OT: The Podcast

Australia is about as far away from the watchmaking centres of the world as it's possible to get. That hasn't stopped Reuben Schoots , hailing from our nations capital, from learning the art, and building his own watch, from scratch. Several years ago, while Schoots was recovering from chronic illnesses he picked up while travelling, he was introduced to the world of mechanical watches and dived i...

In this episode, we managed to do what rugby teams worldwide have been failing to do for years — pin down Beauden Barrett. We caught the All Black and Tudor ambassador between matches and chatted about the life and pressures of being one of the best rugby players in the world in one of the most legendary teams of all time. Naturally, we also talked about Tudor, its legacy, and how to travel with a...

In the middle of our chat with Carson Chan , Chief Advisor to the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, he makes a bold claim — that no other type of object has changed from the category of 'need' to the category of 'want' as profoundly as the wristwatch. Since recording the call, Andy and Felix have been wracking their brains for a better answer – but still haven't come up with one. This insight is o...

This week Andy and Felix catch up with Neha Bajpai , a veteran of the watch journalism biz who's currently looking after Wristcheck's editorial. Neha shares her experience in watches — including her deep and abiding love for the recently released Moser Streamliner Vantablack Tourbillon in Red Gold. More than that, we find out the sort of stories that Neha loves to write and why commerce-based site...

This week we talk about two extremes in watchmaking. First, Andy and Felix ponder the theory that 2022 might actually be one of the most unexciting years on record when it comes to watch releases. Secondly, Felix speaks to a man who directly contradicts this claim — CEO and Creative Director of Van Cleef & Arpels, Mr Nicolas Bos . Van Cleef & Arpel's watchmaking is less concerned with the passing...

Our conversation with veteran vintage watch dealer Jacek Kozubek starts off strong as we dive into the finer point of the perfect Hawaiian shirt. From that point on, we get a little more on-topic and find out what it takes to become a vintage watch dealer and, more importantly, what it takes to sustain it for 14 years. From market highs and occasional lows, it's clear Jacek is in it for the long h...

One of the late 20th century's most distinctive watch designs comes from the design-led brand Ikepod , founded by Marc Newson. Today we speak with the current owner and custodian of this cult brand, Christian-Louis Col. Col, who talks about Ikepod's history and significance as a concept watch and how it became of the first 'it' watches of the silicon valley set. We also chatted about his future pl...

Time for a taste of something a little different. No watches this week, only whisky. We speak to Gordon Dundas , a whisky industry veteran who is International Brand Ambassador for Ian Macleod Distillers, responsible for well-known (and well-aged) Glengoyne. We find out from Gordon why time and place make whisky such a special drink, and learn a little about the business of whisky. And it's a busi...

http://otpodcast.com.au/show-notes Today's guest is fellow Melbourne-based watch podcaster Roman, host of Independent Thinking on Fifth Wrist . Roman and Felix talk about the appeal and importance of independent, artisanal watchmaking, especially when compared to the mainstream Swiss offering. They discuss the appeal of nostalgia, why Roman is so down on Rolex, and what it takes to find obscure wa...

Today marks our 150th official episode, and we can't think of a better guest to celebrate on this auspicious occasion than the great Stephen Pulvirent. Today Pulvirent creates beautiful art through his artistic photography practice, as well as more commercially-geared creativity through his agency Rime and Reason. But most people will recognise him from his time at Hodinkee. After Felix and Stephe...

If you're a fan of vintage Heuer and TAG Heuer 's history, today's guest Nicholas Biebuyck has the dream job - as the Heritage Director at TAG Heuer. It's not a role you step into without living, breathing (and most likely dreaming), Carreras, Autavias and all the rest. However, while we certainly talk about TAG Heuer's famed automotive legacy and expertise in chronographs, we spend a surprising a...

If you're in New York and in the market for an Audemars Piguet, this week's guest is a good guy to know. Yoni Ben-Yehuda is the Head of Watches at Material Good and Audemars Piguet x Material Good, one of America's premier watch retailers. We chat to Yoni about where high-end watch retail has come from, where it's at right now and what sets Material Good apart. Yoni also doesn't shy away from tric...

This week we speak to Josh Bozin , a freelance luxury and watch writer who's a key part of the Australian lifestyle journalism landscape, and a regular at GQ, Harper's Bazaar and more. We caught up with Josh and found out why Cartier makes a perfect 30th birthday gift, and just what watch you should get your groomsman. We also got some pro travel tips, from the importance of sensible dressing on S...

