Times Ticking Watch Talk
by Times Ticking
Welcome to Times Ticking — your destination for all things watch and clock related. Whether you're a seasoned collector, a curious enthusiast, or simply fascinated by the ticking history of timepieces, this podcast dives deep into the world of horology. Join us as we explore iconic brands, vintage gems, mechanical marvels, and untold stories behind the watches and clocks that have stood the test of time. From repair insights and historical spotlights to conversations with passionate collectors and experts, Times Ticking keeps your curiosity winding. Tune in — because every tick has a tale.
Episodes
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The Story of Vortic Watches
It begins with a single object on a workbench: a century-old American pocket watch movement, heavy in the hand, its bridges worn smooth by decades of winding, still ticking despite having outlived the factory and the industry that produced it, and when R.T. Custer encountered watches like this…
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Inside The Audemars Piguet x Swatch Frenzy
On May 27, 2026, Swatch did what many collectors believed it never would. The company announced a collaboration with Audemars Piguet, unveiling the Bioceramic Royal Oak collection and sending shockwaves through the watch world.
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The Evolution of Driving Watches - A Short History
The problem with time is not that it moves too quickly, but that it refuses to wait while you’re driving. Long before dashboards glowed with digital certainty and cars whispered instructions back at their owners, checking the hour came with a choice: loosen your grip on the wheel or ignore time...
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What Is The COSC?
If you’ve ever held a fine mechanical watch and felt a strange sense of confidence radiating from it - something steady, self-assured, almost alive - that feeling often traces back to four letters: COSC. Those letters don’t simply mark a certification; they represent one of watchmaking’s most...
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How Does a Devon Watch Work?
Devon watches didn’t emerge from the slow, methodical traditions of Swiss horology; they were sparked in California, where designer Scott Devon looked at the quiet world of ticking gears and wondered why time couldn’t be put on display—why it couldn’t move in a way people could actually watch....
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The Wright Brothers Pocket Watch
Most visitors to the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum arrive expecting spectacle - silver jets, roaring engines, spacecraft that carried human beings into the void. That’s why the small Hampden pocket watch sitting quietly behind glass is so disarming. It doesn’t glow, spin, or hover. It’s just…
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The History of Certina
In the shadow of the Jura Mountains, where the rhythmic clatter of tools met the steady tick of gears, two brothers—Adolf and Alfred Kurth—began a journey that would quietly shape the future of Swiss watchmaking. It was 1888 in Grenchen, Switzerland, and the Kurths, working from a small workshop...
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10 Things About British Watchmaking You (Probably) Didn't Know
When most people think of fine watchmaking, their minds go straight to Switzerland. Geneva, the Vallée de Joux — all the familiar names. But before the Swiss rose to global dominance, it was Britain that laid down many of the foundations of modern horology. From life-saving chronometers that kept...
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The Poetry of Patina
Watches speak, though not always in words. Sometimes their voice is a whisper written across a dial—sun-faded paint softening into cream, lume turning to golden honey, tiny freckles scattered like constellations across the surface. This slow transformation is patina, and it’s the poetry of time...
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The Return of Accutron
Accutron had a problem. The technology that made the brand famous no longer existed.Imagine reviving Ford without the V8, Gibson without the guitar, or Harley-Davidson without the motorcycle. That’s essentially the challenge Accutron faced. The humming tuning fork that powered the original…
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Blancpain Fifty Fathoms: The Dive Watch That Started It All
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms didn’t come from a marketing meeting or a luxury showcase; it was born underwater, in the dangerous infancy of scuba diving. In the early 1950s, the sport was more experiment than discipline, and Jean-Jacques Fiechter, Blancpain’s young CEO, learned that the hard way....
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The Forgotten Beauty of Trench Watches
There’s something quietly haunting about the trench watch. It sits on the wrist, often with a yellowed dial and worn leather strap, carrying scars of both time and battle. To some, it looks like an in-between artifact—no longer a pocket watch, not yet the refined wristwatch that would dominate...
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The Story Behind Baume & Mercier's Franco-Swiss Identity
With a Baume & Mercier watch, you have both a finely tuned instrument of timekeeping and a story. And not just any story. This is one shaped by the grace of French design and the exacting standards of Swiss watchmaking.You may have seen the brand’s name at your favorite retailer or on the wrist…
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The Dirty Dozen Collectors Quest
In the world of vintage military watches, one quest eclipses them all: the Dirty Dozen. Twelve wristwatches, all built under the same uncompromising standards in the final year of World War II, yet each carrying its own scars, quirks, and stories. To own all twelve is not simply to have a...
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The History of Cortébert Watch Company
For over a century, one quiet Swiss brand helped power railroads, military divers, and even Soviet watchmaking—yet most people have never heard its name. This is the story of Cortébert, the forgotten giant hiding in plain sight.
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Classified First: Gagarin’s Sturmanskie the West Didn’t Know
History remembers Yuri Gagarin as the first man to orbit Earth—but almost nobody talked about the watch ticking on his wrist. Decades before the Omega Speedmaster became famous, a humble Soviet Sturmanskie watch quietly became the first watch in space… and the West didn’t even know it existed.
