Watches and Politics

What makes a watch collectible? Age alone is not enough. Rarity alone is not enough.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore The Collectibles, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s remarkable book dedicated to the vintage watches that helped define the identity of the Grande Maison.But this is not simply a catalog of old watches. It’s a book about heritage as strategy. Through carefully documented historical pieces — from early Reversos to rare mid-century creations — Jaeger-LeCoultre tells the story of how a manufacture’s past becomes part of its present authority.In this episode, we discuss:• why certain vintage watches become “collectibles” while others fade away• how Jaeger-LeCoultre curates and authenticates its own historical legacy• the role of archival research in modern collecting • what this book reveals about the evolution of design and complications at JLC • how institutional storytelling shapes the vintage market • who should read this book — and who may prefer a purely historical referenceThis episode connects directly to:▶ Series 1 — watches as cultural symbols▶ Series 2 — collectors and market influence▶ Series 3 — the books that define horological knowledgeSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as historical narratives, not just objects.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with your favorite vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre reference📌 Share with the friend who believes vintage collecting is about more than rarity#WatchesAndPolitics #WatchBooks #JaegerLeCoultre #TheCollectibles #Horology

Behind every extraordinary watch is not just a brand — but a person.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books, I explore Watchmakers: The Masters of Art Horology, a book that shifts the focus of watch history away from companies and toward the individual craftsmen whose ideas shaped modern horology.This is a book about people who refused to follow the rules.The watchmakers featured here represent a remarkable generation of independent thinkers who transformed mechanical watchmaking from a declining craft into one of the most creative fields in modern design and engineering.In this episode, we discuss:• how independent watchmakers reshaped the modern horological landscape• the philosophy behind contemporary haute horlogerie• why small ateliers can sometimes innovate faster than large manufactures • the personalities and ideas behind some of the most influential watches of the last decades• how this book captures a moment when creativity returned to watchmaking• who should read this book — and who might want a more technical referenceThis episode connects directly to:▶ Series 1 — watches as cultural and symbolic objects ▶ Series 2 — voices from inside the watch industry▶ Series 3 — the written canon of watch cultureSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are understood through the people who imagined them.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the independent watchmaker you admire most📌 Share with the friend who believes the future of horology belongs to individuals#WatchesAndPolitics #WatchBooks #IndependentWatchmakers #Horology #WatchCollectors

Some watches follow fashion.Some follow engineering.The Cartier Tank followed history.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore The Cartier Tank Watch — a book dedicated to one of the most recognizable and culturally influential watchdesigns ever created.Introduced by Louis Cartier in 1917, the Tank did something almost unprecedented: it translated the geometry of modern warfare into an object of elegance and restraint.This is not simply a watch story.It is a story about design, symbolism, and cultural longevity.In this episode, we discuss:• how the Tank’s design was inspired by the aerial view of World War I tanks• why Cartier approached watchmaking through architecture and proportion• how the Tank became a watch worn by artists, leaders, and cultural figures• the evolution of the Tank across generations — from Tank Normale to Tank Louis and beyond• what the book reveals about design as cultural power• who should read this book — and who might expect a different type of watch historyThis episode connects directly to:▶ Series 1 — watches as symbols of power and identity▶ Series 2 — collectors and cultural authority▶ Series 3 — the written canon of watch cultureSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read not only as machines, but as cultural artifacts.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with your favorite Tank reference📌 Share with the friend who believes great design never ages#WatchesAndPolitics #WatchBooks #CartierTank #Cartier #Horology

Before time was optimized, quantified, and monetized, it was contemplated.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore The Beauty of Time — a book that approaches horology not through brands or complications, but through art, culture, and the human relationship with time itself.This is not a technical reference.It’s a cultural meditation.In this episode, we discuss:• how timekeeping has been shaped by art, philosophy, and society• why clocks and watches were once expressions of worldview, not efficiency• the relationship between beauty and precision• how objects that measure time also shape our experience of it• what this book does exceptionally well — and where it resists simplification• who should read this book — and who might find it slow, in the best wayThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — time as a political and culturalconstructSeries 2 — institutions and long-term thinkingSeries 3 — the written canon of watch cultureSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as cultural ideas, not just instruments.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the timepiece you find most beautiful — and why📌 Share with the friend who believes beauty has no place in engineering#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #thebeautyoftime

The structure of watchmaking has changed.For decades, authority flowed in one direction — from brands to media, from media to collectors. Today, that flow is no longer linear. Collectors have become creators, platforms have become institutions, and influence is increasingly decentralized.Halim Trujillo, founder of Watch Collecting Lifestyle, represents this shift. What began as a collector-driven platform has evolved into a global voice in high-end horology and “good living” — documenting independent watchmaking, manufacture access, and the lived experience of collecting.In this episode of Watches & Politics, we explore the rise of the collector-driven media ecosystem. We discuss how collectors influence brand perception, how independent watchmakers gain legitimacy, and how access — to people, places, and experiences — becomes a form of cultural capital.This is a conversation about networks:How influence circulates.How authority is redistributed.And how collectors have moved from audience to actors within the system.#watches #politics #lifestyle #WatchesAndPolitics #WatchCollectors #IndependentWatchmaking #WatchMedia #LuxuryCulture

