HODINKEE Podcasts

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, we head to Nidau, Switzerland, where we sit down with Ben Küffer, the young Chief Executive Officer of family-owned watch brand Norqain. It's a frank discussion of the challenges of starting a brand and creating a signature watch–the Norqain Wild One–at a time when the industry is crowded with competitors, and it's tough to stand out. We focus on Norqain's unique strategy of recruiting former and current professional athletes as not only brand representatives, but also investors and executives. The big news is Norqain's deal to be the official luxury timepiece of the National Hockey League, an agreement guided by former NHLer and Norqain co-founder Mark Streit with some help from superstar and company investor Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. We also discuss the surprise success of Norqain's 'Enjoy Life' Freedom 60 chronograph that struck a chord with consumers with its ice cream-themed colors and endorsement by Mark Wahlberg to become the brand's top-selling watch. Despite that success, and perhaps in a bid to play the scarcity card, Norqain now says it plans to discontinue the model, at least for now. But first, we're joined by TanTan Wang, who is back from Colorado, and some quality time with Oris's new Big Crown Pointer Date 'Bullseye.' We also talk about the recent headlines in the watch world, including the proposed sale of Richemont's Baume & Mercier to Italy's Damiani Group, as well as Omega's very commercial 300M diver, which it is launching for the Milano Cortina Winter Games. Show Notes 1:57 Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bullseye 3:15 TanTan's essay and the fight against watch snobbery 3:47 Richemont Sells Baume & Mercier 5:43 Omega Releases A White Ceramic Seamaster 300M For Milano Cortina 2026 9:40 Norqain 10:22 Mark Streit 11:10 Norqain Scores Multi-Year Sponsorship Deal With NHL Aimed At Vaulting Swiss Brands To The Big Leagues 12:03 Sidney Crosby Partners With Watch Company Founded By Former NHLers (ESPN) 18:00 Talking Watches With Jean-Claude Biver 19:55 Norqain Wild One 20:25 BIWI SA 26:00 Hands-On with the Norqain Wild One (Fratello) 30:40 Hands-On With the Norqain Freedom 60 40mm Enjoy Life (Fratello) 35:55 Norqain Independence Skeleton Chrono 42mm 37:31 Swiss watch export statistics 39:44 Swiss watch industry employment 45:00 Stan Wawrinka 51:30 Norqain world and values 

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, we wrangled some time with someone who was born into the world of the Swiss watch industry but who has taken an outsider's path to business success. Manuel Emch is the managing director of Louis Erard and also one-third of the radical upstart micro-brand Kollokium. We sat down last year, and Emch outlined his circuitous route and unique approach to building and selling watch brands. But first, Hodinkee Magazine's editorial director Malaika Crawford drops in to give her take on Louis Vuitton's latest novelties and La Fabrique du Temps with a behind-the-scenes look at the atelier and its skilled artisans and craftspersons. Plus–what is Rolex telling us with its latest group of Hollywood testimonees? Show Notes 1:35 LVMH Watch Week 2026 2:15 La Fabrique du Temps8:30 New Rolex Testimonees in 2025 11:00 Louis Erard 11:20 Kollokium 12:00 Grenchen, Switzerland13:26 HEC Lausanne16:00 Nick Hayek Sr. 18:19 Jaquet Droz (Hodinkee) 22:50 Jaquet Droz website 27:30 Romain Jerome  36:20 Louis Erard (Hodinkee) 45:20 Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein 54:00 MB&F 58:10 Swatch AI Dada 59:45 Kollokium (Hodinkee) 1:02:00 Kollokium short film 1:07:10 Tupperware 1:13:07 Louis Erard Regulator

On this week's The Business of Watches, we head to Villeret, Switzerland, and the storied Swiss watchmaker Minerva. The brand, founded in 1858, is truly the jewel within Montblanc's watchmaking division, which itself is part of Swiss luxury conglomerate Richemont. Laurent Lecamp is the man leading Montblanc and Minerva's watchmaking operations, and he sat down with us for a detailed discussion on Minerva and what he's doing to satisfy the clients that he calls "fans" and not customers. Montblanc and Minerva won't be participating in Watches and Wonders this year, and Lecamp outlines the different paths that the brands are taking within the Richemont group. He also talks about his penchant for running extreme marathons, sometimes wearing a Minerva or Montblanc timepiece. But first, a new format to start the show. We're joined by Hodinkee senior business editor, Mark Kauzlarich, to chew over some of the business headlines making news in the watch world. We talk about potential executive changes in the top job at TAG Heuer and also discuss what we think the business strategy might be behind Omega's new Speedmaster that boasts a ceramic bezel, lacquered dial, and a new price tag. Show Notes 0:30 Montblanc / Minerva 0:45 Audemars Piguet And Ten More Brands To Join Watches And Wonders For 2026 1:00 Minerva Is The Watchmaking Jewel Within Montblanc And Showcases Its Talents With A New Art Piece (Hodinkee) 2:00 Business Montres 3:50 TAG Heuer 5:20 LVMH Watches and Jewelry 7:10 Jean-Christophe Babin (Instagram) 8:50 The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Black & White (Hodinkee) 12:00 Hands-On The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean For 2025 (Hodinkee)15:30 Villeret, Switzerland 16:36 Laurent Lecamp (Instagram) 17:40 GIA (Gemology Institute of America) 19:50 Cyrus Watches23:00 Example of Minerva bezel 26:00 Montblanc's New Minerva Monopusher Chronograph (Hodinkee) 28:20 Montblanc Club M58 (Watchonista) 43:12 Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles (YouTube)48:10 Richemont 51:00 Montblanc Ice Marathon (Revolution) 

