HODINKEE Podcasts

This week on The Business of Watches, we sit down with the business leader who has headed the reborn Czapek & Cie. brand for more than a decade now. Xavier de Roquemaurel didn't come from the watch industry when he co-founded Czapek with fellow entrepreneur Harry Guhl with help from watchmaker Sébastien Follonier in 2015. 

He's had to learn the industry on the job and while Czapek burst on the scene by winning the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Public Prize in its debut year in 2016, the company and de Roquemaurel have faced plenty of challenges alon...

This week on The Business of Watches, a veteran watch industry CEO who is taking on one of the biggest and most demanding challenges of his storied career. Julien Tornare is the head of Hublot, the irreverent and ground-breaking brand controlled by LVMH that's trying to reclaim some of its former glory and role as a trend-setter in industry innovation. 

An affable and talented business leader, Tornare has spent almost three decades in the watch world, with Vacheron Constantin and Richemont, and then as the chief executive of Zenith, where he oversaw a dramatic revival and upswing f...

This week on The Business of Watches, a fresh take on the new releases we saw at Geneva Watch Days and what they might mean for the market. Ahead of a special request summer fondue dinner, Tim, TanTan and Andy discuss what they saw, what they liked and didn't from the slew of novelties presented during the event. 

We go deep into the debut of Gallet, discussing how the entry-level offering from Breitling's House of Brands will stack up against the competition and how it will re-enter the company into the cut-throat $3,000 to $6,000 price category at a t...

This week on The Business of Watches, a visit with the folks running Armin Strom, a true original in the small but increasingly crowded field of independent watch brands. It takes its name and original inspiration from the eponymous Swiss watchmaker who was best known for his innovative and record-setting skeletonizing techniques on watches and dials. 

Childhood friends Serge Michel and Claude Greisler took over the brand in 2006. Michel, who controls the company, came from a family business background (in another field of business), while Greisler was a watchmaker and engineer. Twenty years on, Armin Strom is a t...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're getting a preview and history lesson of Geneva Watch Days. Born in the dark days of the pandemic in 2020, it was a new kind of watch industry gathering, that prioritized access and community over exclusivity.

Jean-Christophe Babin, the former Chief Executive Officer of Bulgari, has been there from the beginning. He tells us why Geneva Watch Days started and why it's still needed. We discuss what to expect at this year's event and what the future of watch industry events might bring. 

With some 71 brands exhibiting, GWD h...

This week on The Business of Watches, Collective Horology co-founder and Chief Executive Asher Rapkin joins us. He brought his lawyer.

While Collective is a Ventura, California-based retailer of independent watch brands, including Armin Strom, Czapek, Fears, Ming and J.N. Shapiro, Sara Albrecht is the chairman and CEO of The Liberty Justice Center. That's the non-profit litigation firm that led the legal fight successfully challenging President Trump's initial round of tariffs all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. They won, in a surprise decision that ruled the President didn't have the authority...

This week on The Business of Watches, we take stock at the halfway point of the year for watch auctions. Remi Guillemin, Christie's head of watches for the Americas, Europe and Middle East, gives us his take on what's driving the interest of the top watch collectors these days. It's a pivotal time, with the watch auction market setting record sales results at most of the top auction houses despite global economic challenges and geopolitical tensions and conflicts. 

 The last time the market was this hot was in the post-COVID era of 2021 and 2022. Guillemin believes this time is...

This week on The Business of Watches, a breaking news story, of sorts. Our friends at Worn & Wound have acquired Lorier Watches. It's a story of success for the New York-based boutique brand that started way back in 2017 with a mission to make vintage-inspired watches, designed to be worn every day, at an approachable price. In a way, it's a tale of too much success. 

