Skyler Santana: What Your Favorite Watch Creators Won't Tell You

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Blake Rea (00:02):
Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of
the Lonely Wrist Podcast.
I am your host, as always,blake Ray.
We have yet another amazingguest, this guest whose entire
YouTube presence is focused onbuilding the watch community.
Not only that, but spotlightingand focused on affordable and

(00:23):
obtainable watches.
His transparency and passion isat the forefront of every
YouTube video he puts out.
By now you might know that I amsitting down with Skylar
Santana, or you may have seenhim on YouTube.
Welcome to the show, brother.

Skyler Santana (00:39):
Thank you so much, blake.
I really appreciate you havingme.
That was a fantastic intro andI'm just dude.
This is what it's all about.
Doing stuff like this is whatmakes collecting all worth it,
so it's a pleasure to be on man,and I'm excited to talk some
watches with you.

Blake Rea (00:56):
Yeah, me too.
I was really excited.
The way that we met is I wasreally excited when I mean I
don't check my Instagram likeDMs.
I may check my DMs, but I don'tcheck.
Like I guess Instagram hasdecided to not send me all the
DMs, um, but you had DMed me andsaid like hey, join the the
watch YouTube.

(01:17):
Um, like watch YouTube contentcreators, like what's up, chad,
and like everybody, pretty mucheverybody's in there Like, and
the second I saw it.
I joined and I was like man,this is cool.
And then I started pokingaround.
I saw who was in it and I waslike oh, okay, cool, like this
is a, an all-star roster thatyou put together.

And, yeah, I consider myself lucky.
I just, you know, shot my shotand I got some pretty nice names
in there.
Because, look, we all know thecontent creators know what we're
going through, right, we allknow the struggle, we all know
the pains.
And I figured that if we couldbounce things off of each other,
if we can have that dialoguebehind the scenes just to better

(01:58):
each other and help each otherout, I figured that that'd be a
nice thing to do.
So, yeah, I had to send you, Ihad to be a little thirsty and
send you a message and say, hey,what's going on with me getting
on this, uh, this channel ofyours?
Because I really love your workand I love what you do and I
think that you are going to be arocket ship, sir, like you are
really going to explode for thestuff that you're doing.

(02:19):
Well done.

Blake Rea (02:20):
Yeah, I've been trying to be like the
anti-growth content creatorbecause, you know, I've found
and I've talked to a lot ofpeople about this, you know,
like I could join a PR companyand you know they could kind of
send me into the stratosphereHopefully it doesn't sound
arrogant, but, no, like I reallywant my audience to find me and

(02:43):
then to connect with me, uh,because then they're going to be
more engaged, you know.
So I'm, I'm, I'm definitely inthe space of, of, of a micro
influencer, whatever you want tocall me, uh, and I like being
in that space because Icommunicate directly to my crowd
.
Um, I have, you know, I wasexpecting, as as my channel grew
, for my access to grow, uh, butmy access I've been lucky

(03:06):
enough to get access to all thebrands that I dreamed about
working with.
So my size hasn't hindered myability to.
I mean, if anything, the onlything that's hindered is my
frequency to put out content.
So maybe, as I grow, I'll beable to do more with less, or
vice versa, I'll be able to domore with less, or vice versa.
I'll be able to to, to investinto my content.

(03:27):
But, but, yeah, I'm, I'm gladto be in the space.
I've been in the watch communityfor a really long time.
Um, you know, I I don't want mypassion to change as I become,
you know, a creator and you knowsomebody who gets to kind of
peel back the curtains, uh, butI really want for the watch
industry to be more transparent.

(03:47):
You know, I want there to be alevel playing field.
I want to be able to intropeople into the community, to be
welcoming, like you know,because you can go down some
rabbit holes and I don't wantthem to.
I mean, if I'm lucky enough tobe able to sit down for people
to enjoy my content, then thenyeah, I'm, I'm, I'm fortunate,
and this was just really juststarted off as just us having

(04:08):
these conversations, you know,and just putting them online,
and not necessarily even as asas a podcast with that intent,
but, uh, just to have thesediscussions and to share them
publicly, um, and so I couldeven just go back and listen to
them or share them, you know,with with friends, you know,
more so than the overallcommunity.

(04:28):
So it spiraled really reallycrazy.
Um, at this point, and and nowI mean it's weird to sit back
because we just started, liketwo years ago, so maybe a year,
like two years, and a little bitof change.
And and now I mean focusingjust on the podcast.
You know the YouTube issecondary, the website, it's a

(04:50):
lot.
It's a lot for one man at thispoint.

So I totally understand that and I think you
already handed out a very goodgem.
And when I say that I mean youknow, when you want to do watch
content on YouTube, you want tobe authentic and you want to get
away from trying to be trendy.
You want to get away fromtrying to just grow your channel
just for the sake of it.
I think that what I always liketo say is I think every watch

(05:15):
enthusiast should considercoming on and doing content.
It may not be for you, but ifit intrigues you, even the
slightest, you should at leastconsider it and try it, because
I think we all have a differentperspective that we can give,
and as long as that perspectiveand what you're trying to do is
very authentic.
And, of course, you always wantto add value to what you're

(05:37):
doing and what you're saying,because that matters.
Right, if you are going to givecontent, you have to give value
with it.
But I think you giving that gemearly on to say that you're not
really worried about the growthas much as you are worried
about being authentic and givingraw content and being true to
yourself where the people thatare going to connect to.
That is what's going to matterthe most at the end of the day

(06:00):
and that's going to be the mostenjoyable for you.
It's sustainable, right?
I think.
If you're not being yourself,it's very difficult to continue
that, or at least you'refighting against the grain and
therefore the trials andtribulations that are to come
are going to be very difficultmoving forward.
So that's the thing that I'venoticed with being on YouTube.
I think I'm a little bit over ayear now.

(06:22):
I started by just jumping in.
I had no business releasing myfirst videos, but you know, I've
just been that type of guy dudeLike you're either a person
that goes for swimming lessonsor your father throws you into
the pool and you learn how toswim.
I'm the second version and Iwas unafraid of, you know,
putting my stuff out there veryearly on, being very raw, being

(06:43):
very new, being very green andthen learning through the
process and just showing that.
And I wanted to be able toinfluence those people who are
considering coming on YouTubeand talking about watches.
Like dude, if you think thatyou are not prepared for YouTube
as a watch enthusiast to talkwatches, just watch one of my
first videos.

(07:04):
Actually, my second video is myfirst video, but watch any of
those and if you want to thinkunpolished, those are very
unpolished and where I am todayI'm very proud of and I think
that I align with your goals ofbeing authentic and I think
that's important for us.

Blake Rea (07:20):
It is.
I mean, people see rightthrough it.
You know, I think the lineshave been blurred, no matter
what industry you're in, betweengenuine, passionate content
creator, influencer or brandshill whatever you want to call
it out there.

(07:45):
You know, like, I'm a fan of mybrands.
You know, I've been a fan of mybrand since day one, um, and so
it's really hard to be um, like, I guess, like, really neutral.
You know, it's one of thethings that all of us, I think,
as content creators, strugglebecause when you're working with
brands like the way that theytreat you, whether you're're
easier to work with or you'reharder to work with, um, that

(08:07):
makes me want to, I guess youknow, like, like, be a fan even
more.
Like there's brands that I loveto work with, um, that are
easier to work with, and I lovethem just for that reason.
Is it going to influence what Isay when I say it?
Probably not, because therethere is a lot of the content
that I produce is just myopinion and um.

(08:28):
I've tried to take a differentapproach because brands have
sent me scripts and they saidhey, look, here's what we want
you to say, here's what, here'sthe talking points that we want
you to talk about and I'm justlike look, I'm not your, I'm not
that type of creator, likethat's not, I'm the, I'm the
wrong guy, you know, for yourtype of content and there's
people out there, right, but youknow I don't, I don't sell

(08:49):
watches.
I can't, I can't monetize thebackend of this Like everybody
else can, every other YouTubecreator, can you know, you and I
, like, we don't sell watches.
Um, so, with that being said,um, I'm I'm even conflicted
about how I monetize myrelationships in the watching
industry, because if I takemoney from a brand, like, how is

(09:10):
that going to affect myperception of the brand?
Or how am I gonna?
How am I gonna treat themdifferently?
Like there's brands.
If you look back in my in mycareer, my history of talking
about watches on the internet,some of the earliest brands I
talk about I, I, I was fortunateenough now to now work with
them.
You know, like, I love Panerai.

(09:31):
I think everybody in the worldhates Panerai for some reason.
So I have, I love Hublot.
I think everybody who I knowhates Hublot makes fun of me for
for owning Hublot.
Um, so, with that being said,like, this is a weird, a weird
place to navigate.
I don't ever plan to sellwatches.
I don't ever plan, you know,like, if, if I can build an

(09:54):
audience based on attention andcontinue to be myself and
transparent, that there there issustainability, there.
I can't, I can't go on and puton a mask and be.
You know who the internet wantsme to be like.
That just isn't going to workfor me and uh, and so as I
continue to grow, you know I Imean, I reply to every single
youtube comment, you know, Ihope in the future.