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The Story of Smiths: The Watch That Climbed Everest
Let’s look at the legendary timepiece that conquered the same inhospitable conditions as Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, his Sherpa partner. You can still wear that legacy today with a Smiths watch.
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The Forgotten Inventor of the Automatic Wristwatch
Long before Rolex made the self-winding watch famous, an English repairer named John Harwood solved a problem born in the trenches of World War I, creating a crownless watch that could wind itself through motion alone. This is the forgotten story of the invention that reshaped modern timekeeping.
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When Watch Brands Went to War
Long before watch brands fought for attention online, they fought each other in courtrooms - risking everything to protect a single name on a dial. And the battles they fought more than a century ago still shape the watch industry we know today. So let’s step back into a forgotten chapter of...
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COMEX & Rolex: The Partnership That Changed Dive Watches Forever
There’s a strange irony in the world of horology: some of the most legendary watches ever made didn’t come from a watchmaker’s boardroom but from the salty, pressurized depths of the ocean. The story of COMEX watches begins not in Switzerland, but in 1961 Marseille, France, where a young engineer...
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5 Cutting-Edge Watches Made from Unconventional Materials
The five watches aren’t museum relics or one-off art projects. They’re cutting-edge machines you can buy today, each pushing boundaries with materials that force us to rethink what a watch can be.
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The Craftsmanship Behind Vintage Bailey Banks and Biddle Watches
If you’ve never closely examined a vintage Bailey Banks and Biddle watch, you’ve missed one of American horology’s best-kept secrets. These watches are heirlooms, carefully crafted and rich with history. They’re the kind of piece that turns heads, not because of a logo, but because of the details...
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What Glashütte Really Means
Nestled in a valley southeast of Dresden, the town of Glashütte doesn’t look like a place where revolutions happen. Surrounded by pine forests and Saxon serenity, it feels more like a forgotten watercolor than the birthplace of a global legacy. But for nearly two centuries, this quiet corner of...
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Edox Proved You Don’t Need Noise
Walk into a luxury watch boutique and you’ll be met with the usual suspects—flashy logos, famous faces, and brands that sell their story louder than their specs. But behind the noise, there’s a name that’s been quietly ticking for over a century. A brand that’s innovated without seeking headlines...
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No Leather, No Apologies, Just Hublot
When Hublot debuted in 1980, it didn’t whisper tradition—it challenged it head-on. Carlo Crocco, an Italian watchmaker with little interest in Swiss convention, introduced a luxury gold watch with a rubber strap. It was sleek, nautical, scented subtly with vanilla, and completely out of step with...
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The Relaunch of Czapek Genève
In the watch world, most revivals feel like marketing—names dusted off, logos revived, stories stretched to fit modern campaigns. But every so often, there’s a resurrection so improbable, so meticulously earned, that it reads less like branding and more like fate. That’s the story of Czapek…
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Lemania: The Hidden Genius Behind History's Most Iconic Watches
They didn’t sign the dial. They didn’t take out magazine ads. Most people who owned a Lemania movement never even knew it. But Lemania built the movements that powered the most iconic watches of the 20th century—and their story is one of quiet genius.
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Who Owns Hamilton? A Legacy in 7 Chapters
Hamilton has lived many lives—worn by soldiers, conductors, pilots, and film stars. But this isn’t just a history lesson. From Pennsylvania railroads to Swiss ateliers, Hamilton has crossed continents and eras to become what I am today. By the end of this, you won’t just know who owns me… you’ll...
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The Story of the Lever-Set
A train wreck. A stopped watch. And a four-minute mistake that changed the future of American railroads forever. In 1891, a single pocket watch failure led to tragedy—and quietly reshaped the world of timekeeping. This podcast explores the Kipton, Ohio train collision, the risks of early…
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A Countdown of the Iconic Bulova Watch Company
In 1941, something big happened. The first TV commercial aired, and it ran for exactly 10 seconds. This 10-second commercial was for Bulova (formerly the Bulova Watch Company). It ran during a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The commercial was...
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The History and Legacy of Leon Hatot
Before quartz. Before smartwatches. Before marketing turned every timepiece into a lifestyle accessory, there was Léon Hatot—a man who believed that watches could do more than tell time. They could speak it. Shape it. Electrify it.Born in 1883 in Châtillon-sur-Seine, Hatot quickly outgrew the...
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The Rise of the Microbrand Watch
Over the past decade, a new wave of independent watchmakers—often solopreneurs or two-person teams—has been rewriting the rules. They’re building serious mechanical watches with real character, often from home studios or small workshops. No celebrity endorsements. No velvet-rope showrooms. Just...
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What Was the Longines-Wittnauer Partnership?
Imagine this—you’re browsing through a collection of vintage timepieces and stumble upon a Wittnauer watch. Sleek, precise, and unmistakably Swiss, but something catches your eye on the case back: “Longines-Wittnauer Watch Co.” Confused? You’re not alone. Many collectors today are unaware of the...
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Montblanc Watches: Status Symbol or True Swiss Excellence?