Lorier co-founders, the husband and wife team Lauren Ortega and Lorenzo Ortega, struggled with the rapid growth of the small company, and the inability to meet demand for their products took a t...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're talking to the leader behind one of the strongest turnaround stories in the industry in recent years. Guido Terreni joined Parmigiani Fleurier as CEO in January, 2021 from Bulgari and has overseen a dramatic transformation in the design, style, and fortunes of the brand founded by master watchmaker and restoration expert Michel Parmigiani in 1996, with backing from the Sandoz Family Foundation.

Under Terreni's guidance, Parmigian Fleurier has been transformed. Striving to convey the concept of "private luxury," the brand has released a series of surprising, elegant, technically innovative, and yet r...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in Wetzlar, Germany, home of the legendary camera and lens maker, Leica. Of course, Leica isn't just an optics company. Since 2015, it's been on a new mission to create watches as well, a project initiated by Leica's controlling shareholder, Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, who is not only passionate about cameras and photography, but also timepieces. 

The person in charge of Leica's nascent watch ambitions is Henrik Ekdahl, a convivial Swede who has returned to Leica after more than two decades away, spent in the executive ranks of automakers, and, most r...

Roy Davidoff has spent a life keeping up with the time. Born into a family of jewelers and a youth spent in Geneva, followed by a move to Miami, watches have been a constant throughout his professional career. 

A return to Switzerland saw stints at brands including Bovet and Jacob & Co., before becoming a dealer of vintage and pre-owned with his brother and the launch of their business  - Roy & Sacha Davidoff SA - more than a decade ago. The fraternal duo gained prominence as dealers and experts regarding the Omega Speedmaster - a specialized section of the...

This week on The Business of Watches, we take your questions on the business of timekeeping. We're joined by a swath of the Hodinkee team, including Editor-in-Chief James Stacey, Senior Editor Mark Kauzlarich, and Hodinkee Editor TanTan Wang. 

We're answering your questions and marking 30 episodes of BoW. You submitted some excellent questions, including how changes in 3D printing technology will impact watch movement manufacturing, whether watch brands consider enthusiasts' preferences in their design and release schedules, and what the future of multi-brand watch boutiques looks like. 

Show Notes 
1:18 F.P. Journe Souscription Chronomètre à Réson...

This week on The Business of Watches, a brand we don't talk about a lot on this channel - Jacob & Co. Complicated, audacious, and expensive, Jacob & Co. watches hold a unique position in the industry. The brand enjoyed a strong 2025, growing sales and volumes, according to estimates by Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult, bucking the industry trend. 

And the brand recently got some high-profile exposure on the wrist of the Roland Garros winner with French Open champion Alexander Zverev wearing Jacob & Co. during his matches and on the podium.

We sat down in Geneva with Benjamin A...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're talking to the man behind one of the more successful new watch brands in recent years, Studio Underd0g. Richard Benc is just 33, and since 2020, he's built his irreverent, approachable-priced, design-driven brand to a significant size, producing about 14,000 watches last year.  

And he's done it all, not from Switzerland or Hong Kong, but from the U.K. Benc has grown his business with intent, making strategic investments in his supply chain, including buying full control of the assembly and after-sales service company that builds Studio Underd0g's distinct timepieces. St...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in La Chaux-de-Fonds to speak to Pascal Béchu, who heads not one, but two Swiss watchmaking brands, Angelus and Arnold & Son. 

They're both specialized, low-production, high-horology watchmakers, with very different back stories. While Angelus is a historic Swiss brand known for its repeaters, chronographs, and long power reserve movements, Arnold & Son celebrates the work and innovation of one of history's most important (British) watchmakers, John Arnold.

While quite different in their product and strategies, the two brands share the same parent company in Japan's Citizen Group, an...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're talking to the head of what's now the largest U.K.-based watch brand, Christopher Ward. Under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Mike France, the Swiss-made, approachable-priced watchmaker has enjoyed outsized growth in recent years, due in part to popular and surprising releases like its Bel Canto chiming watch and its commitment to keeping prices in check.

