Breaking Barriers in Horology with Miss GMT: A Journey into Watch Collecting and Inclusivity

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Blake Rea (00:02):
hello everybody.
Welcome to another episode oflonely wrist singing.
In front of me is none othermiss gmt herself hello hey thank
you so much for having me.
I really appreciate you lettingme on the pod I appreciate you
coming onto the pod because I'vebeen trying to get you on here

(00:23):
for a really long time it hasn'tbeen that long no, you need to
go look back.
Look back in your dms and takea look, because I was trying to
get you on here like over a yearago probably okay, well, I
definitely will have to go backand look, but I was probably
definitely a lot shyer back thenthat's all right.
that's all right.
Well, we are here, finally, andI'm glad it worked out.

(00:46):
Um, I I felt like having you onthe podcast was very important,
especially considering thescene.
The community, the watchindustry, uh, is very male
dominated, and anything we cando to kind of like level the

(01:08):
playing field and to get more,you know, female participation
if that's what you want to callit in the industry, I think is
very important, because I knowsome badass chicks that are in
the watch industry and we needto see more of them, and that
includes you.

Miss GMT (01:27):
So, yeah, no, I couldn't agree more.
I mean, diversity is the spiceof life and obviously watches
are absolutely a male dominatedindustry.
And it's interesting becausewhen you dive into a little bit
of the history of watches too,wristwatches actually kind of
started with females wearingthem on their wrists first and
men still were wearing or usingpocket watches.

(01:49):
So it actually when you diveinto the history, there are
females.
So when you look at you knowwhen that happened to today,
like what's the gap?
You know what's holding otherfemales back.
Their female enthusiasts arefew and far in between, but
there are still a lot of us.
So I think, highlighting thosevoices and you know, just like

(02:10):
gents, we're all differentourselves.
So getting multiple differentopinions and multiple different
females, just you know, willcontinue to shape and model the
industry.
So thank you again for theopportunity and hopefully that
there's a lot more.
And you know, when I started myplatform, that was actually one
of the core reasons and startinga social media page and

(02:32):
presence, to be honest, becauseyou know you look at a lot of
watch accounts in the industryand a lot of people.
It's just risks, just justrisks, risk hair, you know, like
watches no face, you don'treally know the person behind it
.
Sometimes there's not even aname on the profile.
So, you know, I've had peoplecome up to me at events and in
person and say, hey, I'mso-and-so and I'm kind of like I

(02:54):
don't know who you are.
And then I'll look back andlike, oh yeah, we've exchanged,
like I actually know who you areas a person, but I'm sorry, I
didn't recognize you from yourwrist in public, which is
totally understandable.
You know, I'm not knocking it,knocking it at all.
It was obviously a veryconscious decision to put my
face on my profile.
You know, obviously there'ssecurity risks at play there

(03:18):
searchability, like you know butthat was a decision that I
wanted to make.
You know, especially being afemale who is a watch enthusiast
, I thought it was veryimportant.
With social media being alittle sketchy, as is, I just
really wanted to put my face outthere and show that I'm a real
person.
I'm not a bot, I'm not a fakeprofile.

(03:38):
That is genuinely me and that'swhy I tried to do a lot of
videos where I'm actuallytalking to myself and them,
because it just again createsrealness and authenticity.
So that was a consciousdecision.
But that is also why I don'tput things like you know, my my
name out there, full name and alot of details, because you know

(03:59):
, when you meet me in person,I'm, you know, an open book.
I'll tell you, I'll talk to you, but you know, but there are
some creeps on interwebs, so gotto keep it real.

Blake Rea (04:09):
Wait, are you sure you're not one of those
AI-generated content creators?

Miss GMT (04:14):
Yeah, I'm a total fake right now.
This is all an illusion.

Blake Rea (04:18):
Yeah, guys, we must protect Ms GMT at all costs.
Please Tell me how you got intowatches, what inspired you to
go down this rabbit hole, um,and talk about your passion, you
know, for watches.
I think it's very importanttotally, I think you know.

Miss GMT (04:38):
I definitely want to share that more and convey that.
So it's a great question.
Um, how it all started actuallywas I was never really into
watches before.
I'm a 90s baby, so I'm fromkind of that tech generation and
, yes, I started, probably notstarted.
I definitely had some watchesbefore as a kid, but nothing

(04:59):
that was meaningful, nothingthat I remember.
I don't know if it was a swatchor a Timex or just some like
kind of like kid watch.
I don't even know what otherbrands are out there that cater
towards children or kids, so itwasn't memorable.
My first memorable watch was aniWatch, again being digitally

(05:19):
connected, and all my friendshad one.
I got to track my steps, mymetrics, you know, see who was
messaging me, listen to music,change music.
So I'm definitely from theiWatch generation.
I won't knock them.
I still sometimes wear mine onhikes and stuff.
I'm not going to replace it ifit dies.
I don't see that much value init anymore.

(05:40):
I probably won't do that.
It hasn't, you know, kicked it,kicked, kicked it yet.
But um, so that's kind of whereI started and honestly, I think
that's what plays into mewearing a lot of larger wrist
size watches, which I get a lotof hate for, um, socially, from
a lot of haters.
But you know what?
Like you know, 43, 46millimeters on my wrist feels

(06:01):
normal.
It feels right, like obviously,for text to come up on the
screen, to be able to read it,you need a larger size.
So it just felt normal.
It felt comfortable for me.
It still does.
Obviously, there's exceptionsto that rule, because every
watch is unique and different interms of its sizing and how it
feels on their wrist.
But I don't really remember,like growing up with a

(06:21):
particular watch.
So it all started before thepandemic, actually.
So I went to source ameaningful gift for a partner
who was looking for a watch,their first luxury watch.
So I thought you could just,you know, walk into a Rolex
boutique and say I want that one.
You know, I got the.

(06:41):
I had my friend do some diggingand espionage because I knew if
I did it it would be very like,evident and obvious.
So I got the exact likereference number, which at the
time I didn't know was called areference number.
I just knew I needed moredetail to ask to really get the
one that my partner wanted.
So there I am, I walk into aRolex boutique, you know, find

(07:03):
the salesperson and say, hey,I'm looking for a Rolex Datejust
, and welcome me.
In which one are you lookingfor?
Blue dial, smooth bezel?
And at the time I probably saidsomething like the smooth
bracelet I didn't really knowthe terminology at the time and
she kind of like chuckled butwas still very nice and

(07:25):
welcoming and said you know, Iwould love to help you and I'm
going to try.
Is there anything in the casethat you like or prefer?
Because you know, blue dialwatches are very sought after
and very popular and I don'tthink you know this.
But there's a long waiting listand I think I had given like
three and a half months orsomething.
It wasn't, you know, like superurgent in terms of timing, but

(07:48):
it also wasn't like a long, longtime coming.
So I was like, oh, I didn'trecognize that there was an over
six month wait list for thiswatch or that.
You know, you have to put yourname down and it's kind of like
a.
So I had no idea, no clue as towhat the process was.
I thought, you know, my moneywas green, I could just walk

(08:11):
into a store, walk out with whatI wanted and capisce and that
was not the case.
So that was like my firstintroduction into the world of
horology and how watches aresold or even displayed, and
again, not really knowing tootoo much other information, not
doing tons of research anddiving online into the reference
number, the model number, thefunctionality, anything like
that.
So that was my first experience.

(08:32):
Just to close the gap on thestory she ended up coming
through and the timing that wasapplicable.
So that essentially was thefirst watch exposure.
I had it all worked out.
A gift was well received was thefirst watch exposure.
I had it all worked out.
A gift was well received.
I hid it in a creative waybecause it came in probably, I
think, like four or five weeksbefore when I was planning to

(08:53):
give it and so I was living withmy partner at the time.
So that's when I was like howam I going to hide this?
It's a good box and all thematerials and everything, and
we're both intuitive people.
So I was like this is going tobe difficult, you know, living
together to hide.
So I ended up hiding it in atampon box and like the upper
part of the closet, like withold sweaters and stuff, and I'm

(09:17):
like I'm fine this year.
So, um, yeah, success there.
It was a surprise, completesurprise, and it worked out.
But that was really my firstentry point into the world of
horology and that was shocking.
And then kind of from theretogether we started watching
like watch content, because itkind of then leads into COVID

(09:40):
timing and we watched everything.
I mean there's only so muchlike Tiger King, game of Thrones
, like rewatching the Office,that you can do.
So we kind of really expandeddifferent content forms and
types and YouTube almost becameour primary source of like
entertainment as a platform.

(10:02):
So learned a lot more aboutwatches.
I think there, you know,intermittently, I was never like
super, super engaged in it atfirst.
Then, like the more you learn,the more you recognize, the more
you find little tidbits, likeit kind of draws you in more and
more.
So, as I started like learningmore about watches, that's when,

(10:23):
you know, I hit a milestone andat my career and so I kind of
wanted to celebrate and andreally benchmark that kind of
celebration.
So I was like it's time for myfirst watch.
Um, so that's when I went inand I was actually looking for
an oyster perpetual at the timeand I didn't know what dial

(10:43):
color.
I just was like I really likethis.
So I went in I tried a coupleon and I was kind of like
underwhelmed than what I havethought from seeing photos
online.
And the sales woman notactually my sales woman, it was
a different sales woman and thestore was wearing a green
Submariner and I said that'sreally cool, can I try that on?

