HODINKEE Podcasts

HODINKEE
  • 4.7 (803)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

This is the main feed for all of Hodinkee's podcasts, from "Hodinkee Radio" to new and special presentations subscribe here for discussions about the latest watch releases, interviews with notable collectors, and a whole lot more.

  1. The Business of Watches [008] Hind Seddiqi: The Driving Force Behind Dubai Watch Week

    DEC 10

    The Business of Watches [008] Hind Seddiqi: The Driving Force Behind Dubai Watch Week

    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 year's Dubai Watch Week was the most successful edition yet and marked a new era of international profile for an idea launched a decade ago by the United Arab Emirates retailer Ahmed Seddiqi as a way to showcase watchmaking and inform locals about the industry. Housed in a new, larger, and purpose-built venue near the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Watch Week 2025 welcomed a record 49,000 visitors this year, a 113% increase from the previous edition. The event, marking the 75th anniversary of the Seddiqi family retail empire, saw a wave of collector groups fly in from around the world to attend a show that offers up close and personal access to many of the biggest names in watchmaking, from Max Büsser to Roger Smith, to Rexhep Rexhepi, and the CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, Wilhelm Schmid.  Hind Seddiqi says one of her biggest challenges now is preserving the casual, spontaneous, and intimate feel of Dubai Watch Week as demand for a place at the table continues to rise. She talks about Dubai, its torrid growth (and punishing traffic) and the city's increasingly important role in the international economy and how she plans to manage the demands and expectations of a massively popular event.  Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This new show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes:  3:08 Dubai Watch Week 4:32 Ahmed Seddiqi  5:03 A Rare Look Inside The Incredible Collection Of Mohammed Seddiqi At Dubai Watch Week 9:09 Dubai Watch Week Masterclasses 10:31 Audemars Piguet "House of Wonders" at Dubai Watch Week  12:15 Dubai population growth (Gulf News)  16:05 Francis Ford Coppola's Personal 'FFC' Sells for $10.755 million, The Most Expensive F.P. Journe Ever Sold 17:30 Dubai Mall  20:50 Rolex CEO Says Brand Won't Significantly Expand Own Retail And Will Continue To Work With Authorized Dealers 23:15 Top Swiss Watch CEOs Talk Leadership And Strategy Amid Industry Challenges At Dubai Watch Week 26:30 Tudor Launches New Ranger In 36MM At Dubai Watch Week

    33 min
  2. The Business of Watches [007] James Lamdin Of Analog Shift On The Vintage And Pre-Owned Market And Why All Authenticity Guarantees Aren't The Same

    NOV 24

    The Business of Watches [007] James Lamdin Of Analog Shift On The Vintage And Pre-Owned Market And Why All Authenticity Guarantees Aren't The Same

    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 going. He also gives plenty of useful insight on what it means for a second-hand watch to be truly authenticated and how collectors need to stay curious to get the most out of their watch-collecting journey.  Lamdin proves himself a wealth of knowledge when it comes to used timepieces and what anyone should be thinking about when they're considering buying pre-owned. We had a blast recording this episode, especially taking questions from the audience. Be sure to leave any thoughts, comments, or questions in the comments, and we'll do our best to respond.  Show Notes 00:30 James Lamdin and Analog Shift  2:00 Bloomberg.com 4:15 The Biggest Ever Boom In Swiss Watches is Coming to an End 4:45 Watches of Switzerland Group USA Acquires Analogue Shift 6:09 Secondary Market Rolex and Patek Price Rise, Fall and Recovery 10:00 U.S. Tariffs Impact On Secondary Market  12:11 Under The Radar: American Watches 16:00 RedBar Group  20:40 Omega Speedmaster Professional  23:00 Rolex Certified Pre-Owned  25:15 There are not enough watchmakers 35:54 Secondary Watch Market To Top New Sales By 2033 At $85 Billion  39:13 Neo Vintage Watches  41:01 The Military Industrial Complex  44:24 Cartier Tank Americaine Diamond 48:31 Ebay Authentication For Watches

    50 min
  3. The Business of Watches [006] Audience Q&A Special With Hodinkee's Editor-In-Chief James Stacey

    NOV 12

    The Business of Watches [006] Audience Q&A Special With Hodinkee's Editor-In-Chief James Stacey