Some watchmakers build machines.Others build culture.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books, I explore Vacheron Constantin: Artists of Time — a book that frames watchmaking not as industrial production, but as artistic authorship practiced over centuries.This is not a technical manual.It’s a meditation on craft, continuity, and creative identity.In this episode, we discuss:• why Vacheron Constantin describes its watchmakers as “artists”• how métiers d’art sit at the center of the Maison’s identity• the relationship between tradition, creativity, and restraint• how handcraft becomes institutional memory• what the book reveals about time as an artistic medium• who should read this book — and who might expect something differentThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — time, culture, and powerSeries 2 — institutions and long-term identitySeries 3 — the written canon of watchmakingSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as cultural works, not just mechanical ones.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the Vacheron métier d’art that resonates most with you📌 Share with the friend who says “art and watchmaking are different things”#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #vacheronconstantin

Some watch books document history.Some celebrate design.Hybris Mechanica documents something rarer: what happens when a manufacture removes its own limits.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore Jaeger-LeCoultre — Hybris Mechanica— a book that serves as both archive and manifesto for one of the most ambitious complication programs in modern watchmaking.This is not a product catalog.It’s a record of institutional confidence.In this episode, we discuss:• what the Hybris Mechanica program represents inside Jaeger-LeCoultre• why extreme complication became a language, not a goal• how experimentation, prototyping, and failure are treated in the book• the relationship between sound, motion, architecture, and emotion• how Reverso, Gyrotourbillons, repeaters, and laboratory watches fit into one philosophy• who should read this book — and who might misunderstand itThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — time, systems, and powerSeries 2 — manufacture culture and internaldecision-makingSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as institutional statements, not just objects.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with your favorite Hybris Mechanica chapter or piece📌 Share with the friend who thinks JLC only makes “classic” watches#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #jaegerlecoultre #books #hybrismechanica #reverso #duometre #tourbillon

Some watch books tell the story of a brand.Others tell the story of a watchmaker.A Voyage Through Time tells the story of a collector’s eye.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books, I explore A Voyage Through Time: The Masis Collection of Horological Masterpieces — a book that documents one ofthe most important private collections of historical watches ever assembled.This is not a catalog of objects.It’s a study of taste, discipline, and historical responsibility.In this episode, we discuss:• who the Masis Collection represents in the world of serious collecting• how private collections shape public horological history• why context matters more than rarity alone• how this book balances scholarship and visual storytelling• what the collection reveals about centuries of watchmaking evolution• who should read this book — and who might find it demandingThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — time, power, and institutionsSeries 2 — collectors as cultural actorsSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as historical evidence, not just luxury objects.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the piece from the Masis Collection that impressed you most📌 Share with the friend who believes private collectors quietly shape history#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #masiscollection #pocketwatches #books

Not all watch books are about movements, calibers, or complications.Some are about time as culture.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore Sevan Bıçakçı: The Timekeeper — a book that sits at the crossroads of jewelry, craftsmanship, symbolism, and storytelling.Sevan Bıçakçı is not a traditional watchmaker.And this is not a traditional watch book.This episode looks at:• why Sevan Bıçakçı approaches time through symbolism, not mechanics• how history, mythology, and geography shape his work• the relationship between jewelry, watches, and narrative meaning• what The Timekeeper reveals about time as a cultural artifact• how this book challenges Swiss-centric ideas of horology• who should read this book — and who might find it unfamiliarThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — time as culture, identity, and powerSeries 2 — collectors and creators outside institutional systemsSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as cultural expressions, not just machines.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the Sevan piece that left the strongest impression on you📌 Share with the friend who says “this isn’t really watchmaking” — and see what happens#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #sevanbicakci #timekeeper #watches #jewellery #jewelry

In watchmaking, knowledge is often mistaken for information.But knowledge is slower.It is structured.It accumulates — through books, through research, through conversation.Roman, known as @TimesRomanAU, is part of Fifth Wrist — acommunity-driven platform built explicitly outside traditional brand influence.Through his Independent Thinking series, he hasfocused not on releases or trends, but on something more foundational: books, scholarship, history, and the preservation of horological knowledge.In this episode of Watches & Politics, we examine knowledge as a form of power. We discuss the role of books in shaping what becomes accepted history, the tension between long-formscholarship and fast-moving digital content, and whether independent media can still function as a counterweight to hype.This is a conversation about memory:Who records it.Who interprets it.And who ultimately decides which stories survive.