(11:06):
And they kind of were like, ohwell, that's a men's wrist.
But yeah, I mean, uh, thissaleswoman is rocking it.
She's always had one, she lovesit.
You know.
Um, but it is considered amen's watch.
I just want you to know that.
And I was like, okay, like I'm,I'm a sporty girl.
So I'm like okay, like sure,but can I still try it on?

(11:28):
So luckily I was able to try iton, and that's when she had
mentioned the glide lock umfeature.
And I'm someone like who shrinksand swells like a ton like
literally depending on humidity,how much I drank eight, like
everything, and I just like same.
That's why I don't wear a lotof jewelry, like rings and stuff
, because I feel like I canchange like three different
sizes in like a day and thenI'll start to play with it and

(11:49):
it just becomes a distraction.
So earrings and necklaces aremy jam a lot more than rings.
But yeah, so I tried it on.
She explained the glide lockfeature and that's when I was
like I really like this, likethis is comfortable.
For some reason it just sitperfectly.
I have like this obnoxiouswrist bone on both sides where

(12:10):
it's like not quite levelnecessarily, so when watches sit
, some some of them like reallyare obnoxious.
Like um, for example, I'venever really worn an omega
speedmaster because every time Itry them on I'm like I don't
think I could wear this for morethan like an hour because it
just kind of like pushes up andit feels very uncomfortable,
which is odd.
It's just my makeup, I guess.

Blake Rea (12:32):
Wrist architecture.

Miss GMT (12:34):
Yeah, yeah, for real.
That's why it's so important, Ithink, to actually experience
watches.
So again, I ended up waitingand finally getting one and it
was.
It was awesome and that justkind of once I got my own.
It just sent me into this likeI always relate to it as like

(12:54):
Alice in Wonderland when shelike falls down the black hole
and you're just like.
you're just like falling, likelooking at everything along the
way, like, oh, that's cool, anddid you see that Like?
And you just go deeper anddeeper and then you just get
more exposure and experience.
So that's kind of how ithappened and how it all went
down.

Blake Rea (13:15):
That would be a good meme, like when Alice in
Wonderland, where she falls backinto the tub and like you're
Alice and like the tub is likeall the watches.

Miss GMT (13:27):
Perfect, there you go.

Blake Rea (13:28):
you might see that next week do it, do it,
copyright it, take, take credit.
Um, I, yeah, I, I.
I guess rolex is a weird onebecause a lot of people will get
into watch collecting throughnot necessarily through rolex,
but it'll be their first kind ofaspirational watch and from

(13:51):
there, um, you know, once youdon't get the watch you want, it
kind of was like, all right,well, what else that's badass
can I get?
And then people go down therabbit hole and they learn about
Omega or whatever.
Right, yeah, and, and yeah, Imean it took me a really long
time to get my first Rolex andmy first one was always

(14:18):
perpetual, ironically, and gosh,I love that watch.

Miss GMT (14:24):
What made you like want it initially?
Initially, like what attractedyou to the oyster perpetual, I
was like, but like, this is,this is the one I want.

Blake Rea (14:29):
I mean, uh, I felt, I felt like, well, obviously it
was the most obtainable right,it's the cheapest right, and I'm
like, oh shit, you know I'mgetting ready to spend.
Like at the time it was likesix dollars, just over six grand
.
I was like, okay, like I'mgonna spend six grand on a watch
.
Like what, how sick am I one?
And like, how are my prioritieslike so botched?

(14:53):
Because my first real watchpurchase, um, at the time, um, I
, like me and my partner and weseparated but, but, but I I
literally secretly went ontoeBay in order to watch and it
was a Speedmaster reduced.
And then when it came in, likeI was like, you know, like

(15:14):
tracking it, like trying to getto the door before she would to
see it, and then just try tolike quickly unbox it, throw the
box out, like as quickly as Icould.
So then I would just wear it,you know like throw it on my.
This was the plan, right, I'dthrow it on my wrist and then um
, and then if she said somethingabout it, oh, what do you mean?
I've had this you know, likewhat do you mean?
Like no, it did not work outlike that.

(15:36):
She entered after the package,she opened it and then she was
like what the blake like?

Miss GMT (15:43):
what did you do?

Blake Rea (15:44):
yeah, like how much was this you know, because, of
course, like you know, like shesaw the omega logo and everybody
, I think, even if you don'tknow watches, you know the omega
logo and and the brand um, andand yeah, needless to say, I got
in a lot of trouble.
But this was pre-covid and thespeedmaster reduced, were

(16:04):
selling for like 900 or like1100 dollars, like they were so
cheap.
And then covid hit and thenthey went up to like almost
three grand and so, for whateverreason, I just I loved it, but
I also hated it because thebracelet, like it wasn't a very
modern bracelet and it justwould just, I mean it shredded

(16:28):
my arm hair like just painful towear.
So I was like let me get out ofthis.
And then this was at the timewhen they were discontinuing the
1861 Speedmaster, which wasproduced from 1997 until 2021 or
so, um, and and so I was likethis is the one, this is the one

(16:50):
that was on the moon, like this, you know, like the modern
right, this one's flightcertified, like it's not the 321
, it's not the original, but itis a very, very, very modern
speed master, um, and so I knewthey were being discontinued and
my dealer at the time, you knowthey did discounts and they're
like look, this is the last one,we just want it gone.
We got the new stuff coming inlike, just take it, yeah and uh.

(17:12):
And so I literally paid like athousand dollar difference
between what I sold, the thereduced for and the new speedy,
and I was like, okay, like Icould do that that's awesome.

Miss GMT (17:21):
No, I.
I think I love that storybecause it illuminates, like the
optionality and possibilitiesin the world of horology
especially.
You know from where you startto where you want to go, like it
can be a journey, and you knowthese, these are expensive items
and you know it can bedifficult to get there.
So sometimes you you know likeyou said it started in the

(17:45):
beginning of COVID as beinginexpensive.
And then you know, with hype,publicity for many reasons,
other people getting into thehobby, like the price has
skyrocketed.
And to get into something thatyou know is a little more
meaningful for you, likeinsignificant and being able to
be able to feel like you're apart of history because of that,

(18:05):
like that's really cool.
I find that really cool.
I think there's people whowould probably hate on that, but
I find that fascinating.
I think it's a very manageableway to think about, like watch
collecting.

Blake Rea (18:19):
Yeah, I, I agree.
I want to use this as a goodsegue point, cause I've got some
great questions here for youand I hope we can address all of
them.

Miss GMT (18:30):
Yeah, tell me as a female in the industry have you

(18:51):
encountered any challenges orexperiences?
That you feel like uh, likethat aren't normal, like I don't
know, describe like what do youmean?

Blake Rea (18:55):
not normal?
Um, well, I mean you all youmentioned something, um, and
maybe this could be it, but youknow, when you were at Rolex and
they said, hey, I'm sorry,that's a man's watch, like what
are you doing?
Yeah, yeah um, because thisindustry is is very male
dominated.
You know you being a female.
Um, I'm just assuming that youmay have different experiences

(19:19):
in the industry than all of us,so yeah, absolutely.

Miss GMT (19:23):
Um, definitely different experiences and
honestly I think there'spositive ones and there's
negative ones.
You know, to that point ofwalking in the Rolex boutique
and the saleswoman just likevery purposefully planting, just
so you know, this is a men'swatch and like I didn't really
think too much into it, Icurrently, like my day job has

(19:44):
always been a male dominatedindustry, almost to some degree.
So, like I'm sort of used to it.
So I don't know if that makesme like tougher than most or
just more used to it, which Idon't know if I should be, but I
am.
So it didn't really bother mebecause I've always been a girl
who just like, goes after whatshe wants, like regardless of
what people are going to say.
So it didn't really impact mein that way and I never really

(20:07):
spent too much thought on it.
But you know, the saleswomanwas, you know, not quite my age,
so I think maybe she wasworried about the optics and
perception of me wearing it andespecially because you know
Rolex it is a big purchase,right, it's.
It's not like something thatyou can just like probably toss
aside, like it it takes time toplan for and you have to really

(20:28):
want it and be specific aboutthe model because they are
costly, and so I think she mayhave been worried about, like,
the optics and how peoplereceive it and be like oh,
that's, that watch is too bigfor you.
That is a men's watch and Iguess just wanted to create
awareness so that I was readyfor it.
I'm not, I'm not sure.
So I didn't really take it thewrong way.

(20:48):
Maybe again because I'm used toit and I was just like, well,
I'm going to give it a trybecause I like it.
So I definitely wonder if shewas paving me, because in
starting my page, like, Idefinitely get a lot of pushback
and in terms of experiencingthe watch world from a female,
probably something that I getsuper frequently is a lot of

(21:11):
mansplaining.
I don't know if you've heardthis term on Urban Dictionary or
on social media TikTok.

Blake Rea (21:18):
I have mansplained before to my wife.

