Good articles replaced with ads ☑️ Good writers gone ☑️ Releasing travel clocks ☑️ Shut down Watchville app ☑️ Featuring absolutely ridiculous redials on talking watches ☑️ If you hadn’t noticed a long time ago, HODINKEE jumped the shark.

I was so confused when the episode started, I thought the guy on the left was the host

@matthewhelm3035

Жыл бұрын

I thought it was a pajama party😂

@will_the_don

Жыл бұрын

Same here

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

@@matthewhelm3035 Well, this video is the stuff of horrible nightmares.

As a guy who works in the Heritage department at JLC, I sort of get the approach (even though it's not for me), but I unfortunately cringe at the execution (the quality of the dial printing on that custom Futurematic nearly killed me, especially with such close-up shots). Regrettably, this video just really felt like a long ad to me, too bad.

@scottrafferty6305

Жыл бұрын

Yup. I’m more of less a do-what-you-like-it-doesn’t-affect-me kind of guy with watches. As long as people love their watches, I’m stoked for them. Same goes here. But yes, that pad printing wasn’t great work. If crisp and clean, would have looked great.

@liangweihao7932

Жыл бұрын

That power reserve on the JLC was atrociously done, the lines don't even line up for god's sake.. And check out the crooked printing on the VC.. How on earth do the customers accept this kind of quality?

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

Wow! In all the Talking Watches videos over more than a decade this has got to be the worst without a doubt. A paid promotion no less. Everything this guy is doing with vintage watches is destroying them no matter what his belief or reason is. I can't believe Hodinkee would endorse or give this any media attention. It goes against all the morals of vintage watch collecting and borders on copyright infringement by grotesquely altering the design of a watch but retain the brand on it as if to deceive others into believing the manufacturer created it. This is wrong! How would any artist like their work to be altered by a backyard set up company but keep their signature on it to make others think it is genuine? Moreover, he is only offering 3 years warranty. After 3 years the watch has no serviceable integrity and the value would be useless on the secondary market. Absolute joke. He also doesn't talk any sense when he tried to defend that he is altering the look of the watch to save them from being abandoned and discarded. Removing a date window from a perfectly normal Oysterquartz is not saving anything buddy. It's destroying it. And repainting a Rolex dial that orangey red colour is now considered unlawful. Rolex has stopped other companies from repainting stella dials in the past, I hope Rolex take action against this guy. I understand that the intent of modifying the watch is that it is commissioned for ones personal tastes. However the big concern is that some of these watches are going to be sold on after the owner becomes bored and they will end up recycled back into the vintage market. No doubt there will be unsuspecting new and inexperienced collectors that will buy them thinking they have the genuine article and they would have paid significantly more than it's true value. Also it is mentioned that he is using donor watches for his restorations which means he is destroying or using the parts of more than one watch. This practice needs to stop.

@Perceni

Жыл бұрын

the paint on the dial looks horrible!!!!!

@robertbrowne7880

Жыл бұрын

I'm personally against butchering dials myself. Especially something like JLC.

I’d love a custom HODINKEE Travel Clock with ArchieLuxury’s face on the dial

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

Should ask Archie what he thinks of this guy. The Pontiff would explode.

@antjrice1

Жыл бұрын

😂

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

@@antjrice1 Getting a quote to modify my Seiko SKX into an AP Royal Oak.

@brockadcock2735

Жыл бұрын

Isn't that that crazy guy who always talks about watches, but never has any on the channel? He only has photos?

I kept on shaking my head at this whole episode. The antithesis of why I find vintage watches interesting. Mod away current models, don’t rewrite Thomas Mann or Faulkner. I wish I could get into this.

Finally Theo and Harris gets his 15min of fame. These poor redials are just laughably bad. This whole episode is like a satirical comedy.

@songoku-jx3cb

10 ай бұрын

Theo and harris ????

@tbprofile1295

5 ай бұрын

Doppelganger

The first Talking Watches episode that had me skipping larger and larger chunks until I gave up and quit watching entirely before the end.

