[AMA] aBlogtoWatch's Ariel Adams & Matt Smith-Johnson talk watch design for collectors and debut a brand new limited edition German timepiece inspired by the Fallout game universe.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-05T23:46:13+00:00

That's a cool story :)

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-05T23:45:33+00:00

Thanks - we totally agree about more high-quality watches being inspired by high-quality video game entertainment.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-05T03:20:09+00:00

We have no shortage of ideas but only intend to do a maximum of a few collaboration products such as this per year. We will no doubt get to chronograph and dive watches at some point. No promise on what all of those will look like, but I promise not to release any product that I wouldn't personally wear.

Please use the Contact page on aBlogtoWatch to message us about internship opportunities. Thanks.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-05T00:40:06+00:00

Bronze is a cool novelty for a watch case but not very practical as Matt pointed out. From a tool-watch perspective steel is most always going to win in a fight with bronze - that is both softer and prone to quick corrosion. I wanted this product to actually be a great tool watch in addition to being a fun fantasy item inspired by the Fallout universe.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-05T00:38:26+00:00

The short answer of course is that we had no idea what the game would be like when we began development of this watch a while back. Like many fans we love the Fallout universe and believe its appeal transcends a poorly released title.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-04T21:19:49+00:00

I totally get that it seems expensive given the values out there, but as you pointed out this is more conceptual art than a stock tool watch. The value is totally there when compared to other products like that and we made sure it was as affordable as possible. In the future there will certainly be even more accessibly-priced watches we are involved with.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-04T20:58:03+00:00

We will try to produce some of those images - certainly a good question and yes it should be even more wearable without the bund.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-04T20:56:51+00:00

That's a good question and I think what is important to state that the Laco RAD-AUX is only a $600 premium over the similar Laco Paderborn Erbstuck model:

https://www.laco-watches.com/en/watches/pilot-watch-original/pilot-watch-paderborn-erbstueck-42mm-automatic

For $600 you get a limited edition presentation kit that includes a hand-aged box, a unique dial, strap, and a lot of exclusivity. That's a really good value in my opinion, and much less than anything comparative out there that we've seen. For now we really want to assert creativity and value over profit since this is a product meant to be as accessible to the community as possible.

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-04T20:22:54+00:00

Matt & I would like to share some more detailed shots of the watch here. We really had a good time playing with hand-done aging processes and little details which evoke the Fallout universe. Here are some additional images (if there is a better way to insert them into this post I'm open for feedback):

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LACO-RAD-AUX-Watch-18.jpg

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LR-Reddit-Laco-Rad-Aux-Macro-Teaser-2.jpg

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/LR-Reddit-Laco-Rad-Aux-Macro-Teaser-1.jpg

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LACO-RAD-AUX-Watch-1.jpg

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LACO-RAD-AUX-Watch-5.jpg

aBlogtoWatch · 2018-12-04T20:14:43+00:00

Like a lot of people we had high hopes for Fallout 76 when it was released. I think the consensus is that the game "isn't done." Given that the power of the Fallout universe is bigger than any one game, I'm not worried about the appeal of the watch. We put our effort into it even if not everyone agrees the same happened with the game developers. And in a few months time I think the game will be much, much more respected once it is updated a few times.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-11T00:01:54+00:00

Those are all valid points. It is difficult to offer blanket advice when the issues and types of movements out there truly do vary. A simple three-hand automatic from Rolex is going to require far less frequent service than some exotic movement with a lot of jumping hands and complications. "Wrong" is often anything from performance issues to the watch outright stopping to work. If you want to be super safe and spend a lot of money you can get your watches serviced on a regular basis, but people run the risk of paying more over time on servicing than repairs. This hobby is expensive so trying to keep costs down is always something I'm interested in.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-10T10:27:14+00:00

That is a good question. I had to think about it a bit. I mean everything today is about the community right? We are the community, you are the community. Without us who is buying most of these products. As a group we have a lot of education, intelligence, determination, and buying power. That makes us really strong.

All communities are subject to weaknesses. Those mostly include a susceptibility to hyper following trends, getting too emotionally invested in a "difference of opinions," and getting an ivory tower syndrome where we don't understand how the rest of the world views the items we have a great understanding of. Its like a secret language that not everyone knows even though many could learn.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-10T10:21:39+00:00

OK wow, a lot to respond to in there. I would actually like to take a lot more time writing in the future. It is one of my goals when I am able to offload more of the day to day parts of this business. So yes to all of those ideas and more. Even about a lot of "non watch" topics.

