Episodes

This week on SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder, Ariel Adams, is joined by Hakim El Kadiri, founder of ELKA Watch Co., for a conversation about meaningful watch design, the importance of storytelling, and the future of Swiss watchmaking. Ariel and Hakim explore the creative process behind an upcoming ELKA Watch Co. collaboration celebrating aBlogtoWatch's 20th anniversary, including the inspiration behind its unique tree-ring dial and its connection to Swiss history. They discuss what makes a wat...

This week on SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel Adams is joined by Guy Allen, Head of Sales at Elliot Brown Watches. Guy reflects on more than four decades in the watch industry, from his early work with LEGO watches to finding his place at Elliot Brown. He shares how the British brand developed its reputation for rugged tool watches, including its work with the UK Tier One Special Forces community and the development of the Holton. Guy and Ariel also discuss what authenticity means for an ...

This week on the SUPERLATIVE Podcast, host and aBlogtoWatch founder, Ariel Adams, is joined by Lilian Thibault, founder of AWAKE Watches. They discuss the evolution of AWAKE and how the brand found its identity by embracing Métiers d’Art, traditional craftsmanship, and a more focused creative direction. Lilian explains why launching a watch brand may be easier than ever, while building one that lasts has become increasingly difficult. He also shares how AWAKE’s handmade dials and use of techniqu...

This week on the SUPERLATIVE Podcast, host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by longtime watch industry veteran Gary Girdvainis. Drawing on a career that stretches back to the early days of International Watch magazine, Gary reflects on decades spent inside the watch business and how dramatically the relationship between brands, media, retailers, and consumers has changed. Ariel and Gary discuss the realities behind watch journalism, the growing influence brands have sought over med...

This week on SUPERLATIVE, Ariel Adams is joined by Thomas J. Sandrin, founder of WatchDNA, to discuss what defines a watch brand and how consumers navigate an industry with more choices than ever. Thomas shares his journey from more than a decade with the Swatch Group and Hamilton to earning his MBA and launching Northern Watch Services and WatchDNA. He explains the thinking behind WatchDNA, an educational platform built to help enthusiasts discover brands, understand the people and history behi...

This week on the Superlative Podcast, Ariel Adams is joined by Nate Borgelt, Head of Watches at Joopiter, to discuss the evolving world of watch auctions and how a new generation of collectors is changing the market. Nate shares his path through Christie’s, Patrizzi & Co., Antiquorum, and Sotheby’s, along with the experiences and mentors that shaped his perspective on watches and the auction business. He also explains what drew him to Joopiter and how the auction house is approaching curation, a...

This week on the Superlative Podcast, host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Ahmad Shahriar, a longtime watch industry executive who currently works alongside Samir Shah representing Arnold & Son, Angelus, and Favre Leuba in North America. Ahmad reflects on his career with brands including Ulysse Nardin, Blancpain, and Breguet and explains why having passionate, accessible people behind a watch brand is so important. They discuss how relationships influence collectors, why indepe...

This week on the Superlative Podcast, Ariel Adams is joined by Oscar Chabrat, founder of Praesidus Watches and Chief Marketing Officer of the Montrichard Group. Oscar takes Ariel behind the scenes of the watch industry to explain how Montrichard evolved from a traditional B2B manufacturer into a global operation involved in manufacturing, marketing, and a growing portfolio of watch brands. They discuss the realities of watch production, why so many brands rely on outside manufacturing partners, ...

This week on Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel Adams is joined by author and journalist Gabe Oppenheim to discuss his book Borrowed Time and the complicated history behind the modern watch industry. Gabe explains how his research into intellectual property led him deep into the history of Swiss watchmaking, including the relationship between watch companies and the Swiss government, the decline of American watch manufacturing, and the origins of what consumers understand as “Swiss Made.” H...

This week on the SUPERLATIVE Podcast, host and aBlogtoWatch Founder Ariel Adams is joined by Gabe Reilly, Co-Founder of Collective Horology. Ariel and Gabe discuss the growing appeal of independent watchmaking and why collectors are increasingly drawn to brands with a strong creative identity, personality, and sense of purpose. Gabe explains how Collective approaches independent watch retail, why community and in person experiences have become so important, and how the resurgence of analog cultu...

How do independent watch brands compete in a market dominated by luxury giants? On this episode of SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel Adams is joined by Lior Arussy, founder and managing partner of Fund Time, to explore what it really takes to build a successful watch brand today. From investing in independent watchmakers to reshaping how brands connect with collectors, Lior shares why customer experience, authentic storytelling, and long term relationships matter far more than tradition al...

