got a really cool job offer here.

If you were the creative director for Rolex, what new feature or features would you like to see?

Yeah.

What?

What do you think?

OK, OK, OK.

I have one if, and this is going to sound funny because I mainly wear tool watches and tool style watches but like I would be super interested to work on the 19 O eight line and add cool complications that Rolex doesn't currently make like.

Such as but.

But in the Rolex way, because if you, OK, think about the sky dweller, right, that authors an annual calendar and an interface with the bezel to control and connect with that annual calendar in a way that feels very Rolex, It's very technical.

It's very different from everyone else.

The entire control scheme, it's like they were like, hey, we're going to just do it our own way.

And that watch, although the watch is very big and you know, there are certain elements about it that makes it not a great watch for me.

I like that approach.

And I would love to see what Rolex is a company that still puts kind of as forward as possible like that they want to make durable, long lasting, dependable watches.

So what is their version of a perpetual calendar, right?

Like we've seen their annual calendar, we've seen moon phase and GMT.

There's not a ton of variety in their complications.

It would be really interesting to see them do higher end complications and I do think the nineteen O 8 line is the place to do that first at least.

OK, So I think if I was the creative director for Rolex, probably what I would want to do is everything that I couldn't do because as a brand person, I think it's really important to like stay true to the heritage and what you have been doing and the history.

And I think, you know, they have a really good thing going.

And so you always have to be careful with a brand.

You're trying to push forward, but you're you don't want to push them in a direction that's wrong because so many good things have been built up by by Rolex over the years.

And they have all of this, you know, brand equity.

But if I throw that side away from me and I'm like, I don't care, this is a wish list, Then what I would want is smaller size tool watches.

So I want a smaller Submariner.

I want a smaller yacht master.

I guess there are some.

Smaller yacht masters.

I don't love all the designs and a different.

Master smaller submariner.

Smaller submariner, smaller GMT are my biggest wishes.

Those two because that's basically your BB54IS the smaller submariner.

Like if you had the Rolex version of the BB54.

Yeah.

But I guess technically I could just go back in the catalog and bring back some of the older sizes that are smaller.

The GMT was smaller before.

But I also, I mean the fun, the thing I think is fun is if I was putting my brand hat back on in a creative direction, hat Rolex is doing fun things like the celebration, the colorful dials.

Obviously, you know, I would be like, let's do some more colorful OPS.

Here are the ones I would personally like.

No, I mean, that's the I can see I can't do it.

When I put my brand hat on, I'm like, you can't just pick the things you want.

You have to really think about what aligns with the brand.

I wish I could answer this question without all the baggage of my experience.

I can't answer it.

Yeah.

I can't answer it in a, you know, in in the best way because I, I feel too strongly for keeping brands safe.

But I would definitely, I would, I would accept that role and then we would see.

OK, well, we'll see if that happens.

Yeah, I think it's very a really fun question and fun to think about.

If it does, we know we'll get a lot more OP colors.

Yeah, just it's like it's a rainbow of OP's.

Get ready.

You're you're going to go to Rolex and be like, I would like to apply for the creative director of OP Dials.

Of OP dials.

That's the title that I want.

If that's a role, I have a lot of experience.

OK, next.

Yeah, I mean, when we were visiting the Rolex booth, the the watchmaker said I've never heard of an OP collector, although there are other ones that have more, more OPS.

But I felt very happy that that day I got to show him my four and say, yes, I for in a photo.

I did not have them on me like in a trench coat that watches and wonders 2.

Wrists 2 ankles.

OK, Next we have the category is just an extremely leading question, just one and it's from our good friend Nomo Shino and he said will there ever be a this watch life times, some other brand collab watch a Nomos or tutor for example?

This is very leading also.

Yes, I wish, but what if it was a Nomos tutor as we talked about?

This Watch Life Nomos Tutor.

Yeah, exactly.

We're just making.

We're going wild today.

Here's the thing, I have talked to you since I believe right before we recorded our first episode, I was like, when are we going to do a collab watch?

Yeah.

And I do believe my first suggestion was Novos and this was way before you were working with Novos.

So I would love to do that at some point when I felt like this is just me talking that someone would want it and that we have the right idea to design something or Co design something that people would like and enjoy.

And that we felt we were offering value in that.

Like creating a design that people would be like, wow, without, you know, Vu and Lydia's contribution to this, this watch wouldn't exist otherwise.

And that it's attractive to people and and that they would want it.

So I don't know if we're there yet.

No, I think it's tricky.

But I will say, like the part I feel good about is that both of us have had product design experience.

I'm not worried about designing the product I'm worried about.

It's not even worried.

I I just don't know that this watch life itself is an end.

To no, I don't know that the appetite beyond no Moshino is is there.

One of the most prolific?

No.

Most collectors, yeah.

He's like, may I have a one of one?