(10:16):
I can continue doing that, youknow, um, but but no, I just
don't see the long-term benefitin talking about watches and
then selling watches, becauseit's kind of, like I've
referenced in the past, like MadMen the show, where in the
whole first season they'retalking about smoking research

(10:38):
and how they can market smokingand cigarettes in the tobacco
industry.
And then when they go in and doall these like clinical trials,
they're like, oh well, it givesyou lung cancer and you know,
like this and that, and you knowit's mortality, it gives you a
higher mortality rate, um, in aweird way.
But then they're like, oh well,smoking's cool.
They're like, oh, let's justfocus on the cool angle.

(11:00):
That's what they settle on.
That's the way I think aboutthe watch industry.
Like these, these watches, Imean, can put people down rabbit
holes.
They can put people infinancial harm.
Uh, people get so passionateabout the watch community, the
watch products, the industry, um, you know we have to be
responsible as creators, youknow, as, as people who are, are

(11:22):
educating customers or friendsor whatever, our audience,
whatever you want to call them,I call them friends, audience,
whatever, um, but other brands,customers, uh, that we just have
to be careful, you know, um,yeah, and, and I'm I'm not one
to go out there and just shit ona brand.
So that's the reason why younever hear me say anything bad,

(11:45):
because I I grew up in a familylike my father taught me if I
don't have anything good to say,just don't say it.
So if I have, if I havesomething negative to say, I'm
just not going to do the content, I'm just going to kill the
content.
Yeah, you know, that's it.
So you know that's the reasonwhy.
And is there things that I'dlike to change about what?
Yeah, I talk about those.
You know, it's like like, likezenith is a fan that I a fan

(12:06):
that I, I'm a fan that I love,or, and you know, I brought up
how shitty their bracelet was onthe podcast with them and how
they you know how that.
You know when are they readingit?
Get some changes.
Or, doxa is another super fan,um, another super fan of doxa.
But I brought up their, theirsub 200 t with all the diamonds,
like what the hell was thatabout you?
know like and I got some clarityon that and a lot of people

(12:29):
came back and sent me some DMslike thank you for helping us
understand what the hell thiswas about.
But no, and there also issomething that I believe in and
you can go read about it, butthere is a code of ethics for
journalism that you have to.
I, I, I live by that.
I literally have a notepad upwhen, um when, I'm putting

(12:53):
together content about, like youknow, the transparency.
You know, I think transparencyis very important.
So, and now you start to seebrands that are blurring the
lines, whether it's know,in-house movements or rebranded
movements.
Or you know, you have watchretailers that are like media
outlets that are owned byconglomerates like LVMH or
Swatch Group.
Or you know like it's hard.

(13:16):
It's a hard industry to be in.

No, I definitely agree with you.
And if I could touch on thepoint you were making about
taking sponsorships from brandsdirectly when you're doing a
review video, right For me, I'vecontemplated this and you know,
of course, this is a hobby ofours Most of us, it's a side
hustle or it's a hobby.
You know we have a day job.
Is the point right?

(13:39):
So, in order to be sustainableor in order to grow as a content
creator and being able to putin more into your channel and
just be able to expand yourreach, right?
There is that part where it'slike okay, if I take money from
this brand and I do a review forthis watch, am I being
authentic?
And for me, I've contemplatedthis a lot and my remedy to that

(14:02):
would be I don't take moneydirectly from that brand.
If a watch brand wants me to doa review of their watch, I
would rather take a sponsorshipto, let's say, a watch box
company that I really believe in.
Like if Wolf said hey, we loveyou as a content creator, would
you be willing to throw thisinto your content and it has

(14:23):
nothing to do with that watch?
Would you be willing to throwthis into your content and it
has nothing to do with thatwatch.
I think that that's moreresponsible and also, of course,
being authentic to the factthat I really do still believe
in that product is a thing, butI think that the misdirection of
taking money from somethingthat has nothing to do with that
actual brand that you'retalking about on set video is

(14:44):
probably my best thing to do tooffset that kind of compromisal,
because, at the end of the day,even if you're super authentic,
there's going to be people thatare going to feel that it's
impossible if you took money todo this review, and I respect
that and I do understand that toa level.
So that's my way of kind ofoffsetting that for sure.

(15:04):
And I think that the mission ofbeing authentic and true to
your content and delivering whatis your real feels, even when
you're faced with the owner,like you did, right, I think
that that's important.
I think that we shouldn't shyaway from that.
Any content creator right.
If you're in fear of seeing howyou think a watch should truly
improve or if there's somethingthat's questionable like you

(15:27):
mentioned, the diamonds in aparticular watch I think that we
should be unafraid to bringthat up with the actual brand
face-to-face, and that should bethe actual, true feedback that
they're looking for in gettingthat kind of collaboration.
For us doing the review of thewatch.
That's the whole entire point,right?

(15:48):
It's not just about saying howyour watch is the most perfect
watch in the world.
It's about how I think you canimprove and how.
This part is a littlequestionable to enthusiasts.
So you should value thatfeedback and listen.
If I do a collaboration with abrand and that means to them
that that's the termination ofour collaboration, if you will,

(16:10):
then so be it.
There's so many brands that areout there, so if you're going
to blacklist me for beingauthentic and being real, then
no problem.
There's plenty of other fish inthe sea, if you will totally.

Blake Rea (16:23):
yeah, I've, I've, I've struggled with the, I guess
, the morality behind it and, ina way that I have approached it
and this is just me and I'venever publicly said this, it was
the first ever, but I figuredwhat I love it better way to say
it was somebody who understandsand we can have this discussion
, because I can't have thisdiscussion with brands, you know

(16:44):
.
I mean, I can have thisdiscussion with other creators,
um, like, will I accept watchesas as gifts?
Will I keep?
Yes, I will, right, I mean 100,but what they?
As long as I throw thatstipulation out there that I'm
going to say what I want to say,you're never going to get a

(17:05):
chance to approve my contentahead of time.
You're going to see it wheneverybody else sees it, yes.
And the other side is will Itake money from a brand?
Yes, I will.
Will I take money from a brandfor a positive review?
No, I won't.
The way, the way that I do it is, I say look like I'm going to
be doing photo, I'm doing video.
If you're going to pay me,you're paying me for my photo

(17:27):
and my video.
You're not paying for mypositive endorsement.
I'll send you the photos, I'llsend you the videos.
You can use those for you know,your, your, whatever you want
marketing.
You know product shots,whatever, whatever you can use
those Right?
So you're paying for my media,you're not paying for my
endorsement, you know, andthat's one way that that for me
still feels okay.

(17:50):
I guess you know, and, ifanything, all these brands are
taking our money anyways, like,if anything, I'm, I'm, I'm
taking the money from them andgiving it back to us.
You know, like is the way I seeit, like I am, my not is not
for sale.
You know, uh, yes, you know, myopinion is not for sale.

(18:10):
Um, I, I, I do have, likeeverybody, as a content creator,
like I have brands and I'm morebiased towards that I that I
love more than others, you know.
and I stand behind those brands,you know like it's a it's a
great one that I get so much.

Bell and Ross is another one I get so much hate
for loving, at least in the inthe streaming world, cause I do
some streaming with some people,you know, I do some streaming
with trap and all those peoplelike um, so, so, anyways, rant
over you know let me just addsomething to that, because I
want to add my experience, and Ihad this only happen to me once

(18:48):
and I'm not going to mentionthe brand because that's not the
important part Even to theeffect where the brand told me
that, hey, you should list allof the good things about the
watch in the beginning of yourvideo, in the first 30 seconds,
and then you could do whateveryou want after the fact.
And I told them I'm like thatain't going to happen, that's

(19:08):
not how I do my watch reviews.
You're not going to be incontrol of how I deliver that
content.
So I said thank you for youropinion, but at the end of the
day, this is my channel and I'mgoing to do the review how I
need to.
And they didn't give menecessarily a script, but they
were trying to control how Idelivered it and I just told

(19:29):
them absolutely not.
And I stand on business at thatpoint and you know what.
They continue to work with meand I think that that's just the
integrity part.
Dude, like, yeah, man, and youmentioned how you support brands
that are not favorable.
I have brands.
Now, the difference between youand I?
I'm a really big web-basedbrand right Watch enthusiast

(19:50):
brands.
I don't call them micro brandsbecause I feel like, dude,
here's the thing, and I'm notthe type of person where it's
like oh, santana's caught up onWordplay, I'm not.
The thing is it's like I'mreally hell-bent on calling them
watch enthusiast brands insteadof micro brands, because
there's nothing micro about them.
Granted, they only produce Xamount of watches per year, but

(20:13):
the amount of passion and thethings that they do to
contribute to the community,whether it be going to the shows
which we've heard from IslanderMark, how much that costs and
what the real return is for that, that's pure passion.
At the end of the day, when youcount dollars, it's just the
amount of passion that they putinto getting access to us and

(20:34):
giving back to watch enthusiastsand connecting to us constantly
.
Yeah, man, I've backed a lot ofbrands that people are not
favorable for for maybe pasthistories or maybe using an NH35
.
So, dude, that problem thatyou're having happens in my
world as well with theseweb-based brands.
And listen, I stand my groundwith them and I love who I love,

(20:57):
and there's reason behind it.
And if you don't mess with thatcool, then I guess my channel
is not for you.
I'd love to have you, but ifyou really can't tolerate it, it
is what it is.
I got to stay true to myself.
You know what I mean.