Before there were icons, before there were independents, before there was modern watchmaking as we understand it — there was Breguet.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books, I explore The Art of Breguet — a book that doesn’t just document a watchmaker, but explains how modern horology itself was invented.This is not a brand celebration.It’s a study of ideas made mechanical.In this episode, we discuss:• why Abraham-Louis Breguet is considered the father of modern watchmaking• how innovation and aesthetics became inseparable in his work• the political, scientific, and cultural world Breguet operated in• why Breguet watches were instruments of power, not just luxury• how the book frames authorship, invention, and legacy• who should read this book — and who may find it demandingThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — time, power, and modern systemsSeries 2 — institutional memory and authoritySeries 3 — the written canon of watch cultureSeries 3 is the library of Watchesand Politics — where watches are read as historical arguments.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the Breguet invention you find most important📌 Share with the friend who says “everything traces back to Breguet” — because they might be right#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #breguet

Some watch books explain history.Some explain mechanics.Rare Watches does something different:it maps the upper edge of possibility.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books, I explore Rare Watches: Explore the World’s Most Exquisite Timepieces — a book dedicated to the watches that exist at the very edge of craftsmanship, rarity, and ambition.This is not a price guide.It’s not a checklist.It’s a curated journey through objects that were never meant to be common.In this episode, we discuss:• what “rare” actually means in watchmaking• how rarity is constructed — technically, historically, and culturally• the difference between scarcity and significance• how this book frames watches as collectible artifacts• what the book does exceptionally well — and where it stays deliberately surface-level• who this book is for, and who might want more depthThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — power, prestige, and symbolic capitalSeries 2 — collectors as market-shaping actorsSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as cultural signals, not just luxury objects.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the rare watch that still lives rent-free in your mind📌 Share with the friend who says “rare doesn’t always mean important”#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #rarewatches #patekphilippe #rolex

Some watches become icons because they dominate culture.Others endure because they adapt without losing themselves.The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is the latter.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore Reverso by Nicholas Foulkes — the definitive modern book on one of the most intellectually rich and quietly radical watch designs ever created.This is not just a story about a case that flips.It’s a story about modernity, restraint, sport, elegance, and survival.In this episode, we discuss:• why the Reverso was born from function, not fashion• how Art Deco shaped its proportions and longevity• why the Reverso became a canvas rather than a complication• how Jaeger-LeCoultre used continuity as strategy• what Foulkes gets uniquely right as a historian and storyteller• who should read this book — and who might underestimate itThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — time, modernity, and identitySeries 2 — manufacture culture and institutional memorySeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as historical arguments, not just objects.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with your favorite Reverso reference📌 Share with the friend who says “the Reverso never changes” — and see if they’re right#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #jaegerlecoultre #reverso

Collectors are often treated as participants in a market.But collecting, at its deepest level, is something else entirely.It is a process of selection, rejection, revision — a way of constructing meaning over time.Mitch Katz is a collector and author whose work shifts the focus away from watches as status objects and toward the inner life of collecting itself. In his book Time on My Hands, he frames collecting not as accumulation, but as a lifelong practice of taste formation — shaped by mistakes, obsessions, learning, and memory.In this episode of Watches & Politics, we examine the collector not as a consumer, but as a political actor. We discuss how taste becomes authority, how narratives are formed and contested, and how modern media ecosystems are reshaping who gets to define what matters in horology.This is a conversation about authorship:How collectors shape history.How meaning resists price.And how legitimacy is constructed — slowly, personally, and often invisibly.⏱ SUBSCRIBE for upcoming episodes:https://youtube.com/@WatchesAndPolitics Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shipoli_e/ #watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #collecting #collector

Not every important watch book is about innovation, mechanics, or brand power.Some are about people.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore A Man and His Watch by Matt Hranek — one of the most influential books in modern watch culture, and arguably the book that helped make personal watch storiesa genre of their own.This episode isn’t about complications or calibers.It’s about why watches stay with us.We talk about:• what A Man and His Watch actually changed in watch culture• why personal ownership stories became more powerful than specs• how the book reframed watches as emotional artifacts• the relationship between masculinity, memory, and objects• what this book gets beautifully right — and where it’s limited• who should read this book, and who might not connect with itThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — identity, status, and symbolismSeries 2 — collectors as cultural actorsSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as human stories, not just machines.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the watch story that mattered most to you📌 Share with the friend who says “it’s not about the watch, it’s about the story”#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #amanandhiswatch #paulnewman #daytona #rolex

Some watchmakers perfect tradition.Others reject it.De Bethune does something far rarer: it rebuilds tradition from first principles.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books, I explore De Bethune: The Art of Watchmaking — a book that documents one of the most intellectually radical and visually distinct independent manufactures of the modern era.This is not a brand catalog.It’s a study of time as physics, design, and imagination.In this episode, we look at:• how De Bethune approaches watchmaking as experimentation, not homage• why materials, balance wheels, and architecture matter more than nostalgia• the role of Denis Flageollet as engineer, thinker, and watchmaker • how the book frames independence without myth-making• what this book tells us about the future of mechanical watchmaking • who should read this book — and who might find it challengingThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — innovation, technology, and powerSeries 2 — independent voices and institutional resistanceSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as ideas, not accessories.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the next book you want covered📌 Share with the friend who says “De Bethune isn’t for me” — and see if that changes#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #debethune

