How did you get into watches?

I took an interest in watches when my grandfather passed and I inherited his watch–a 1976 Rolex Date. It’s my most sentimental piece and I wore it on my wedding day a couple of years ago.

From there, the passion for watches just continued to grow and I loved learning about the history of each piece. Did you know these things had tool-like uses through the years before becoming more of a luxury item in the early 2000s? Professional divers, racecar drivers, pilots, astronauts to military personnel all utilized watches and the brands’ focus was to serve these professional applications much more in decades past. It's interesting to research how this shifted through the years and what their cultural significance represents now.

So how did this passion become a business?

My journey really began as a collector and enthusiast. A friend of mine and I actually found a vintage Heuer that helped give me the confidence to pursue this more seriously. I was also fortunate to be able to lean on some friends who were already dealers in the space and willing to show me the ropes.

How do you find the right watch for a client?

When clients aren’t asking for something super specific, I typically like to start by asking them about their lives and really just listening. Sometimes information about their personal style and  lifestyle points me in the right direction. Other times, people are more motivated by sentimental reasons and I enjoy connecting a client to a piece to mark an important moment in their life or for any reason that’s special to them specifically - perhaps it's something that was lost and reminds them of the piece their grandparent wore. The treasure hunting aspect of the business is the most enjoyable to me so I’m happy to take the time to ensure I’m placing the right piece with the right client.

Have you worked with any exciting clients?

I have to be private about who my clients are but some notable figures have bought watches from me and sold watches through my business. There’s no doubting that celebrities and professional athletes have helped drive a renewed interest in watches in the past couple of decades. I would also attribute the boom to Instagram and online scholarship from Hodinkee and similar press outlets. For me, it’s about finding a watch that is right for the client no matter who they are. It can be a great way to mark a special moment in life: a wedding, anniversary, etc. I just sourced an amazing 40th birthday present for someone this week. Those interactions are the most meaningful and enjoyable to have.

What’s on your wrist right now?

I’m wearing a Patek Philippe 3940J which to me is one of the most beautiful perpetual calendars that Patek has ever made. I would love to add one of these to my personal collection someday but I only collect white metals like steel, white gold and platinum.

What is your favorite piece in your collection?

Probably my Cartier “Tank Asymétrique” in platinum, which has a very interesting design which is a parallelogram, tilting the dial to the right. It was made in the ‘30s for driving so you could read the time on your wrist more easily. This piece is very unusual for Cartier because it has Arabic numerals instead of Roman, and they only made 100 of them in platinum in 1996.

What’s the one that got away?

One that comes to mind was a “tropicalized” dial chronograph by Excelsior Park that had Japanese military provenance. It originally had a black dial, but since it was from the ‘50s it had faded out and was the most beautiful copper brown I’ve seen for a “tropical” dial. I sometimes regret selling that one.

What are your predictions for the watch market? Any trends you’ve been seeing?

Condition is becoming more and more paramount in vintage watches right now than ever. This trend has become clear as the price gap between average condition and top condition pieces has widened dramatically. I always advise my clients to buy the best example of the piece within their budget and not to worry about stretching a bit i.e. paying tomorrow’s price for the best example on the market as that will always be more liquid and desirable down the road. Average condition watches will continue to demand average pricing. Top brands like Patek Philippe, Rolex, Cartier (which was the breakout brand in the past few years), Audemars Piguet etc will be at the forefront of the list.

The other trend I’m seeing now is a shift back to vintage pieces and I believe that is where smart collectors and dealers are moving. The COVID boom brought an unusual mix of circumstances which drove the modern watch market and a press cycle that in my opinion was not entirely well researched on the modern watch front as many people thought modern watches were good investments. Thankfully now we’re seeing a shift back into vintage watches which in my opinion are a better and much more scarce asset, given they are in excellent condition.

What’s your opinion on smart watches?

A lot of people thought the Apple Watch was going to kill the Swiss watch industry. It’s interesting, because during the quartz crisis of the 70s when battery operated watches were more accurate, they were actually severely detrimental to the Swiss watch industry; but eventually, people moved back to appreciating the mechanics of a watch. The Apple Watch? A very different situation. Again, people thought it would kill the industry, but it just got people thinking about what they were putting on their wrist again. It’s the top selling watch in history and a lot of dealers and industry scholars have said the Apple Watch might have actually brought more interest back into the mechanical watch business.

Would you ever wear one?

Probably not. I need to save the real estate, but I get the appeal.

What about live shopping is intriguing to you?

I like that it's a more personal interaction that opens to a wider audience. Selling anything vintage (or modern) is all about trust and having the opportunity to interact with potential clients is always helpful as it's essential for the foundation of a relationship.

What are your goals for 2025?

I want to focus more on the client side of my business. I spent the beginning of my journey getting to know a lot of dealers and building my community, but now I want to devote more of my time to my clients and offer watches more intently this year.

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