Married To Watches

Omega released a new Pie Pan Constellation. It hit the market in a time when many in the watch world have some criticism about Omega. Will this new watch help or hurt those voices?NOMOS and Denison have a few new options but the other big talk of the week was the remodeled Longines Hydro Conquest. We talk about the challenges of designing dive watches, and how the new Longines stacks up.

Less than a month away Watches and Wonders this is the slow time of the watch year but that doesn't mean it is without some interesting news. The release of the Christopher Ward C63 True GMT, the new manufacturing facility for AP, the introduction of the AI Dada watch by Swatch., and the new CEO at TAG Heuer leave us with plenty to talk about.TakeawaysWatches and Wonders anticipation leads to a lull in new watch releases.The Christopher Ward C63 True GMT and the manufacturing facility of AP are discussed in detail.The introduction of the AI Dada watch by Swatch is explored, highlighting its unique features and limitations. Custom watch design processAppointment of new CEO at Tag Heuer

Would a watch by any other name sell so well?Watch brand names have historically been the last name of the founders with a few names of factory locations thrown in. More modern watch brands have created new words that were easy to say for marketing, think Rolex. The latest brands follow the lead of modern companies and create a name that is memorable over the idea of naming it for the founders.Do these different approaches change the way you think of a brand? Does the difficult to pronounce older brands have a harder time marketing?We talk it over on this weeks episode of Matties To Watches.

It's lights out and away we go! The 2026 Formula 1 season kicked off this weekend in Australia with a new team, new watch sponsors, and new car regulations.Formula 1 and watches have a long history together that goes back to the 1960s when Heuer became the first team watch sponsor. Today most teams have a watch sponsor along with TAG Heuer being the overall timing sponsor of Formula 1.Mark and Annette take a look at each team and the watches made for them, along with the few teams who do not have a watch and what we think would be a good fit for them.

We start with an introduction and discussion of the Morgan Stanley Watch Report, providing insights into the state of the watch industry, the impact of tariffs , the shift in watch industry rankings, the role of luxury brands in the watch market, brand marketing strategies, and consumer behavior in the watch industry.The conversation delves into the impact of marketing on watch brands, the shift in consumer preferences and market trends, and the ongoing debate between quality and marketing in the watch industry with an emphasizing the importance of quality and design. We explore brand performance, market trends, and the impact of brand revamps and design changes. The success of specific brands, the role of marketing, and the challenges and opportunities for Omega are also discussed, along with what we would do to fix Omega.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Morgan Stanley Watch Report06:03 Role of Luxury Brands in Watch Market16:01 Consumer Behavior in Watch Industry21:22 The Impact of Marketing on Watch Brands34:08 Quality vs. Marketing in Watch Brands59:27 Innovative Product Strategies for Omega

Mark and Annette pick out their top three favorite microbrand watches. They both lean into watches they have had some hands on experience with and have walked away impressed. Find out which three each of them picked, why they chose the watches, and what they think defines a microbrand.Is your favorite microbrand watch mentioned?

Mark and Annette talk about their love for the Olympics, the role of timekeeping in the Olympics, and how Longines, Seiko, Heuer, Swatch, and of course Omega sponsorship and role in timekeeping has changed throughout the history of the Olympics. We also explore the evolution of Olympic commemorative watches, looking at the good, the bad, and the WTF. We delve into the evolution of Omega's Olympic watches and the role other brands have played along the way. Of course this conversation would not be complete without talking about the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic timepieces, including the Oak and Oscar Team Casper curling watch that came from a personal connection between the watchmaker and the athletes.

We wanted out first interview to be with someone we knew and respected in the watch world. Lucy, AKA The Watchbox Diaries certainly fits that description. She took her love of watches into the social media realm, like many of us, during lockdown under the name The Watchbox Diaries. The positive response from the community to her authenticity led her to start a YouTube channel under the same name and even eventually work in watches at Paulin, the sister brand to AnOrdain.Lucy also takes on the Watch Questionnaire, a series of questions meant to get to who you are as a watch collector.

LVMH Watch Week 2026 kicked off the new year of watch news. Mark and Annette take a look at the latest releases from Gerald Genta, the expanded Zenith Defy line, what Louis Vuitton watches has in store, bling from Bulgari, plus the standard from Hublot. Also, surprising Annette with a TAG Heuer that she actually wants to own.

How did Mark and Annette end up being so obsessed with watches? Learn about the Rolex that started the journey, the Shark Freestyle and Gucci watches they had as kids and where they are now. They also take the Watch Questionnaire to get to the heart of who they are as watch collectors.

When a watch industry veteran and a watch nerd are married to each other the topic around the house is always going to be watches. Now it is time to invite the world into the conversation with hot takes, watch news, and interviews with those around the world of watches.