Revolution Watch Podcast

In this episode we sit down with Daniel Sum, one of the founders of the famous Shanghai Watch Gang, to discuss how this group of collectors came about, how different Asian collectors are compared to their western counterparts, and if watch brands have the right approach to connect with them.

We also touch on the Shanghai Watch Festival and we bring back our previous guest Lung Lung Thun to talk about The Waiting List Podcast, which the pair recently launched along with their friend Alex.

Show Notes

(00:00) Introduction

Our guest on this episode of the Revolution Watch Podcast is Lung Lung Thun. It’s taken us 18 episodes but we finally have a female watch collector as a guest on our podcast. We couldn’t have picked a better person than Lung Lung Thun, who from the very first minute we met, had shown great enthusiasm for not just the watches, but for bringing her watch knowledge to the wider audience and encouraging more women to share their passion too.

We had a little more fun than usual on this episode by going through a list of what we look for when getting a watch. How do we feel about manual wind and self-winding? Do we like quartz? Tune in now to find out.

It’s our Christmas Special Episode! We’ve made our list, we’ve checked it twice. We’ve told Santa what we want, both unattainable and nice. Our editors have chimed in and so have our friends; we’ve all picked one watch, else the list will never end.

Show Notes

(00:00) Introduction

(01:42) Stephanie Ip's choice: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin

(03:37) Kevin Cureau's choice: AP Royal Oak Ref. 15500

In this episode of the Revolution Watch Podcast, the ever-humble Karl-Friedrich Scheufele talks about Chopard's beginnings and his various passion projects. 

He also tells us about the new Alpine Eagle collection, an extremely special project for the Scheufele family, one that spanned three generations. Mr. Scheufele was more than happy to share with Revolution the process that led up to it, and fun details about the making of it. Things like, who came up with the name Alpine Eagle? You'll have to tune in to find out.

Show Notes

(00:00) Introduction

Our guest on this week's episode is Sylvia Earle, marine biologist and legendary explorer, who is also a Rolex Testimonee. Earle has spent most of her life studying the sea and its marine life, and in our interview, she tells us about her latest project, Mission Blue, which identifies Hope Spots around the world, spots in the ocean that need our attention, and she brings communities together to make an improvement and care for the seas.

Show Notes

(00:05) Introduction

Today's podcast episode is dedicated to the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition 2019, which opened in Singapore on September 28 and runs until October 13.

The entire Revolution team was on the ground to bring you different aspects of the exhibition. We first interview Philip Barat, the Director of Watch Development at Patek Philippe, who tells us a bit more about all the special editions that were launched over the weekend.

In our second interview, we speak with Dr. Peter Friess, Curator of the Patek Philippe Museum, who touches on general points about the exhibition and what to expect from it.

Keep listening also for our own take on the exhibition, find out which section was our favourite, and what we think is worth seeing.

Show Notes

(00:05) Introduction

Felix Baumgartner is the co-founder of Urwerk, whose approach to high horology is like nothing else on the market. In its short 20-plus years, its unique ability to marry traditional watchmaking and clockmaking expertise in extremely contemporary designs quickly established the independent company as one of the most ingenious and unique brands in today's industry.

A third generation watchmaker, Baumgartner grew up in his father's workshop, watching him restore antique clocks, which greatly influences his creative process today. When he met Martin Frei in 1995, they realised their interests in objects of time measurement were aligned, and Urwerk was born.

Show Notes

(00:05) Introduction

(02:06) Where URWERK comes from

Maximilian Büsser is the founder of MB&F, short for Maximilian Büsser and Friends, the creator of some of the most avant-garde and imaginative timepieces the world has seen.

The format for this episode of the Revolution Watch Podcast is a little different, fitting we think, for Max Busser, who doesn't do things quite the same way as the rest of the industry.

Christian Selmoni is a very interesting man. The Style and Heritage Director can readily reel off Vacheron Constantin’s numerous achievements over its 260 plus years of history without batting an eye. But when he visited Hong Kong just last month with vintage timepieces in tow, our conversation naturally, was about the brand’s incredible past and the incredible service that is Les Collectionneurs.