Miss GMT (21:21):
And I mean everyone does it right.
There's a stereotype in it fora reason and I think that's
definitely a large headwind andbig barrier to entry and two
more females getting into thehobby or even showing any
interest in watches.
Um, it's, it's just different.
So if you don't really have aninterest to begin with and then

(21:42):
you do inquire and you get toldyou know, like, like, oh, I'm
more educated than you.
Like this is, you know, like itjust it's not setting a tone
for an environment that's verywelcoming or interesting, right,
especially when it's like atotal one-sided street versus a
conversation.
And I met a lot of people whoessentially are mansplaining

(22:03):
without mansplaining andhonestly, that's like welcomed,
because there is, you know, alittle bit of an educational
barrier.
I feel like a lot of femalesmaybe grew up with watches of
their parents wearing them ortheir grandparents, but not
necessarily knowing, like youknow, what reference number that
is or what the function behindit is, like a day date.
I feel like most femaleswouldn't know that it says the

(22:26):
day and a date or be able tocall that out.
They would just be like that'sa Rolex you know like, and it's
yellow gold, like the obviousthings, and to some degree with
cars too, like that was a yellowToyota that just went by not
like the exact make, model year,body kit, style, like, I think,
men in general and they'relooking at purchases and I hate
to generalize any, you know, sex, like demographic, but to some

(22:52):
degree I'll make it as ageneralization and a stereotype
for a reason.
But you know, men willrecognize and know a lot of
detail about it, like thereference number, the years, you
know something was discontinuedon it or it's a replacement
part, whereas that might not beso obvious to a female.
So I think there's definitely away to kind of explain things
in more of an approachablemanner that would get someone

(23:15):
interested in that watch and whyit is the way it is, versus
like I'm gonna teach you in likea negative way, you know, very
condescending way is like I'mgoing to teach you in a negative
way, a very condescending way.
So that's definitely, I think,a big barrier to entry.

(23:35):
But for the most part it's beenquite welcoming.
Definitely not on the socialmedia side.
I'd say it's welcoming more onthe event side of things and
with brands.
There's a lot of people who hidebehind a screen and I think
just want to be haters, just tohate so a lot and I know this
from a lot of other watch femaleinfluencers as well.

(23:57):
A ton of hate on that watch istoo big for you.
Or even comments which aresuper nasty of like stay away
from our hobby, it's not for you.
Or even comments which aresuper nasty of like stay away
from our hobby.
Like it's not for you, you'renot welcome here.
Like, which is pretty crazy.
But then, like you realize,whoever made that comment, like
there's clearly something elsegoing on in that person's life,
to feel like like I don't knowwomen are stepping on their toes

(24:19):
and there's not enough watchesfor all of us, like I don't know
, but, and that's not okay.
But again, I think all the womenwho are that I know of and have
interacted with are quite tough.
So you know, it might be reallyfrustrating, especially on like
a bad day or like I'm not amorning person and so usually
I'll open up my comments oranything.

(24:42):
It's when I wake up and checkto see what's going on, what I
missed, anything pressing, andwhen you just see some negative
comments.
First thing, I'm a groggy andI'm not a morning person, so I
definitely will get a littledefensive in the morning and
upset and then you got to let itgo, because one person's
opinion shouldn't impact how youfeel about a brand, a watch or

(25:06):
anything, and you shouldn't letit disrupt because I've
definitely created some magic inmy channel and I hope to
inspire others to do the same,and something like that will
just hold us all back.

Blake Rea (25:16):
Yeah, I mean we've all gotten it.
As a content creator, I meanyou're putting yourself out
there.
You know for the world to tocriticize and I remember when I
when I first started making like, like my youtube videos are you
?
Our youtube channel is newerthan our podcast and our blog,

(25:38):
but somebody came on there andwas like vocal fry and I was
like what's Like, let me go lookthis up.
And I remember like looking itup and I'm like, yeah, I don't
intentionally do that, that'sjust the way I talk, like you
know.

Miss GMT (25:54):
I guess, like I'm not like trying to youtube comments
have been the nastiest, I think,actually, in comparison to
other platforms.
They're so left field and so,like, like you talk fun, like I
I even think I've gotten a likeyou talk funny or something.
I'm like what?
Like what's that even mean?

Blake Rea (26:14):
yeah, I, I started to look at it differently because
I've got a lot of reallysupportive like I, I started
this with a mission, you know,um, and I just want like honest,
uh, like transparency and funin the watch industry, and we

(26:35):
talked about this already.
But I'm trying to cater to likea super nerd, like a super
watch nerd, you know, with mycontent, like we're talking
about movements and powerreserves and technical
specifications and dimensionsand and and construction, like
injection molding and like allthese weird types of you know
things that we're talking about,uh.
But but at the end of the day,when I I literally like puts a

(26:59):
few videos out and then I wasjust like these people suck,
like People online suck.
Obviously we get our share oflove, but then we get our share
of hate.
And then One of my friends saidsomething to me.
He was like Hater, if youaddress the haters as their

(27:20):
supporters, then they'll be theassholes and you won't.
So, and and I've done that everysingle time Like I literally
will try, I will respond toevery comment on my YouTube
channel.
Like I, it's just, I mean, Ican do this now cause we're
smaller, um, but uh, but yeah,you know, when somebody is super

(27:44):
bashful, like I'll be, I willlike embrace their opinion.
I'll be like, oh, I can see whyyou, why you, hate this, but
thanks for your comment, youknow, and they're just like like
, like okay, this dude's asociopath here, like somebody in
the back jet skiing.

Miss GMT (28:01):
That's awesome yeah, um some fun in the sun.
It's actually way warmer thannormal it's cold here.

Blake Rea (28:08):
It's cold here right now.
It's like 40 degrees, which isweird really.
Which is considering this, butum, but no, ever since I've kind
of like took in that approach,like it is like I have set
myself free, like I don't care,like I am doing this for you,
for the industry, and if youdon't care, then why should I

(28:29):
care?

Miss GMT (28:30):
yep but, yeah, addressing it, I love you and a
way to let them know like it'snot getting to you um and I
found a similar thing.
Actually, at first, you know itcan be frustrating to hear
feedback that's so a outlandishand then like b, like, like,
what, like, who does that?
You know, if you don't haveanything nice to say, don't say
it at all.
Um, you know, if you're nottrying to like, like, I don't

(28:54):
know, there's not room for like,there's obviously room for
people's opinions, but when it'snegative, like what are you
trying to accomplish by that?
I don't understand.
But usually I found when I kindof attack it, either they
recognize that they were beingkind of rude and condescending
and then they'll kind of rescind, or like they just won't

(29:15):
respond.
But I always find itinteresting.
I think sometimes negativecomments come from like I don't
know, like people that aren'tvery involved either in the
industry, which is interesting,because then they don't allow
comments back, which is kind offrustrating too.
So sometimes, like I'll hidethose because, like I just like

(29:35):
there's no place for negativity.
You know I welcome discussionand dissonance.
Like I always tell people I'mlike, how boring would it be if
we all liked the same watch.
What would we talk about?
There's no fun in that.
So I truly welcome as muchdiscussion as possible because

(29:58):
it's productive.
It's not like you're trying toconvince someone to have the
same opinion as you.
Productive, you know.
It's not like you're trying toconvince someone have the same
opinion as you, but it does.
You know, take a lot ofdifferent like personalities and
styles to.
You know it's an expression ofyourself, so not everyone's
going to get along, noteveryone's going to like me.
That's why there's room for allof us in industry with our

(30:19):
different tastes and personas.
And you know, the more you canmake yourself available or put
yourself out there to your point, you're going to find the
people just like you who areprobably just as nerdy in terms
of what you look for in a watchand what makes you like certain
watches and same with me.
Like that's actually one of mypillars and why I shifted my

(30:42):
like bio from more just watchesinto more lifestyle.
Because I am the person behindmy account.
I am real, I have likes anddesires and hobbies and
hopefully that's similar toother people.
But the whole point in that isto make it relatable and so that
you understand a bit about meand maybe what makes me tick as

(31:02):
a person and hopefully you'reeither going to like that or not
.
And there's some watch friendsI have that have extremely
different tastes than I do, tothe point where, like you know,
I realized if I don't haveanything nice to say, I just
kind of stay quiet and it'sprobably like, yeah, you
probably don't love that watchor watch designer, get it even.
But still like just welcomingthe like, tell me more about it,

(31:25):
like, or what makes you like itor what's unique about it, like
, then you can kind ofunderstand, especially when you
know more about that personbehind the watch, you know who's
wearing it.
You're like, oh, that makessense, like I get why you relate
to that a lot more than I wouldever or at all.
But one of my favorite favoritequotes is actually from Cameron

(31:46):
Barr at Crafted and Tailored,and I don't know if you
mentioned on a podcast.
I mean I know you said it to mein person and I just so agree
with the statement is thatwatches is very relatable to ice
cream, right?
Or like an ice cream parlor.
So there's, you know you don'tneed ice cream, you don't need a
watch, but it's such acelebration and something that

(32:09):
you love, you desire.
It's like super exciting andjust creates like this
celebration.
And when you walk into an icecream parlor, you have so many
different options, right?
So you can either think of likethe ice cream parlor, like an
authorized dealer, like Watchesand Wonders or Watch Time or
Wind Up or Watch Fair, where youhave exposure to all these

(32:32):
different flavors, and you mightbe like a classics, right, like
you know, think of the majorclassic brands like Rolex, omega
, cartier, or relate it to likechocolate and vanilla and
strawberry, like you might onlylove the classics and you go and
get chocolate every time, oronly vanilla, and it's vanilla
only and that's okay.