I don't know what hurts my eyes more, them screwing with historic watches or that host's outfit.

@grantchallinor5263

Жыл бұрын

It's like he's wearing The Riddler's outfit from the 1960s Batman TV series.....

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

@@grantchallinor5263 That's an insult... to both Batman and the 1960s.

This talking watches represents the official end of what was the great HODINKEE. The fact that you even chose to have a guy like this and inadvertently plug a business in a talking watches episode.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

How much will it cost to Frankenstein my grandfather's Patek 2499? Yes, please destroy my 50 year old family heirloom & give me your 3 year warranty. I would like to remove the date and calendar functions to make it look more symmetrical.

@ghitsta

Жыл бұрын

If James Stacey leaves that will be my last straw.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

@@ghitsta I can't wait to see Mr Stacey wear his Homer Simpson pyjamas in the next Talking Watches interview.

@pranaviyer971

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. But the way I see it, Talking Watches right now is a "hit-and-miss" thing. HODINKEE focuses more on the misses, but they do (very rarely) release hits from time to time.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

@@pranaviyer971 I was watching the 10 year anniversary of Hodinkee videos and the interviews with the old team. The only team member left aside Ben is James Stacey. Cara Barrett sells children's watches, Stephen Pulvirent is a photographer in LA. Jason Heaton became an author. Jon Bues now works for Grand Seiko and Jack Forster went to Watchbox. Boy has Hodinkee's philosophy changed. Ben mentioned back then he was putting out quality unbiased independent content for watch enthusiasts. Now rewatching those videos of false promises & lies, he is no different to every other commercial enterprise company. He sold out.

Kind of funny how all of his personal watches are the original versions.

@angryarchitect6723

Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing

Talking Watches never made me cringe before, so that was new.

@kirkhammett231

Жыл бұрын

You clearly haven't watched the Bethenny Frankel Talking Watches then where she talks about how ex-boyfriends of hers gifted her all her watches... she then goes on to laugh about and be proud of the fact that when one ex really wanted the Hulk he had given her back after a breakup and offered to pay her for it back, she laughed at him and basically insulted him in the video. Hodinkee has been garbage for a while now.

@alb.4089

Жыл бұрын

@@kirkhammett231 Explains why all of Hodinkee's employees are leaving. Their channel is suffering big time.

@kirkhammett231

Жыл бұрын

@@alb.4089 Well this is what happens when you go woke...

@alb.4089

Жыл бұрын

@@kirkhammett231 True

@differentxminds9907

Жыл бұрын

@@kirkhammett231 lol woke?? huh??

19 minutes later and I still don't exactly know what he does.

@MrThekikster

Жыл бұрын

Paints dials and puts a new strap on the watch basically

@suckthebox

Жыл бұрын

High end redials?

@farragutspikes1

Жыл бұрын

He paints watch dials new colours.

@ramazanbaris2349

Жыл бұрын

He sells halal tacos, duhh

@peterwilson1914

Жыл бұрын

Whatever it is he's enjoying it

So this guy re-paints dials and throws a new strap on? Fascinating.

The dial printing on that JLC Futurematic is a real Friday afternoon job. Looks like a cheap redial or out-and-out fake.

@Armoer

Жыл бұрын

It is all of the above

Long time Hodinkee subscriber and fan so not really sure I get direction it’s going these days. This episode, yikes.

this guy sure asks himself a lot of questions.

@jacobkohler

Жыл бұрын

“The question that I posed to myself and for myself was…” 🤣

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

Schizophrenia? Multiple Personality Disorder? A combination of the two?

I actually really love the design of these watches but “a mirror that doesn’t reflect” is the the most portentous way of saying silver ever

@vantage789

Жыл бұрын

Literally everything this guy says is pretentious. His being oozes pretentiousness.

@dominicrusho

Жыл бұрын

This dude would probably describe his job as “making love to the wider environment using artistic expression transported via the creative vessel of horology”

@FluxedState

Жыл бұрын

This moment was shocking.

