On this episode, we share an industry perspective on what’s quickly becoming something of a New York Watch Week – comprising the Windup Watch Fair, WatchTime and more. Additionally, we’re going to share a special live podcast recording from the Windup Watch Fair – a joint episode between us and the Worn & Wound Podcast. It’s a conversation with Martin Frei of URWERK and Jonathan Ferrer of Brew about how they built their brands.

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

On this episode, we take a look at a topic that we’ve been curious about for a long time. We have discussed, both with members of the industry and amongst ourselves, the realities of production here in the United States, Japan, Switzerland and to a lesser degree Germany. But to date, we haven’t discussed one of the largest centers of watch manufacturing in the world: China. From full watches to components of every imaginable variety, China is a formidable force in the world of watchmaking and watch collecting. To help us learn more about the Chinese production ecosystem and why it matters, we’re proud to be joined by our friend Wes Kwok, co-founder of Nodus Watches.

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Today (October 4, 2024) marks a major shift in the watch industry. Hodinkee, the leading voice in modern watch media, has been fully acquired by Watches of Switzerland, a massive UK based retailer with operations around the world including in the US.

Only a few months ago, Ben Clymer, founder of Hodinkee – and as of today, a President at Watches of Switzerland – announced that the publication was shuttering their retail business and going to back to focus on “the basics” (i.e., their editorial product).

So what does this all mean for Hodinkee, its stakeholders, and of course the industry at large?

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

We discuss the current landscape of movement suppliers and how it came to be. We cover how movements are selected by watchmakers, along with the drama that often surrounds the ever-popular “in house” vs “mass produced” discussion. We offer some thoughts on how, why or if movement design, finishing and construction should figure into a purchasing decision.

Correction: On this podcast, we claimed that Czapek's SXH5 movement is designed by Czapek and produced by Chronode. That is incorrect. The movement is in fact in-house – both designed and produced by Czapek themselves. Most components are manufactured by Czapek, while some are supplied by third-party partners before being finished and assembled by Czapek.

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Earlier this summer, we asked you – our listeners – to participate in a short survey in order to hear your perspective on the current state and future of the watch industry. The responses poured in, and on today's episode, we delve into what you shared. A massive thanks to those who responded. Your responses were incredibly thoughtful, helpful, and surprising.

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Live from Geneva Watch Days, we discuss how the show has evolved from a collector focus to a major industry event, along with the consequences of those changes. And we cover some of the week's high drama, including how and why we were kicked out of the Beau Rivage hotel. Things are getting real here in Geneva – stakes are high.

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

We take a deep dive into the current state of the secondary (pre-owned) watch market with our friend Hamza Masood of WatchCharts – the world's most comprehensive, transparent and trusted source of watch market data. It’s a service we at Collective subscribe to for its valuable insight not just into the pre-owned watch market but what that data can tell us about the watch industry at large. And that’s exactly what we discuss with Hamza – what exactly is going on in the pre-owned watch market and more importantly what does it tell us about the industry at large, and of course, the implications for collectors.

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

We look at the shifting landscape of watch retail – specifically the rise of single-brand boutiques, the trade-offs of those changes, and what the future looks like.

Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.