    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 questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond.  Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This new show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. This episode of The Business of Watches is brought to you by Panerai. Click here to learn more about the Luminor Collection. Show Notes: 2:30 How Halloween Became Part of Swiss Culture  3:20 William Friedkin's Sorcerer 5:20 Simon Brette   5:25 Akrivia / Rexhep Rexhepi  6:10 MB&F  8:05 Sylvain Berneron  9:30 Omega Watches 13:00 Omega Speedmaster Professional (White dial) 13:30 New Speedmaster Dark Side of The Moon  15:40 Niels Eggerding interview 16:20 FC Classic Perpetual Calendar  16:50 Furlan Marri Perpetual One 18:00 Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar 18:30 Montblanc Heritage Perpetual Calendar  19:30 IWC DaVinci Perpetual Calendar Ref. 3750 (Fratello) 19:40 Panerai  22:10 Swiss Watch Export Statistics  29:00 What Richemont and Swatch Financial Results Tell Us About The State of The Swiss Watch Industry 35:40 Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 38 MM in Damascus Steel (Hodinkee)  35:45 Longines  35:54 Sinn Watches

    42 min
  4. The Business of Watches [005] Frederique Constant CEO Niels Eggerding On Why He's Fighting To Keep FC's Perpetual Calendar Under $10,000

    OCT 29

    The Business of Watches [005] Frederique Constant CEO Niels Eggerding On Why He's Fighting To Keep FC's Perpetual Calendar Under $10,000

    On this episode of The Business of Watches Podcast we drop in on Niels Eggerding, the CEO of Frederique Constant (and sister marque Alpina), at the brand's headquarters in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland near Geneva. Eggerding has been in the corner office since 2018 and has steered FC through a series of challenges and triumphs during his time leading the company.  The Dutchman has brought more high horology and cool collaborations to the value and volume-driven brand, including perpetual calendars and tourbillons as well as more precious-metal cases. But it's a delicate balance for Frederique Constant as value-priced watches still account for more than 90% of its production volumes. Amid rising input costs and a strong Swiss franc, not to mention the challenge of U.S. tariffs, Eggerding's biggest challenge is maintaining FC's value proposition while burnishing its reputation as a serious watchmaker able to produce high-end timepieces. At the same time, he has to keep delivering sales and profit for the brand's owner, Citizen of Japan.  On this episode of The Business of Watches Podcast, we drop in on Niels Eggerding, the CEO of Frederique Constant (and sister marque Alpina), at the brand's headquarters in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland, near Geneva. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Niels Eggerding. Be sure to leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond.  Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This new show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes: 4:10 Frederique Constant Worldtimer  5:00 FC Classic Perpetual Calendar  5:31 Company history and milestones 6:00 Vacheron Constantin 7:30 Citizen 8:30 La Joux-Perret  10:15 LJP solar quartz movement in Tag Heuer  12:30 Manufacture collection  12:45 Highlife collection 16:00 New manufacture QP in 40mm case 22:00 FC Women's collection 23:23 FC Manchette  28:00 U.S. tariffs and watch prices 43:00 FC YouTube channel

    45 min
  5. The Business of Watches [004] Tag Heuer CEO Antoine Pin On Carbon Hairspring Setbacks, Pricing, Tariffs, And Formula One

    OCT 15

    The Business of Watches [004] Tag Heuer CEO Antoine Pin On Carbon Hairspring Setbacks, Pricing, Tariffs, And Formula One

    On this week's The Business Of Watches podcast, we catch up with Antoine Pin, the Chief Executive Officer of Tag Heuer. He's having quite a year. The brand is in the first season of a new decade-long deal to be the official timekeeping sponsor of Formula 1. It's a high-profile, multi-brand agreement that, if executed correctly, could launch Tag Heuer to a whole new level of visibility. But it also comes at a challenging time for the global economy and the watch industry in general as soaring input costs, a strong Swiss franc, and U.S. tariffs on Swiss goods take a toll on margins and confidence. Pin tells us Tag Heuer has plenty of experience overcoming tough challenges. When the brand launched the first version of its carbon hairspring technology in 2019, there were issues. But the Tag Heuer laboratory didn't give up, and now it's back with a new version, which it says has overcome the problems. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Antoine Pin. Be sure to leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This new show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes:  4:10 Tag Heuer at Geneva Watch Days  6:48 Previous issues with carbon 9:00 New carbon spring oscillator solution 11:10 Silicon hairspring 13:00 Tag Heuer Formula 1  15:15 Cautious production 20:00 Tag Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph (CHF 155,000)  25:30 Tariffs and price increases