@vantage789

Жыл бұрын

@@dominicrusho Instead of 'crystal' he would describe it as 'liquified and heated Earth minerals that have been artisanally and meticulously crafted into a semi-reflective, transparent viewing window in order to optimize the wearers visual experience of the dial.'

@liangweihao7932

Жыл бұрын

@@vantage789 exactly! Can't stand the stuff that he says...

“Watches are about symmetry” told me everything I needed to know about this guy.

@bfotosuk

Жыл бұрын

haha a

@maximilianmohre1886

Жыл бұрын

Could not agree more; Or as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe put it: "symmetry is the aesthetics of fools"

@brianb762002

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, the Lange 1 is such a POS. I mean, just look at how non-symmetrical that garbage is.

@adamw.7169

Жыл бұрын

@@brianb762002 maybe he could sand down all those subdials and fill out the window and turn it into a saxonia with garbage lettering and then go on hodinkee and be proud of his "symmetrical lange 1"

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

@@adamw.7169 Please, for the love of humanity, DON'T GIVE HIM ANY IDEAS!

The circle power indicator on that futurematic looks pretty shoddy

@Ch0lera

Жыл бұрын

+ tacky AF

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

It's abstract art. Pablo Picasso style.

Didn't know The Riddler was doing Talking Watches interviews

@uga.d4173

Жыл бұрын

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA🤣

dude discovered thesaurus and went to town w it.

HODINKEE just isn’t the same anymore

@fabienponchard2220

Жыл бұрын

for sure this guy is clown

@audemarspiguet4237

Жыл бұрын

Guess why Jack decided to leave

@cavaliericorey

Жыл бұрын

Hasn't been in awhile. Hard to provide non biased journalism when you are a authorized dealer of watches

@bm5192

Жыл бұрын

@@cavaliericorey yeah agree and started going down when sold to crown and caliber.

@jamespalsson746

Жыл бұрын

The crew makes the ship

I think HODINKEE finally ‘jumped the shark’. This video is a tacit endorsement of these Frankenstein forgeries. It’s actually expensive, junk.

Full respect to Hodinkee, but not sure if Nick Marino is giving the company the image they would want.

@deantreloar

Жыл бұрын

I’m not sure what Hodinkee is going for, but appearing infinitely louder than your featured guest seems like poor taste.

@euanbegbie

Жыл бұрын

I like the guy

@deantreloar

Жыл бұрын

@@euanbegbie I don’t dislike him, he seems like a chill dude. It’s just my personal opinion, but I feel like if I’m going to interview a guest, I might tone it down a bit to accentuate my guest… beings that he is who is being featured. In another context, I might see his style as accommodating to his personality.

@_guillermo

Жыл бұрын

@@deantreloar My thoughts exactly. I clicked the video assuming the interviewer was the guest. It was slightly jarring seeing as Hodinkee hosts are formal and reserved. Nothing against Nick, he did a fine job, but the image is worth considering in future episodes.

@jstrat121

Жыл бұрын

And not wear pajamas to an interview!

This Talking Watches seems to me, in line with Hodinkee's new more commercial direction, a paid promotion for a company trying to sell customized vintage watches, rather than what has been in the past a genuine watch enthusiast talking about their passion.

Are these kinda "fake" watches?

@The_Greg_5000

Жыл бұрын

Why would they be fake? Its the original case, movement, hands just the dial is refinished. Unfortunately the refinishing quality is not close to the original.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

Frankenstein not fake. But if you put these watches up for sale on ebay you will be creating a deception for financial gain if you sell them as a genuine vintage original. This is bad for the industry that is already flooded with enough fakes and overpriced time pieces. He is just adding more mines in the minefield

I wish it was still a taco shop.

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

I bet the curves on the tacos would be more even than the circles in the 'futurematic'.

Next hodinkee episode: the art of the bust down.

This just feels incredibly spoiled, I don't know how to put it more kindly. It's like the kid that complains about getting the wrong colored RC car for Christmas and then proceeds to scratch its entire paint job.