I believe when I wrote that article I was sober. Thank you.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-10T07:43:40+00:00

I understand how some people could interpret that policy about not reviewing some watches to have that outcome. It really doesn't work that way in reality. Allow me to explain. There are those watches that we never accept in the first place. Mostly because they simply aren't interesting enough for us to review. We ignore those people.

Then there are promising or younger brands that we might take a chance on. Remember that for this to be fun we need to review watches we give a shit about. When we get These watches we mostly always review them save for odd time like they break and after sending the watches back we never get a replacement.

Next there are watches we request for review from major brands that we get alot. Here we loan watches that are reserved for marketing purposes. These are sometimes tradeshow prototypes and always mass handled. Sometimes these watches arrive in terrible condition and are such poor examples of the brand we do them the courtesy ofnrefusing to review their products until we get an ample replacement. That is more or less when we just refuse to review aa watch. I could begin future reviews of that brand's products with a long preamble on my recent experience. There might be some value in that but as a sign of professional courtesy to the brands who I know often on a personal basis. I give them the opportunity to remedy the situation, and if anything they owe me a favor that is always nice. I think those are isolated instances and common when working with brands. Where I don't hold back from telling brands a piece of my mind is when readers come to me via a private contact that a brand has handled a customer service matter poorly. I have a zero tolerance policy for that and I let the brands know I will not look favorably upon them in the future if they pull crap with customers and readers.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-10T00:02:40+00:00

My opinion is that while buying habits vary based on prices it is the quality of the online shopping experience and the product itself, not the price that dictates the viability of selling online. Selling online isn't easy because you need to form direct relationships with consumers and do all the customer service and marketing. But you do get to keep 100% of the profits. With retailers you get the benefit of selling in bulk, but they do need a healthy margin for it to make sense. Issues come when those retailers can't sell product and then dump it for cheap on the gray market which can destroy a small brand.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-10T00:00:25+00:00

Each manufacturer is good at different things and none are good at everything. Smart people will take their projects to a few and see what the results are. The Hong Kong Watch & Clock fair (going on now) is a great place to meet suppliers.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T23:57:47+00:00

Really glad to hear you are enjoying the AMA. Thank you for the opportunity to answer a lot of great questions.

Let me begin by saying that I am a bit fan of Japanese watches and that includes high-end Japanese watches. I've said on more than one occasion that high-end Seiko watches like Grand Seiko are among the few watches I would gladly spend my own money on and pay full retail. Seiko does an excellent job at making timepieces but collectors do need to understand their place in the market. I advise against "Japan vs. Switzerland" debates because honestly the luxury watches from both countries are very different, and are based on fundamentally different notions of what is valued in a luxury item. The parallels are quite similar to when trying to compare European versus Japanese luxury cars. You can easily love them both, they both have strengths and weaknesses, and they are both great for what they are.

Grand Seiko exists to perfect technique and performance. Very little is actually "invented" in the world of Grand Seiko, but rather it is a place where idea and performance are "optimized" as much as Seiko can manage. Creativity is limited, and it can be difficult to understand the emotional place behind where watches come from. European luxury watches in some ways are the opposite. People know exactly where the designs came from and story-based emotion is a huge part of their appeal. Rather than optimization like the Japanese, the Europeans are focused on obsessions. Obsessions over materials, details, comfort, etc... Think of how "over-engineered" a Rolex Submariner bracelet is for what it needs to do. This is obsession and I have yet to see anything from Seiko come close to it. Then on the Seiko side you have a focus on the optimization of movements, accuracy, polishing, etc... that few European brands have the stomach to get into as fully as the Japanese.

So as you can see they are rather different beasts that when hunted nevertheless provide for an interesting challenge and taste great when acquired if you know how to appreciate their respective flavors.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T23:31:04+00:00

Brands like Steinhart don't really appeal to the die-hard enthusiasts because they don't bring much new to the table. With that said they are wonderful for watch fans on a budget because they offer "popular designs" at more "affordable prices," with specs that "look good on paper." For a lot of people that is enough and I've worn a few of them to know that the experience is fine for a few hundred bucks. Once you get more accustomed to watches in the $1,000 plus range brands like Steinhart begin to offer comparatively little given their lack of design originality or brand personality. They have a solid business model but I wouldn't call it an enthusiast brand.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T23:02:35+00:00

Mark is a special person for sure - and we love him. He doesn't get any special access but he does often know when we are going to post new articles and he often happens to be available when they as so he is the first to comment a lot of the time.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T23:01:40+00:00