(32:52):
Like there's room for that inthe watch collecting community
too, and I think everybody canappreciate a really good classic
or have one.
But you also can get two scoops, you can get vanilla and you
can get orange sherbet, like youknow, something really fun and
like kiddie or or, like you know, inexpensive and just wild card
and still appreciate it andenjoy it just as much as you

(33:15):
would a vanilla.
So I think it's so interestingand when you get people together
at these events like a, it'sexposure into different ice
cream flavors or differentwatches that you can try on, you
can engage with, like you cansample, you can say, oh, that's
not for me, but I'm glad youknow I liked it from the press
release I saw online it lookedreally cool, but I don't like

(33:36):
the way it feels or it really,you know, gets caught up in my
arm hair, which I can't relateto, but like, for whatever
reason, for me it would be likethis annoying, like wrist bone
that like just pops outeverywhere, and so you get to
experience it.
And, like in the ice creamparlor, when you're enjoying
your watch and your experience,you get to see others and what
they got.
You might be able to ask themhey, I saw you got Rocky road.

(33:58):
Like what does it taste?
Like?
Is it good?
Like should I try it?
Like how do you feel about it?
And like that exposure, likeyou know, you don't know what
you don't know.
So being exposed to theenvironment where watches or you
know different ice creamflavors are available is what
it's all about to me, which iswhy I really prioritize events,
because A I'm still learning andit's an opportunity for me to

(34:21):
get educated on either a brand,what makes this brand unique,
like why people should care, um,things of that nature, um but
also just exposure, and I reallylook at what I'm doing and
creating my like profile or mychannels as like a guy theory,
like my, my goal or my missionis to take people to Flavortown.

(34:44):
Okay, like I'm gonna write notreally write about, but talk
about.
You know the brands, whatthey're doing.
You know, like this ice creamparlor exists.
You can get X, y and Z here,like this is what they're known
for, something you may not haveknown.
They make their ice cream base.
Or you know they custom designtheir cases or their dial, like

(35:05):
whatever it may be likehighlighting that for people to
have the opportunity of you know, access and awareness as well.
So that's kind of my goal andit's a way to kind of stay
unbiased and not just promotewhat I like 24 seven.
You know what my favorite icecream flavor is like down

(35:29):
everyone's throat.
Like and really highlight andshare.
Because my goal and going toevents, which I put as like a
fun bucket, because I reallyenjoy them, because I'm learning
, I'm meeting people who enjoywhat I enjoy and it just allows
for exposure and access andthat's something that not
everybody has right Like ifyou're living in Nebraska, your

(35:51):
local AD might be a two or threehour drive or even farther.
The watch events are probablyone a year or less.
It's probably difficult to seekcommunity in certain areas of
the nation or even the world.
So having a social profile isan opportunity to really give

(36:12):
access.
And an example of this is Irecently you know it's very
trendy right now, right on trendand topic that I got to try on
the cubitus a few days after itfinally was available at ADs and
you know, for the size of itbeing 45 millimeters, like it's
kind of like scary right Like tosome it sounds like this is

(36:37):
massive, it looks huge and beingable to try on a female's wrist
, which is traditionally smallerthan a man's wrist, and how it
felt, and being able tocommunicate and convey that like
had it had changed my mind fromseeing the press release and
what it looked like on someone'swrist and like a perfectly
touched up advertisement, youknow, like every detail
airbrushed out and obviously itfits perfect.
And you know, I think havingthis influencer, influencer

(37:01):
approach is a way to share, likethat access and experience.
So A hey, you might want toknow that yes, you can make up
your opinion by seeing thispress release, but you might
want to see in person because itmight change your mind.
And B, this is what it lookslike on my wrist and it's not as
bad as I had thought.
You might feel differently, butlike it just gets the wheels
turning in terms of perception.

(37:22):
Right, because watch brands.
Of course, everything's goingto be perfect, but when you get
to see things on other people'swrists in the real world and you
can relate, like you know, Italk about my wrist size.
So if you have one that'ssimilar, like you might know, oh
, maybe I could pull that offtoo, or maybe that's something I
should look into.
So you know, know, I love thatanalogy.

Blake Rea (37:44):
So much of ice cream and watches and I may have taken
that a step further, but um,I've never heard cameron say
that, but, um, cameron and Ihave a very unique relationship
and, um, ironically, cameron wasone of the first real watch
influencers that I like, like,took an attraction to, like just

(38:08):
the way that he was presentinginformation, because you know,
his whole kind of I mean, he'svintage right and vintage is so
complicated but he was reallykind of like breaking down, like
what to look for, you know, andhow to buy, and like you know,
all these things that watchdealers don't want to talk about

(38:31):
because it's, like, you know,airing out their secrets.
I was I had my Speedmaster,right, I still have it.
And then I knew that there wasa great value to be had in
vintage Speedmasters.
So I was like, okay, like I'mgoing to get myself a vintage
Speedmaster.
So I started going on therabbit hole and then I landed on

(39:00):
the Speedmaster Mark II, whichI absolutely love, and Cameron
has done so much content aboutthe mark 2 and um and anyways.
So, like you know, I bookmarkedthe video or whatever, put my
playlist and um took some notesdown and then, uh, every year
there's a vintage watch showthat comes like to vegas and I'm

(39:20):
going around I'm like askinghey, you got omega, omega,
speedmaster, speedmaster,speedmaster, um.
And this one guy's like whatspeedmaster do you want?
I was like, oh, speedmastermark ii, and um he's like no, I
don't have anything like that,you know, I don't, I don't have
those.
But then, um, like I'm standingthere and then, uh, cameron
standing right next to me when Isaid that he's flipping through

(39:42):
vintage watches, like you know,because all the dealers have
these huge safes of just likelittle, like ziploc bags, just
full of watches and cards andstuff, and he's looking for some
crazy open their like vest andit's just yeah, that is
literally like that, um, and hewas like he's like, hey, dude,
like, uh, like, just check meout, like that's all.
He's like, hey, dude, like, like, just check me out, like that's

(40:04):
all he said.
He just said, hey, dude, checkmy, check me out, like pass me
one of those cards.
And then I was like, all right,cool, you know, I didn't think
anything of it, so I put thecard in my pocket, I go back
home and then there's it's amulti-day thing.
So I'm like, all right, let melike and figure out, like what I

(40:30):
need to look for if I do comeacross a speedmaster mark 2.
And then I go to my youtubevideos, pull it up and it was
cameron's video.
Like, it was cameron'sspeedmaster video that inspired
me and influenced me to get aspeed master mark 2 and um, and
then, immediately after, likehis cell phone number was on the
card and I shot him a text Ithink I don't know if I texted
him I like went on instagrambecause you know I don't want to
like be weird like that, youknow.
Like um but I figured if he gaveme his card I could reach out

(40:52):
to him right you know, yeah, um.
So then I said, hey, dude, likeI just want to thank you for uh,
for like introducing yourselfand your video like inspired me
to get a few master mark too.
And he was like dude, that's socool, like you know, like love
it.
Like you know I don't haveanything available, but I'll
keep you in line when somethingcomes in.
Um, I was like, dude, awesome.

(41:14):
So, anyways, like six months,eight months goes by, I get my
speed master and you know Idon't.
Cameron and I have like verylittle communication, like I, I
don't think I mean I wasfollowing him and and anything I
didn't say.
We didn't say a single word toeach other.
Um, then formula one comesaround and rob report, uh, like

(41:37):
listens to the podcast, likesome of the editors for rob
report.
They like really, hey, likeyou've said a million times,
you're in vegas.
Like we want you to come speakon a watch panel.
You know about watch collecting.
And I was like, oh shit, okay,like let's do it.
And then, um, they're like,yeah, I'm like, I'm like who am
I speaking to, or with, orwhatever.

(41:57):
They're like, oh yeah, we'regonna have, uh, our, our like uh
, director, like our magazinedirector, and cameron barr like,
and I was like, oh, like I'mgonna be speaking about watches
on the same panel as cameron.
And they were like yeah, areyou okay with that?
And like do you know him?
And I was like yeah, I know him.

