244: A New Era For Hublot, AP's Royal Oak Jewelry Collection, And IWC's Ingenieur Revival
Friday, October 23, 2026 • Duration 50:46
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, David, and Ripley explore a new chapter for Hublot, Audemars Piguet's latest venture into luxury jewelry, the 50th anniversary of the IWC Ingenieur, and much more. With Ariel away, the trio kicks things off with a discussion of Hublot's evolving direction under former Audemars Piguet CEO François-Henry Bennahmias, including the new Classic Fusion Original and Big Bang Original.
David shares his firsthand experience at Hublot's launch event in Milan, where he met brand founder Carlo Crocco and learned more about the history behind Hublot's signature fusion of gold and rubber. The conversation also turns to Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak Joaillerie collection, as the guys debate what happens when you take the watch out of a luxury watch and somehow make it even more expensive. Later, the guys examine the IWC Ingenieur's 50th anniversary models, debate the often-overlooked Aquatimer, and wrap things up with another unpredictable round of the Picker Wheel of Death featuring Greubel Forsey, Gerald Charles, and Cuervo y Sobrinos.
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Key Chapters:
[00:00] Introduction and Welcome
[01:36] Hublot's New Era and François-Henry Bennahmias
[03:02] Hublot's Artist Collaborations and AP's Marvel Watches
[06:09] What Does the Future Hold for Hublot?
[08:47] Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak Joaillerie Collection
[16:35] A Closer Look at the Royal Oak Bracelets
[17:52] Hublot Classic Fusion Original Launch in Milan
[20:00] The History of Hublot's Gold and Rubber Design
[23:20] Exploring the New Classic Fusion Original
[29:12] Hublot Big Bang Original Review
[30:17] IWC Ingenieur 50th Anniversary Watches
[32:13] The Anniversary Design and Silver Dial
[35:38] Has the IWC Ingenieur Been a Success?
[37:45] Rediscovering the IWC Aquatimer
[43:20] Picker Wheel of Death
[46:30] Greubel Forsey's Watchmaking and Favorite Models
[47:56] Upcoming Reviews and What's Next
243: Seiko Panda-Monium, Garmin's $3,000 Smartwatches, And An Upside-Down Panerai
Friday, October 16, 2026 • Duration 01:08:37
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel Adams is joined by David and Ripley for a conversation covering everything from affordable G-Shocks to luxury smartwatches and some of the most unusual designs coming out of Japan. Ripley kicks things off with highlights from the first Istanbul Watch Festival and a look at Turkey's thriving watch culture. The crew then explores Casio's new $180 G-Shock GW-BX5600, discussing its upgraded MIP display, solar charging, and Bluetooth connectivity before diving into the confusing world of Casio's product lineup. Next up is Garmin's latest MARQ Gen 3 collection, where premium materials, specialized features, and prices reaching $3,100 spark a debate about what makes a luxury smartwatch worth the money.
The conversation then shifts to an incredibly complicated Citizen pilot watch, leaving the crew wondering whether anyone actually knows how to use all its functions. From there, Seiko brings some much-needed fun with its panda-inspired chronograph from the Power Design Project, sparking a discussion about creative watchmaking, unconventional designs, and the watches enthusiasts wish brands would actually produce. The crew also takes a closer look at Panerai's left-handed Luminor, questioning whether flipping a familiar design is enough to call it something new. As usual, there are plenty of laughs, strong opinions, and a few detours along the way, even with Rick away on yet another secret mission that apparently must remain a secret.
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242: An $80,000 G-Shock, A Northflag Design Debate, And The Lost Navy SEAL Tudors
Friday, October 9, 2026 • Duration 01:04:47
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel Adams returns alongside David and Ripley for a packed episode covering military watch history, controversial design decisions, and one of the most expensive G-Shocks ever made. Ariel shares stories from his recent visit to the Navy SEAL Museum in San Diego, including the history of Tudor Submariners issued to Navy SEALs during the Vietnam War and the mysterious disappearance of watches that were reportedly destroyed after being returned to military storage.
The conversation then turns to Tudor's new Northflag GMT, where the crew debates its design, proportions, and place within the brand's lineup. David takes particular issue with the dial's mismatched details, while Ripley questions whether the new GMT has lost what made the original model special.
The discussion continues with Casio's extraordinary $80,000 sapphire-cased G-Shock, prompting questions about luxury pricing, durability, and whether anyone outside the watch community would believe a G-Shock could cost that much. The crew compares Casio's latest creation with high-end sapphire watches from Hublot and considers the appeal of ultra-expensive versions of otherwise affordable designs. Ariel also raises concerns about algorithm-driven watch recommendations, arguing that human curation remains essential for discovering new brands and expanding one's interests as a collector. Along the way, the trio finds time to debate a Lufthansa-exclusive Sinn, poke fun at the idea of luxury tool watches, and question where the watch industry is headed.
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241: An Expensive Timex, Ming-Backed Donuts, And Omega’s Secret Bond Watch
Friday, October 2, 2026 • Duration 54:13
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel is away, which leaves Rick, David, and Ripley to make sense of a watch market where price and positioning seem increasingly difficult to untangle. The crew starts with Zenith and a lengthy debate over pricing, brand identity, and whether a good watch can still be a tough sell at the wrong price. Then things get sweeter with the Donut Watch Company, a new Ming adjacent project that brings familiar design DNA, a Miyota movement, plenty of lume, and an actual donut theme to the roughly $700 price point. The question quickly becomes whether offering a more accessible taste of an expensive brand is clever expansion or simply leaning a little too heavily on the name and design language people already recognize.