Show Notes

(00:05) Introduction

(03:46) Conversation with Christian Selmoni

With the focus on IWC this week, our guest is none other than Hannes Pantli, board member at IWC and one of the biggest collectors of IWC watches, who recounts the history of IWC and how the watch company evolved through the eras of watchmaking.

Pantli, who started in IWC in 1972, counts opening the Middle Eastern markets and guiding IWC through the Quartz Crisis as some of his milestones. It was also due to his foresight that the oversized Portofino dress watch line became the success that is today.

Show Notes

(00:05) Introduction with Darren Ho

(02:24) Conversation with Hannes Pantli

On this episode of the Revolution Watch Podcast, our guest is Michael Friedman. A walking encyclopaedia, horological expert, museum curator and charming storyteller, Friedman's current title is Head of Complications at Audemars Piguet, a role he stepped into since the beginning of this year. But his knowledge of watches does not start or end with AP. Friedman has worked extensively in watch and clock museums; he was the VP and Department Head of Watches for Christie's New York in 1999, and had his own consultancy firm, providing services for collectors, auction houses and other establishments before he joined Audemars Piguet in 2013.

Show Notes

(00:06) Introduction

(01:49) Our interview with Michael Friedman

Over here at Revolution, we're firm believers that the world of watches permeates through every aspect of contemporary culture, be it sports, films, music, art, space travel—whatever it is, there's a talking point to be had.

Here today, it's the art of tattooing that we want to talk about. There have been a few takes on tattoo-inspired watches before, but none so successful as Hublot's collaboration with Maxime Plescia-Büchi.

Show Notes

(00:12) Introduction

We’ve now had ample time (weeks!) to let the dust settle and reflect on the fair as a whole and share our opinions with you. We decided to tackle the topic with some of our Revolution editors around the world, including Darren Ho, the Editor-in-Chief of our Asia and Australia editions, as well as Taitan Chen, the Editor-in-Chief of our China edition.

With our editors, we discuss our first impressions of Baselworld 2019, highlights, the relevance of watch fairs today and what to expect in 2020.

Show Notes

(00:38) Darren Ho: Editor-In-Chief, Revolution Asia & Australia

At Art Basel, we had the honour to sit down with Olivier Audemars, who is the great-grandson of Audemars Piguet co-founder Edward Auguste Piguet. We talk to him about his family roots, the brand's connection with nature and art, his influence over the company as the Vice-Chairman of the Board and his thoughts on the latest novelties.

Show Notes

Auction season is kicking off so we thought it would be great to talk to an expert about the watch auction market in this episode. Sam Hines, Sotheby's watch auctioneer extraordinaire, took precious time out of his busy schedule to give us the lowdown on the market, tips of the trade, and anecdotes about his most sensational lots. If you've ever had questions about how auctions work, this is one episode you shouldn't miss.

In this episode, we sat down for a candid chat with Nick English, who co-founded Bremont with his brother Giles, at the brand's flagship in Hong Kong. Nick tells us wild tales of piloting a 40s plane across Europe in his teens, treasured memories of his father, starting a watch company with his brother, and how Bremont watches unexpectedly found air time on the Jimmy Fallon’s show.

Show Notes

(01:49) Our conversation with Nick English, co-founder of Bremont

Welcome back to the second episode of our Revolution Watch Podcast! We're pleased to say that our podcast is finally available on every major platform.

SIHH has come and gone since our last episode, and we thought it would be lovely to get some of our editors on the pod to give you their take. Keep on listening to find out what their picks are!

(02:08) General impressions and live coverage from SIHH 2019

(09:26) Introducing our US Editor-in-Chief Keith W. Strandberg

Welcome to the first episode of the Revolution Watch Podcast!

The Revolution Watch Podcast is a podcast hosted by the editors at Revolution magazine, where we discuss all things related to watchmaking, watch collecting and design with the people who shape the industry.

For our debut episode, our colleagues in Hong Kong, Stephanie Ip, Managing Editor for Revolution Hong Kong, and Kevin Cureau, Digital Editor for Revolution Hong Kong, sit down with Carson Chan, Head of Mission in Greater China for the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, to talk about the role of the FHH, watch fairs and how he helped launch the brand Richard Mille in Asia.

Stay tuned to the end, where Carson shares his top predictions for SIHH 2019 and his guess for what AP’s Code 11.59 really means.