(42:19):
Yeah, like yeah, and uh, andever since then.
So I come in and there's thishuge like suite at the win that
they were like hosting it at,and I walk in and um, and I like
never, ever, thought like likeyou know, like we'd see each
other face to face again yeah,and and then, um, I like walk up

(42:42):
, I started looking at hisvintage watches.
I didn't say anything, I wasjust kind of like like under the
radar, and then he goes hello,blake, what's up.
Man, like hey, how are you dude?
Like like, give me, give me ahug.
And I was like, I was like dude, oh, what's up.
Like you know, like I wastrying to figure out how I could
break the ice, to be like, hey,dude, I met you, like last year

(43:03):
a while ago, yeah, exactly um,but he totally did it.
And then, uh, we had like reallygood chemistry on the panel, um
, and then and then I was likeall right, well, like maybe
he'll come on my podcast now youknow, like maybe he'll come on
my pocket.
And ever since then, like, uh,he came on the podcast and he

(43:26):
just kind of like learned whatwe're hoping to achieve and uh,
and yeah, we've been friendsever since and uh, we talk
pretty regularly he's.
He's in my group chat, likehe's in we have like a watch
club here in vegas, um, and wedid we did an event with doxa um
and cameron.
Like we posted the the eventthere and cameron texted me.

(43:47):
It's like, hey, dude, I'm gonnacall him like to your doxa
event, so awesome.
So he came and like everybodywas just like holy shit, like
cameron bar is in our watch cluband in our watch event like
like, uh, like you know,everybody's like dude, that's so
cool.
Even even the doxa rep was likelike how did?
Did you get Cameron to show upat your little watch club event?

(44:07):
Like I was like I don't know,that's so cool.
And then, yeah, like literallynow we've fostered like that
kind of bridging the gap betweenlike an enthusiast and like a
super collector, or like a superexpert or whatever enthusiast
and like a super collector orlike a super expert or whatever,

(44:27):
um, and and now when peoplepost like questions about
vintage watches in our chat,like cameron will step in and be
like hey, like it's, it's beensuper cool and I'm trying to to
work on a project with him.
Like I've got a concept, um,and hopefully that'll come
together, because this will beso sick, so I'm like hyping it

(44:50):
up.
So I'll tell you about it whenwe're not on record, but uh, but
no, no um and yeah, I mean theice cream thing is a thousand
percent right.
I mean there's so manydifferent flavors.
I mean going to a watch eventlike Wind Up or, you know,

(45:10):
intersect is like getting thoselittle ice cream spoons where
you know you try it on and theright watch for me is not going
to be the right watch for youand vice versa.
Okay, yeah, vice versa, okay,yeah.
And.
And the fact that somebody says, hey, this, this hobby is for
me and not for you is so weird,because this is already a very

(45:33):
small hobby, like I'd say.
I don't know the stats and Idon't even know if we'll ever
figure it out, but maybe one in10 or maybe one in 20 or one in
50 or one in one in a hundred.
I don't even know.
I don't even know.
Maybe one in a hundred or onein a thousand guys out there or
people might be a watchenthusiast yeah, right, like who

(45:55):
knows what that stat is, right,you know, and you get a lot of
people that just get oneSubmariner or get one Datejust
and be like cool, got it done,whatever.
I've got one dress watch, I gotmy G-Shock or whatever.
I got my Apple Watch and I justgot the two, I got one for
dressing up.
I got one for every day,absolutely.

Miss GMT (46:15):
And that's fine.

Blake Rea (46:18):
That's fine.
Uh, like somebody who, like ourmedia or our content, is going
to capture because we're heretalking obsessively about these
things, um, and, and that's okay, you know that's okay.
But to say like this isn't foryou, like yeah, it doesn't make

(46:40):
any sense no for sure.

Miss GMT (46:42):
I mean that again picking back off of how we
started the conversation of whyI started.
Uh, miss gmt, it's, it's trulybecause, as I was really getting
into watches and learning moreabout them and, you know,
falling down the rabbit hole ofalice in wonderland and
experiencing watches indifferent ways from events, like
learning more, getting exposure, like I realized, like I don't

(47:11):
A it was taking up my feed, likeon you know, my personal
Instagram page, I was like thisis, this is too much, this is
wild.
I'm not even responding to,like my friends and family at
all, cause I'm just like,literally on my explore page was
like all watches, likeeverything.
So I was like I might need tocompartmentalize this a little
bit because it's somewhat takingover.
And the second part of that islike outside of talking with my

(47:32):
partner, like even my immediatefriends, like not all of them
are watch enthusiasts or lovers.
Again, like you said, theymight have their one watch, like
you know, their Seiko, theirOmega, and they're happy with
that.
Like it doesn't go beyond that.
They're not trying to get theirnext timepiece, they're not
trying to like learn more aboutother brands or get exposure.
They're just happy and contentand that's totally cool.

(47:54):
But, again, like a largepercentage of my friends I
wouldn't say are watch peopleand I was like who else do I
talk about with this outside ofmy partner?
Like, when there is a newrelease or a brand you know I'm
not familiar with, or somethinghappens in industry, that's
really big news, like you know.
Like who do I share this withand how do I talk?

(48:16):
You can only talk with you know, like your SO for so much
before you just like know eachother, especially because you
probably have like similartastes already or like
understanding of each other,especially because you probably
have like similar tastes alreadyor like understanding of each
other.
So, again, when I wasmentioning if you all like the
same watch, how boring is that?
So, like I was seeking to likemeet people who were also
interested in watches, which iscrazy because I work for a very

(48:37):
large CPG, so at at like aheadquarters, so there's
thousands of people like in theplace that I work and I'd see
like a few watches here andthere, like you know all
different brands and same thing.
When I inquire like you know,oh my gosh, I love your watch.
Like tell me more.
Like it's just like, oh, Ibought this, or blah, blah, blah

(48:59):
, and that was it.
It like that's where it stayed.
So, even in an atmosphere wherethere's so much, you know,
diversity, different people,like it was hard to talk about
watches, so it just really doespaint how small this industry is
.
So for someone to be likethere's no room for you here,
it's like there's not a lot ofpeople here to begin with.
Um, so why don't you want towelcome different opinions and

(49:21):
you know?

Blake Rea (49:22):
it's like a spirit flight to hell with like a third
of the seats like consumed likecome on like you know I mean,
that sounds lovely.
On a long flight, being able tolike spread out like I might be
on that one yeah but thedestination is hell you know,
okay, yeah, so not a good way togo, uh, yeah, but but no, I
mean, and we're here, you know,okay, yeah, so yeah, but but no,

(49:44):
I mean, and we're here, youknow, but but no it it seems
weird.
It's something I've noticed toois people who really get into
watches.
They have a reason to get intowatches, you know, like, um,
like it's something that yousaid, like you got a watch for a
special occasion and thatopened the door.

(50:08):
Like you, you literally havepeople out there that are like
yeah, I have a blue outfit, Ineed a watch you know or I I I I
go into board room meetings alot and and everyone has one, so
I have to have one, yeah, or oreverybody's wearing an Apple
Watch and I want to.
You know, like level up orwhatever, yeah, and people like

(50:29):
that they don't end up in thisside of the hobby, like
consuming our content.

Miss GMT (50:37):
Definitely not listening.

Blake Rea (50:38):
Yeah, and that's totally okay, but you know
people that have a reason to getinto watches genuinely find
people like you, you know, andhopefully people like me.

Miss GMT (50:58):
Basis with a lot of people and secretly I had hoped
that I was going to meet morefemales, you know, in the hobby
or interested, and it started,you know, with a lot more brand
reps, I think, than enthusiasts,but like now, like a tremendous
overwhelm of people who areenthusiastic and wanting to
learn more and just trying toengage and be a part of the

(51:20):
community.
So that's my also ultimate goalby like putting my face on and
kind of like lifestyle is, likehoping that others will either
find inspiration to, you know,do it themselves, because
there's so much, there's a lotmore room in this ice cream
parlor for other varieties,right Like so, you know,
embracing that and hoping topromote people and encourage

(51:41):
people to do the same.
Like I've met a lot of greatwomen in the hobby and a lot of
them are on the more quiet sideand I'm actually like people
probably wouldn't believe it,but I'm actually an introvert,
like I'm a very quiet person.
So, you know, this is to somedegree like a lot for me, even
just being present on likesocial media and the capacity
that I am.
But I wouldn't do it if Iwasn't passionate about it, um,

(52:04):
and wasn't trying to like link,you know, the the ice cream
flavors, together with thewatches and brands that they
might like, um, and literallyjust dove with both feet and and
haven't stopped yet.
So would you say there'smisconceptions about the females
that are in the industry yeahand a lot of that comes from, I

(52:27):
think, the brands and and thesales side and the corporations.
Um, you know, there are certainbrands out there who don't put
a gender on their watch.
Like men's watch, women's watchfor women.
For men men's section, women'ssection.
You know, it's just truly like,ubiquitous, like if you're a
human and you like watches.
If you're a dog and you likewatches, check out nom.
You know, it's just truly like,ubiquitous, like if you're a
human and you like watches.
If you're a dog and you likewatches, check out Nomos.

(52:48):
You know, like, like kind oflike if you, if you like it,
you're going to like itregardless of what you are, how
you identify, which I think isawesome because, again, I come
from a CPG world.
So my whole life is trends,consumers, consumer data,
demographics, like looping thatall in together, creating
personas for people andconsumers and customers.