In most industries, power is measured by growth.In watchmaking, there are rare exceptions — institutions that derive authority not from expansion, but from refusal. From limiting production. From resisting compromise. From maintaining standards that cannot be scaled.Michel Nydegger, CEO of Greubel Forsey, leads one of the most uncompromising houses in modern horology at a pivotal moment in its history. As the brand transitions from founder -led stewardship to institutional continuity, the question is no longer just how to preserve excellence — but how to govern it.In this episode of Watches & Politics, we explore the idea of restraint as power. We discuss what independent watchmaking represents in a global luxury system driven by growth, how succession in ultra-high horology mirrors political transition, and how legitimacy is protected when access is deliberately limited.This is a conversation about discipline:How standards become authority.How scarcity becomes structure.And how institutions endure when excellence is non-negotiable.#WatchesAndPolitics #GreubelForsey #HauteHorlogerie #LuxuryLeadership #Watchmaking #horology #watches #politics

“Invenit et Fecit.”He invented it. He made it.Few phrases in watchmaking carry as much weight — or as much audacity — as the words engraved on the dials of F.P. Journe.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I explore F.P. Journe: Invenit et Fecit — the book that documents one of the most important independent watchmakers of the modern era.This episode is not a price discussion.It’s not a hype cycle analysis.It’s a contextual reading of how François-Paul Journe positioned himself — consciously — inside the long tradition of classical horology while rewriting its modern rules.We discuss:• what Invenit et Fecit actually means — historically and philosophically • how Journe framed authorship and responsibility in watchmaking • the intellectual lineage behind his work• how the book constructs legitimacy, independence, and authority• what the book reveals — and what it leaves unsaid• who should read this book, and at what stage of collectingThis episode connects directly to:Series 1 — innovation, authority, and legitimacy in watchmakingSeries 2 — independent voices and insider perspectivesSeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read, not just worn.📌Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌Comment with the next book you want covered📌 Share with the friend who says “Journe is obvious” — and see if they still agree#watches #politics #history #horology #collecting #art #books #watchbooks #fpjourne

The Royal Oak is more than a watch.It’s a rupture.In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: WatchBooks, I break down Royal Oak: From Iconoclast to Icon, the official book dedicated to one of the most influential watches of the modern era.This is not a review.It’s a contextual reading.We explore:• why the Royal Oak was shocking in 1972• how steel became a symbol of modern luxury• Gérald Genta’s design language and its consequences• how one watch reshaped taste, status, and the idea of “sport luxury”• what the book gets right — and what it avoids• who should read this book — and who can skip itAs an academic and collector, I approach this book not as marketing material, but as a cultural document—one that explains how icons are constructed, not born.This episode connects directly to:Series 1 — the politics of luxury, taste, and powerSeries 2 — insider voices from the watch industrySeries 3 is the library of Watches and Politics.📌 Subscribe for weekly watch book episodes📌 Comment with the next watch book you want covered📌 Share with the one friend who still argues about the Royal Oak#royaloak #audemarspiguet #watches #books

Auction results are often treated as facts.But are markets all neutral?Markets are systems — with incentives, hierarchies, and gatekeepers. Collectors play a pivotal role in them.Paul Boutros is Head of Watches, Americas at Phillips, one of the most influential auction houses in the global watch market. Over the last decade, Phillips has not only set records, but has actively reshaped which watches are remembered, which collectors are elevated, and which narratives become canonical.In this episode of Watches & Politics, we examine auctions not as sales events, but as institutions of legitimacy. We discuss how value is constructed, how historical importance is framed, and how pricing power migrates across regions, generations, and tastes.This conversation explores the mechanics behind authority:How watches become “important.”How scarcity is managed.And how auction houses quietly function as political actors within the luxury ecosystem.#watches #auctions #phillips #paulboutros #fpjourne #ffc #francisfordcoppola

Watches are not just designed.They are written.In this video, I’m introducing Series 3 of Watches and Politics — a new chapter focused entirely on watch books.As an academic and lifelong watch collector, I’m constantly asked:• Where should I start reading about watches?• Which books actually matter?• What’s real history — and what’s just beautiful marketing?This series is my answer.Each episode in Series 3 is a 10–15 minute, podcast-ready breakdown of a single watch book — not just a review, but context:• who wrote it and why it matters• what the book is really about• what I liked, what I didn’t• who should read it — and who can skip it• how it fits into watch history, culture, and powerThis series connects directly to:▶ Series 1 — the political, historical foundations of watches▶ Series 2 — interviews with insiders, collectors, and industry voicesSeries 3 is the library.The long memory of watch culture.If you collect watches, study design, love history, or simply want to understand why certain watches — and books — become canonical, this series is for you.📌 Subscribe for bi-weekly book episodes📌 Comment with the next watch book you want covered📌 Share with the friend who always recommends “one more watch book”Welcome to Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books.