    27 min
  6. The Business of Watches [003] Georges Kern: The Breitling CEO Talks Growth Despite Challenges Facing The Watch Industry

    OCT 1

    The Business of Watches [003] Georges Kern: The Breitling CEO Talks Growth Despite Challenges Facing The Watch Industry

    Georges Kern is emphatic. The Breitling Chief Executive Officer isn't slowing down on plans to expand his company's reach. Even as U.S. tariffs and economic headwinds challenge the industry, Kern is pushing ahead with planned launches of the Universal Geneve and Gallet brands in 2026.  He's already orchestrated rapid growth and value creation at the historic Breitling marque since taking on the top job in 2017. Breitling was sold to private equity partners for less than a billion dollars that year. In late 2022, a change in majority shareholder valued the company at more than $4 billion, sources said at the time.   But now with the industry facing a host of economic and political pressures, Kern's expansion efforts are being tested. In a candid interview, he says the luxury watch industry is poised for an eventual rebound. People won't delay purchases forever, he says, and when they're ready, he expects his growing stable of brands to have the right products to match the wants and needs of new clients. Show Notes: Show Notes: 5:00 Breitling's deal with the NFL  5:50 Breitling watches 6:00 Morgan Stanley LuxeConsult Watch Market Report 7:10 Breitling Emergency 8:00 Breitling Top Time 10:21 Breitling Navitimer  15:30 Panerai  18:15 Breitling to Relaunch Gallet 22:30 Universal Geneve  26:10 Hermés Bags  27:00 Price of gold  29:40 How the Swiss watch industry is dealing with tariffs  32:20 What's up with watch prices?  34:30 Swiss Watch Exports  35:40 China Watch Market  38:10 Carpe Diem

    38 min
  7. The Business of Watches [002] Sylvain Berneron On His Company’s Work Philosophy, Business Structure, And Future Watches

    SEP 17

    The Business of Watches [002] Sylvain Berneron On His Company’s Work Philosophy, Business Structure, And Future Watches

    Sylvain Berneron is in high demand, and so are his watch designs. Just last week, a 34-millimeter version of his debut time-only watch, the Berneron Mirage, came up for public auction for the first time, and bidding soared beyond the CHF80,000 high estimate to fetch a staggering CHF241,300, including fees. Having previously worked in the automotive industry with BMW, Berneron is a designer who has now chosen watchmaking as the canvas to express himself and his ideas.  After departing the big brand corporate atmosphere of Breitling, he's enjoyed significant success so far with his own brand and has just unveiled his second collection - Quantième - and an annual calendar that brings a unique, yet superbly finished, movement architecture to the complication that aims to simplify setting and provide a stress-free experience for the user. Sized at just 38 millimeters in diameter and 10 millimeters thick, the dial design is both stunning and innovative in the way the time and date are displayed, while the platinum case features removable (and replaceable) steel elements that act as bumpers and guards for the precious metal.  But this podcast is about business, and Berneron indulged us with a lengthy, candid, and exceedingly in-depth discussion about his plan for building a brand and sustainable company that bears his family name. He tells us why he's set up shop in a Swiss industrial park, the business strategy behind limiting production to less than 25 of each specific watch per year, and why he's turned down creative jobs at Rolex and tens of millions of dollars in financing from potential investors despite having barely a holiday or weekend off for the last half-decade. It's a deep dive into the business strategy and plan of a young, driven, red-hot watch brand that's trying to make it for the long haul. We hope you enjoy.  Show Notes: 3:20 Berneron Quantième Annuel  4:45 Berneron SA  6:20 Panerai manufacture in Neuchatel  13:00 BMW Research and Innovation Centre 13:40 Breitling  18:20 Ben Clymer on founding Hodinkee and a professional life in watches 24:00 White label watch manufacturers in Switzerland include companies like Roventa-Henex  25:50 Swiss watch components makers include companies like Acrotec, the biggest supplier  32:15 Breitling Sells Controlling Stake to CVC Capital 32:50 Nicolas G. Hayek Sr.  40:20 Building Resilient Teams: What Business Can Learn From Military Cohesion  42:20 Employee Share Plans In Switzerland: A Regulatory Overview 47:00 Long-term commercial lease agreements in Switzerland: An Overview 49:00 Panerai  51:10 Hands On Review Of The Berneron Mirage 59:30 Family Offices 1:11:00 Mountain Survival Tips for Beginners 1:12:03 Audemars Piguet Buys Key Supplier 1:16:30 GPHG Audacity Prize Awarded to Sylvain Berneron 1:17:00 Why Using Your Last Name Is The Last Way To Name Your Company (Forbes) 1:18:56 Business Ethics Key Principals (Investopedia)  1:19:02 Simon Sinek  1:21:35 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 1:23:10 MB&F 1:23:20 Simon Brette 1:23:25 Xhevdet Rexhepi  1:23:28 Rexhep Rexhepi  1:23:30 Petermann Bédat 1:24:50 When Art Is Putting Yourself In Danger (CBC)  1:26:30 The Art of War (Sun Tzu)  1:27:06 Trust The Process (Simon Sinek)  1:31:49 The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals (Harvard Business Review)  1:37:00 Luxury and Socially Valued Behavior (Columbia Business School) 1:38:05 Germany's Car Industry Crisis  1:39:00 Hans Wilsdorf Foundation  1:41:00 Inside Rolex (Ben Clymer) 1:45:00 Patek Philippe Calatrava Collection 1:45:45 Fiasco (Wikipedia)  1:46:20 Batman Two-Face  1:53:00 Fathers Give Watch Collecting Advice (Hodinkee) 1:55:20 Christopher Ward 1:55:45 Swatch Group  1:58:00 MoonSwatch Phenomenon (Hodinkee)