On this week's episode of The Business of Watches, we sit down with the principals of Horologer Ming and there is plenty to talk about. Founder and creative head Ming Thein explains his unique design and engineering process, while Chief Executive Officer Praneeth Rajsingh discusses financial challenges and financing solutions the small company has utilized to keep the business humming. We dive deep into the manufacturing process of the titanium, 3D-printed Polymesh bracelet that has the watch world buzzing, get an audio-only sneak peek at an upcoming release, and also hear about plans for a value-priced subsidiary brand they have in the works.We hope you enjoy the conversation. There is a lot to unpack! 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 Notes4:50 Dubai Watch Week6:47 Ming and the Alternative Horological Alliance10:30 Computer Aided Design12:20 Ming Polymesh 33:20 Apple Watch39:00 Accredited Investor 42:20 Project finance 49:25 Swiss watch CEOs talk about component suppliers54:00 Ming 17.01 (Hodinkee)

On this week's episode of  The Business of Watches, we sit down with Ilaria Resta, the Chief Executive Officer of Audemars Piguet.  Among the strategically important years in the brand's 150-year history, 2025 may rank among the most significant. Not only did it mark a century-and-a-half anniversary, it demanded a strong and determined leader to navigate through a mille feuille of challenges. Amid U.S. tariffs, record prices for gold, an extremely strong Swiss franc, and an overall downturn in market demand, Resta and her team from Le Brassus grew sales by double-digits, up 12%, as of the end of October compared to the year before, according to the brand. That's more than CHF 2.3 billion in sales, according to analyst estimates. That's no small achievement considering the extraordinary headwinds facing the industry. Overall, Swiss watch exports are set to decline for the second year in a row in 2025. Under Resta's leadership, AP is bucking the trend and then some. In this episode, we talk about the notable product releases from AP this year, including its innovative perpetual calendar and the highly wearable, groundbreaking RD#5; how she intends to manage production; the evolution of the brand; and possible changes to model lines. A long-time senior executive in the consumer goods industry, Resta discusses what makes the watch industry unique and what it needs to do to appeal to the next generation of clients.Show Notes3:50 Audemars Piguet at Dubai Watch Week5:27 AP Perpetual Calendars in 38mm 7:50 Book round-up featuring Audemars Piguet The Watch 9:10 Swiss Watch Exports11:52 Royal Oak Offshore 15:30 Audemars Piguet says CEO Staying (BoF) 17:33 AP Certified Pre-Owned 19:30 Dubai Watch Week CEO Roundtable 22:25 A Plea For Proportionality (Hodinkee) 

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 Week4:32 Ahmed Seddiqi 5:03 A Rare Look Inside The Incredible Collection Of Mohammed Seddiqi At Dubai Watch Week9:09 Dubai Watch Week Masterclasses10:31 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 Sold17:30 Dubai Mall 20:50 Rolex CEO Says Brand Won't Significantly Expand Own Retail And Will Continue To Work With Authorized Dealers23:15 Top Swiss Watch CEOs Talk Leadership And Strategy Amid Industry Challenges At Dubai Watch Week26:30 Tudor Launches New Ranger In 36MM At Dubai Watch Week  

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 Notes00:30 James Lamdin and Analog Shift 2:00 Bloomberg.com4:15 The Biggest Ever Boom In Swiss Watches is Coming to an End4:45 Watches of Switzerland Group USA Acquires Analogue Shift6:09 Secondary Market Rolex and Patek Price Rise, Fall and Recovery10:00 U.S. Tariffs Impact On Secondary Market 12:11 Under The Radar: American Watches16:00 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  

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 Sorcerer5:20 Simon Brette  5:25 Akrivia / Rexhep Rexhepi 6:10 MB&F 8:05 Sylvain Berneron 9:30 Omega Watches13:00 Omega Speedmaster Professional (White dial)13:30 New Speedmaster Dark Side of The Moon 15:40 Niels Eggerding interview16:20 FC Classic Perpetual Calendar 16:50 Furlan Marri Perpetual One18:00 Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar18:30 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 Industry35:40 Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 38 MM in Damascus Steel (Hodinkee) 35:45 Longines 35:54 Sinn Watches 

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 milestones6:00 Vacheron Constantin7:30 Citizen8:30 La Joux-Perret 10:15 LJP solar quartz movement in Tag Heuer 12:30 Manufacture collection 12:45 Highlife collection16:00 New manufacture QP in 40mm case22:00 FC Women's collection23:23 FC Manchette 28:00 U.S. tariffs and watch prices43:00 FC YouTube channel 

Antoine Pin, CEO of TAG Heuer, shares insights on the brand's exciting new decade-long partnership with Formula 1. He discusses challenges such as tariff impacts and rising costs in the watch industry. Pin also dives into the evolution of TAG Heuer's carbon hairspring technology, revealing how they overcame initial setbacks with a new version. The conversation touches on their strategic production choices and the balance between accessible pricing and high-horology artistry, showcasing the brand's innovative spirit amidst economic uncertainty.