This week we dusted off the (sapphire) crystal ball and gazed into the multiverse of madness, and played out some hypothetical watch scenarios. What if Rolex doubled production in a few years? Could Apple make a mechanical watch? Will sports watches ever go out of style, and what would it take for Andy to buy a Seahawk. In this light-hearted rundown of (mostly) unlikely situations, we play out the...

We joke about National Treasure a lot on OT: But this week, we get as close as we're ever likely to get to the real deal with explorer, lawyer and exploration consultant David Concannon. His CV covers off multiple dives to the Titanic, the discovery of the world's deepest wooden shipwreck and helping Jeff Bezos find Apollo 11's engines, and that's just the top line. Concannon also explains how exp...

Today we speak to Gerry Nelson , one of Melbourne's best dressed and a master of the knit fit. Naturally, we get some top tips on shawl collars and sweaters, but we also find out why Gerry suddenly got back into watches and why, after years of wear, he decided Rolex wasn't for him. In a period of a few short months, Gerry has a stacked watch box, full of key pieces that aren't the usual suspects....

Strap into the cockpit with Andy 'Flex' Green and his RIO Felix 'Meathook' Scholz as they take it to the limit one more time in this high-intensity, adrenaline-fuelled episode. From debating the correct pronunciation of 'mach' and analysing the IWC Pilot's Watches that made a big-screen appearance, it's fair to say Top Gun Maverick lives up to the hype. Speaking of hype, there's a new AP collab wi...

The Hilltop Hoods have more than earned their place as Hip Hop royalty in Australia. The pioneering trio has racked up massive numbers of streams and awards aplenty, as well as supporting up and coming artists. So it was only a matter of time before they teamed up with another legend in the hip hop scene, G-Shock. OT: caught up with Mat and Dan (AKA Suffa and Pressure) to talk about the finer poin...

Today we speak to Dr Lorenz Brunner , the Farther of Ceratanium, about materials technology at IWC Schaffhausen. And IWC is a leader in the field of ceramics. The brand uses ceramic in cases, of course, but is also the only maker to serially produce ceramic movement components. We also find out about the difficulty and nuance involved in getting coloured ceramic just right and finding the balance...

Since he became Creative Director back in 2008, Christian Knoop has been responsible for the subtle and sophisticated task of shepherding IWC's design direction into a new era. Designers, as Knoop says, see the world differently, viewing the world through a discerning lens of function and form. We spoke to Knoop in the midst of Watches & Wonders about the challenges of updating iconic designs, the...

Today we chat to Randy Lai , a writer who straddles the worlds of watches and style and is a firm convert to the cool that is Cartier. Randy writes for A Collected Man, Wristcheck, Bosshunting and more, but his opinions are all his own, and he's not afraid to share them. Before Randy, we talk pixels, Rebels, and the PRX. As well as explore why the Submersible QuarantaQuattro collection is 44mm of...

You can't venture too deep into the waters of vintage Tudor without coming across Ross Povey . His love for the brand that was once seen as Rolex's 'little brother' stemmed from seeing quirky, colourful dials of vintage Tudor chronographs and from there, things escalated quickly. Povey talks to us about the rapid renaissance of the once-forgotten brand, and what they got right at Watches & Wonders...

In this week's episode, Andy chats to R.T. Custer, the man behind one of the most interesting American watch brands, Vortic. We find out how a college project into American-made turned into a viable business which almost didn't make it because of a prolonged legal battle with one of the Swiss industry giants. In 2020, Vortic walked away from the five-year legal battle as the victor, and has wasted...

We caught up with Panerai Ambassador Jeremy Jauncy at Watches and Wonders, to get his exceptionally well-travelled take on what the brand is doing right when it comes to sustainability. It turns out, quite a lot. From eSteel to open-sourced sustainable business practices, Jeremy gives us the low down on how Panerai is working on making watchmaking greener. But it's not all Swiss watches. We get Ja...

Five years ago, Michael Culyba, like many of us, fell in love with the world of mechanical watches. Michael, unlike the rest of us, turned that passion into a feature-length documentary. Keeper of Time explores the world of independent watchmaking, and the meaning of time itself in a beautiful, educational, and at times poignant way. Featuring the stories of Philippe Dufour, Roger Smith, François-...