Blake Rea (21:12):
That's how you piss the uh, the watch industry, the
online watch industry, off.
Give them an nh35 and sell nh35movement at 800 or more.

Oh yeah, that's how you piss them off totally,
it's the threshold's, not even800, it's like 600 probably.
Now, dude, it's the thresholdfor an nh35 if you're over 200
or 250.
Because you got to remember,you have a lot of Chinese brands
, right, the mass-producedbrands.
They get thrown into the mixeven though they have nothing to

(21:41):
do with web-based brands, right, they're completely separate.
San Martin, san Martin's kindof blurring the lines a lot.
But other than that, if you putan NH35 in your actual watch
and I'll give you an example,this is my Venetianico
Rendendore Aventurina.
This has an NH35.

(22:01):
This is $500 plus.
Oh my God, people get so upsetthat I even purchased that watch
.
But it's like, I love the watch, I love the design, I love the
brand.
I met them in person.
What other brand can you meetthe owner and have a cup of
coffee or go grab dinner with?
I mean, I have to put valueinto that personally and that's

(22:26):
the reason why I've been socaught up with these web-based
brands why I've been so caughtup with these web-based brands.

Blake Rea (22:35):
Yeah, yeah, no, I, I, I love that.
I love that you know there'saccessibility.
You know they're they, theylisten, you know, I think that's
the biggest thing that I'venoticed, like in this project,
lonely wrist is working withbrands of all sizes.
You know, I've worked with, youknow, brands that have two
watchmakers.
You know, like isotope is onethat immediately comes to mind,

(22:55):
like I mean, not that they havetwo watchmakers, but they're a
very small one-man show.
You know, um and then and then,yeah, you've got bigger brands,
like you know zenith is a brand.
I was just, we were just talkingabout before recording and um,
and yeah, you, you know you getto see the variance between them
, but there would be no suchthing as a, as a uh, an

(23:17):
enthusiast brand if the bigbrands listened.

Fair enough.

Blake Rea (23:23):
And I've said that before and and they gave you
watches at accessible pricepoints.
You know there'd be no suchthing.
As you know, there'd be no suchthing as as a san martin or you
know whatever right insertbrand here.
Um, so I'm curious, for wehaven't even done a wrist check.
We're like 20 minutes in.

I don't know I was I was literally waiting for
you to finish because I wasgoing to tell you we've done the
cardinal sin we have not done awrist watch I?

Blake Rea (23:48):
I'm not.
I'm not known for doing wristchecks all the time, unless
there's a really special guest,so we're going to do one today.

I'm very honored sir.

Blake Rea (23:57):
Please share with me, sir, what is on your wrist.

So when I do a wristwatch tech, I like to take
the watch off my wrist.
You can put me up on screen andblow me up, because I'm going
to put this very close to it.
This is an ISL 245 Miota 95,better known as the Islander,
and I put my little spin on it.
This bezel insert is actually acustom.

(24:20):
Sorry, mark, I'm a degeneratewatch modifier, but at the end
of the day it has a white dialand I wanted to accentuate that
throughout into the actual bezelinsert itself.
So I have that on wrist.
Don't take me off screen yet,because I'm actually double
wristing.
Yes, sir, I'm part of thedouble wrist club.
Now, on my second wrist perfect, on my second wrist I have the
Brew Lumiment and I just pickedthis up in Jonathan's pop-up

(24:41):
shop that he has in New Yorkstill currently going on.
I'm a big fan of brew and, asyou can see, an Islander plus a
brew obviously means that I'm abig New york web-based brand
supporter, and I think it'simportant for us to support
those brands in the terms ofhaving tariffs amongst us.
What do you have on risk, sir?

Blake Rea (25:01):
uh, I was trying to get this watch ready for our,
our show.
As I'm sure you were watchingme trying to struggle with the
bracelet, I did.
Um, I am wearing the newmaurice lacroix 1976 nice super
amazing.
I still haven't even took thesticker off the back.
Um, yeah, I know mauricelacroix is a cool brand.

(25:25):
They're a brand that I have alot of respect for.
They're a brand that also do alot of work with.
We're doing a show.
By the time this drops, it'sgoing to be in the in the past.
I'm gonna be talking about thefuture uh show.
But, um, but no, next week Ihave, I have an event with them
and I'm sitting down on thepanel doing a moderation with
the managing partner of mauricelacroix here in vegas.

(25:49):
So super cool.
Um, so I told them, you know,they're like hey, like, what do
you need from us?
And I'm like well, if I'm gonnabe talking about maurice
lacroix, I need a mauricelacroix, so it makes sense.
So, here now and I I I'm notsure if I get to keep this yet.
I hope so, because I probablyfucked the bracelet all up.
But no, no, I feel like this isa great one to bring because

(26:17):
it's new, it's one of theirdressier pieces, it's a timeless
watch, it's got a beautifulserver dial and, yeah, yeah, I
mean it's got a nice littleexhibition case back.
They're not using anything toofancy, all the Salida stuff,
which I don't mind at this pricepoint.
This is like a I think it'slike a 13 1400 watch, um.

(26:38):
But yeah, I wanted to get itready for tonight because I'm
doing a watch club meet uptonight and and, yeah, I wanted
to show, I want to get peopleexcited for the event Sure Next
week.

So so yeah, dude .
So so you said that see, here'sthe deal.
I love this, I love that we'redoing this, bro, because it's
like you just said that that's aSalido movement.
So it's nothing too crazy,right, but like, just so you
know, in my perspective as aweb-based brand collector, like

(27:12):
a Salido movement is like supertop tier.
You understand what I'm saying.
So it's like I love that youhave such a different
perspective, but we're stillable to break bread, if you will
, on this video that we're doing.
And it's like, yeah, man, it'slike you come from a totally
different world and I can learnso much from you, right, and I
think that it would worklikewise in the other direction.
But my point is this is youcollect the way you collect, I

(27:36):
collect the way I collect, butlike we could still nerd out and
we could have a lot of fun, wecould do it.
I'll give you an example.
This is my Venetianico NereideAureo, right, and this is a
electroplated dial.
This is a tungsten bezel that'sactually polished, fantastic
watch with a Selita 200 on it,right, sw 200.

(27:57):
For me, dude, this is like aRolex.
I know I'm probably going toget you canceled by saying that,
but at the end of the day, as aweb-based brand collector dude,
this is like the holy grail ofholy grails for me, and having a
Swiss-made movement in it isfantastic.
So, yeah, man, the perspectiveis what I'm after, and having

(28:17):
these kinds of relationships andthis dialogue is fantastic
because I think it improves ourperspective and it's just nice
to nerd out with somebody likeyou that just comes and brings
different things to the tablesand for you to have the kind of
brand reach that you have.
It's inspiring, dude.
I'm looking to have that kindof connection with the web-based

(28:38):
brands and I'm doing so, and Ithink we should talk about that,
because I think that there's aserious conversation to be had
about watch reviewers and therelationships with the brands
itself.
And I'm talking in perspectiveto the web-based brands, and
I'll let you know this now.
I'm going to say this on yourchannel here it's not all

(29:00):
sunshine and rainbows, man.
There's a lot of mistrustbetween content creators and
actual web-based brands.
And I'm not going to mention whoI'm talking about.
I've heard, but dude, there'sbeen blackmail.
That's happened right.
There's been situations where abig watch reviewer not going to
mention who- I wish you were.

(29:22):
I just can't do that, dude, I'mnot that kind of guy, but I want
to give the reality of what'shappening behind the scenes,
cause I think that's importantwe talked about in the beginning
of the show.
But, dude, like the guy got thewatch right and then he
basically blackmailed thecompany to say that, okay, I

(29:42):
have this review and I have thatreview.
This is a very good review andthis is a very bad review.
Either I keep the watch and yousend me some money, or the bad
review is going to come to light.
So that was apparent to me, andthat subject didn't just happen
with one company.
I had multiple brands thatreally wanted to get to know who

(30:03):
I was as a person, far beforethem even letting me borrow a
watch, and that's when Irealized I'm like, holy crap.
I'm like the grass is notgreener on the other side and
there's so much more to being acontent creator than I imagined.
And for me, the only silverlining to that is that I'm very

(30:27):
straight.
Listen, my daytime job isbusiness and one thing that I've
learned from my mentor inbusiness is that you have one
face, and so if I carry myselfto be trustworthy and reliable
and respectful and everythingelse of the like, that's going
to carry over to many otherbrands, and it already has.
So, yeah, there's a lot ofstuff happening with the

(30:49):
web-based brands, just as muchas there are with the luxury
brands that you speak of, and Ithink that's important for
people to know that when they'rewatching their favorite content
creator because I think yousaid it best earlier where it's
like we're very smart, thecommunity is very smart, and
they can weed out the people whoare BS, but, just like for

(31:10):
those who are not as privy tothat, I think that they should
realize that there's that kindof thing happening in the back
burner, if you will.
So that's my thing on it.