When someone drops the name Montblanc, you might picture a fancy pen tucked into the pocket of a guy who says “synergy” in meetings with a straight face. But these days, Montblanc is just as likely to be found on the wrists—even (and especially) those of discerning professional watch repair experts.
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10 Things About Waltham You (Probably) Didn’t Know
Waltham wasn’t just another watchmaker—it was one of the most influential American companies of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known for precision, innovation, and its role in shaping modern timekeeping, Waltham helped define how the world kept time. From railroads and wartime missions to…
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The History Of Girard-Perregaux
Imagine a world in 1791 where the craft of watchmaking was as much art as it was science. For reference, this was also the year Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered his opera The Magic Flute, a masterpiece that showcased the brilliance of the time. Just as Mozart was redefining music, Jean-François...
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The Story of The Ingersoll Watch Company
The story of the Ingersoll Watch Company is more than just about gears and dials. It’s a story about making time available to everyone.Whether you’ve worn one, inherited one, or spotted one at a flea market or antique shop, an Ingersoll isn’t just a timepiece. It’s a pocket-sized history lesson....
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The Historical Story Behind "It Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking"
John Cameron Swayze may have started his career as a pioneering newscaster, but his true legacy lies in a phrase so iconic it still echoes today: “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” If you recognize those words, you’ve already glimpsed the magic that Swayze brought to television screens...
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The World Of Tilted Watches
Most watches follow the rules—flat, familiar, obedient to tradition. But there’s a quiet corner of horology where the rules tilt. Literally.
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The German Timekeeper That Refused to Die | Junghans Watch Company History
What if the most groundbreaking watchmaker of the 20th century wasn’t Swiss—but German? In a sleepy Black Forest town, Junghans rose to become the world’s largest clockmaker… then nearly disappeared. But just when it seemed over, they came back with atomic precision and Bauhaus elegance. Stay...
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Baylor Watches and Their Swiss-American Legacy
What if the affordable chronograph your grandfather bought at the mall shared the same DNA as a Heuer Autavia worn by professional racers? Beneath the surface of the Baylor name lies a forgotten alliance between American retail ambition and elite Swiss craftsmanship. From the hidden hands of...
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Is Bulova Still An American Brand?
It started as an American dream in a tiny New York shop. Today, it’s a name recognized around the world. But is Bulova still truly American… or has it become something more?
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The Marvel of Minute Repeater Watches
Long before glowing dials and digital screens, there was a secret hidden in the pockets of the elite—a watch that told time not by sight, but by sound. The minute repeater was more than a marvel… it was a whisper of genius in a world of darkness. But how did this invention survive centuries, and...
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The History of E. Howard & Co.
He wasn’t just a watchmaker—he was a perfectionist in a world racing toward mass production. In the shadows of America’s industrial rise, Edward Howard built something rare: timepieces not made for the many, but crafted for the few who valued mastery. This is the story of E. Howard & Co.—and the...
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The History Of The Seth Thomas Clock Company
You’ve seen the clocks… but do you know the story behind the name? From wooden gears to Grand Central’s iconic masterpiece, the rise of the Seth Thomas Clock Company changed American timekeeping forever. One detail in the company’s legacy might just change how you see every clock.
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The Revolutionary Bulova Accuquartz
When Bulova introduced the Accuquartz in 1970, it wasn’t just an evolution in timekeeping; it was a masterclass in mechanical ingenuity and technological foresight. The Accuquartz wasn’t a mere quartz watch, nor was it a traditional tuning fork watch. It was something entirely unique: the first...
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Hampden Watches Are Back! Legacy Included
You’ve heard this story before—at least, you think you have: a defunct heritage brand gets dragged out of retirement, dusted off, and slapped onto some generic quartz movement. A name without a soul. But that’s not what happened here. The Hampden Watch Company wasn’t just revived—it was rebuilt…
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Why Plymouth Hollow Became Thomaston
What does it take for a town to rename itself after a single man? In the case of Thomaston, Connecticut, it wasn’t conquest, expansion, or calamity that sparked change—it was the steady tick of a clock and the quiet persistence of legacy.
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The History of The Marathon Watch Company
Before it was a military icon, Marathon was a promise—one born from a family’s quiet devotion to precision, trust, and time that endures. Forged in the fires of war and refined in the hands of soldiers, pilots, and rescue teams, Marathon didn’t follow trends—it followed purpose. This is the story...
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The Simple Trick That Sells Anything
Times Ticking was featured on Entrepreneur’s Problem Solvers podcast! The episode is out now, and the hosts called it “one of the most tactical and actionable interviews in a long time.” We had a great time sharing our story and breaking down the strategy behind how we bring timepieces to life....
About this show
Welcome to Times Ticking — your destination for all things watch and clock related. Whether you're a seasoned collector, a curious enthusiast, or simply fascinated by the ticking history of timepieces, this podcast dives deep into the world of horology. Join us as we explore iconic brands, vintage gems, mechanical marvels, and untold stories behind the watches and clocks that have stood the test of time. From repair insights and historical spotlights to conversations with passionate collectors and experts, Times Ticking keeps your curiosity winding. Tune in — because every tick has a tale.
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Times Ticking