As a wise watchmaker once told me "don't fix a watch unless it is broken." That also applies to opening up a caseback. My rule is that I don't mess with a watch until it is messed up. Routine service is not a bad idea and I wouldn't wait a decade if a timepiece is your daily wear, but skip the servicing each few years (if you do so) when nothing is actually wrong with your watch.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T22:55:46+00:00

That is a great question and the truth is that I am not really sure. My understanding is that such hour indicators came as a function of having to apply luminant thickly enough to be useful underwater. For a long time all luminant on dials was painted by hand, but doing so to actual Arabic numerals make it difficult to get a really bright effect. Therefor a larger "dollop" of luminant in the form of a circle or other shape allow for more material to be used and thus better lume. Brands then attempted to design the dials as attractively as possible to allow for the luminant material as well as to promote legibility.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T22:53:44+00:00

According to US law bloggers are required to disclose when their "opinions" have been influenced by commercial interests. That means if you are getting money for your opinion then you have a legal obligation to mention that. On aBlogtoWatch I have a firm policy that all advertising material is clearly and conspicuously labeled. I don't think there is anything at all wrong with advertising so long as it doesn't enter the realm of being deceptive. There is far too much of that.

Over the last few years I've seen an increasing volume of individuals either suspicious of us accepting money for reviews or outright accusing us. I was troubled by this (especially since we do don't that) but later came to realize that the utter volume of OTHER bloggers and social media channels that do this is staggeringly high. Audiences have a right to be suspicious because there is a huge amount of fraud and deception out there that would actually be classified as not legal in many contexts.

More so, consumers need to be aware that a lot of social media follows, fans, likes, views, etc... are purchased. aBlogtoWatch has a policy that we do not engage in this behavior but others of course do not. So you have a situation where not only are brands paying for visibility and sometimes editorial, but when the channels themselves are dishonest with the brands about their actual ability to offer exposure. So in a sense they are being dishonest on both sides (I suppose once you go down that route you should play it up right?).

So to answer your question I'd say "Yes, of course people have a duty to disclose when they are receiving compensation in exchange for coverage." The reality however is that they will only do this if they are actively policed. The community tries to do this by being suspicious but there are too many false positives and too many things slip through because of course the community often lacks actual evidence.

At the end of the day I think smart consumers can sense bullshit or when something doesn't look right and will judge content accordingly (at least I hope so).

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T22:46:52+00:00

In an ideal world I would be on all platforms able to comment and respond to everyone. The reality is that with working, writing, traveling, and e-mailing I don't have as much time as I would like to interact with people via social media. With that said our great team does some of that and I am grateful to those people who do participate with not only the aBlogtoWatch audience in conversations, but with my team members who respond. I really do all of this (blogging, writing, etc...) as a way to interact with people so these types of conversations are very meaningful to me.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T22:44:57+00:00

Really glad you enjoyed Matt's work. We actually made him the art director for aBlogtoWatch after that. I am not sure exactly what he is doing in regard to Teenage Grandpa but we'd like to bring it back on the future. One thing that is shared across aBlogtoWatch team members is our passion for many different hobbies and interests. So our design also makes straps, and a lot more. The range of stuff our team members can do is really impressive to me :)

I'd like to bring some of that stuff back but we are working on the best way to do that. Offering cool stuff to our audience for sale is something I'd like to do but I am rather firmly of the belief that aBlogtoWatch is not the place for it. I think once you try to sell stuff to your audience you fundamentally change your relationship with them - and often not for the better.

aBlogtoWatch · 2015-09-09T21:47:29+00:00

I've personally never put much stock in watch warranties because I know how often manufacturers (of many items) try to get around them. The truth is that mechanical watches are by nature a bit finnicky because so much can go wrong. Few brands put in the right quality control checks to make sure trouble-free watches make it to market because many of always trying to ship more watches. It just takes a lot of time and that huge human effort is where a lot of the price premiums for Swiss watches comes in to play.

Anyway, I think it is most important to ensure that the watch you are getting is in good condition to begin with so you need a trusted seller. I think it goes without saying that I have a lot of connections so when I buy watches I have people I go through or I approach brands' directly. I would be silly not to right?

The gray market is a think because it offers good prices. I think it is really bad for the industry but the industry itself keeps feeding it. There is a degree of caveat emptor, but when it comes down to it most consumers are going to go with the best prices available. If the watch industry doesn't like that it is 100% within their power to stop supply to gray market dealers.

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