Blake Rea (31:21):
Yeah, I think too.
I mean a lot of themisconception too is that at
least I've noticed that, like alot of the people, like dude,
you must be rich, like you mustbe getting so much money from
these watch brands to say, likeI've never, I've never made a
statement for money.
A lot of the watches that I ownI have purchased with my own

(31:44):
money.
There is some exceptions, right.
Right, sometimes I will get adiscount, you know, sometimes I
will get a free watch not allthe time I'd say I get, I get
more discounts than I do freewatches and a lot of times I
just get loners.
And yes, and loners are a greatway for me to test if I really,
and a lot of times I go afterthe brands that I really, that

(32:06):
I'm really passionate about forloners and say, hey, look, like
you know, like are, like I wantto do content on this.
Like how do you guys do this?
Like, do you guys like, do Ihave to pay?
Like, do you guys givediscounts for creators if I do
content about it?
Like what you know, like, um,this project lonely, like I

(32:28):
cannot provide for my familywith this project.
Like, like I, I don't makeenough money, like, this entire
project makes less than tenthousand dollars a year.
Sure, you know, like, that isfull on the record.
I've never said that like I'm.
Like I'm paying for the websitefees.
Like I'm paying for the podcast, uh, masterings, I'm paying for

(32:49):
the software we're using.
Like, am I putting food on mytable from this?
No, I'm not.
You know, um, will I at somepoint?
Probably, you know, but again,you know, I, I'm, I'm, I,
eventually I'll get there.
You know, and that's the reasonwhy you see a lot of content
creators who just so happen tomonetize the other side.
They're selling t-shirts,they're selling straps, they're

(33:16):
selling swag.
They're selling t-shirts,they're selling straps, they're
selling swag, they're sellingwatches.
You know there's more money tobe made there than there is here
as a content creator.
So you know, I, I am in it, I'min cyber security.
You know that's how I fund thisand my watch habits and
everything.
And, as I'm sure you know, like, you know it, and cyber
security is a pretty profitableindustry.
You know it's a high payingcareer and you know, um, a lot
of the watches that I own, II've, I've purchased, you know,

(33:37):
yeah and uh.
And so you know, again, sayingthe same thing over.
You know, like, um, there ismore discussion to be had,
because I respect all watchbrands and you know big or small
, you know expensive or cheap.
You know, and you knowsomething that really kind of I
guess in a weird way, like westarted a watch club here in
vegas and the whole concept was,you know, there's a lot, we

(34:02):
have a lot of big money guys inour club, but we also have guys
that have like one or twowatches, like one seiko.
You know, like one guy can oneguy got a, got a g-shock from
his his I think it was his sonlike his son had saved up their
lunch money or something and gothim like a hundred, a hundred
dollar, like g-shock orsomething.

(34:22):
And you know so the money thathe was given to his son for food
at school, like put it aside,crazy, but that's super cool.
But this, this guy, and this isthe bigger problem in the watch
industry and he didn't feelworthy enough to come to our
watch club meetups because therewas guys with rolex, there was

(34:43):
guys with paddock, there wasguys with, I mean, gold daytonas
, you know, in our watch club,um, and so he like, literally
like was having these privatebackroom conversations with me,
like, like, is it cool if I showup?
Like, like, am I?
Am I allowed to be here?
Like, like, what are you eventalking about?
Man?
Like, we share the same passion, you know, for watches and you

(35:05):
know, like, just because thisperson makes more money than
that person, doesn't mean thatthat person is more passionate
about watches than this person.
And it's even sad to even haveto come out and say that that
like, yes, you're welcome, youhave one watch.
It's a hundred dollar watch.
Like, you can come to everyevent.
Like, there is no.
Like, if we're doing an eventwith grand sake we didn't have a

(35:27):
grand sake of last year.
We did some events where youleast not Dude, you can come to
all these events.
I educate these brands beforewe do events with them.
Hey, we have a reallyenthusiast-driven community.
Don't expect people to startshelling out money for coming to
your events.
Your job is to educate and togrow the passion for my club,

(35:48):
and that's your job.
It's not to get the passion forthe for for my, my, my club,
you know, and that's your job.
It's not to to get a creditcard at the end, you know, and
I've been very I've been verydefensive of our group as well.
You know, like, where I don'twant people monetizing off the
group, you know.
So a lot of the events that I do, I say, look, this is a
non-transactional event.
You can't sell watches at thisevent.
If you want to do an event withus and our and our crew, like

(36:10):
you can't sell watches, likewe'll watch, is we'll watch this
be sold later.
Probably, you know, probablyyou know we have, uh, we did it
with doxa last year's.
A great example, you know, andthat was how I started my
relationship with doxa, maybeabout a year ago, um, and in any
ways I told them I was like,look, like we have never seen
your watches.
You know, we pulled the group.
Like everybody wants to seedoxa, like I'm even getting text

(36:32):
messages right now from otherbrands who have people that are
coming to vegas, that are thatwork with other brands, and say,
hey, like will you bring yourdoxas to the marisa koala event?
So it's weird, it's weird likethat, um, but anyways, uh, so
you know, I, I literally bought.
Well, we had one person in ourgroup that had a doxa and it's a

(36:52):
vintage doxa, and then, youknow we did an event with them.
It was like maybe 14 or 15people that showed up.
And now in our group there'slike seven or eight of us now
that have doxas, because Istarted bringing my doxas to the
club meetups.
You know they started bringingtheir doxas to club and then it
just people just like started tosee them frequently.
And then you know they startedbringing their doctors to club
and then it just people justlike started to see them

(37:13):
frequently and then you knowpeople started to see like how
much we enjoyed them.
And then you know, during thewatch club meetups like I'm
handing my watches around,you're handing your watches
around people get exposure withthese different brands.
Um, so that's the value.
Right, like it's, it's a long,it's a long-term play If you

(37:33):
invest in education and investin passion and be passionate
about the brand and the productand provide for the community.
That is the barrier.
If a brand is not going to dothat, if they're not going to
support the community, I'm notgoing to support them.

Dude, you could not have said that more
beautifully Like that is exactlythe web-based brands,
especially.
That's what their niche is,right, that's how they connect
to the actual watch enthusiast.
And I'll tell you what.
I have a brew.
I have the brew metric.
Of course I had to grab this.
And then I showed you guys theother brew that I have on risk
and I'll tell you what, man, Ihad to grab this.

(38:11):
And then I showed you guys theother brew that I have on wrist
and I'll tell you what, man.
It's a fantastic watch, don'tget me wrong.
It is a fantastic watch, but Ididn't buy the watches first, I
bought the brand and it wasn'tjust Jonathan, it was his team,
it was his vibe, it waseverything that he did putting
on those pop-up shops in NewYork, doing what he does at Wind

(38:34):
Up New York, as I'm sure youknow, is insanity.
I've totally shifted gears towhere I now almost buy a brand
by how they connect to thecommunity and how, dude, even if
you look at Christopher Ward,like sometimes when they do
their shows, like you said, theydon't even sell watches at the

(38:55):
show.
For the most part, they're justthere to connect with you, to
grow their community to buildthat kind of relationship and
rapport where they understandthat the long game matters more
than anything else, because youcould just have a one-off but if
you don't have a fam or nay, Isay a family member to the brand

(39:15):
, then it's really like a losinggame.
I feel like you're eventuallygoing to burn out and you're
going to become irrelative towatch buying overall.
That's the by-product ofconnecting to the watch
enthusiast.
That's the by-product ofcreating your own community.
Another example that's great ofthat is Zellos.
Right, zellos is a fantasticbrand, dude.

(39:37):
He's amazing.
He's built his own Dude.
He's almost like the Rolex ofweb-based brands because he does
these limited sellouts and somepeople get a little upset about
that, but at the end of the day, he's formed his own Facebook
groups where people buy andtrade and the value of the
watches remain the same.

(39:57):
So when I say he's like Rolex,it's the essence of remaining
that value within each watch butalso having that following and
having that community of watchenthusiasts built by just having
that connection with them.
And again, going back to Brew, Igive Brew a lot of highlight
because of how Jonathan hascomposed himself.

