The Burning Desire

Charles Burns
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The Burning Desire is a weekly podcast where we get inspirational guests on to interview them about whatever it is that they are passionate about. This platform is crucial to share the message that there is so much to gain from learning from people all around us. We focus on a wide range of topics, nothing is off limits or out of our scope - so long as there is a story to inspire others. Be it business success, academic achievements, sporting triumphs, weight loss, the mastery of a new skill or overcoming life's many hurdles (to name but a few). Hosted by Charles Burns

  1. Oct 24

    Cyrano Devanthey - Making Watches Entirely By Hand (TBD #73)

    Making Watches Entirely by Hand | Cyrano Devanthey, Co-Founder of Oscillon | The Burning Desire #73 This week on The Burning Desire, I sit down with Cyrano Devanthey, the Swiss watchmaker who co-founded Oscillon, one of the very few brands in the world still making watches entirely by hand. Cyrano's story begins at watchmaking school in Solothurn, where he met his lifelong friend and future business partner, Dominique Buser. After graduating in 1994, he repaired and sold high-end watches at Les Ambassadeurs in Zurich. He then spent 12 years at Omega, training watchmakers around the world, reorganising its international service centres and overseeing production of the Omega Central Tourbillon. In 2009 he reunited with Dominique at Urwerk's R&D workshop in Buchs. In 2012 the pair founded Oscillon around one simple but radical idea: no CNC machines, just traditional tools and hand skills. Their debut watch, L'Instant de Vérité ("The Moment of Truth"), is made almost entirely by hand in a workshop full of restored vintage machines. That dedication saw them chosen to work alongside Greubel Forsey and Urwerk on the Naissance d'une Montre 2 project. We talk about his whole journey, from apprentice to Omega to founding his own brand, the beauty of doing things the hard way, and why passing these skills on to the next generation matters so much. With both of my grandfathers having been working watchmakers, this one was very close to my heart. A must-listen for anyone who loves haute horology, true craftsmanship, or chasing a dream for 20 years until it becomes reality. 🕰️ 130 Year Old 3rd Generation Family Jewellers 🐝 Manchester's Home of Luxury Watches ⭐ Nobody Gives Service Like We Do Want to share your passion on The Burning Desire? Get in touch.

  2. Oct 3

    Paul Askew - The Chef (TBD #72)

    Paul Askew is one of the UK’s most pioneering figures in hospitality. Chef Patron and owner of The Art School for over a decade, since September 2014 Paul and his team have brought innovative fine-dining to Liverpool. Since opening, The Art School has proudly been Michelin Recommended and held two Rosettes in the AA Guide.Paul is focused on maintaining the highest standard of gastronomy in Liverpool and to showcase how good the city can be, as he strives to achieve the region ever more recognition.In honour of his career and commitment within the hospitality industry, last year Paul was proudly elected as President of Disciples of Escoffier UK. Paul became a Disciple of Escoffier in March 2023 and he now has the immense honour being the President of Disciples of Escoffier UK. His new role includes to modernise the organisation with diversity, help bring the next generation of chefs to the fore in the hospitality sector and mentor and support the young chefs of the future.Paul has even served the Queen and many other dignitaries. He is highly regarded as one of the UK's top chefs and has been involved with many projects, including MasterChef & The Great British Menu.

  3. Aug 29

    The Watch Dealer - Charles Burns (TBD #71)

    Having interviewed Kevin Turton a few weeks back, he was eager to do a reverse podcast to interview me, so here goes! 🕰️ 130 Year Old 3rd Generation Family Jewellers 🐝 Manchester's Home of Luxury Watches ⭐ Nobody Gives Service Like We Do For all your luxury watch enquiries, WhatsApp me directly on: +44 7539 430 168

  4. Aug 8

    The Art Dealer - Kevin Turton (TBD #70)

    In this episode, Kevin talks about his upbringing, how he got his start in high-end luxury sales with Gieves & Hawkes—the famous Savile Row tailor—and what he learned from the best salesman he ever met. He shares how those lessons parlayed into a 25-year career as an art dealer working with high-net-worth clients against all odds. Kevin exemplifies the traditional gentleman, bringing back the techniques, ethics, and morals in salesmanship that are too often lacking today.