No most tutor this watch life.

I would prefer a Brit Pierce version of a Noel's first for myself.

Like if I was, if I got to pick, that's what I would want.

I still nothing against Brit at all.

I would still pick a this watch live one first.

Come on.

Come on.

Nope.

I want Brit Pierce.

Well, I mean, I think collab watches are really fun, but in the watch world, I think they've been done well and they've been done very poorly.

And so I would also want to make sure.

It needs to be great.

Yeah, it needs to be great and something we stand behind.

But also, again, like you said, something people want because what I don't want is to have like 50 watches that no one wants.

And one thing I'll say is I always prefer for like this type of collaboration when, when someday we do it, our name would be on the back.

This is not, you know, like we're a but a humble podcast.

It would just be something on the back with a limited edition number that that's that's much more our style unless we could.

Do a Cartier and hide the TWL in one of the numbers on the.

Dial that could be.

Kind of cool.

OK, I'll reach out to Cartier and get on that.

Did we design a new watch?

I.

Didn't say I said I said do it like Cartier.

We're like we got.

To be in Cartier.

We got a few questions about being watch designers and it's gone to our heads, so we.

Would like.

To.

Come, we would like to come and design and watch.

Let us.

Know, I do think there's a lot of cool things.

I, I, yeah, if I was doing it, I would want to do something where something with the numerals because like you, you don't need them to know the time.

So I think there's a lot of fun to be had there That's like a little like a little Easter egg or something.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The egg is just like the Easter egg is a modern bikini.

Just what?

OK, I've gotten so many messages about modern bikini.

Because it's truly wild.

I my, my sister Mindy and I listened in the car and she was like, well, what, what is happening?

OK.

Next category is a wonderful category.

It's EDC everyday carry.

And the question is from 10/10/59 how different are both of your Ed CS and could you swap and live a day using each other's a Lydia?

Do you want it OK, Look, if I our everyday carries are very different.

Mine is I'm would say I'm a minimalist.

I have a wallet, a wallet, my phone or unprepared is what you would say.

I would say minimalist.

I have my wallet, my phone, I mean, and my camera typically, yeah, in a tote bag, typically a watch brand tote bag.

Of receipts.

And there are.

Bags always have tons of receipts in there.

I don't even know why I keep them, but there are a lot of little receipts in there.

I will.

I was gonna disagree but right now my tote bag does have a bunch of receipts.

This.

Morning.

It does.

This morning we were on a trip with my mom and this weekend and I was like, hey look, I kept this movie ticket for you from seeing The Naked Gun, so keeping it was a good idea.

But there were, like a lot of other receipts floating.

Around of course, of course, OK.

So that's my everyday carry, that's what I always have with me.

When it OK, so it starts with how different are our Ed CS I would say.

Minus minimal.

No, I think the main difference is the intent, right?

Because in your wallet, I mean, you've got the most stuffed wallet ever.

It's got a bunch of stuff in there.

So it's not that minimalist.

It's a thick wallet with a lot of stuff in it and you carry a lot of receipts.

I'm not going to go with minimalist.

I think you just feel that you need the bare essentials.

You like having a camera with you.

You know you need your wallet, you know you need your phone.

And if you have those and a tote bag, you're pretty happy for the most part.

For me, I want to be ready for more situations, but they're mostly like everyday situations.

So I have worked for years and years on my EDC.

It used to be quite simple like when I was younger.

EDC for me when I had my first job was carrying a Gerber multi tool in my pocket or on my belt.

And later it became just a regular small folding knife.

And I did that for over a decade.

And then I went back to various multi tools.

And these days I have a little bit more of an extensive EDC.

And so you do usually in my pocket there could be a folding knife, but most of the time and it if it is, it's probably the Chris Reeve Sebenza 31 small that you gave me years and years ago, actually like 6 or seven years ago, that if, if that's the only knife I ever carry, if it's not that, then it's a Victorinox.

And then there's a few different models.

There's a compact is probably the most common companion sometimes and sometimes the much smaller Rambler, if I really want to go lightweight or I'm wearing like shorts or something that, you know, they don't have a lot of structure to them.

You don't want to wear a heavy knife pulling your pocket down.

And then pretty much everywhere we go, I bring a little bag and I have 4 tiers of bag and and so the smallest one.

Well, it depends on what we're.

Doing tier A4 tier bag system.

Well, I've.

Narrowed it down a free.

Tote bag.

Even though I have nice purses, I go with a free tote bag.

Most of the time you do.

And this time on this trip, I was like, you know what?

My favorite tote?

My favorite free tote bag is too nice for the floor to sand, so I'll bring one of my less favorite.

So most of the time my minimal carry is a small Porta Yoshida bag.

It is it.

It has a camera in it.

Right now it's the Sigma BF.