From there, Ripley introduces the Timex Atelier Chronograph Quartz M1q, another roughly $700 proposition that flips the entire conversation around: would you rather have an expensive version of a traditionally affordable brand or a cheaper taste of something more luxurious? The debate over an expensive Timex versus a cheap “Ming” gets surprisingly philosophical, with nostalgia, finishing, specifications, and brand equity all entering the equation. Finally, Omega Corner produces an actual mystery as the crew discovers a SPECTRE logo hidden in Omega’s website and starts wondering what secret Bond related Seamaster might be coming next. There is also time for David’s Marvin Bathyscaphe, some catalog cutting, and the usual detours that happen when Ariel leaves everyone unsupervised.
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240: Moser Goes Digital, A Rolex "Frying Pan," And Hublot Gets Weird
Friday, September 25, 2026 • Duration 01:14:50
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, David, and Ripley are back with an episode full of watches that are cheaper, pricier, and considerably weirder than expected. The guys start with H. Moser & Cie. going digital before turning to the state of watch marketing and why so many brands seem to have forgotten how to keep the conversation going. They also consider whether Cartier could ever truly challenge Rolex and what it would take for the brand to get there.
Then it is time for Rolex to break out the frying pan. The new Perpetual 1908 Padellone brings some real complication to Rolex’s dressier side, along with a price that has the guys questioning just how far upmarket the Crown wants to go. From there, Hublot and Jeff Koons provide plenty to talk about with Balloon Dogs, sapphire, wild pricing, and exactly the kind of watches that guarantee a reaction. Finally, the crew dive into matching watches with NFL teams, debating some of the more questionable pairings, and they start plotting an equally dangerous watch brands versus car brands comparison for next time.
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239: Carpeted Hublots, Bulgari Dazzles, And Apple Is Listening
Friday, September 18, 2026 • Duration 01:13:40
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, Ariel, David, and Ripley are back to tackle watches that dazzle, watches that feel like furniture, and watches that may be listening to everything you say. The crew starts with a look behind the curtain at Dexel and the manufacturing capabilities that help make Formex such an interesting value proposition, including the cases, bracelets, clasps, and technology that often go unnoticed by consumers. Then things get considerably more colorful with the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dazzle, a watch that leaves absolutely nowhere for your eyes to rest. From there, Hublot takes titanium in an entirely different direction with the rubber coated Big Bang Original Soft Touch, prompting questions about scratches, lint removal, carpeted watches, and whether anyone really needs a softer Big Bang. The Hublot conversation also leads into the latest Nico Leonard and Christopher Ward drama, the internet’s long history of hating Hublot, and whether the Big Bang should simply be reinvented from scratch.
The conversation then turns to aBlogtoWatch’s upcoming 20th anniversary and Ariel’s plans for brands to create watches inspired by the occasion, including one particularly unusual idea involving 5,000 year old fossilized tree rings. Apple enters the chat with its latest Apple Watch technology, including the ability to continuously listen, transcribe conversations, identify speakers, and generate meeting notes, which naturally makes everyone feel completely comfortable and not at all concerned. The guys also dig into the complicated relationship between watch media, auction houses, and charity auctions before wrapping things up with Louis Vuitton’s latest Tambour Spin Time collection, including an extravagant world timer and opal model. Along the way, expect the usual detours into watch industry drama, questionable materials, smartwatch rivalries, and exactly how much technology you really want listening from your wrist.
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238: Sweating Through Geneva Watch Days, Natural Born Watch Hoarders, And A Blue Chanel
Friday, September 11, 2026 • Duration 01:18:29
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, Ariel, David, and Ripley are back together, with Ariel and David freshly returned from Geneva Watch Days and apparently still recovering from the heat. They recap the highs and lows of the event, from impressive watchmaking and questionable hospitality to the latest GPHG selections and the brands that did, or decidedly did not, make the cut. The conversation also turns to what makes Geneva Watch Days worthwhile despite its quirks and why the watch industry continues to descend on Geneva even when the city seems determined to make everyone sweat.
From there, the crew tackles the difference between collecting and investing, leading Ariel to declare collectors “natural born hoarders” and, naturally, a detour into knives, cheese, and the apparent collapse of cheese futures. Then it is back to watches with Chanel’s Blue Ceramic J12, the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Up/Down, the Tudor Northflag, and plenty more new releases and opinions along the way. As always, expect strong takes, questionable financial advice, and more than a little anxiety over whether a manually wound watch has enough power left to survive the day.
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237: Rolex Resale Roulette, Formex Upgrades, And A Thousand Year Watch
Friday, September 4, 2026 • Duration 01:09:13
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick and Ripley are holding down the fort as they work their way through some of the latest releases, industry conversations, and questionable watch buying decisions. They start by exploring whether the watches everyone wants are actually the most satisfying to own, which naturally sends them down a Rolex rabbit hole. From personal connections to popular models to the realities of buying for hype, the conversation eventually becomes a challenge to build the most unfashionable Rolex possible and see just how badly it performs on the secondary market.
The guys also take a spin with the roulette inspired Perrelet Turbine Casino before looking at the latest Formex Essence 39 and why sometimes the smartest upgrade is knowing what not to change. There is also the incredibly shiny Bulova Shelby Racer Chronograph, along with the massive, hand engraved Urwerk UR 1001 Amadeus and its millennium tracker designed to count its way through the next thousand years. Plus, there are plenty of the usual tangents along the way, including what actually makes strangers notice your watch and whether the aBlogtoWatch team really needs a Geneva chateau and its own reality show.
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236: Rolex Color Mosh Pits, Genta Goes Geneva, And Time At Wynn
Friday, August 28, 2026 • Duration 01:05:10
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:
235: $600 Richard Mille Vibes, Watch Size Wars, And The Blackest Black Bay
Friday, August 21, 2026 • Duration 59:41
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:
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