  5. Aug 1

    The Avant-Garde Luxury Watch Designer - Yvan Arpa (TBD #69)

    From Haute Horology to Samsung Wearables and Back Again.Yvan is truly an industry legend, having been pivotal in the introduction of the Big Bang with Hublot, then as the CEO of Romain Jerome introducing the Titanic watch and the Moon Dust watch (take a look at those, they're quite remarkable), to then joining Samsung to head up the design of their Samsung Gear S3.ArtyA is a brand that truly embodies Yvan. Just take a look at their website with watches that are simply unique, from sapphire cases that are iridescent to using butterfly wings and real tobacco leafs on dials. I wouldn't really refer to it as a brand in the traditional sense that is confined by parameters. It's more a place for Yvan, like a sandbox to let his imagination run wild. There is simply nobody in the industry comparable. Enjoy!https://www.artya.com/https://www.instagram.com/artyawatch/https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvan-arpa-a0303536/https://www.linkedin.com/company/luxury-artpieces-artya-sa/

  6. Jul 25

    The Viral Violinist - Evangeline Victoria - (TBD #68)

    In this episode, Evangeline (who goes by Evie) shares a core childhood memory: long Australian road trips with her musician father, listening to a cassette about a fictitious violinist whose whole life unfolds through music. Discover how this early experience set the foundation for her journey to becoming a viral violinist with millions and millions of views across social media, completely changing the course of her life in the process.I always open my podcast with the Steve Jobs quote, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward," and this interview is a true example of that.Evie opens up about mastering her craft, taking a leap of faith after COVID, and the power of saying "yes". Her story is a masterclass in how luck is simply preparation meeting opportunity.There's so much to learn from this episode. Enjoy, and here are some links for Evie's socials. www.evangelinevictoriamusic.com.au https://www.youtube.com/@UC9jhCGEMFb11F0HORIjN55w https://www.instagram.com/evangelinevictoriamusic/https://www.tiktok.com/@evangelinevictoriamusic

  7. Jul 11

    Bringing Métiers d'Art to the Masses - Lilian Thibault, Awake Watches (TBD #67)

    In this video, Lilian talks about his early days in marketing and how it left him unfulfilled until he started the watch brand Awake, which now brings Métiers d'art (rare handcrafts in the haute horology space) to a far more accessible audience than, say, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, where these crafts are more often associated with a much higher price tag.Lilian also recounts a very interesting tale of how the French president at one of the global summits used his watches to showcase French business at its finest.

  8. Jun 20

    From Big Pharma to Niche Watchmaker: The Stollenwurm Story (Ed Tourtellotte) (TBD #66)

    What happens when you walk away from a successful career in pharmaceuticals to chase a lifelong passion?In this episode, we sit down with Ed Tourtellotte, the founder of Stollenwurm watches. Ed shares his incredible journey from building and scaling a pharmaceutical company to diving headfirst into the world of luxury horology. We talk about the massive risks of pivoting into a completely different industry, the reality of building a watch microbrand from scratch, and what it really takes to turn a passion into a business.Whether you’re a watch enthusiast, an aspiring entrepreneur, or someone thinking about making a massive career pivot, Ed’s story is packed with invaluable lessons on risk, resilience, and design.If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell so you never miss an interview!

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About

The Burning Desire is a weekly podcast where we get inspirational guests on to interview them about whatever it is that they are passionate about. This platform is crucial to share the message that there is so much to gain from learning from people all around us. We focus on a wide range of topics, nothing is off limits or out of our scope - so long as there is a story to inspire others. Be it business success, academic achievements, sporting triumphs, weight loss, the mastery of a new skill or overcoming life's many hurdles (to name but a few). Hosted by Charles Burns

Information

  • Creator
    Charles Burns
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Charles Burns
  • Show Website
    The Burning Desire