That's the camera I have with me most of the time when 3235 millimeter F2 lens in it.

And then in there I have a little alpaca pouch that is specifically made for EDC.

Inside of that, I have everything from band aids and hand sanitizer and a tiny teeny tiny little power brick for emergencies and a tiny little pill container that just has some, you know, allergy medicine, ibuprofen, paracetamol, Imodium, just the type of pills that you might need on a regular day if you're not feeling that great.

It has a tiny set of nipex pliers.

It has a pen.

It has a tiny pair of scissors like can.

We just say the answer to could VU survive with mine?

No.

It's not.

Hold on, This is not a Survival kit.

Could you swap and live a day using each other's life?

I guess it depends on if the day is just sitting at home.

If the day is survival, I'm going to survive with booze pack and VU is going to be like I have a bunch of paper receipts.

The reality is.

Free, but a free tote.

The reality is I can get by just fine with the Victorinox compact in my pocket that actually handles almost everything.

And then every once in a while there's a need for these other things that I carry, but I just like having them.

And then when I do have that need, they're just there.

I don't have to think about it.

Yeah.

That's, I mean, that's kind of the thing with EDC you, you have to find things that you enjoy carrying and then that you are happy when you get to use them.

That's the way I see it.

It's it's.

Sometimes I have my, sometimes I have my Airpods, but that's sort of a touch and go situation.

Could have them, could not.

I have gotten better about.

That day-to-day dependent.

How great they are, they are.

But it's very day dependent and tote dependent my.

Favorite Apple product ever is the Airpods Pro 2.

I I just, I think that's my, I think it integrates best into my life.

I they're in my ears most of the day, especially for work days because I can go from being on a call to looking things up to all.

From boardroom to modern bikini.

To talking to you because they have a transparency mode that you don't have to take them out and it you don't lose anything with having them in your ears, one transparency mode it is on anyway.

Yeah, that's part of my ADC as well.

So could we survive?

Yes Would I enjoy it?

No.

Maybe you would have to learn to be more resourceful with the small amount of items I give you.

Well, I used to be that way.

I I used to carry less and I don't need it.

There are days when I leave pretty minimal and just carry the compact.

But then my wallet also has the the Cobra XS Knipex pliers and a pen and a couple other very small items, but that's as minimal as I go these days.

OK, we're at our last section, which I'm going to call recommendations.

Weddings.

Divorces, funerals.

That is a very.

Interesting.

Category.

We're going to start with funerals and an amazing Instagram name that is a pun.

How are our you doing?

How are you doing?

How are you doing?

How are you?

Doing.

I love it, I don't have kids and not planning on it.

Who gets my watches when I die haha.

I love that question.

This this question is really interesting because you and I have big watch collections and we're not having children, so who gets those watches?

Yeah.

I mean, for us, unless we kind of go out together, then the other person that's the first go out together.

But then after that, then the other one eventually has to give the give those watches up.

We can say I kind of.

So to me, it's like they kind of go along with the estate, so to speak, you know, kind of like everything you own, The things that are valuable to a person in life aren't necessarily the same value to the people who received them, regardless of who that is.

Could be a kid, could be a spouse, could be other family members.

And you, you, you can't really predict what's going to be valuable to them.

So you just hope like that they get something out of it.

And if let's say, let's say we go together.

And so, you know, my stuff would probably be divided through by different family members, right?

So, you know, but my brother would get some of it or a large portion of it.

And that I would love if he'd keep one of the watches also.

He doesn't have to, yeah.

He doesn't have to.

Yeah, no, I, I that's what I'm saying.

I would love if he would like as like a memento, but then he'd sell the rest and then put that money towards something that he loves.

I wouldn't expect that he would care about this collection of items.

It's more like he would need to choose between the things that he has access to that were mine and decide what's valuable to him or what could be better used in other ways.

Yeah, if I go out on my own, I would leave some watches to you and then some to my family, to my sister, then some for the nephews so that they would have.

And I I think you would, you know, in your dream it's like, oh, I picked out you get this watch, you get this watch.

But also feels really complex for a, a growing collection that's ever changing.

Like, so maybe I'll just, no, maybe I'll just keep a, a list or something.

And then it's like, you know, here, here's what I would have preferred and then I won't be there.

So whatever happens, it happens.

But yeah, I would definitely they will go to my family.

I'm going to get that orange OP.

Yes.

OK wow.

If I die we know.

We know what happened.

Orange OP to Boo.

OK.

Next one is actually a divorce question.

Supinder Betty asks question for the podcast.

Should I sell my JLC master control that I got for my wedding divorce?

Now my kids have claimed my Arkin Instrumentum and Arkin Alterum.

I would sell it and get a Reverso.

I really would appreciate input.

I don't want to have regrets.

OK, so I am going to go with I think it's totally fine to sell this watch.