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! On this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel Adams is joined by Riccardo Dana, founder and CEO of SWOP, to discuss how technology and AI are transforming the watch collecting experience. Riccardo explains the challenges collectors and dealers face when buying, selling, and trading watches online, and shares how SWOP is using AI powered tools to create a more transparent, secure, and efficient mar...

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! In this episode of SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder and host Ariel Adams sits down with Mike Margolis, President of Czapek Americas, to explore what it takes to build an independent watch brand in today's competitive market. Drawing on decades of experience across luxury watch retail, distribution, and brand development, Mike shares how Czapek has grown its presence in North America while staying true to its ...

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! In this episode of SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams sits down with Frederic Gasser, President of B.R.M North America, to discuss the unconventional story of bringing the French motorsport inspired watch brand to the United States. Frederic shares how a phone call, a handful of watches, and an unexpected first sale helped launch B.R.M in America, eventually leading to early opportuniti...

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! This week on SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams sits down with Thomas Baillod, founder of BA111OD, for a conversation about challenging the traditional rules of Swiss watchmaking. Thomas looks back on the original idea behind BA111OD, which started as a proof of concept for a new way of selling watches through community, word of mouth, and what he calls “WeCommerce”. He explains how tha...

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! On this episode of SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams is joined by Nathan Clapp, founder of Wraven Labs, to explore the intersection of product design, watch collecting, and entrepreneurship. Drawing on his experience working on the Apple Watch and his passion for thoughtful industrial design, Nathan shares how a simple frustration while driving inspired the creation of the Wing One, a ...

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! On this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams is joined by Sylvain Berneron, founder of Berneron Watches, for an in depth conversation about independent watchmaking, creative risk, and what it takes to build a lasting brand. Best known for the unconventional Mirage collection and his bold approach to design, Sylvain shares why he left the corporate world behind, invested his own...

New day, same great conversations. Catch new episodes of SUPERLATIVE every Wednesday! In this episode of SUPERLATIVE, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams sits down with Becca Florence Davis, founder of CHP Caliber, to explore the rapidly changing world of independent watch brands and what it really takes to succeed in the U.S. market. Drawing on her years of experience in luxury goods and as a former Shinola account executive, Becca explains why many promising watch brands struggle to...

In this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams sits down with Jason Chevrolat, co-founder of Bonniksen, to discuss the philosophy, ambition, and craftsmanship behind launching a new independent watch brand rooted in traditional watchmaking. Jason shares the story behind Bonniksen’s connection to the historic carousel complication, the influence of the Time Æon Foundation, and what it means to participate in the prestigious Naissance d’Une Montre IV project. From pr...

In this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host, Ariel Adams, sits down with Olof Larsson, co-founder of Aera, to explore the philosophy behind building a modern tool watch brand from the ground up. With decades of experience in the watch industry and a family history in retail, Olof shares how a chance friendship through Ikepod eventually led to the creation of Aera. He discusses why he and co-founder Jas Minhas chose to start a completely new brand instead of reviving a herit...

In this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host, Ariel Adams, sits down with Stephen Cox, founder of Sopwith Watch Company, to explore the fascinating intersection of aviation history and horology. Stephen shares the incredible story behind building a watch brand that uses material from authentic historic aircraft, including World War I planes and iconic military machines, to create watch cases with a direct connection to history. From sourcing century-old materials to building...

In this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host, Ariel Adams, sits down with Kristian Dowling of Leica Watches to explore the fascinating connection between photography and watchmaking. Kristian shares how his background in photography and marketing, along with his work training Leica watch teams around the world, shaped his role at the brand. He also explains why authentic watch photography matters more than ever with today’s collector landscape. From photographing watches in ...

On this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams sits down with Justin Jakobson, founder of Camp Watches to discuss how industrial design, automotive culture, and personal storytelling all come together in modern independent watchmaking. Based in Los Angeles, Justin explains how his background in consumer electronics and industrial design shaped the identity of Camp Watches, along with the unique challenges of creating an original watch design in such a crowded and c...

In this episode of Superlative, aBlogtoWatch founder and our host Ariel Adams speaks with design historians and authors Charlotte Fiell and Peter Fiell about their ambitious book Ultimate Collector Watches, published by TASCHEN. The conversation explores how the duo approached curating some of the most important watches ever made, from analyzing auction results to balancing representation across brands, eras, and complications. They explain why brands like Patek Philippe and Rolex dominate the h...