(40:19):
His team is an extension ofhimself, dude, if you've ever
met Jonathan Farah in person,like if you meet him, you have
to be careful because justmeeting him alone may force you
to buy one of his watches.
And how I've navigatedweb-based brands moving forward
is I look at them as sportsteams, right, I have my favorite

(40:41):
teams, I have, you know, allthese other things that I'm
rooting for for them as a whole.
And just having those kind ofconnections and going to watch
shows like Wind Up or the PhillyWatch Show that's going to
happen for the second time thisyear for web-based brands.
That's what super excites meand I love that you brought up

(41:02):
the point, even on the otherside of the fence, of having the
more luxurious brands, if youwill.
I love no, dude, I love thatyou're actually pushing for that
connection first, like, dude,earn my money, earn my money and
you know, make that connectionand make us feel like a family
where we have just an accelerantto that enthusiasm.

(41:25):
Right, and that's what it's,dude.
It's just about connection.
Like, even doing this, it'sabout I was super excited just
because I'm going to connect toanother watch, enthusiast at the
end of the day, like we're justgoing to nerd out and that's
the stuff that we have to force,I think, brands to do to earn
the money that we spend and seethat's, that's it too.

Blake Rea (41:45):
Like I thought about this is like this is like a,
like a social experiment too.
Like when I say like, when I,when I'm, it's weird because I'm
an event planner too, you knowit's.
It's very weird.
You know that I'm doing theseevents and putting these events
on for, for our community.
I'm in a very fortunate placeto do that, um, but it's weird

(42:07):
because I look at it as a socialexperiment, like or like what
are you what?
What?
What's the benefit of you doingan event here with me in vegas,
right?
Like, are you trying to sellwatches?
I mean, we all are like, theyall are like there's nothing
wrong with you trying to sellwatches, but that's the payoff,
that's the reward for supportingthe community, you know.

(42:29):
Like so so what's more importantto you support the community or
selling watches?
Right, because if it's sellingwatches like, you're not going
to do an event with me.

If it's supporting the community, you
will no, dude, I love that, Ilove that.
And I didn't know, I didn'tknow how plugged into the matrix
you really were, like I don'tknow how you.
I'm in the matrix, dude, I'mfucking yeah, you are dude,
you're really plugged in and Iappreciate that, because let me
talk a little bit about how, ifyou don't mind, I got onto

(43:00):
YouTube, so it first started offwith me.
So, just to give you a biggerpicture of it, I never really
was into social media.
Of course, I started watchcollecting in 2000.
I like to call myself like aCOVID spawn, if you will.
When I really got into watchcollecting, like it was 2020,
right when I really started toget into it, right.

(43:22):
So then came the social media,because I think there's a thirst
for wanting to connect to otherpeople who are as nerdy into
watch collecting as you are andunfortunately, for the most part
, from what I hear, your closestfriends, your relatives,
chances are you have zero peoplethat are as nerdy about watches

(43:42):
as you are, which then forcesyou to find community, which is
fine and it's encouraged.
That led me to Watch Crunch in2023 of May, I believe, right.
So a couple months, I want tosay five months before wind up,
and that's going to play a part.
So, after getting onto WatchCrunch and getting onto that
community where, by the way,fantastic people on Watch Crunch

(44:05):
and here's the deal when I saythat I don't even mean Watch
Crunch as a platform.
I am gracious that they'veoffered up a service where we
can all connect, but when I sayWatch Crunch, dude, I mean the
people that are on there, right?
So I connected to the communityof Watch Crunch, I started
adding value on that socialmedia platform and it just

(44:28):
wasn't enough.
It was just another rabbit holeto start and go deeper into and
I was doing different forms andI was hosting different events
within that platform.
Let's say a photographychallenge where, basically, I
pick a theme for a week andbased on that theme let's say,
if it's like your favorite meal,everybody would take a wrist
shot of their watch with theirfavorite meal and then a winner

(44:51):
would be chosen and a badgewould be awarded Just something
for us to have fun with thecollection that we already have.

Blake Rea (44:56):
Fair enough Super cool.

Yeah, yeah, dude , and I had so much fun with
that and that's going to play arole.
We'll get back to that as well,moving forward.
That sparked the juices for mycreativity, yes, and I felt like
I just wanted to try somethingdifferent, go out there and do
something more, which led me toYouTube.
Now, as I I don't know if Imentioned this, but when I

(45:18):
started YouTube, I just jumpedin.
Yeah, I mentioned that, I justjumped in the water and.
I had no business making myfirst videos, but it evolved and
I think that I don't know if Ican call myself an actual
YouTuber now, but I'm prettyproud of my work nonetheless.
Yes, and so it just evolvedfrom there, from Watch Crunch in

(45:39):
2023 of May, then going to windup was like oh my God.
I knew that there were peopleout there that was as
enthusiastic as I was aboutwatches, but going to wind up in
2023 was like mind blowing.
It was super crowded.
There were so many people.

(45:59):
And that's when I fell in lovewith web-based brands, watch
enthusiast brands because Iactually was able to connect
with the brand owners.
I was actually able to heartheir story, why they did what
they did for their watches andhow they came to be.
And I'll be honest with yousince then, I fell deeply in
love, even more so withcollecting watches, and I pretty

(46:24):
much narrowed it down to okay,I want to be an independent
brand supporter buyer, I want toknow everybody's story.
Eventually, over time and I'vegone to shows ever since then
yes, and that's what led meeventually to get to YouTube and
talk about the watches and talkabout their individual passions
as well on there, and fromthere.

(46:46):
It's just been a crazy journeyand I want to tie into how I
promoted things on watch crunchand I was holding things.
I since then I had to peel back, dude, there's only so many
hours in the day and I've prettymuch passed that on to someone
else to host.
But just to hear the thingsthat you're involved with, like,

(47:06):
I know what goes into that andkudos to you, bro, and I have
totally a tremendous amount ofrespect for what you do and I
know what actually goes intothat and, um, I hope you fight
the good fight and you continuewith things like this and doing
interviews, because this issuper interesting and super
authentic and I love it, dude.

(47:27):
I love it altogether.

Blake Rea (47:29):
Yeah, something that I've said to you about the
outlet is, you know, we we'vehad I mean, we're friends now
right at this point, um, bestfriends, but but we've had,
we've had limited content,limited contact, you know, and,
um, and yeah, I mean this, thisoutlet the lonely wrist or

(47:49):
whatever is not my, it's notreally my outlet is the way that
I even look at it, like I'm akeeper, you know I'm, I'm the
gatekeeper, right, I guess in aweird way, but anybody who's got
a unique perspective on watches, whether you're a collector or
you're the CEO of a watch brand,like that's the goal.

(48:11):
The outlet, you know like it'sto bridge the gap between an
enthusiast and an industryinsider.
You know like, and if I can, ifI can bridge that gap, then
that's the goal, right, you know.
So, like I'm not really, youknow there's, there's people
that have approached me to comeon the podcast and I'm just like

(48:31):
, yeah, I mean you have aperspective, but like, what are
your, what are your values?
I think, if anything, I'll turnpeople down for not for for
coming on the podcast more abouttheir values than it is their
perspective.
So you know, I we're, first ofall, I consider that perspective
and then, second, I considertheir values.
I don't know if that's theorder that I do it in, but

(48:58):
because there's going to bepeople come on here with a
different motive.
Sure, and I've noticed in aweird way, this started off just
being watch talk and now it'smore like a creative.
We talk a lot about thecreative process.
If you go back and listen tosome of the episodes, like,
we've got watch designers thatare coming on talk about their
entire creative process.

(49:19):
Uh, we've got people that aretalking about the
entrepreneurial struggles, likestarting the brand up.
Or we even you know industry,uh, insiders who are working
these big conglomerates that arejust like.
You know, like, like.
I guess one that comes to mindis Ulysses Nardone who, uh, like
, essentially was a part of theKearing group and then they left
the Kearing group and nowthey're independent.
You know, um and so like whatit was like to transition from

(49:44):
from having leadership ownershipfrom Kearing group to now being
independent, having to do yourown financing, and you and that
entire financing department wasall done at Kearing and now
they're like, we're trying tofigure this out.
You know which is a cool brand,you know, I mean UN's amazing,
but to even hear that type of astory from an executive in the
brand.
You know, that's the type ofstuff that people really, I feel

(50:08):
like they deserve to hear.
You know, like all these brands, they have their own
personalities.
You know, um, they're like your.
You know your bipolar cousin orwhatever.
You know, um, so, so so you,you love her.
You love her, but you know,like, cause she's your family,
but, you know, not necessarilythe best person to to take

(50:28):
around your friends all the timeknow, um, right, so, so yeah,
and then, you know, I started tothink about like, and there's a
couple things I think I think,really deep thoughts about the
watch industry.
You know, one of them is like ishow can I, how can I, like,
create a level playing field forpeople who don't understand
this?
You know, like, like, how can I, how can I spread this