So they basicly making frenkenstein, re-diled, moded or let say fake watches and get praised about that ? I really don't get the point

Lol, the content, the lack of respect to the watches, the clothes of the interviewer, HODINKEE you’re not what you used to be. Frat Elli is the new HODINKEE.

Doxa dial on a rolex ??? Removing date windows?? Repainting dials ?? For me the most unforgivable part of these "restorations" is the amount of dust spots on the dials at least blow it out before casing

This guy Nick does not reflect Hodinkee, We went from seeing Jack's Talking watches to this...

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

Jack doesn't work there anymore. He went to Watch Box

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

Well they posted it on their channel, so clearly it does.

Who is interviewing who ??

I understand why they do it and good for them however the way he explains is so pretentious, plus I don’t think the customised watches are any better then the original…

HODINKEE is an ad agency

Wonder how much he paid to be here

Each time Hodinkee does something awful, Nick Marino is not far. Remember volume 8 of the Hondikee magazine?

what is going on Hodinkee....

I'm 3 mins in and I'm tapping out, sorry but Hodinkee you need to get yourself back on track.

love the concept.

This is just a Bust Down, With extra Steps

That was the perfect video for sending me off into a gentle slumber for the afternoon.

his dad is Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take Two Interactive, maker of Grand Theft Auto

@SinnMaster

5 ай бұрын

Nepo baby

I gouged out my eyes and set my watch collection on fire after watching this episode, thanks I hate it

I'm 2 weeks late, but literally spat out my coffee. wtf

Teddy Baldazarr is at Hodinkee now?

@alecdelacroooz

Жыл бұрын

LOL! I hear him if I close my eyes

@kirkhammett231

Жыл бұрын

Doesn't remind me of Teddy... Teddy isn't this effeminate.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

@@alecdelacroooz He looks like Christian from Theo & Harris but sounds like Stephen Pulvirent. Maybe it is him?? Did they reimagine Stephen's face to look like Christian? Maybe they modify more than just watch faces now?

Who dressed these two guys? So now adult "Garanimals" are a thing? When was the last time you dressed with matching trousers and over-shirt from such a bold printed pattern? Is khaki trousers and jacket any better? When someone is dressed as a toddler I have a little difficulty taking them more seriously than a toddler.

TLDW, Its a dial refinishing service for vintage watches.

@ItsNeverTooHot4Leather

Жыл бұрын

***pretentious dial refinishing service for vintage watches.

Sounds like he charges a lot of money to mess up your watch!

After I saw this I no longer think it’s ok for anyone to love watches.

I thought at first this was a parody. Clearly, the once iconic HODINKEE is in need of a serious makeover. Not sure this fellow represents well.

Am I the only person who thought the guy in the green was the interviewee, not the interviewer?

Is he related to Teddy bulbasaur and Theo from T&H? Is this an ad? What’s with the host looking like where’s scooby doo? What good is a 3 year warranty on a 30-50 year old watch?

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

He reimagined his face to look a cross between Theo & Harris and Teddy Baldassarre and changed his voice to Stephen Pulvirent. He doesn't just reimagine watches. He's very skilled with modifying everything. Notice towards the end how he said he is much more interested in people than the watches. That means he doesn't care about your watch, he just interested in your money.

I also like asking myself questions for myself and then questioning what questions I’d ask myself to ultimately answer my own questions.

From the thumbnail, I thought it was Big Head from Silicon Valley

So much baloney in this episode! Thank you Hodinkee for getting me interested in watches a couple years ago, however time has now come to say our goodbyes. It’s not you, it’s me.

@galenbaby

Жыл бұрын

I like what he’s wearing

I just can’t man…

@uga.d4173

Жыл бұрын

Amen, brother.

Dear Hodinkee, I don’t understand why this was signed off on as a good idea for Talking Watches. One big add for poorly executed customizations. I don’t get it…

Oh, the humanity!