In watchmaking, power does not always sit with brands.Sometimes it sits with cities.Sometimes with collectors.Sometimes with retailers who decide what deserves attention — and what does not.Jacopo Corvo is co-owner of GMT Italia, a Milanese retailer whose history stretches back to the 1950s and whose modern influence is deeply felt across independent haute horlogerie. Under his family’s stewardship, GMT Italia evolved from traditional brand distribution into a cultural gatekeeper — shaping taste, reviving heritage, and introducing independent watchmakers to one of the most demanding collector communities in the world.In this episode of Watches & Politics, we explore Italy not as a market, but as a tastemaking system. We talk about Milan as a cultural filter, about the “Corvo Reverso” and what it reveals about heritage revival, and about the quiet power of retailers who operate between brands and collectors.This is a conversation about legitimacy:How independent brands gain authority.How narratives create value.#watches #politics #history #independentwatchmaking #reverso #fpjourne #mbandf #urwerk #milan

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I’m joined by Geoffrey Kelly, retired FBI Special Agent and founding member of the FBI Art Crime Team, for a conversation about culture, value, law, and power.Over his career, Geoffrey led investigations recovering more than $100 million in stolen artwork and cultural property. While his work focused on art and antiquities, the systems he describes — illicit trafficking, cross-border movement, private transactions, and contested ownership — increasingly apply to high-value watches.We explore how cultural objects function inside illicit networks, how investigators read objects as evidence, and why restitution is never just legal — but deeply political. This conversation sheds light on how value is enforced, negotiated, reclaimed, and fought over when culture intersects with crime.Rather than sensationalism, this episode offers a sober, institutional perspective on luxury objects as instruments of power — and the structures that police them.

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I’m joined by Christopher Daaboul, founder of EsperLuxe, to explore access, trust, and power in the modern private watch market, focusing on independent watchmaking.As retail and brand authorization increasingly fail to meet demand, independent dealers and private networks have emerged as the real centers of gravity. Chris operates precisely at this intersection — where scarcity, discretion, legitimacy, and trust determine who gets access and who does not.We discuss how watches move not just as objects, but as stores of value, social signals, and instruments of influence. Our conversation explores how legitimacy is constructed outside brand control, how trust replaces contracts, and how informal networks increasingly govern luxury markets across borders.This episode offers a rare inside look at how power actually flows through contemporary watch culture — quietly, selectively, and behind closed doors. We talk about the most rare and sought after watches, from Rexhep Rexhepi to De Bethune, from Urwerk to MB&F, and all other watches.

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I’m joined by C’Quon “CQ” Gottlieb — Senior Client Advisor at The 1916 Company and co-founder of CP Time Collective — for a conversation about identity, access, and the shifting power dynamics of modern watch collecting.CQ approaches watches not as transactional objects, but as cultural artifacts — tools for belonging, storytelling, and self-definition. From his global background and advisory work to building CP Time as a space for under-represented collectors, he offers a rare inside view into how taste, legitimacy, and influence are being redefined today.We discuss how collector networks act as cultural nodes, how new geographies are reshaping what counts as “important,” and how heritage is being reinterpreted through new voices rather than inherited authority.This episode captures a pivotal transition in horology: from centralized power and brand dominance to plural, community-driven narratives.

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I’m joined by Nicholas “Nick” Ferrell — founder of DC Vintage Watches, creator of Sycamore, former intelligence analyst, diplomat, and National Security Council staffer — for a conversation at the intersection of timekeeping, secrecy, and state power.Nick’s career bridges two rarely connected worlds: the intelligence and diplomatic community on one hand, and the vintage watch world on the other. Our discussion explores how watches function inside institutions where timing, discretion, and reliability are matters of life, death, and policy — and how those same objects later circulate as artifacts of history, memory, and power.We talk about MACV-SOG Seikos, field watches worn by intelligence officers, the culture of the Situation Room, and how “tool watches” become carriers of covert histories. We also explore how dealers, writers, and designers shape which secret stories are preserved, mythologized, or forgotten — and how brands and collectors participate in that process.This episode sits at the crossroads of war, intelligence, collecting, and narrative control — a core axis of Watches & Politics.

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I’m joined by François-Xavier Hotier of Ulysse Nardin, one of the most unconventional and forward-thinking brands in Swiss watchmaking.Our conversation explores how innovation, identity, and strategic risk-taking operate in an industry defined by tradition. From Ulysse Nardin’s historic ties to marine chronometers and navigation to its radical experimentation with materials, mechanics, and design, we examine how a brand balances heritage with disruption — and why that balance is inherently political.We discuss how brands decide which histories to preserve and which rules to break, how innovation becomes a form of differentiation and power, and how modern watchmaking speaks to a new generation of collectors seeking meaning beyond nostalgia.This episode reveals how Ulysse Nardin’s approach challenges conventional narratives — and why pushing boundaries can be as important as protecting the past.#WatchesAndPolitics #UlysseNardin #FrançoisXavierHotier#InnovationInHorology #ModernWatchmaking #TimeIsPolitical#IndependentThinking #LuxuryAndPower