I think it's hard because it doesn't hold the meaning that it once did and it never will.

So you have a lot of money tied up in something.

You also have two kids, so they can't both have it.

So it's Yeah, they.

Already have the Arkins, which Good call?

Yeah, good call, kids with good.

Taste.

Whatever.

Yeah.

But also I think it's really nice if you're able to get something and like put new meaning into it.

To me, that's more important.

Also, I feel that with watches, I've been thinking about this a lot as I have this growing watch collection and you have this, you know, huge amount of sentimental watches.

It's like the sentiment is still there through photographs through like have a have being worn it through the places you've been in it, like it still lives on.

So I wonder sometimes do we need the object to still feel what we want about it?

At the same time I'm like, oh, I wouldn't want to regret selling it, but I think in this case like.

I think it's unlikely to be a huge regret.

I don't think it will be a big regret.

I mean, OK, so between you and I, I have not been divorced, but I have been through breakups before.

You have been divorced, yes.

So I think your advice maybe carries more weight than mine, but I think I watch that was for essentially celebrating the beginning of a commitment that then is now over.

That commitment is over.

I feel like if you are able to get good value out of that, like monetary value and put it into a different watch that fits your current life or your new life better, then that transition could potentially depending on who you are as a person could be part of that moving on for you.

And so I would, I would definitely sell the watch.

Yeah, No, I especially because there's a plan to turn it into it's even, it doesn't even become not a JLC anymore.

It doesn't mean yeah, I mean you and I are very pro keeping the money in the watches.

So like if you're going to sell a watch, like it becomes a different watch, not that it goes to bills or something else, but I think in this case that is really nice.

You can turn it into something that you can have different meaning with.

Yeah, because then.

It's not connected to that event.

And our last question is the exact opposite from Dials Crown looking at wedding watches recommendations looking at this Grand Seiko SPGA 413, which is a snowflake, right?

That is the Shinbun, the.

Chinbun Yeah, the cherry blossom.

So.

OK, first of all, congratulations.

I think it's super cool to have a wedding watch.

Honestly, my biggest thought is just what would you really like to keep?

That it's something that you you've liked for a long time or you have, you know, you feel it connects to your story with your fiance.

To me, I think that's what's most important because otherwise you might get into this the same thing that many of us have where we're like, oh, I have this watch.

I never wear it, but it's sentimental to me.

So I would just think about yourself in the future, could you see yourself wearing it long term?

And that's an important question.

I I have a slightly different but related take in that to me the most important thing is that you love the watch.

Like even more to me important than connecting the story of that watch to your story, it's already going to be connected because it's attached to the wedding.

So like, I don't think you need to have cherry blossoms at your wedding.

You know, like, like trying to find something to connect this watch.

The most important thing is that you love the watch.

And I think, you know, earlier we talked about how for our 10th anniversary, Lydia got me the FXD MN21.

20/21 was the year of our 10 year anniversary.

So that's why the MN 21 really fit.

But it took two years for Lydia to nail down the BB 54 as the watch that she wanted.

And that was because the goal was to pick a watch that she would want to keep forever.

And I think she did figure that one out as opposed to just having something that hit the date that was there in the moment that kind of fit the story.

It was way more important to nail down like what is.

Really want and love.

Really want and love and I can't think of like there are only so many watches out there.

I I mean it seems infinite and there are so many choices.

I feel like if you like Grand Seiko, the shoe and boon is amazing and you cannot go wrong with it.

You can't go wrong with.

That it is fantastic.

I own the tight setsu.

It's a fantastic watch.

Yeah.

I mean, if you like it, absolutely go for it.

Yeah, that is a great choice.

And please keep us all updated on what you ended up picking out.

And with that Vu, do you have the best for the week?

Oh, I forgot we do that.

This was my turn.

To forget you forgot.

Less maybe we should do it just randomly.

I don't know.

I don't think we're going to.

I'm going to do my the best is spending time with family and quality time.

But something that I've been really working on this trip is like it's a lot of time, time together.

So even, you know, yesterday I took the nephews to the library to do homework.

It's not some big exciting thing.

It's like getting to do some everyday things with them, which feel really, really nice.

Well, since you're out of town spending time with family, I'll say spend some time alone with yourself and your thoughts.

Wow.

OK, interesting.

That's interesting.

That's a good thing to do, I.

Think OK, that's true.

Sometimes it can be the best.

Thank you everyone who sent in questions.

This was super fun.

We didn't even get through half of the questions, so we will definitely be using the questions for another episode in the future.

Yes, you don't.

Have to voicemail question.

And you don't have to wait until we call for questions.

We kind of have kept this running and definitely send them anytime.

I love, yeah, little voicemail messages that we can play on the podcast.

We will do that in a few weeks the next time we do AQ and a episode.

Have a great week everybody.

Bye.

Bye.