The crooked OysterQuartz dial? It’s so obvious. I can’t believe they’d allow that out the door.

I think we’ve reached peek watch bull. Look up the Harry Enfield, “I saw you coming” sketch. This feels like a similar parody.

OMG.. When the brash outfit of the interviewer is the least thing wrong with this episode, that says a lot. All the wooly pretentious talk by Cooper, that terribly painted power reserve on the JLC, mirror dials that doesn't reflect anything (brushed mirror? Really?), saying watches should be symmetrical or that he's a purist (but who defiles the original watch), crooked printing on that VC.. So basically all they do is put a new dial and strap on a watch and charge an arm and a leg for that? I really wonder why people would even go to them.

HODINKEE still has something great to offer. But it needs more people like Ben, Cara, Eric and Jack to steer the ship imo. Unfortunately those people aren’t around anymore but there are still people like Stephen, James and Jason who contribute greatly and if their direction was a bigger part of HODINKEE it’d be amazing. But what do I know. One video the comments are all negative about HODINKEE and the next all the comments are “this is why I love HODINKEE best watch site everrrr” the watch crowd is fickle.

Ngl. I had no idea who either of these two guys were when I saw the thumbnail. I originally thought the guy dressed as a Christmas tree was the person being interviewed but was surprised when I realised actually he's the host. The more I watched I then realised that they were actually sensibly dressed as it turned out it's a paid commercial. One more thing, can someone tell the Christmas tree to stop eating the bees.

Wait, what the hell is this? edit: I just read a bunch of other comments, I am glad I was not alone in thinking this video looked more like a parody that a real episode....

It might have already been said in other comments, but I'm pretty certain the reason the Rolex dial has lost it's paint is someone tried to clean the dial using something like rubbing alcohol. I've seen this done before by really poor quality watch repairmen as a quick way to try and remove dirt or stains from moisture, etc.

Modding a seiko is cool. Modding a Patek or JLC is pretty horrifying. How are these not frankenwatches?

Not gonna lie, based off the thumbnail I thought the host was the guest

Cool watches. Felt like a commercial.

@Ch0lera

Жыл бұрын

because it is.

I see how this is a polarizing topic.

i get the idea of whatever i do of my watch is my problem kinda thing. but the reason of why u buy vintage watches is cos u love the charm of it and precisely why vintage watches without their original dial/case etc suffer so much in value. if you want a customized watch, go choose a custom brand house like sartory billard or similar brands that can do a great job of making a customized watch that looks nice. no point murdering a vintage watch because u think it should have looked "this". kinda feel sad for those watches that were "reimagined", its not serviceable by their original brands like rolex/pp, the value drops drastically, and its basically a frankenwatch. Guess its not for everyone.

This was interesting.. not the usual. I wouldn’t do this to a vintage watch tho 😅

Cooper Zelnick is the founder of Cloister Watch Co. Cloister, as a verb, means to "seclude or shut up as if in a convent". Such a perfect name for this guy's company... He needs to both seclude himself and shut up.

I don't agree with the comments here. I believe the approach is fairly creative, the man is articulated and clearly has put a lot of thought in his approach. Saying that keeping a vintage watch in its original condition is a way to guarantee is monetary appreciation does resonate with me.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

Have you ever created a piece of art or received one as a gift from someone dear to you? Now imagine if this guy altered it and signed your name on it. Or if your child gave you a painting but you didn't like the colour of it so you get this guy to repaint it for you and sign your child's name on it. The point is he is destroying original vintage watches. Not preserving them. And he is keeping or reprinting the manufacturer's name on it. To me that's counterfeit.

@Knives183

Жыл бұрын

@@oysterman962 I think the difference here is that we are not talking about art but about manufactured goods. Watches are produced in series, art isn't.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

@@Knives183 Not a valid argument. Andy Warhol's portrait of Marilyn Monroe was recently sold as the most expensive painting of the 20th century. It was one in a series. The crafting of a watch is a form of art. It requires a skill much more complicated than a painting.