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I’m joined by Pierre Biver, co-founder of Biver Watches, to explore legacy, independence, and what it means to create value in a world obsessed with speed.Pierre represents a rare intersection in modern horology: the continuation of one of the industry’s most influential legacies — and the deliberate choice to chart a new path. Our conversation moves across heritage and reinvention, father and son, power and stewardship, asking what legacy really means when it must be earned, not inherited.We discuss the philosophy behind Biver Watches, the politics of independence in an era of conglomerates, and why craftsmanship, slowness, and permanence can themselves be acts of resistance. We also reflect on succession, on how watchmaking mirrors political dynasties, and on whether the future of horology will be written by institutions, families, or individuals willing to take risks.This is a conversation about time — not as a commodity, but as responsibility.#WatchesAndPolitics #PierreBiver #IndependentWatchmaking #HorologicalLegacy#BiverWatches #LuxuryAndPower #TimeIsPolitical #ModernHorology #jeanclaudebiver #biver

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I sit down with Gary Getz — author, collector, cultural connector, and founder of The Collectors Room — to explore how collectors shape power, legitimacy, and meaning in the modern watch world.Our conversation moves beyond watches as objects and into watches as cultural capital. We discuss how collector communities form, how trust and access are built, and how informal spaces — dinners, salons, private rooms — often wield as much influence as auctions or boardrooms.Gary offers a rare perspective from inside the collector ecosystem: how relationships are formed, how taste is transmitted, and how collectors quietly shape brand narratives, market direction, and cultural relevance. We also explore the rise of social media, the globalization of collecting, and the shifting balance between passion, commerce, and influence.This episode reveals why the modern watch collector is not just a buyer — but an actor in a broader system of cultural and political power.Key themes:• Collectors as cultural and political actors• Access, trust, and legitimacy in watch culture• Private communities and informal power structures• The Collectors Room and modern tastemaking• Social media, globalization, and influence

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I sit down with Zaf Basha — collector, writer, and author of Military Timepieces and Jaeger-LeCoultre: A Guide for the Collector — to explore how watches move from tools of war to objects of cultural power.Our conversation travels from the battlefield to the collector’s cabinet. We discuss how military requirements shaped modern watch design, why precision became a matter of survival, and how wartime specifications laid the foundation for some of the most iconic civilian watches ever produced.But this is not just a conversation about history. We also explore how military watches evolved into symbols of legitimacy, masculinity, and authority; how collectors and institutions decide which references matter; and how brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre navigate heritage, revival, and storytelling today.Mr. Basha’s unique perspective — blending technical knowledge, historical research, and collector insight — reveals why military watches remain one of the most politically charged categories in horology.If watches are political artifacts as much as mechanical ones, this episode shows how war, memory, and precision continue to shape what we wear on our wrists.Key themes:• Military watches as tools of survival and power• Wartime specifications and modern design language• Jaeger-LeCoultre, heritage, and legitimacy• Collectors, memory, and historical authority• How war transforms objects into symbols

Giovanni Prigigallo, co-founder of EveryWatch, joins us to explain how data is transforming transparency in the watch market.We explore:• What really moves watch prices• How auction data shapes the market• What EveryWatch reveals about collectors and demand• How technology is reshaping watch cultureA rare, data-driven look at an industry usually shrouded in secrecy.Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shipoli_e/#WatchPrices #EveryWatch #WatchMarket #HorologyData#WatchesAndPolitics

Historian Michael O’Malley explains how mechanical timekeeping shaped politics, society, industrialization, and modern identity.We discuss:• How mechanical time transformed the modern world• The Industrial Revolution and precision culture• Why watches are political• What the future of mechanical craft reveals about societyAn intellectual, historical, and deeply engaging conversation.Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shipoli_e/ #MechanicalWatches #watches #collecting #art #politics#IndustrialRevolution #Horology #History #WatchesAndPolitics

What makes watch collectors tick? How do communities influence taste, prices, and cultural trends?James Schaaf, a leader in collector groups and community building, joins us to discuss:• How collector communities shape the market• The psychology of group collecting• What watch “tribes” reveal about identity• Why communities are the future of horologyA must-listen for anyone who collects — or plans to.👇 Comment:Which collector community are you part of?Follow onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shipoli_e/ #WatchCollectors #watches #politics #Horology #Collectors #WatchEnthusiasts #WatchesAndPolitics

Dr. Brendan Cunningham joins us to unpack the economic, cultural, and marketing engines that drive the global watch industry.Topics include:• How luxury watch brands create desire• The political economy of watchmaking• Why marketing shapes value more than scarcity• The rise of global watch culture• How the watch industry mirrors geopolitical shiftsThis is a masterclass in understanding how the watch world really works.📚 FOLLOW BRENDAN CUNNINGHAM: Horolonomics — https://horolonomics.com/📌 Subscribe for deep-dive conversations every week.Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/shipoli_e/ #WatchEconomy #Watches #politics #history #economics #marketing #LuxuryWatches #MarketingStrategy #Horology #WatchesAndPoliticsBrendan Cunningham:Dive into the world of horological economics and watch industry history with Dr. Brendan Cunningham! In this interview, we explore topics ranging from the economics of Rolex to legendary watch moment stories and foundational horological literature. Below, you’ll find direct links and resources for everything covered—enjoy discovering more about the people, brands, and events shaping horology!Featured Topics & Resources1. Dr. Brendan Cunningham’s Website: Horolonomics2. Selling the Crown: The Secret History of Marketing Rolex (Amazon)3. WatchLibrary.org4. Disrupting Time (Amazon)5. Rolex’s Hans Wilsdorf, Mercedes Gleitze & The Iconic 1927 Swimming Endorsement Ad6. RedBar Collectors Group7.  Watches and Wonders Official8. Barack Obama’s Watches – OnTheDash9. Omega: “The First Watch to Go to the Moon”—Astronauts & Cosmonauts