(53:09):
So I have a very unique, Ithink, lens from a professional
setting into, like, the hobby ofwatches, and that's something I
think about all the timebecause I can't just forget what
I know.
It's like a part of who I am,so I always think about that.
On the corporation side, I'mlike how, why would you want to
limit your audience and, and youknow, compartmentalize them

(53:31):
into just a smaller subset forpeople to, you know, embrace it
and enjoy it or even purchase it?
Right Cause, at the end of theday, these companies are trying
to make money.
They have to make money inorder to survive.
So I just I never understoodthat.
I'm like you're limiting youryou know your bandwidth and

(53:51):
where this could go.
So I definitely appreciate thebrands who aren't
compartmentalizing.
I do see it in design.
I think it's changing a lot,like I think there are a lot
more females in the game.
I think there's a lot more, youknow, males in the game who are
wearing smaller size watches orones with diamonds and bezels
Like I don't, and it's welcomedand it's becoming more of the
social norm and I think that'samazing and I'm glad that they

(54:13):
are doing so.

Blake Rea (54:14):
Um, yeah, Do you feel that brands are designing and
marketing timepieces for womenin a way that feels like
authentic, or do you see likethem missing the mark.

Miss GMT (54:35):
Some brands are working on it and probably are
hearing, like the females whoare in the game Again you take a
small industry.
You take the female side of itand it's even smaller.
But I think certain brands arelistening.
I'm sure if you've looked at myprofile before, you know that I
like tool watches and sportswatches.
I grew up playing sports.

(54:57):
No-transcript, try and get morein complications, because when

(55:24):
you think of female watches orwatch brands that are marketing
to females, there are so fewwith complications, like any
complication at all, outside oftime only, or date, function or
day, which is great and they'resuper useful.
Don't get me wrong, I rarelyknow what day it is or the date,
to be honest.
So without my watch or day,which is great and they're super
useful, don't get me wrong, Irarely know what day it is or
the date, to be honest.
So without my watch or iPhone,I would probably be lost or

(55:46):
forgetful.
But things like a retrograde or, again, gm, it's useful,
whether you're a guy or a girl,to know what time it is in a
different location, or tomeasure elapsed time or have a
chronograph like it's, not likea, you know.
Oh, only females usechronographs.

(56:07):
You know, like what I have.
Why?

Blake Rea (56:10):
do they?
Make time only watches for andmarket them to women you know,
something I've noticed that'ssuper odd to me is it seems like
every brand who like has aladies watch, like they'll put
like a mood phase on it becauselike, come on, is that?

Miss GMT (56:27):
yeah, is that maybe one day they'll match it with
our cycle or something, soyou'll know when to stay away.
Just kidding, um, yeah, like Idon't get that either.
And again, the sparkly element,or color spectrum like I have
blue and green watches, like Idon't.
I don't really love the colorpink Like I never have.

(56:48):
I've never been a super girlygirl, so and I just it's not a
color that's like that appealingto me, like certain shades of
it are.
Um, and there's obviouslyexceptions to that, like you
know, to me it's a very loweffort way to just be.
Like we put a pink gel on itand put some diamonds on it, so
like females will love it likelike what females?

Blake Rea (57:09):
take, take your mother of pearl doll and get out
of here and mother brokenbeautiful you know, I love it, I
love it, but we're not datapoints.
We're not data points.

Miss GMT (57:17):
We're real humans with varying interests, you know?
Yeah.

Blake Rea (57:28):
Would you say that the industry has like since
you've joined and startedcreating content?
Would you say that the industryhas, or maybe you've noticed
like an evolution andinclusivity, or maybe even
representation in the femaledemographics?

Miss GMT (57:39):
So I don't feel like since I start I mean, I've only
started my instagram a year anda half ago um, that's a long
time in the watch industryreally that feels like not think
about how many, think about howmany watch releases you've seen
in a year and a half.

Blake Rea (57:55):
There you go touche, touche.

Miss GMT (58:00):
You know, I don't know if I've noticed like a huge
influx.
I feel like it's always beenthere, it's just not again.
There's no platform for voicesto be heard, or maybe even the
desire to be as like out there.
Like you know, I am accessible,right, so I think it does exist
.
It just isn't maybe as likeapparent.

Blake Rea (58:24):
yeah, that makes sense would you feel like there
are females in the industry,maybe leaders that inspire you,
that maybe you feel like deservemore recognition, that maybe
just never cross into the maleside of the hobby?
Um, so again I brought the hardquestions.

Miss GMT (58:49):
That is a hard question.
That is a very hard questionand I can only like really touch
on my experience and I feellike I don't have a lot of
industry experience.
Um, like, I've met someindustry you know watch galleys,
but not like as much as I'dprobably like to.
So I feel like from myexperience I've there's more on
the watch enthusiast influencer.

(59:10):
So, like Georgia Benjamin is acontent creator and influencer
who loves watches and I thinkyou know she is completely.
She has a large following.
So obviously people know, knowher and like her, but her
passion, I mean it shows.
It shows, you know, what she'sinterested in.
She likes to go the extra milein terms of education as well,

(59:32):
of what she likes, which I feelis so important.
You know, I haven't dabbled tootoo much into vintage or even
neo-vintage, because there's alot, a lot there, a lot to
unpack there, but there's somuch, I feel like, in watches
that's like hidden or forgottenand social media has there's a
huge opportunity to highlightthings about watches that people

(59:54):
probably don't know, maybedon't care about, but that are
just unique and interesting tothat watch and deserve a moment
in the spotlight, even if it'sfor 30 seconds.
You know, and I think Georgiadoes a really great job of that,
you know, with vintage timepieces or even auction pieces.
That, like you know, that's thebeautiful thing about watch
auctions is like.
Same with art is you mightnever see someone or something

(01:00:18):
from like a piece of art or awatch like ever again and you'll
only get to see it andexperience it.
In this like watch auctionpreview or catalog online A
information about it.
B, it's just resurfacingbecause either someone's selling
it because someone passed awayor it's been in their family,
you know, for a while, forwhatever reason.
But some of these vintage orheirloom timepieces, like they

(01:00:41):
don't get like the time of dayto be seen and they might go
from a collector that it sat ina drawer or a safe for decades,
you know, and never really getsto see the light of day again
once it's sold.
So it's a huge opportunity tolearn more and see different
watches that you might not everget to see again.
Um, or same in the context ofart.

(01:01:02):
Um, which is so cool and such aunique experience.
Um, because I can speak like mygeneration we, we don't really
go to watch auctions or auctionsin general.
It's just not something I feellike is a cultural norm,
unfortunately, but it's anuntapped like occasion that I
just I would love to see more,and I mean I definitely have to

(01:01:24):
do a better job at making itthere myself, which is quite
difficult.
Again, I have a date, a kind ofpressing day job, so it's hard
to be multiple places at once ina certain timely manner.
So I mean I'm guilty, I don'tgo to many as much as I should,
but it's, yeah, sounderappreciated.

Blake Rea (01:01:44):
Yeah, I've only kind of watched the recaps of
auctions.
And to me it's just not veryappealing.

Miss GMT (01:01:51):
It's crazy too to see where the markets shift and go.
That's always interesting.

Blake Rea (01:01:57):
You don't get your very atypical collector that
shows up to it to an auction.
You know you get generally theI don't know if hype collector
is the right term, I mean again,I just yeah, you know first of
all, you get people that justthrow money yeah, throw money at
first, yeah, hey I want thisrare dial, this newman dial,

(01:02:21):
like you know, whatever texaspusher like daytona, and it's
like okay, like, whatever like,but but it doesn't.
I don't think it's a very kindof uh, accurate place to kind of
look for the overall kind ofgeneralized watch community,

(01:02:43):
because it's a very small subsetand demographic, um, so that's
particularly why I've never kindof like tracked them.
You know, I, I know as as aretailer, like if you're selling
watches, you probably should beaware of what's going on, um,
but just in my opinion, you knowmy opinion, yeah, um, no, I

(01:03:05):
encourage you then to get out tothe next auction or auction
preview if there's one nearby,because I I was pleasantly
surprised it wasn't all justvintage and it wasn't.

Miss GMT (01:03:14):
Obviously.
I feel like the hook or thedraw is definitely in that hype.
You know whether it's a certainperson who owned that watch and
that's why it's up for auctionand it's a big deal.
But I think, and the wholecollection of what's being shown
like that's where there's a lotof other really cool time
pieces that definitely don't getthat spotlight and that hook or

(01:03:36):
appeal, but there's a lot ofinterest there if you kind of
look and hunt for it a bit.

Blake Rea (01:03:46):
Yeah, no, or appeal, but there's a lot of interest
there.
If you kind of look and huntfor it a bit, yeah, no, I mean
that that definitely makes a lotmore sense.
Um, I've never really kind ofconsidered it from that
perspective.
Um, when we first started kindof this discussion on having on
the podcast, you know we talkedabout our alignment.
You know our objectives ofrecording this podcast, um, and
something that I think I wasvery vocal about, or maybe not,

(01:04:06):
you know, I want to see morefemales in the industry, like
personally I do.
I want to see a one-to-one ratio.
I know it's very challenging,right, I would love to see like
an equal one-to-one ratio ofmale to female or whatever you

(01:04:28):
identify as.
But you know, obviously, if youcould give some advice to maybe
those I know that's kind ofyour, your niche, like your,
your audience, you're trying tohelp kind of, you know, be that
introduction into the industry.
So if you could literallyvocalize some advice on hey,

(01:04:51):
here's what you should beprepared for If you do come into
the watch industry, um, I wouldlove to kind of hear you kind
of vocalize that.