(50:50):
enthusiasm, like for people thatdon't, that that have never
been?
Like, like, how can I, how canI spread this enthusiasm, like
for people that don't, that thathave never been to a windup, or
that have never been on watchcrunch, or that that that have
never been to a watch clubmeetup, like?
How can, how can we show themhow passionate us as watch
collectors are.
That's something I think aboutalmost every single day.
Um, and then and then.
Second is, like you know, I, Iget, I get proud, like when I am

(51:16):
wearing a specific watch.
You know, because it maybe it'san account, a watch that I
purchased during anaccomplishment, or, you know,
maybe I saved up, like my, like,my first, my first real big boy
watch was a speedmaster reduced, an omega speedmaster reduced,
and I saved up for so long toget that.
And then when it came in, I waslooking at pictures of the

(51:37):
speedy professional like, okay,like, and it came in.
I was looking at pictures ofthe speedy professional like,
okay, like, and it came in.
I I didn't even know thedifference between a speedmaster
, professional, speedmasterreduced.
And then when it came out, I waslike why does this look so
awkward?
Like why, why is this soawkward?
Like, this doesn't lookanything like the picture that,
like, I set to, like my back,like my background on my
computer was a speedy, and thenfor for a long time until I got

(51:58):
one, and then, you know, Ichanged it.
But then, when the speedyreducing, I was like what the
why is this so weird looking andthen I was like, oh, it's the
sub dials, like why is it?
Why the sub dials?
So, oh, okay, it's like youknow, this isn't this is a 39
speed, this isn't the speedyprofessional, yada, yada, yada,
you know.
And I was like, oh, that makesmy sense, so it's cheaper, um,
but you know, there's watchesthat I'm particularly proud of,

(52:21):
that I own, that I know that Istruggled to be able to afford,
or um.
So, you know, something that Ikind of want to amplify or
magnify is the passion stillexists.
And even these bigger brands,you know, you't hear, you don't
hear about it as much on thebigger brands as you do from the

(52:41):
independents, you know, or theweb enthusiast brands, you like
to call them Um.
You hear those stories, that's,that's, that's what they're
hitching their hat on.
Like we're passionate, we makeunique watches, like we hope you
, we hope you enjoy them, youknow, um, but that passion still
lives at those bigger brands,you know, and so I don't think

(53:02):
people understand that.

I think yeah, you make a very good point, dude
it's like I feel that it'sharder to connect to a bigger
brand because you're not talkingto the owner, right.
They're not in the forefront,they're not putting as much
effort and listen.
I'm not talking about them in abad way, because I've always
said on my channel that thebigger brands pave the roads
right, and you mentioned thatthere wouldn't be an existence

(53:26):
for web-based brands had not thebigger brands listened to the
community, right.
So all of that ties together.
But I think that, to touch onhow you think that you should
make people enthusiastic aboutwatch collecting in general, I
think you're already doing that.
I think bringing them to whetherit be a private show or whether

(53:47):
it be a bigger watch show rightFor me.
If I wanted to bring somebodyand I wanted to make them
enthusiastic about watches andpique their curiosity if they
had any I would bring them to awatch show, whether it be a more
intimate one, like the Phillyshow is on their second year.
They don't have nearly as manyweb-based brands at the show as

(54:07):
New York wind up, which is like180 brands last year.
However, if I brought somebodyto that show and I know this to
be true because I just broughtmy wife and my sister-in-law to
the brew pop-up shop.
I went live there, nice, andjust to see them thank you, just
to see me in my element while Iwas there.

(54:27):
Right, they were behind thecamera, they were watching me
talk, they were watching me domy thing and they're not
necessarily watch enthusiasts,but it sparked some kind of
interest and respect or you knowthat kind of fire to say wow,

(54:48):
like he just was so involved andhe had so much to say.
And I've been successful inconverting my wife from going to
I never want to have a watch onmy wrist to having her own
collection at this point, andshe actually has some web based
brands within it.
So it's infectious, and I thinkthat the best way to do that is
, whatever your element is right, I think that you should bring
them along to that ride and forme, I'm at my most high when I'm

(55:13):
at a watch show.
So if you come along and youdon't know anything about
watches and maybe you have nointerest in watches, but if you
come with me to wind up or thePhilly show, it's going to rub
off on you and I think thatthat's the best way that you can
introduce somebody to watchcollecting.
And I share the same sentimentas you do, blake, where if

(55:33):
somebody even has and I've saidthis on my channel, so you know
it's true, if somebody even hasand I've said this on my channel
, so you know it's true Ifsomebody has an Apple Watch,
you're allowed to the table andtalk watches for sure.
I don't care what watch you haveon, you can have the most gaudy
watch.
You can have an Apple Watch.
We may poke a little fun in you, we may try to convince you to
get out of that watch.
But, dude, you have a seat atthe table and if you're a watch

(55:56):
enthusiast, that doesn't meanhaving 100 watches.
It means you're enthusiasticabout watches.
Perhaps you have knowledgeabout watches and you can be
part of the conversation, andyou should be part of the
conversation.
No matter how you enjoy tocollect, whether it's a $100
watch, whether it's an Applewatch, whether it's a fashion
watch, I don't personally care.

(56:17):
Whether it's an Apple watch,whether it's a fashion watch, I
don't personally care.
I care more about you havingthe curiosity and wanting to
have that nerdy conversationwith me at the end of the day.

Blake Rea (56:25):
I, that's it.
I mean, that's like really likeall that needs to be said about
watch collecting, the passion,um, and that, that that type of
mentality is the mentality thatI found that is going to bring
more people into the hobby, youknow, and lower the barrier of
entry, because right now peoplethink that money is the barrier

(56:46):
of entry and it's not.
It's like it's the exactopposite.
You know, even we've had peoplethat have reached out to the
Vegas Watch Society Instagramand said, hey, I've seen some of
the events that you're doing.
I don't even have a watch.
Can I come to the event?
Yeah, you don't have to have awatch collection to come to a

(57:11):
watch collector's event.
If anything, I would encouragepeople who don't have watch
collections to come, becausethis is going to help you kind
of shape your your, you know,help you make your fingerprint,
you know, for your collection inthe future, you know, you're
gonna exposure to brands thatyou've never heard of people,
you know, maybe ones you can'teven afford, maybe give you

(57:32):
something to inspire, to like,yes, like that's even cooler
than having all those watches.

Dude, I don't want to cut you off, but I got
to say for anybody watching thisif you don't even own a watch
and you think that you don'thave the right to be at any
watch event, you're thinking thewrong way.
You know how excited myself andBlake would be to have somebody
who hasn't purchased theirfirst watch.
Dude, I want to dump all thisknowledge and all this

(58:02):
enthusiasm onto you, like, oh,you don't have your first watch
yet.
Oh, man, you got to check outthis.
You got to check out that Now,responsibly and I'm sure you're
the same way, blake you wouldwant the person to make their
own decision at the end of theday, but you would at least give
them the knowledge to push themtowards the right direction to
make that decision.
And I would be more excitedabout somebody who doesn't have

(58:24):
a big collection or nocollection to join us in a watch
event than anything else.
So if you're watching this onthis channel and you're watching
this kind of conversation,please, please, please, do not
feel that A if you don't have awatch collection, you're not
part of the conversation or partof the group.
We want you so bad because ifwe walk the streets of New York

(58:48):
right now, nine out of 10 peopledon't have a watch.
Okay, or I should say eight outof 10 people don't have a watch
.
Right, and then the other two.
One person does have a watchand the other person has an
Apple watch.
So here's the deal.
We get so caught up in thisworld where we think that it's a
lot bigger than what it is, buttruly it's a lot smaller

(59:09):
compared to everybody else who'snot into it.
I say all that to say this weare more excited about growing
the pie rather than slicing itin more slices, if you will.
So for sure, if you are new towatch collecting and you want to
join a meetup, please, please,please, do so.
And if you join, gentlemen likeBlake or myself, we are more

(59:33):
than happy to educate you andbring you into that conversation
we are more than happy toeducate you and bring you into
that conversation.

Blake Rea (59:40):
Yeah, I think, if anything that is like the nail
on the head, like I I'm I'm moreinterested in people that are
watch curious than they arepassionate or in the industry,
or a collector you know, anexperienced collector, because
there's collectors that are inmy club that I'm like dude, like
you are transcending collectingat this point.

(01:00:00):
Like you are a hoarder and andand the amount of watches that
you have, like like millions ofdollars in watches, you know
like it's crazy, you know, um,but I think I'm particularly
more interested to meet thosewatch curious people.
Uh, because I want to learnfrom them like, like, why

(01:00:24):
they're not into collecting yet,or like, like what you know,
like, like, give me the, theelementary version of, like what
you look at when you see awatch you know, like, like,
break it down to me.
Like your perspective, like Iwant, I want, those are the
perspectives that I want.
You know, those are the, thoseare the super valuable
perspectives.
Like, like, how come you don'town a watch?

