WatchSmarts

Get the FREE WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide. Avalanche Inclinometers and Scotland's Green Legacy with Tom Clemence David Newman sits down with Tom Clemence, the ecologist turned micro-brand founder behind Clemence Watches, to explore how a love for natural landscapes and mechanical precision birthed one of Scotland's most innovative independent watchmakers. Tom shares how his grandfather's vintage Universal Genève inspired a romantic vision of timepieces as personal time portals, leading him from a career in botany to building watches from scratch. They discuss the environmental mission at the core of his brand, including planting native trees in Scotland and achieving carbon-positive status for every piece sold. From the story of designing the Monroe Ridgeline dial as a functional avalanche inclinometer after a winter mountaineering trip to a viral tale of a park ranger putting his watch through extreme field stress, Tom offers an inspiring look at the collaborative spirit of the micro-brand world. From Ecologist to Watchmaker David introduces Tom Clemence, founder of Clemence Watches, while discussing the wait for his own Monroe Ridgeline. How a background studying botany, birds, and bees transitioned into designing independent timepieces. Papa Tom and the Universal Genève Memories of a grandfather's 1960s gold Universal Genève that served as a family time portal. How buying a Seiko SKX007 and a Tudor Black Bay 58 fueled Tom's dream to build his own watch. The Millionaire's Favorite Daily David shares a WatchCrunch story about a high-net-worth collector who wears his Monroe over six-figure grails. Why validation from passionate collectors makes the struggle of independent manufacturing worthwhile. Planting Trees and Carbon Positivity How Clemence Watches sponsors the planting of native trees across Scotland for every single sale. Going beyond carbon neutral by offsetting double the environmental footprint of every watch produced. The Avalanche Inclinometer Dial The origins of the Monroe Ridgeline dial, inspired by a winter mountaineering course in the Cairngorms. Translating critical snowpack avalanche slope angles into a functional wrist-mounted visual guide. Micro-Brand Supply Chains and Cash Flow Why small independent brands rely on batch manufacturing and short pre-order windows to survive. The trade-offs between holding inventory costs and delivering high-spec watches at accessible prices. The Collaborative Community How micro-brand founders share supplier contacts, software tips, and war stories after hours at shows. Exploring the distinct personality traits of watch show crowds across Canada, the US, and the UK. The Wild Bush Firefighter's Monroe The story of an American park ranger whose watch clasp got gunked with desert sand before heading off to fight Canadian wildfires. Why following the real-world adventures of customer timepieces is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Porsche Dreams and the Anachronist Collab Behind the scenes of the limited 50-piece Breakwater collaboration with Max from Anachronist. Tom's dream of partnering with heritage British outdoor brands and iconic car makers for future releases. A great watch does not just measure time; it carries the stories of where you have been and leaves the world a little greener for where you are going. ========== FREE GUIDE: Buy Your First Great Watch Without Getting Burned Download the WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide » Know exactly what matters (and what doesn't) before you spend a dollar Avoid the 10 common mistakes that cost beginners thousands Find a great watch that fits your life, your style, and your budget Skip the jargon, the snobbery, and the "collector nonsense" Get a simple decision framework that makes buying easy and obvious