But first, we're joined by Hodinkee Senior Editor Mark Kauzlarich to talk about the Audemars Piguet X Swatch Royal Pop collaboration and its launch day, which certainly didn't go according to...

This week on The Business of Watches, we sit down with Akio Naito, the President of Seiko Watch Corporation. Seiko's Credor brand, the ultra-premium offering showcasing artisanal creations, unique craftsmanship, and design, made its Watches and Wonders debut this year. We talk about Credor's positioning within the Seiko group and its expansion into international markets.

The biggest challenge for Credor, Naito says, will be increasing production for more markets, as the skills required to produce the timepieces are highly specialized and take years to master. We also get an update on Grand Seiko. Naito says the brand...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in Hölstein, Switzerland, near Basel, at the peach-rose colored headquarters of Oris to talk to Rolf Studer, the brand's Chief Executive Officer. One of the 50 largest Swiss brands by sales, Oris is a true independent, making mechanical watches at fair prices, conveying the brand's unique spirit. 

Its history dates back to 1904, with boom times in the 1960s that were kick-started by the tireless legal and lobbying work of Dr. Rolf Portmann, an Oris executive (and honorary chairman today), whose efforts led to overturning the Swiss Watch Statute in 1966 tha...

It's the final podcast of the fair, and Tim Jeffreys is joined by Andy Hoffman and Jamie Weiss. The discussion kicks off with the official launch of Hodinkee Australia, exploring the region's unique, outdoorsy collecting culture, and moves on to some new watches, including Norqain’s whimsical "Sprinkles" chronograph and Ulysse Nardin’s technically mind-blowing Super Freak.

The team also chats about Audemars Piguet's return to the fair, Zenith's first-ever tantalum watch, the Laurent Ferrier Sport Traveler, and some high-value picks from Frederique Constant and Sinn.

Thanks to Bugari for their support of this episode of H...

We’re three days into the show, and Tim is joined by Tantan and Andy to chat about some interesting evening events and the latest releases from JLC, Moser, Lange, and more.

Thanks to Bugari for their support of this episode of Hodinkee Podcast. For more, visit Bulgari.com

To cap off an exciting day 2 at Watches and Wonders, Ben, Malaika, and James chat about the latest releases from Vacheron Constantin, IWC, Grand Seiko, Oris, Lange, and a few additional models from Rolex. From old-school throwbacks to the dual timers and divers we’ve been begging for, it’s a broad mix of great watches announced this week in Geneva.

Thanks to Bugari for their support of this episode of Hodinkee Podcast. For more, visit Bulgari.com

It's the first day of the fair in Geneva, and James is joined by Ben and Tim to chat over the brand new releases from Rolex – including the new enamel-dialed 126502 Daytona – as well as Patek's offering for the 50th anniversary of the Nautilus, some curiosities, and line extensions from Tudor as the brand celebrates 100 years, and all that glitters (and is Privé) from Cartier. Also, as a special treat, Ben and Andy Hoffman sit down with Matthieu Humair, the CEO of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation, for a mini-episode of The Business of Watches. The trio chats about how t...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in Geneva marking 50 years of Raymond Weil and an in-depth conversation with Chief Executive Officer, Elie Bernheim. At a time when much of the market is premiumizing and moving upscale, Raymond Weil is leaning in to its value-driven, Swiss-made heritage, producing approachable-priced timepieces that celebrate half a century of watchmaking and design.

Bernheim gives us a rundown of the brand's history, and talks about the "The Fifty", a limited edition version of its wildly popular Millesime that utilizes a new-old-stock Valjoux chronograph caliber from 1976 (of course). There's also a...

There is already a bevy of alternatives or side venues to the mighty Watches and Wonders, taking place during what's now known as Geneva Watch Week. Maxime Couturier and Lorenzo Maillard expect there's room for one more. They're the guys behind Chronopolis, a new gathering space in downtown Geneva that's promising to give profile to the 20 or so brands participating during what's arguably the most important week of the year for the industry. 