(01:00:46):
Like, like, what's kept youfrom purchasing a watch?
Like you know, I, I get it, butyou know, some people think
that $500 is a lot of money fora watch and five hundred dollars
is a lot of money, no matterwhat you're buying.
Let me make that clear.
But as a new collector, likewhat are you comfortable
spending on your first watch?
Like those are types ofquestions that brands need to

(01:01:07):
know the answers for, becausebrands can make products that
target those customers, you know, and it helps lower the bar, it
helps make it more friendly, ithelps makes it makes it more
approachable.
Like those are theconversations that I want to be
a part of.
You know so, like yeah, ifyou're watch curious, like yeah,

(01:01:27):
I mean, I'm here, skyler's here, like we're, we're here.
That like we support you too.
This content is for you too,it's for us, it's for you, it's
for everybody.
Like yeah, uh, and I don'tunderstand why anybody would
think otherwise.
You know, but yeah, it's, it'sone of those weird hobbies.
There's also a lot ofnegativity that you brought up.

(01:01:48):
You know, like there's a lot ofnegativity in the, in the
industry.
Um, I had just done um, anepisode with um, with a female
influencer I don't want to saywho, cause I don't want to call
her out, um, but she's amazing.
I mean you can look at the lastepisode yeah.

Skyler Santana (01:02:10):
Yeah, I saw that .
Okay, go ahead.

Blake Rea (01:02:11):
So I guess now we narrow, we narrowed it down.
Sorry, um, but no, no like.
So she had posted, you know,like, some of the the content um
like on her instagram and thenI just started to see some of
the hate comments, troll, trollin, yeah, and I was like.
I was like what the fuck iswrong with people, dude?
Yeah, like you're not.

(01:02:32):
You're not talking about, like,her passion for watches, you're
talking about her looks, dudeoh, it's disgusting it's gross,
it's gross if you're gonna takeit to that level.

Listen, it comes with a territory blake.
I think you know that.
I think that if you're going todecide to put yourself out
there, um and and in socialmedia whether it be what we're
doing now or instagram, whateverit comes with the territory
you're gonna have people who arejust toxic, who are vile, who
are not happy with their ownlives.

(01:03:03):
Whatever the case may be,they're going to take the time
out of their day to try to ruinyour day.
And the point is this you haveto grow thick skin and realize
that those people are not evenworth your time and just ignore
it, and the mission as a wholeis more important than being

(01:03:24):
derailed by people who are justgoing to be hateful and vile or
snobby, because that happens alot in this industry, as you
know, there's a lot of snobswhere they feel that, well, if
you don't own this kind of watchand if it didn't cost this
amount of money, it's not a realwatch and that's ridiculous.
That's absolutely absurd and itcomes with the territory, and

(01:03:45):
people like you and I, I think,are are.
It's even more so important forus to spread the message that
we're spreading, to combat that,to make the people who are, you
know, ready to cross that lineCause, dude that that can kill
somebody's entire vibe.
Like, imagine you just purchasedyour first watch, you saved up

(01:04:07):
for it.
Whether you did or you didn't,you spent your hard earned money
on it and then somebody waslike, yeah, that watch is not a
real watch, that's garbage.
Like, why would, why would youdo that right?
And uh, that does happen.
Yeah, it's, it's disgusting.
You are the lowest of low formsof a human being.
But unfortunately that doeshappen.

(01:04:27):
Hopefully that person finds achannel like yours or finds a
channel like mine where we'revery welcoming and we we very
vocally say that that's not theright attitude to have.
But it is what it is.
At the end of the day, it comeswith the territory.
It's never going to go away.
That's always going to be partof it.
And you know that's moreimportant for us to do what

(01:04:49):
we're doing here today and havethat conversation where they're
like okay, here are two watchenthusiasts that are seeing the
same thing and are promoting mecoming to a watch event without
a watch.
So you know, let me do that andhopefully it reaches.
You know the right people andhopefully it reaches enough
people to to have an effect inthat kind of way.

Blake Rea (01:05:09):
You know it will, it will, it will over time, and,
and that's where I've tried tofocus on, at least in my
platform.
You know, I mean again, like Iwouldn't have a platform if it
wasn't for people like you, youknow, like, so, um, so, yeah,
yeah, I mean just in that, thatwhole perspective of of you know

(01:05:33):
, people who consume the stuffthat I put out of you know,
people who consume the stuffthat I put out, and, and so I I
think of it as like again, Ieven said this earlier like a
gatekeeper, like my platform isour platform.
You know, it's the communityplatform, whatever you want to
call it, whatever you want tocall it, um, yeah, I have the
keys, you know, and I can log inand post stuff where other

(01:05:54):
people can't do.
But, uh, but no, I mean, theredefinitely needs to be, you know
, I guess, some moderation inthe watch community.
There needs to be like a clearlike there's no roadmap to
collecting anything.
You know, like I wish I wishthere was, like, hey, look,
here's how you get to watches.
You know, like I've been tryingto get my wife into watches.

(01:06:16):
Good example, you know, youtalked about bringing your wife,
you know, to the brew, the brewevent.
Um, I've been buying my wifelike, just these watches, just
that I think she would like,without even her, you know, um
having input on them, because Ifeel like if she had input on
them, like, she would just tellme not to buy them, you know.
But I'm like, oh, this would becool with that outfit, or like

(01:06:36):
this, you know, I think this,this is the type of watch that I
can imagine you wearing, like Ibought her, like, and I've been
buying her some vintage stufftoo, like, so, like I bought
this, like vintage, like it'slike a 30 millimeter, like
rugged diver's tool watch.
And my wife is like she'sreally into like yoga, like
she's really sporty, like she'sreally fit, she's really active

(01:06:59):
and uh and so.
So I'm like, oh, this would belike the perfect watch.
Like you know, you can wearthis, you know, in the yoga
class.
Or you know, you could wearthis on a bike ride and have to
worry about it getting thrashedor whatever.
Um, and so you I mean you havemy own challenges about getting
people into the watch hobby, youknow, um, but for anybody who's

(01:07:23):
, who's curious it, you knowthere's space, you know, there
there's an opportunity for you,there's a?
There's a watch out there foryou, there's a watch brand out
there, there's a watch owner outthere for you.
Like there's, you know somebodyout there who, who may see life
the way that you see it, andand when I learn about those,
those, those hot those, thosebrand owners or those people who

(01:07:47):
work at you know, the brandinsiders like it just makes me
fall in love even more withwatches and the brand and the
community and and everythingelse and, um, this is a weird
one to even talk about.
But, um, you know, when Istarted up the watch club here
in vegas, like we had somebodywho I just added.

(01:08:08):
When I first started, like Istarted the whatsapp group I was
.
I was just like, let me addsome people who I know inside
the industry.
Um, I'm not gonna say who thisperson is, but apparently I
found out through, you know,because he wrote in the chat and
somebody was like, oh, is thatthis guy?
And I'm like, yeah, that's thisguy.

(01:08:29):
He's like I just want to letyou know he scammed a shit ton
of people about overwatches.
Like he owes hundreds of peoplemoney.
He's stolen money from you know, watch collectors and this and
that.
Um, and so I was like no, thatcan't be true.
Like I, I I refuse to believethat.
You know, because I, I knowthis guy when he first started.

(01:08:52):
You know, in in the watchcommunity like he started.
I'm not going to say what hedid, but he was selling watches.
You know, okay, in in the watchcommunity Like he started.
I'm not going to say what hedid, but he was selling watches.
You know, um, it is not the guythat everybody thinks of, it's
not the you know, the YouTubetimepiece gentleman guy.
Like it's not, not, not thatguy.

Um, he was, he was.
That's the first person Ithought of.

Blake Rea (01:09:11):
I know it's it's weird to say it's weird to say
it's weird to say that, but, um,but nevertheless, I uh, he's
not in jail, but but he, he, hestarted like a watch enthusiast
program.
I guess that's the most I couldsay.
Um, so, so, anyways, like he'slike, oh, one of the guys in my

(01:09:35):
watch club like reached out.
He's like, why is he in ourgroup?
Like he scammed me for money.
He scams to my friends formoney, like, and I'm like, let
me reach out to him.
Like I'm gonna reach out tothis guy because, first of all,
like I've known this guy forquite a while, like you know,
like he's been a mutualacquaintance for quite a while.
Like when I worked at a watchbrand, I sold him, I helped, you

(01:09:56):
know, him acquire like hundredsof watches.
You know, okay, um, because I,when I worked at an independent
micro brand, um, uh, as aconsultant, and I was like, oh,
this, you know, this doesn'tsound like him.
So I reached out and heexplains his story.
He's like, yeah, like you know,we had a lot of issues with
finding finances.
We had a partner.
The partner pulled out funding,yada, yada, we weren't able to

(01:10:18):
buy watches.
Um, you know, I sold my entirecollection to, uh, to like to,
to try and make as much peopleright as I could.
Um, you know I, I literallywent into my own pockets like
almost a hundred thousanddollars just trying to to give
people refunds.
You know, and you know like hewas talking about you know some

(01:10:42):
dark things.
You know he's like you know I,I, you know I didn't feel like I
was like even could provide formy family, like I was
contemplating, like you know,like you know, self-harm, things
like that.
And then, and after all thathappened, the community, the

(01:11:02):
watch community, just trampledhim to death not, you know, like
, like, not literally, but youknow I know what
you mean, yeah, you know he wasgetting like death threats and
like and all this like his.
You know like he was gettinglike his.
His wife was getting messagesfrom you know people that you

(01:11:24):
know that he owed money and it'slike I, I, you know it's this
is a weird one to say, but like,what he did was wrong, right
like he.
You know what he did was wrong,but businesses do fail.
You know, like businesses dofail.
What he did was entirely wrong,but sending death threats is

(01:11:45):
even is even worse.