In this episode, Edi Shipoli sits down with Eric Wind, one of the most respected voices in the vintage watch world.We explore:• How collectors shape taste and market value• Political provenance• The hidden stories behind iconic vintage pieces• How watch culture influences global status symbols• The future of the vintage marketEric offers an insider view that few ever get to hear — candid, sharp, and rich with stories.👋 FOLLOW ERIC WIND:Wind Vintage — https://windvintage.com/👍 LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for more expert interviews.👇 COMMENT:What vintage watch story should we cover next?Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shipoli_e/ 1. Eric Wind’s Website• https://www.windvintage.com/ 2. Eric Wind’s Hodinkee Article about Watches & US Presidents• https://www.windvintage.com/press/2018/6/15/election-day-rewind-your-complete-guide-to-the-watches-of-united-states-presidents 3. Cambodian Leader’s Watch Collection (Hun Sen)• https://iflwatches.com/blogs/celebrities/cambodian-prime-minister-hun-sen-watch-collection 4. Patriarch of the Orthodox Church and his Breguet• https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/world/europe/in-russia-a-watch-vanishes-up-orthodox-leaders-sleeve.html 5. Putin’s Blancpain• https://timeandtidewatches.com/donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-watch-collections/ 6. John Calvin – influence on watch industry• https://monochrome-watches.com/john-calvins-austerity-and-the-birth-of-the-swiss-watch-industry/ 7. Zenith – Charles Vermot & El Primero• https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/charles-vermot-the-man-who-saved-the-el-primero-and-possibly-zenith 8. J. Press & Eric Wind Collaboration• https://www.windvintage.com/press/gq-jpress-x-wind-vintage-fashion-runway 9. Vintage Capsules• Jaeger LeCoultre: The collectibles https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/us-en/watches/collectibles • Vacheron Constantin: Les Collectionneurs https://www.vacheron-constantin.com/us/en/watches/les-collectionneurs.html • IWC: Curated https://www.iwc.com/us-en/specials/iwc-curated-certified-pre-owned-watches 10. Charlie Dunne’s article on Memovox• https://www.windvintage.com/blog/collectors-guide-jaeger-lecoultre-memovox-reference-e-855 11. Wind Podcast• https://open.spotify.com/show/63Mz6nwdQsFk6NRk7dAXCt?si=17bda5355fd3420d 12. Wind’s Book: Modern Guide to Vintage Watches• Will upload the link when the book is published

Welcome to Season 2 of Watches & Politics — a brand-new interview series where the world’s leading experts reveal how watches intersect with power, culture, economics, history, and global politics.This season features deep conversations with:Eric Wind — Vintage watch authority and founder of Wind VintageBrendan Cunningham — Economist, historian, luxury marketing specialistJames Schaaf — Collector and community organizerMichael O’Malley — Historian of mechanical timekeepingGiovanni Prigigallo — Founder of EveryWatch & market research expertIf you love watches and the world they reflect — this is your season.SUBSCRIBE for upcoming episodes on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@WatchesAndPoliticsFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shipoli_e/👇 COMMENT BELOW:Who should we interview next?#WatchesAndPolitics #Horology #WatchTalk #WatchCollectors #VintageWatches#LuxuryWatches

In this closing episode of Watches & Politics, we step back from the history, the geopolitics, and the power struggles to reflect on what this journey has revealed. From cathedral bells to Cold War chronometers, from presidential wristwatches to Instagram collectors, timekeeping has never been neutral. Watches are stories of politics, diplomacy, conflict, and culture—miniature archives of power on the wrist.This outro isn’t just a summary—it’s a personal reflection on why these stories matter today, and how the politics of time will continue to evolve. Join me, Edi Shipoli, as I close Series 1 with intrigue, reflection, and a call to keep exploring the hidden worlds where horology and power intersect.

Watches aren’t relics of the past—they’re still political, right now.In Episode 10, we explore 10 ways horology intersects with power, money, and influence in today’s world: from sanctions and gray-market luxury, to blockchain authentication, to watch industry lobbying, celebrity diplomacy, and the politics of prestige at auctions.This is a fast-moving tour through the living, breathing political economy of watches in the 21st century—where timepieces remain tools of identity, strategy, and control.