    2h 5m
  8. The Business of Watches [001] Rolex, The Making of a Status Symbol With Author Pierre-Yves Donzé

    SEP 3

    The Business of Watches [001] Rolex, The Making of a Status Symbol With Author Pierre-Yves Donzé

    Welcome to the first episode of a brand new podcast for Hodinkee. It's called The Business of Watches, and it's hosted by me, Andy Hoffman. Each episode, delivered once every two weeks, will feature conversations with authors, CEOs, industry insiders, and fellow journalists as we uncover the business behind your favorite watches and watch brands.  Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This new show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Episode 01 - Rolex, The Making Of A Status Symbol With Author Pierre-Yves Donzé Notoriously secretive when it comes to its operations and accounts, there haven't been a lot of business-focused books on Rolex, the biggest and most successful Swiss watch brand. At least until now, that is. Academic and professor of business history at Osaka University, Pierre-Yves Donzé is the author of The Making Of A Status Symbol, A business history of Rolex translated and published in English this year.  We wanted to start our new podcast, The Business of Watches, by talking about the most important Swiss brand, and Donzé serves as an ideal guest, explaining the decisions and events that shaped Rolex into what it is today.  The episode is full of revelations, from how Rolex dealt with the business challenges of a strong Swiss franc and the arrival of quartz, to how the brand overtook Omega in sales, and the critical role the U.S. has played in the company's history and success. Thanks so much for listening, and be sure to drop by the comments section if you have any thoughts or questions on the episode. We'll be back in two weeks with another episode of The Business of Watches. If you have any questions for an upcoming Q&A episode, please leave them in the comments below.  This episode of The Business of Watches is brought to you by Panerai. Click here to learn more about the Luminor Collection. Show Notes:  3:40 The Making Of A Status Symbol, A Business History of Rolex (Manchester University Press) 5:25 Pierre-Yves Donzé 7:25 Rolex  10:30 Hans Wilsdorf 15:00 Rolex Kew A 16:01 COSC 18:10 Aegler SA and Rolex 20:50 UK taxation during WWI 24:30 Rolex Oyster case 26:00 Panerai  28:05 Rolex company history 1926-1945 30:50 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 32:00 André Heiniger 33:50 Hans Wilsdorf Foundation 35:20 Rolex Explorer Ad 1960s (Ad Patina) 36:38 J. Walter Thompson  39:20 Arnold Palmer (Rolex Magazine) 40:30 Mark McCormack  43:30 Omega  45:00 Placido Domingo  47:00 Rolex Oysterquartz 51:26 Rolex Lady-Datejust 53:30 Rare interview with Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour about Watches and Wonders (NZZ) 1:00:30 Rolex Land-Dweller Business History

    1h 4m
See All (288)

Trailer

4.7
out of 5
803 Ratings

About

This is the main feed for all of Hodinkee's podcasts, from "Hodinkee Radio" to new and special presentations subscribe here for discussions about the latest watch releases, interviews with notable collectors, and a whole lot more.

Information

  • Creator
    HODINKEE
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    288
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 HODINKEE Podcasts
  • Show Website
    HODINKEE Podcasts

You Might Also Like