Miss GMT (01:05:04):
Yeah, I mean again, for me my mission you mentioned
yours, was kind of the watchgeeks and watch nerds.
Mine is definitely exactly thatto you know have a platform that
not demystifies that's thewrong word but like, really is
approachable and breaks down thebarriers for females to enter
into the watch world.

(01:05:24):
You know, that's why a lot ofthe content I make might seem
like very entry level or likethis is a submariner, like this
is a GMT like, and people arelike duh, like we know that,
like, because I'm not trying totalk to you.
Like that's not necessarily thegoal and, honestly, I've gotten
a lot of good feedback oncertain things of I didn't know
about that or that was adifferent element that I wasn't

(01:05:45):
aware of, so that's also great.
But, again, the goal isultimately to lower the barrier
of entry for females to get inthis industry, like, like I did,
and I think there is a hugegroup of females, like young
professionals, who are lookingto a diversify financially, and
watches are a great assetwatches, art, um, to do that.

(01:06:05):
You know they can be liquid.
They obviously sometimes holdtheir value.
Again, that's not like the goalof it, um, but it still is what
it is and I think you find yourtribe and your community within
that, by the brands you likeand how you, you know, expose,
like, your collection andcontinue to collect and grow

(01:06:28):
along the way.
So, in terms of like, advice Iwould give, like I've already
had some females reach out andtry to start their own platforms
, and so it, you know it isdefinitely catching on like
wildfire.
I mean Sophie's Choice, sophie,and Geneva has her own handle
and profile and she's done agreat job of kind of a similar
thing, of making it moreaccessible, like with content,

(01:06:51):
as well as inspiring.
Like hey, we're here, and Ithink that's important in terms
of like a person behind theaccount, not just like wrist
shots constantly because itshows like you can do it too and
you can be a voice in theindustry.
And yes, you're going to meetheadwinds of people mansplaining
things to you or telling youthat you shouldn't wear that or

(01:07:11):
that's too big for you or whywould you like that?
Like get out of our boys club.
You know like that's going tohappen and like my advice is
just do you.
Like you're clearly evenslightly interested in it for a
reason, and whether that'sbecause you're looking for a
gift for your significant otherand you know that they're
interested in watches and youjust don't know where to start
or what to get them Like thatcould be an entry point.

(01:07:34):
Right, there are certain brandslike classics you know talked
about Rolex, omega, cartier thatmight be the gateway drug into
watches almost.
You know other brands, you knowresonance or Christopher Ward,
like I think also communicatingthat like there's different
points of entry.
It doesn't have to be hundredsof thousands of dollars,

(01:07:56):
hundreds of thousands of dollarsor you know thousands of
dollars like you can get amazingvalue or even a fun watch for
like 400 bucks and love it.
And it's functional.
You know, like that's, that'swild to me, like it's still as
manufactured.
Like it it works.
Maybe not quite as well, maybe,you know, the finishing isn't up
to par, but, like again, that'ssuper subjective and the

(01:08:19):
industry that we love it issuper subjective.
And that's why, you know, inthis ice cream parlor of watches
, like, there's room foreverybody, regardless of the
flavors you like, there's totalroom for everybody.
So I welcome females, I welcomemore males, just different,
diverse perspectives, becauseultimately, that's what makes
this worthwhile and so excitingand interesting.

(01:08:40):
Because I love my one friendwho always shows me the craziest
watches.
I'm just like where did youfind this?
Almost half the time.
And I love it because it pushesme to think differently and get
out of my own personal bias.
And while I don't think I findmyself purchasing one, I still
learned something new about thefunctionality and the human

(01:09:02):
behind the watch too.
And at the end of the day,we're all humans.
So again, just know, if you'regoing to start a social media
platform, you will get nasty,nasty comments.
You will get wildlyinappropriate comments, pictures
, which is shocking.
I mean that Instagram had tolike like you don't even want to
know.
That's a whole another poddiscussion podcast two um

(01:09:24):
episode two yeah rated r like umedition, yeah, after hours.
So you, you like, unfortunately,like you just have to be ready
for that, but again, for me atleast, like the passion
outweighs, like the negatives,like that, and you will find
your tribe Like I mean, there'sgirls that to me, like I

(01:09:50):
constantly reach out to andwe're always chatting and
chatting watches or life or evenfrustrations of like look at
this message I just got.
Can you believe the audacitythat a human behind a screen
wrote this Like who does that?
Just don't be that.
Guy, don't don't.
Or girl, it does.

Blake Rea (01:10:04):
Like whatever you are , just don't be that human do a
perfect segue into my nextquestion do you feel like the
industry is ready for it to beaccessible to the non-male
personas?

Miss GMT (01:10:26):
you know, I told you I was coming hard questions I, I
really think so, and I thinkcertain brands are trying and
and they're opening their arms,they're trying new things,
they're experimenting, they'rethey're listening in the best
ways they can.
I think some are completelyclosed off and it's just like if
you don't like us, we don'tcare.

Blake Rea (01:10:47):
What about the collectors?
What about the enthusiasts?
What about the hobbyists?

Miss GMT (01:10:52):
Sorry, repeat the question then in that context.

Blake Rea (01:10:56):
Do you feel like the industry is ready to make this
hobby accessible?
The the enthusiasts, thecollectors, the community.
Do you feel like they are readyto make it appealing?

Miss GMT (01:11:09):
Yeah, yeah, influencers and just diversity,
yeah, just just to embrace whatyou're doing.

Blake Rea (01:11:17):
Do you feel like the market and the industry and the
community and the scene, orwhatever you want to call it?
Do you feel like it's there yet?

Miss GMT (01:11:26):
Yes and no.
Again, I think certain brandsare welcoming it with open arms
more influencers, more diversity.
They're more inclusive to theopportunity for access, exposure
, what have you?
I think some people aren'tready but again, like most
social media or YouTube, youhave to subscribe, you have to

(01:11:46):
follow.
So if you really don't likethat person, like you're not
going to follow their content,right, you're going to block
them.
You're going to never look attheir content.
You know I might pop up in yourexplore page or something, but,
like again, you can easilyignore that.
So I think brands are some someare more ready than others and
embracing it with open arms.
Some brands are definitelyprobably not ready.

(01:12:09):
Like, if you think about thestructure, right now you have
new sources and outlets whichoften get paid, to my knowledge
like to say things about thebrand or the new release.
Like influencers, most of themare going to say what they want
to say, like, completelyunbiased.
Like I don't get paid for this,this is passion.
So, again, my mom taught me youknow, if you don't have
anything nice to say, don't sayit.

(01:12:30):
So sometimes silence says morethan than what you are saying.
But again, like influencers,brands might not be ready for
that backlash and what thehonest feedback is Right, so
that, I think, is an area thatthey're not ready for and
they're not ready and there's nosetup for that feedback Right,
because it's public.
So once it's out there, it'sout there, and I see that a lot

(01:12:53):
more with international brandsthat do have like in their like
website kind of like in a waylike not free press, um, it's
very interesting actually someof the language there for
certain international brands.
So I don't yes and no, like Ithink it's ready and I also
think it's not ready forinfluencers and more diversity.

(01:13:14):
I think to some degree you seeit with some collabs, um, you
know, different styles or orvariations that will accept like
a wider audience, um, and morediverse like people into watches
.
So less traditional mother ofpearl gem set, um, and something

(01:13:34):
funky like a number crushermonster that as time progresses
it's eating up you.
You know, like that's just kindof a wild dial variation on a
super fun watch.
So I think, like you know, noteveryone's gonna love that.
And then again back to the icecream analogy.
I think that's okay, but themore people that are welcomed
into this industry like, themore diversity you're gonna get

(01:13:58):
in exposure and that's anopportunity for brands and
people to rediscover brands thatthey maybe would have been
closed off to or like find outthat they love and want to try
it out.
So I think it's a good thingand I think it definitely want
to encourage that, whetherbrands are ready or not.

Blake Rea (01:14:17):
Do you, do you feel like we're coming to the end of
our our time here and I have afew more kind of like, kind of
more interesting questions.
Do you feel like the nextgeneration of females that that
female watch enthusiasts do youfeel like they're gonna have a
different experience enteringthe industry?

Miss GMT (01:14:38):
um, totally no, you do .
You have sorry, I didn't wantto know no I.

Blake Rea (01:14:45):
I was trying to elaborate a little bit but I
guess you understood.

Miss GMT (01:14:47):
I was trying to mansplain the question a little
more oh yeah, I mean feel youfeel free to get it all out
there.

Blake Rea (01:14:53):
No, no, it was, it was out there, it was out there
jumped on it too quickly yeah,yeah, you, you tackled it very
quickly.
Um, yeah, I mean.
So I'm just curious because youknow, like I said, part of my
mission and our, our goals arevery much aligned that I, I want
to see more, you know,diversity, inclusion.