Time isn’t just measured—it’s controlled.In Episode 9, we trace how time zones, daylight saving, and atomic clocks have been shaped by politics, empire, and power plays.From the 1884 International Meridian Conference to China’s single time zone, from colonial “railway time” to the Cold War race for atomic precision—we uncover how controlling the clock has always meant controlling people.This is the story of time as infrastructure, time as identity, and time as power.

n Episode 8, we step into the world of the collector—not just as a hobbyist, but as a political actor.We explore how the buying, selling, and showcasing of high-end watches creates networks of power, influence, and cultural capital.From heads of state whose collections signal national pride, to billionaires shaping auction markets, to elite gatherings where watches double as diplomatic tools—we break down the politics of collecting.This is where taste meets strategy, and where a single timepiece can tell a story about money, status, and soft power.

In Episode 7, we explore the return of the past—not just in design, but in ideology.The neo-vintage watch revival is everywhere: from reissued icons to auction-fueled hype, nostalgic aesthetics now dominate the modern wrist.But what does this backward glance say about the present?We examine how scarcity, exclusivity, and cultural longing have made vintage watches political symbols—of stability, identity, and rebellion.From Cold War Rolex tool watches to neo-vintage drops engineered for collectors, we explore the economics, marketing, and memory behind the trend.In a world of disruption, watches that echo the past have become more than accessories—they’re ideological statements.

In Episode 6, we explore the modern face of watches in a rapidly changing world—where globalization, geopolitics, digital disruption, and sustainability all reshape the industry.From Swiss brands navigating the rise of China and the Gulf to smartwatches challenging the mechanical legacy, this episode unpacks the politics behind today’s watch world. We explore outsourcing, greenwashing, ethical production, and the battle between tradition and tech.This is the modern battlefield of horology—where billion-dollar markets are influenced by trade deals, environmental debates, and the smartwatch revolution.If you’ve ever wondered what keeps Swiss prestige alive in a digital age—or how luxury is being redefined across continents—this is your episode.

Watches don’t just tell time—they tell stories. In Episode 5 of Watches and Politics, we explore how watches have long been used as instruments of diplomacy, status, and soft power. From heads of state gifting horological masterpieces to allies and adversaries, to monarchs commissioning custom watches as symbols of authority, we uncover the hidden language behind horological gifting.We explore stories of presidential Rolexes, diplomatic Vacherons, and the complex politics of giving and receiving luxury timepieces. What message does a watch send at a summit? Who wears what—and why?Whether it’s a gesture of gratitude, a tool of flattery, or a subtle act of control, the gifted watch becomes part of the political theatre. Join us for a journey through ticking diplomacy.

The 1970s brought the watch world to its knees. In this episode, we explore how quartz technology—born from Cold War labs and Japanese innovation—shook the Swiss watch industry to its core. But it wasn’t just a tech revolution; it was a political and economic reckoning. We unpack the global fallout, Switzerland’s strategic response, and how this “crisis” reshaped not only watches, but also the global power dynamics of horology.

In this gripping episode, we trace the evolution of the wristwatch from battlefield necessity to cultural staple. From World War I trenches to Cold War espionage, watches became tools of survival, symbols of rank, and drivers of innovation. We explore how global conflict shaped the design, function, and meaning of watches—and how wartime pressures gave rise to some of horology’s most enduring legends. Discover the political life of the wristwatch in the age of war.

In Episode 2 of Watches and Politics, we explore how the Industrial Revolution transformed not only how watches were made—but who could wear them. From handcrafted luxuries to mass-produced tools of personal discipline, watches became democratized and central to the modern age. We trace how Switzerland and America pioneered different paths to global watch dominance, how marketing shaped consumer desire, and how the spread of timekeeping redefined work, class, and politics. This is the story of how time left the towers and entered our pockets—and why that change was anything but neutral.

Long before watches graced our wrists, mechanical timekeeping was a force of political, spiritual, and social transformation. In this premiere episode, we trace the origins of the first public clocks in medieval Europe—often funded by monarchs and the Church, not just to tell time, but to impose order. We explore how time was harnessed as a tool of discipline, from cathedral bells to city towers, and how the control of time itself became a symbol of divine authority and civic pride. This isn’t just a story of gears and bells—it’s about how the measurement of time shaped the foundations of power. Join us as we begin a journey into the earliest intersections of horology and hierarchy.

“Watches and Politics” is a limited-series podcast that explores the powerful intersection between horology and history, where timekeeping meets statecraft, diplomacy, war, and culture.Across ten meticulously researched episodes, political scientist and horology enthusiast Edi Shipoli guides listeners on a journey that reveals how watches have silently shaped, and been shaped by, the most pivotal moments in global history. From medieval bell towers to presidential wrists, from Calvinist Geneva to Cold War summits, this is the untold story of how time became a tool of power.This podcast is not about collecting watches—it’s about understanding them. It’s for listeners who are curious about how mechanical timekeeping, luxury brands, industrial revolutions, and diplomatic gifting have helped organize societies, discipline labor, project prestige, and mark identity.Why This Podcast MattersWatches aren’t just accessories—they’re cultural artifacts that reflect who we are and how we organize the world. This podcast reveals how something as small as a timepiece has influenced labor movements, empire-building, trade policies, and social status across centuries. By weaving together political science and horology, Watches and Politics offers a completely new lens on both.