Armed with a hipster watch enthusiast persona, Couturier, Maillard, and their crew of dealers, collectors, and friends, embody what makes the watch scene cool a...

This week on The Business of Watches, we get to the heart of what makes a mechanical or quartz-powered watch tick. Jean-Claude Eggen is the Chief Executive Officer of La Joux-Perret, a Swiss movement manufacturer that's on the rise as it competes with rivals, including Sellita, as a supplier to brands ranging from mainstream mass market players such as TAG Heuer to upstart micro-brands, including Kollokium. 

Eggen doesn't pull punches when discussing what's driving growth at LJP as he talks prices, movement development, and technology, and how to keep clients coming back. LJP has experienced massive increases in...

This week on The Business of Watches, a Swiss brand that resonates with much of the Hodinkee community, Doxa. Founded in Le Locle, Switzerland, and now based in Biel/Bienne, it has more than a century of history and is responsible for designing and producing some of the most iconic dive watches ever built. With links to legendary figures, including Jacques Cousteau and author Clive Cussler, Doxa has served as a case study for how to revive, rebuild, and grow a brand by zeroing in on the best parts of its story while keeping prices approachable at a time...

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in La Chaux-de-Fonds to talk to the man heading Greubel Forsey, one of the most revered and respected brands in independent watchmaking. The company had been on a recent roll, with Meta CEO and chairman Mark Zuckerberg seen wearing its pricey timepieces and a 'Mechanical Exception' win for its Nano Foudroyante at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie Genève (a watch also in Zuckerberg's collection). Then news broke that Stephen Forsey, one of the brand's founders, was stepping down from the board, and, in a widely-seen social media post, Forsey said he h...

This week on The Business of Watches, we talk to the man who runs the brand that makes the mighty El Primero movement. Benoit de Clerck has been in the CEO chair at Zenith Watches for a couple of years now, and that's coincided with a challenging time for the sector and one of the industry's most storied brands, with more than 160 years of history and still located in its original manufacturing location in Le Locle, Switzerland. 

Under de Clerck's leadership, Zenith is responding to the challenges with a multi-pronged approach. It's throttling production to keep sell-in a...

This week on The Business of Watches, we go behind the scenes with the man who compiles and crunches the numbers for the Morgan Stanley Swiss Watcher report, the most influential and widely read annual financial league table on the industry. Oliver Müller has been around the sector for some three decades, beginning his career at Omega before executive roles at a series of brands, including Laurent Ferrier, where he served as Chief Executive Officer. He's now a consultant to the industry and has helped shape brand strategy and positioning for the likes of Akrivia and Rexhep Rexhepi, a...

What's in a name? More specifically, what is a name worth? Gerald Genta, likely the most famous watch designer in history and responsible for conjuring iconic models from the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur, and the Universal Geneve Polerouter, among others, sold his eponymous watch brand and name to what is now Bulgari and LVMH in the early 2000s. Then he started another brand - using his middle name instead of his family name - and that became Gerald Charles. It was sold to the Ziviani family in Italy in 2003, as Genta remained e...

This week on The Business of Watches, we head to La Chaux-de-Fonds and sit down with a CEO that running a very different business than most watch brands. Mitchell Wein is the scion of a family that's been in the watch business for more than a century, and the Marathon brand launched back in 1939, supplying timing instruments for the Allied Forces in World War II. 

Selling watches, stopwatches, and clocks to governments and military organizations is still the bulk of Marathon's business these days. Wein says 80% of the watches they sell, by volume, are for these kinds o...

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, a brand that's very much in the news. We're in Meyrin, just outside of Geneva, to talk to the head of Baume & Mercier, the near-200 year old brand that's just been sold by Richemont to Italy's Damiani Group. Michael Guenoun speaks passionately and with conviction about the pressures the brand faces due to the strong Swiss franc, rising costs, and its commitment to remaining in the approachable-priced segment of the watch market. 