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

@@Knives183 There has been art produced in series...

@hijo5966

Жыл бұрын

@@Knives183 Art is just a manufactured good

I missed this episode when it was released. First of all but confused to find presenter in jammys, but more to the point I found the episode quite upsetting seeing Vacherons and JLC’s being altered. I never quite understood the modding / custom world not even seikos but each to their own.

These are just the same a custom Rolex dial all over Asian and eBay lol!!

and this is the death of Talking Watches.

No, not for me

I was willing to give the idea a chance. It might not be for me, but maybe there is a good idea for someone else in there. Seeing the Futurematic broke all illusions for me. Reminded me that's why we don't like franken customs. Because the custom jobs almost never match the quality of the original manufacturer, and cheapens the watch not only in value(monetary and historic) but aesthetically as well.

@adamw.7169

Жыл бұрын

Guy doesn't even preserve the original dials and makes copies to do the custom thing. Just full on paints and modifies the originals. This man is an insult to watchmaking.

basically creating franken watches

My worst nightmare would be me stuck at a dinner party next to this Zelnick guy. Yawn…

I got so excited to see a new episode of Talking Watches and then I tuned in to see an advertisement for a charlatan selling fake watches. So much cringe.

For those wondering, there were 42 "mmhmm"'s in 19 minutes and 17 seconds. Or an "mmhmm" every 27.5 seconds. Also Cooper has my dream job lol.

@tiempoconedd5634

Жыл бұрын

Lol I thought I was the only person getting crazy with the “mmhmm” 😅 OMG…

@ItsNeverTooHot4Leather

Жыл бұрын

Lol, I was looking for this comment.

Teddy Baldassares cousin ? Either way dude seems legit and passionate cool episode .

I think Hodinkee has moved on to a new place which is not surprising given the exit stratagies of the original participants and new ownership needs to make money how they see fit. Hey Hodinkee was a great new property and I'm sure Jack leaving wasn't in the plan either. All that being said, I think Nick asks great questions here and this is a new take - Hodinkee is in transition and finding its new identity. Ben eternally interviewing John Goldberger or John Mayer just isn't going to happen.

@shuiguigmt890

Жыл бұрын

is ben still at hodinkee, or did he leave? and who was old leadership?

Worst blunt rotation ever lol

Wow. RIP Hodinkee. Nice going Clymer. I think you’ve just run your company into the ground artistically speaking.

@jaskey

Жыл бұрын

I don't think Ben is charge of Hodinkee anymore and hasn't been in a long time. He just comes on once in a while to just be the face, but I think there has been three different leaders after him so far. But yes, post-Steven Hodinkee really has no idea what watch hobby is about. I think James Stacey is the only thing that Hodinkee really has going at this point.

Definitely not a "oh a didn't know they made it in this configuration" type vibe.

Wow and I thought the Pras episodes were bad. This is a new low. And HUGE LOL at "OY STERQUARTZ"

I dare you to take a tequila shot every time you hear the “mmhmm” sound!!!! ….😅 🥃

@tiempoconedd5634

Жыл бұрын

I think I have a new drinking game with this episode

Hodinkee’s been shilling for year's I'm surprised so many people don't seem to have noticed until now

@rsr789

Жыл бұрын

+ Eleventy Billion.

I get it

So, when you have one of these watches made you can bore the socks off everyone that will inevitably ask you where you go it.

@oysterman962

Жыл бұрын

And then when you become bored of it you can sell it on ebay as a genuine watch. Some poor unsuspecting newbie collector wont know that it's a Frankenstein.

Just call it what it is. This episode is an advertisement for this guy’s company.

Should have stuck with the halal taco stand.

Frankenwatches, cool if that’s your style. They look amazing to be honest. Not sure if I’d invest, but I definitely think they look great.

I don’t get it

Hodinkee is now doing paid Talking Watches now? How much did that company pay you to be featured

Prices of franken watches and redials are predicted to jump 20% tomorrow morning due to the Hodinkee effect. Better start snapping them up.