(01:15:18):
I want to, I want to grow thishobby like I want to grow, I
want my passion to, to beinfectious to other people, um,
and I'm the same, like I'm thesame, like this isn't what pays
my bills.
You know, this is a hobby, thisis a passion.
You know I, I don't, I don'tmake a lot of money doing this,

(01:15:42):
you know, and I'm not the guythat's gonna like I mean, you
don't, you don't see me talk badabout, about watches or, or
brands, or products or whatever,because I'm not trying to to,
to highlight the negatives.
You know, like if a watch comesin and I have no, and it's

(01:16:02):
happened, it's happened so manytimes where a watch comes in and
I get hit, get hands on with itand I'm just like I'm not gonna
do press on this because Idon't have anything good to say.
You know, and I just don't wantto make a very bashful video
like this is not the type ofproducer, like content producer

(01:16:23):
that I am right and um, and yeah, you know I, I just want my
voice to be the same, equal, or,you know, just as loud as
somebody else is out there,without going down the different
path.
You know, because I couldcertainly, you could certainly

(01:16:45):
take money from, from brands toto say what they want you to say
, um, and it's a very easy Iwouldn't I don't know if easy is
the right word, but it's a veryprofitable path, um, to go down
.
But that's not why I'm here andthat's not why you're here, and

(01:17:08):
I think that that's what stuckout.
You know, um, whenever I had,kind of like, followed your
content and became a fan of whatyou were doing and I, I very
quickly kind of realized, like,what you were, what you were
trying to do.
You know it wasn't, you know I,I realized, of course, like you
weren't your, your contentwasn't for me, but I still

(01:17:31):
enjoyed it.
You know, I still enjoyed the.
You know the reason why you putit together, um, but but no, um
, you know, and I just want tosee the hobby grow and I just
want to see more people like you, more females, um, I want to
see that.
That dei right, like we needsome dei hires.

(01:17:54):
You know, like in the industry,um and and and and.
Yeah, I just I don't know, Ijust want to be able to, to give
, and that's going back to, like, my mission very briefly.
Um, like me and Justin talkedabout like, like who our podcast

(01:18:15):
is for and who is not for Right, and we we had a lot of like
who is for, but we don't have alot of who is not for right and
we wanted to to level that, thatplaying field where I mean, if
you're a designer or if you're aceo, or if you're a super nerdy

(01:18:37):
watch enthusiast, or if you'rea CEO, or if you're a super
nerdy watch enthusiast, or ifyou're just starting out and
you've got one citizen watch inyour collection and you have
some interesting perspectives onwatches, you have the

(01:18:57):
opportunity to come on mypodcast.

Miss GMT (01:19:00):
I love that, do the people know that I mean
obviously a relationship okay Ihope so.

Blake Rea (01:19:10):
Um, when it, when I first started, like it just kind
of spiraled so quickly becauseour first guest was jose
perestroika periscope, like thatwas our first guest like I was
like I, I want to set the bar,you know, like I want to, like,

(01:19:32):
I want to talk about shit thatnobody's talking about, you know
, um, yeah, and and no.
And then it just became, Irealized, very, very shortly
into it, it was more aboutpersonality and perspective than
it was about like.
And something I've noticed too,like with a lot of the other

(01:19:55):
influencers, is they're veryproduct driven.
You know, they're very, they'revery, sales focused.
Hey, this is this watch, thisis what it does, this is what
it's made from, this is thereason why you should buy it.
Yeah, and to me it didn't seemlike it seemed like an
undertapped market where I'mlike, hey, like, I'm an

(01:20:18):
enthusiast, like you, I don'tcare what you buy, like, it
makes no difference to me whatyou buy, what you own, what you
collect, like, yep, it makes nodifference to me.
But here's why, yeah, here's,here's why I collect what I
collect, or here's why I feellike you know you, here's what I
feel like you should consider,or or maybe like, so, the.

(01:20:39):
The discussion then became likehow do we embrace and how do we
talk directly to the community,the, the, the watch enthusiasts
, instead of the watch consumers?
Because there is a differenceyeah there is a difference.
You know, you have the very kindof, uh, methodic collectors

(01:21:02):
that collect very strategically,that spend years deciding which
piece they're going to bringinto their collection, versus
somebody that says, hey, I'mwearing a blue suit and I need a
watch that goes with it, um,and I have another million
watches or what.
You know what I mean.
Like, you have those collectorsthat think about that, um, like
how do I wear this watch andwhen do I wear it?

(01:21:24):
Um, and so we kind of made thatconscious decision of of who to
message to, yeah, and I hopepeople know it.
I hope people know it.
I mean, if, if they don't know,you're listening to this right
now.

Miss GMT (01:21:40):
Contact Blake and ask him if you want to go on the pod
.

Blake Rea (01:21:44):
It's been very much like that.
Like we've had guests on thathave came on our podcast and I
hope this happens to you thatthey say, like hey, I had such a
good time, this was super fun.
Like thank you for letting melike say what I wanted to say.
Like we don't edit shit.
Like we don't censor anythingLike there's no censorship here,
and I had such a good time andI know somebody that'd be a

(01:22:08):
great fit for your podcast, youknow, and that just happened
with Ulysses Nardin.
The president of Ulysses Nardincame on our podcast FX and he's
like he shot me a text.
He's like he, he shot me a text.
He's like, blake, like I gotyour next podcast guest and I
was like within two seconds theguy was scheduled and and on the
calendar, amazing, and uh, andI think he's, I mean, I think

(01:22:31):
it's before you.
So if you're, if you'relistening to miss gmt now, then
you just listen to that podcast.
But, um, but, but no, no, Imean I've been very transparent,
um, in my objectives and I willcontinue to do so.
Um, and you know we can look atother publications and and how

(01:22:54):
they went wrong, because theywere that voice for collectors
that underrepresented,misrepresented, confused, or
maybe that honest yeah, thathonest opinion that you know
people needed, and, and youdon't see that very much in the

(01:23:16):
industry, which is sad.
which is sad, you know, I, I, Idon't, I don't, I hope I never
sell out.
You know, I hope I never sellout Um, and and yeah.
So I hope people know that.

Miss GMT (01:23:34):
Yeah.

Blake Rea (01:23:35):
Sorry, there's my rant.

Miss GMT (01:23:37):
That was.
That was a great rant anddefinitely you're going to have
to check out.
You know the podcast before meif you're listening to this, but
again the podcast after andafter.
And then if you want to joinand and have your perspective
heard, yeah, yeah.

Blake Rea (01:23:53):
Yeah, I mean everybody, I think, knows how to
reach me.
I get plenty of hate mail, soyou probably know how to reach
me.
um, but, but no stop that, yeah,I um I definitely think oh, go
ahead yeah, I, I, I just want to, uh, to kind of bring things
home here.
I want to thank you for comingon sharing your perspective.

(01:24:15):
You know, being, uh, you know,daring enough, I think, is the
right word, to come into thishobby and and to be so
passionate about it and to toremain infectious.
You know about your passion, um, yeah, take, take notes, ladies
, if you're listening, oranybody who wants to join the

(01:24:37):
industry.
You know, I think, uh, there'salways a place for a voice.
You know, like we just had theelections right, like everybody
like has a voice.
You know, um, and you should,you should speak, you know,
because there will be somebodylistening.

Miss GMT (01:24:57):
So absolutely, and you have the opportunity, when you
do speak, to shape the industry.
It's definitely happening, asyou mentioned, certain
publications getting you knowsome negativity versus
influencers who maybe are morenegative, or calling things out
that you know brands might notbe happy with.
But people are going to belooking at watch buying

(01:25:19):
differently for the futuregenerations.
So things like social media,different platforms that cater
to a different audience,different publications that
maybe aren't focused in watches,that do start covering watches
and the people who are speakingabout that are going to shape
the landscape and how peoplelook at watches, what they buy,
how they buy it.

(01:25:39):
Um, so I definitely think it isshifting for future generations
and, uh, again, your voiceshould be heard, because
diversity is what makes thisindustry amazing.

Blake Rea (01:25:50):
So yeah, yeah, totally.
Um, thank you again forspending so much of your time
with us.
This is literally a shortfeature film.
Um, I, I loved it.
Um, I feel like you know, andif you've listeners, if you've
made it this far, thank youthank you.

(01:26:11):
No, I mean, um, I'm gonna belooking at the data on this one.
You know, I'm definitely Idon't look at very much data,
but I'm gonna be looking at thedata on this one.
And, uh, I'm definitely I don'tlook at very much data, but I'm
going to be looking at the dataon this one and uh, and if you'd
help amplifying your voice,reach out to blake or myself and
I will make sure, in thedescription that we link miss

(01:26:32):
gmt and you know where you canfind her um and and yeah, yeah,
thank you so much thank you forhaving me and anytime you know
you want me back, you know howto find me.
So we're definitely gonna haveto have the after hours
discussion later, because thatwould be some controversial shit
that we could talk about oh,100, and we're gonna need some

(01:26:54):
some p or pg-13 ratings on thattoo this is a rated r podcast
already, so but awesome.
Thank you so much, and we willtalk to you very soon thank you.

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