Get the FREE WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide. David Newman sits down with Eugene Stohlman, founder of E. Stohlman Watches and head watchmaker for the Baltimore Watch Company, to explore a life where horology is truly in the family tree. Eugene shares how hanging out in his grandfather's bare-bones, 125-square-foot shop under a staircase inspired him to leave theater arts and attend watchmaking school in Illinois. He breaks down the art of designing vintage-inspired 1950s step-bezel cases, working with delicate natural stone dials like jade and malachite, and using rhodium-plated sterling silver to create a lasting patina. From starting Maryland Watchworks during the pandemic to restoring a Civil War era family fusee pocket watch, Eugene explains why micro-brands lead the industry in creative freedom and why buying what you love is the ultimate rule of collecting. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:01 : Watchmaking in the Bloodline Eugene shares how his grandfather launched The Watch Pocket in 1970 under a staircase with no AC or bathroom. Writing a 6th-grade paper about becoming a watchmaker before studying theater in college. 02:14 : From Gem City to Vintage Master Attending watchmaking school in Quincy, Illinois to master vintage mechanics up to the 1970s. Expanding into modern Swiss techniques through specialized AWCI courses. 03:41 : Launching in a Pandemic Starting Maryland Watchworks in April 2020 and delivering Amazon packages to fund the shop. Assembling custom MD1 movements based on classic 2824 movement architecture. 05:08 : The 1950s Design Aesthetic Launching E. Stohlman Watches to bring back 1950s step bezels, sculpted lugs, and proportion play. Utilizing rhodium-plated sterling silver cases that develop a rich patina over years of wear. 10:07 : The Fragile Art of Stone Dials The delicate process of working with jade, malachite, and agate dials that shatter under improper pressure. Why natural stone variations make every single piece in a limited run completely unique. 12:18 : Joining the Baltimore Watch Company Partnering with Alan Sao to serve as head watchmaker and VP of Brand Development. Combining brand storytelling with technical watchmaking to improve crown design and ease of service. 16:42 : Micro-Brand Trends and Sizing Why independent makers act as the R&D testing ground for major luxury houses. The industry-wide shift toward smaller 36mm cases and unisex collecting habits. 26:36 : The Evolution of Watch Fairs Why intimate shows like District Time and Gotham Watch Fair foster real human connections. How collector behavior shifted from long pre-orders to wanting to walk out with a watch on the wrist. 30:40 : Civil War Heirlooms and Personal Grails Restoring a 5th great-grandfather's 18k gold fusee drive pocket watch from the Civil War. Fixing an 18k gold Baume & Mercier with a lapis dial as his first post-school purchase. 35:26 : Finding Your Own Taste Why new collectors should ignore investment hype and buy what they actually enjoy wearing. The importance of attending live shows to try pieces on the wrist and meet the makers. A great watch is more than an instrument; it is a living piece of mechanical history on your wrist. ========== FREE GUIDE: Buy Your First Great Watch Without Getting Burned Download the WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide » Know exactly what matters (and what doesn't) before you spend a dollar Avoid the 10 common mistakes that cost beginners thousands Find a great watch that fits your life, your style, and your budget Skip the jargon, the snobbery, and the "collector nonsense" Get a simple decision framework that makes buying easy and obvious

Get the FREE WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide David interviews Ben Arthur of Ben's Watch Club, In The Loop, and the In The Loop newsletter about building a trusted voice in affordable watches and why the hobby doesn't require luxury spending. Ben explains how he pivoted from menswear content after receiving fashion watches, then started making honest reviews in response to "suspect" influencer coverage; he also briefly ran a one-to-one YouTube coaching business before focusing fully on his watch channels. They discuss the hard work behind channel growth, the motivational impact of a WatchCrunch "love letter," and why a follow-up Spaghetti Scametti parody watch is unlikely. Ben says he owns few luxury watches, critiques low-quality offerings from brands like Sekonda and Fossil, argues Seiko is moving upmarket via discontinuations and scarcity marketing, outlines when limited editions feel justified, and describes how Chinese brands evolved from clones to more original designs, with microbrand highlights like Vaer, Nezumi, Zelos, and Merkur. He closes with advice to avoid debt and ignore pressure to "level up" to Rolex, emphasizing that great watches exist at lower prices. ========== FREE GUIDE: Buy Your First Great Watch Without Getting Burned Download the WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide »  