Guenoun highlights the brand's rich history, its model lines, and its strategy for retail, distribution, and p...

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, we head to Nidau, Switzerland, where we sit down with Ben Küffer, the young Chief Executive Officer of family-owned watch brand Norqain. It's a frank discussion of the challenges of starting a brand and creating a signature watch–the Norqain Wild One–at a time when the industry is crowded with competitors, and it's tough to stand out. We focus on Norqain's unique strategy of recruiting former and current professional athletes as not only brand representatives, but also investors and executives. The big news is Norqain's deal to be the o...

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, we wrangled some time with someone who was born into the world of the Swiss watch industry but who has taken an outsider's path to business success. Manuel Emch is the managing director of Louis Erard and also one-third of the radical upstart micro-brand Kollokium. We sat down last year, and Emch outlined his circuitous route and unique approach to building and selling watch brands. 

But first, Hodinkee Magazine's editorial director Malaika Crawford drops in to give her take on Louis Vuitton's latest novelties and La Fabrique du T...

On this week's The Business of Watches, we head to Villeret, Switzerland, and the storied Swiss watchmaker Minerva. The brand, founded in 1858, is truly the jewel within Montblanc's watchmaking division, which itself is part of Swiss luxury conglomerate Richemont. Laurent Lecamp is the man leading Montblanc and Minerva's watchmaking operations, and he sat down with us for a detailed discussion on Minerva and what he's doing to satisfy the clients that he calls "fans" and not customers. Montblanc and Minerva won't be participating in Watches and Wonders this year, and Lecamp outlines the different paths that the brands are t...

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, we sit down with the principals of Horologer Ming and there is plenty to talk about. Founder and creative head Ming Thein explains his unique design and engineering process, while Chief Executive Officer Praneeth Rajsingh discusses financial challenges and financing solutions the small company has utilized to keep the business humming. We dive deep into the manufacturing process of the titanium, 3D-printed Polymesh bracelet that has the watch world buzzing, get an audio-only sneak peek at an upcoming release, and also hear about plans for a value-priced subsidiary brand they...

On this week's episode of  The Business of Watches, we sit down with Ilaria Resta, the Chief Executive Officer of Audemars Piguet.  Among the strategically important years in the brand's 150-year history, 2025 may rank among the most significant. Not only did it mark a century-and-a-half anniversary, it demanded a strong and determined leader to navigate through a mille feuille of challenges. Amid U.S. tariffs, record prices for gold, an extremely strong Swiss franc, and an overall downturn in market demand, Resta and her team from Le Brassus grew sales by double-digits, up 12%, as of the end of October co...

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, a frank discussion with one of the most powerful women in the world of horology. Hind Seddiqi is the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Watch Week, an event that's grown and matured to become one of the few truly top-tier events on the watch sector calendar. As CEO of the biennial gathering, Seddiqi oversees the team that decides which brands get to exhibit their wares, which executives and collectors get to speak on the industry panels, and exactly how the massive show is staged, presented, and organized. 

This ye...

James Lamdin is a sage voice of reason and experience in the vintage watch market. He's earned those titles through his years in the business. A co-founder of the OG collector meetup RedBar Group, Lamdin went on to found Analog Shift, the vintage and pre-owned dealer acquired by Watches of Switzerland (also the parent company of Hodinkee) in 2020. In a conversation recorded live in front of an audience at UBS House of Craft in New York City in October, Lamdin breaks down the vintage and pre-owned watch market, how we got here, where we've been, and where we're likely...

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, we're doing something a little different. We're taking your questions, and we've got a special guest as Hodinkee Editor-In-Chief, James Stacey, joins the podcast to help answer your queries on the business side of the dial. We hit a lot of topics, from the best perpetual calendars under $20,000, to rising watch prices, the recent surge in Swiss watch exports to the U.K., and just how popular is Halloween in Switzerland? 

It's a fun episode, and we hope you enjoy it. Be sure to leave any thoughts or q...