Yeah, than what he did like threatening
somebody's life over.

Blake Rea (01:11:52):
You know, I I don't know how much money like his, he
I don't want to say whatentirely he did, but, um, it
can't be that it was that muchmoney I could.
I could be wrong, I could bewrong, but that's where the line
gets crossed, like like what'sworse, like stealing somebody's
money or threatening to killtheir family.

Yeah, that's absurd, that's out of control.

Blake Rea (01:12:17):
So family?
Yeah, that's absurd that's outof control.
so, uh, yeah, so, yeah, he, hewas, and that's what I mean when
I say he was trampled, like thecommunity like, and he was, he
was like when we were talkingand I I removed him from the
group because I was like, look,if I don't want to be a part of
whatever you're doing, like Idon't want any association with
you, like I don't want anycontact with you, like you know,

(01:12:39):
I haven't seen this side of theindustry.
You know that, you've seen Um,but then again, I, you know I
haven't done any harm on anybody, you know, and and you know,
businesses fail.
You know, businesses fail.
Businesses come and go, youknow, and not that that makes it
okay of what he did, um, butlike he never told that story,

(01:13:02):
like he never told the back-endstory that that he consulted his
watch collection to try andprocess refunds, you know, and
that he had taken a hundredthousand dollars out of his
savings account to continuerefunding people and it still
wasn't enough.

I mean, listen, if he's on the right side of
that fence, then he shoulddefinitely take the time to have
an outlet to tell that storyand say his piece.
You know what I mean?
That's kind of clarify, becausethe thing is this like when
you're on social media and or ifyou just people know you in the
watch community and your namegets tainted like my wife tells
me this all the time.

(01:13:41):
She's like stay professional,make sure that you carry your
name in the right way, and Imentioned this early on right,
like in business, you only haveone face, and that's kind of the
same thing when it comes to thewatch community.
Or if, especially when you'retying that into actually doing
business, you will get crucifiedand people will take out their

(01:14:05):
pitchforks if you have anythingblemished with your name and
therefore are involved withanything of the like, right.
So I think that if he is on theright side of the fence at all
with this situation and I don'tknow the situation personally,
but he should definitely maybego on your show and say his

(01:14:25):
piece.
And even if he was dead wrong,like people make mistakes,
people do stupid thingssometimes.
You and I are both human beingsand we've made mistakes that we
regret or we're embarrassedabout, and sometimes, when you
just own up to that, it can meana lot to people and people can.
You're not going to geteverybody, but you're going to
get the people that understandthat and and can understand how.

(01:14:48):
Maybe you made a mistake andyou try to right your wrongs and
you just got caught up in that,and hopefully that will help.
On the lighter side of things,I'd like to offer you a
suggestion.
Sure so to convince my wife tostart in her watch collecting.
What I did initially was,instead of trying to find the

(01:15:09):
watch that would fit for her perse, as far as me, purchasing a
watch and getting one for her, Igot into watch customization,
and when I say that, I meanbuilding watches from scratch,
putting the movement to the case, to the dial, to the hands and
everything else, and maybe youdon't want to be as involved in
that.
However, you may be able tofind a third party to do that.

(01:15:29):
So if you are still strugglingwith getting your wife involved
in watches and I have somethingto say about that after too the
right answer may be to customizea watch fully tailored to her.
My wife is a preschool teacherand the first watch that I
customized for her was having anapple on the watch itself,

(01:15:49):
right Like that teacher's appleon the dial.
Yeah, and our last name as theactual logo.
So that was my first taste intogetting her involved into watch
collecting.
Now the second part that Iwanted to get to is beware that
if you do get her into watchcollecting, she may take some

(01:16:10):
liking to the watches that arein your collection and proclaim
them to be hers, moving forward,and that's been the reality for
me as well.
So I give you that a little bitof advice.
I don't know where you are withgetting your wife on board and
having watches and collectingwatches, but that's what worked
for me and it was well worth it.
And it, of course, opened up awhole different rabbit hole

(01:16:32):
right Watch customization andwatch building Another wormhole.
I'm not even going to sayanother rabbit hole, it's a
wormhole.
Dude Like you, just go toanother dimension and behind me
I don't know if you can see Ihave all of my components here,
of all the parts and stuff likethat.
That just became a whole otherworld and a whole other cost, if

(01:16:55):
you will.
So that's my take on it.

Blake Rea (01:16:57):
Wow, no, that's amazing and I never considered
that.
I have some friends that dobuild watches and I have thought
about getting one for me butnot for her, and I would think
like that I'd be a perfect kindof gateway into the industry or
into the hobby.

(01:17:17):
Uh, because of you know the,the types of, uh, the types of
watches that I have access to,that you know, like, like, if
you've never owned a watch, likeyou know you're not going to
get to wear these watches.
You know, like, like I have, Ihave a Cartier tank, like a gold

(01:17:38):
cartier tank.
You know that's like a grailfor like a lot of people, or a
reverso or whatever, right, youknow, um, I have access to all
these watches and she does too.
So, like you would think thatshe would be more likely to to
get in through that way, but, um, um, but yeah, yeah, I need to
figure it out.

You will.
You will just realize that thatcould be a double-edged sword.
I'm warning you now.
She has watches that were in mycollection that are now in her
collection, oh yeah.

Blake Rea (01:18:12):
Yeah Well, I want to thank you for spending so much
time with us.
Um, we're definitely gonna haveto do like a part two.
Um, I want to thank you forspending so much time with us.
Um, we're definitely gonna haveto do like a part two, Um, and,
and I definitely look forwardto for to doing that.
Um, and yeah, same to you like,keep up with the good fight,
you know, um, I definitely lookforward to to to watching what

(01:18:33):
you're doing more closely now atthis point, Um, because, again,
I even say that to some of thebrands that I work with, or some
of the brands that I'm, I'mwhen I get an email like, oh,
have you heard of it?
No, I haven't, Like, and I'msorry, you know, Uh, but unless,
unless somebody is going to bewaving the flag, you know I'm
not going to see you, you knowlike.
So, uh, if you see me in public, or you know, if you're a watch

(01:18:58):
brand that's listening, thatyou know has never sent me a
message like what are youwaiting for?
yeah I'm sure the same to skylartoo.

So yeah, I'm glad you, I'm glad you said that
I absolutely feel the same wayI've.
I've actually taken, I'vegotten to the point where now,
like I'm not reaching out tobrands so much as I'm just
focusing on what I have in, likeI'm not reaching out to brands
so much as I'm just focusing onwhat I have in my collection.
I'm kind of waiting for brandsto come to me.
At this point I think that I'vedone enough on my content.

(01:19:26):
Respectfully, you know, I don'twant to be, I don't want to
sound big headed, but I think ifyou go to my channel, you can
kind of get my vibe at thispoint.
And if you're a brand out therethat's just looking for an
authentic, you know, truereviewer and somebody who's not
going to fluff things up andjust wants to genuinely build a
relationship, right, it worksboth ways.

(01:19:47):
Like I want to do the reviewsof watches, but more so I want
to build relationships with thebrands and really get to know
them and understand theirphilosophy and their watches and
therefore tell their story forthem.
That's what's most importantfor me.
And, blake, if you would allowme to, first of all, thank you
so much for having me on.

(01:20:07):
This was definitely loads of fun.
I definitely will come on.
I'm going to leave it to you.
Since I was the one that wasthirsty and reached out to you
first, I'll leave it to you toreach out to me next time you
have time.
But dude, this was this waswhat it's all about Connecting
to some like-minded watchenthusiasts.
This was a lot of fun.
I hope that people found valuefrom this and I'd like to sign

(01:20:28):
off the way I like to sign offon my channel, if it's okay with
you, please, please.
Ladies and gentlemen, I hopeyou found value from the content
that Blake and I have put forthin this video.
I appreciate you guys forspending your most valuable
asset, which is time, and Blakeand I hopefully will see you in
the next one.

Blake Rea (01:20:48):
We will.
We will Until next time.

Thank you, Blake .

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