Get the FREE WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide David Newman interviews Ryan Thomas of The Lucky Loupe (luckyloupe.com), a high-volume vintage watch buyer/seller/trader with over 17,000 eBay sales, about how early exposure to his father's American pocket watches and later interest sparked by Heuer dash timers for his British racing green Triumph TR3 led him into vintage watches. Thomas explains how flipping hobbies evolved into a full-time business after COVID, prompting him to leave construction project management. He shares vintage-watch guidance: build knowledge through reading, handle watches in person, and learn from trusted NAWCC connections; reputation and dealer trust heavily influence pricing and quick flips. They discuss cash-driven show culture, sourcing via shows and inbound offers, using specialized independent watchmakers, defining "vintage" (often '80s/'90s, plexiglass feel), and favorite categories/brands (chronographs, divers; Omega, Rolex; A. Lange Cabaret), plus perspectives on Gruen, Bulova, and vintage Seiko and advice to buy from non-watch sellers to avoid pieced-together examples. 00:00 Meet Ryan Thomas 00:55 Early Watch Spark 01:50 From Hobby To Hustle 02:48 First Vintage Favorites 04:00 Going Full Time 04:44 Vintage Watch Basics 06:42 NAWCC Show Breakthrough 09:15 Defining Vintage Today 10:34 What Sells And Why 12:02 Flipping And Dealer Edge 14:59 Cash Rules The Shows 16:46 Reputation Matters 17:23 Being Young in NAWCC 18:47 Building a Watchmaker Network 19:53 Gruen Art Deco Gems 21:52 Bulova Design Golden Age 22:55 Vintage Seiko Picks 25:23 Where He Sources Watches 26:41 Estate Sale Reality Check 27:43 Advice for New Collectors 29:29 Where to Find Lucky Loupe   FREE GUIDE: Buy Your First Great Watch Without Getting Burned Download the WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide »

Get the FREE WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide Hilary Jay joins David Newman to discuss her wild journey from wearing heirloom diamond watches in college to cofounding Maximal Art, a brand that pioneered the "watch bracelet" and reached 2,000 stores worldwide. Hilary shares how a chance connection with the Thompson Twins in 1980s London turned a hobby of making collages into a global business that adorned stars like Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. She pulls back the curtain on the "Watch Bracelet" phenomenon, revealing how her designs ended up in prestigious museums like the Louvre and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The conversation takes a dramatic turn as Hilary recounts the "Great Radium Recall," where OSHA with Geiger counters discovered her vintage dead stock dials were radioactive. From celebrity parties in Paris to navigating high stakes product recalls, Hilary illustrates how a career in design is like a game of "Barrel of Monkeys," where every unique pivot leads to the next adventure. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 : Early Connections Hilary remembers wearing Victorian diamond watches from her grandmother as bracelets in college. She explains why it never mattered if those early watches actually worked as long as they were beautiful jewelry. 02:26 : Meeting John Wind How a college friendship built on date nights making collages turned into a global business partnership. The journey from art school in England to finding unique pieces at the Bricklane Flea Market. 03:51 : The Thompson Twins The unexpected phone call from Alana of the Thompson Twins that launched a jewelry company. Delivering handmade pieces to Paris and partying all night with 1980s rock stars. 06:06 : The Jewelry Collage Discovering watch dials in bags of junk and embedding them in resin with pearls and chains. How Maximal Art became known for jewelry collage and produced thousands of unique pieces. 08:45 : The Watch Bracelet Finding a box of non-functional watches from a lawyer with a side gig in watch repair. The birth of the watch bracelet which eventually landed in the collection of the Louvre. 10:25 : Influencer Marketing Using old fashioned PR to get jewelry onto album covers and into the hands of Michael Jackson. Why giving away pieces to celebrities like Janet Jackson and Patti LaBelle was the ultimate growth strategy. 12:51 : The Functionality Shift Transitioning from purely cosmetic pieces to watches that actually served a horological purpose. The challenge of finding manufacturers and the risk of being knocked off by your own factory. 20:28 : The Radium Crisis The terrifying moment OSHA showed up at a retail store with Geiger counters to test her jewelry. Executing a massive recall across Neiman Marcus and Saks after discovering dead stock dials were radioactive. 25:55 : Advice for Makers Hilary shares the reality of the trade show market and the challenge of building a business today. Why finding your bliss is more important than chasing big financial returns in a small enterprise. 30:44 : The Barrel of Monkeys Viewing a multifaceted career as a series of iterations that hook into one another. Why the ability to iterate and use design thinking is the secret to a long and interesting career. A watch does not have to work to be a masterpiece, but it probably should not be radioactive. ========== FREE GUIDE: Buy Your First Great Watch Without Getting Burned Download the WatchSmarts Beginner Buyer's Guide » Know exactly what matters (and what doesn't) before you spend a dollar Avoid the 10 common mistakes that cost beginners thousands Find a great watch that fits your life, your style, and your budget Skip the jargon, the snobbery, and the "collector nonsense" Get a simple decision framework that makes buying easy and obvious