Openwork: Inside the Watch Industry

Watch Market Update – State of the Industry Mid-year 2025 – Episode 43

We’re half way through 2025, which has turned out to be a very eventful year to say the least, and that very much shows up in the data for the watch market. So today we’re looking at all the data sources we can muster to understand just how the watch industry is faring at the midway point of 2025, and where it might be heading next.
We looked at a wide variety of sources from WatchCharts, to trade press, to FHS export data and more. We’ll do our best to cite everything as we chat, but as always a full list of sources can be found at collectivehorology.com/blog.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

What Enthusiasts Have Wrong – Dispelling the Watch Industry's Top Myths – Episode 42

Having made the transition from watch enthusiasts to industry insiders and retailers in particular, we’ve come to realize that there are often big gaps between what commands attention in watch media and among collectors vs. the commercial realities.
Many of the so-called “truths” we hold sacred as enthusiasts aren’t really true after all. So today on Openwork, we’re myth busting – taking a look at some of the widely held beliefs in the watch community that are actually in fact misconceptions.
For show notes, including links to more information, visit collectivehorology.com/blog.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Reviving the U.S. Watch Industry – Josh Shapiro (J.N. Shapiro) – Episode 41

We discuss watchmaking in America – specifically what’s required to bring watchmaking at scale back to the United States. It’s a hot topic these days, particularly as U.S. tariffs, which have been dominating the news, are intended at least in part to bring manufacturing back to the United States. So with that in mind, we thought it would be worth taking a look at what would actually be required to restore the American watch industry.
Our guest today is Josh Shapiro, an American independent watchmaker. Based in Los Angeles, and together with a team of watchmakers, engineers and machinists, Josh is bringing watchmaking of the highest level back to the United States. In fact, his latest creation, the Resurgence, is currently the only watch to meet the standard of “made in America” as defined by the United States Federal Trade Commission.
For show notes, including links to more information, visit collectivehorology.com/blog.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Editorial Integrity in Watch Media – Victoria Gomelsky (JCK, New York Times, Robb Report) – Episode 40

Editorial integrity and independence in the watch world. It’s a hot topic, and one we’ve explored before. But that was before today’s guest penned her open letter to the watch industry published in Robb Report titled: "Watch Execs Need to Learn to Respect Journalistic Boundaries."
Victoria Gomelsky is editor-in-chief of JCK, a New York City-based jewelry trade publication founded in 1869. Her writing on watches, jewelry and travel has appeared in the New York Times, Robb Report, WSJ Magazine, and the Hollywood Reporter, among many others.
For detailed show notes, including links to more information, visit collectivehorology.com/blog.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Double Whammy of Tariffs and Foreign Exchange Rates – And How the Watch Industry Is Responding – Episode 39

We’re going inside the industry response to the double whammy of US tariffs and foreign exchange rates. We’re going to address common myths, offer a look behind the scenes at the industry response, and discuss the implications for watchmaking in the US.
For detailed show notes, including links to more information, visit collectivehorology.com/blog.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Watch Collectors Become More Discerning – Collective Voice Spring 2025 Listener Survey Results – Episode 38

We delve into the results of the Spring 2025 Collective Voice Survey, our twice-yearly report on how collectors feel about all things watches.
Our Spring 2025 survey offers a fresh look at what’s on the minds of watch enthusiasts—what excites them, what frustrates them, and how those feelings translate (or don’t) into actual buying behavior. Just like our inaugural survey in Summer 2024, this round was packed with thoughtful, candid, and occasionally contradictory responses.
Full survey results are available at collectivehorology.com/blog.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

Special Episode: The Unsung Watches of Watches and Wonders 2025 – Episode 37

After a busy week in Geneva, we recap the most interesting watches we saw that aren't otherwise getting much attention. Visit the Collective blog for show notes with live photos and links: collectivehorology.com/blog.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.
 

Watches and Wonders 2025 – The Watch Industry Adapts to a New Normal – Episode 36

Recorded at Watches and Wonders 2025, we look at the current state of the show, some of the most interesting releases from a business standpoint, and even a few personal highlights.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

The Rise of Independent Watchmaking – Tim Jackson (Independent in Time) – Episode 35

These days, it seems like independent watchmakers and brands are everywhere – celebrated in watch media, on display at major retailers worldwide, hotly discussed in collector circles, and of course gaining share in an otherwise entrenched industry. But it’s an overnight success decades in the making. And today we have the perfect guest to guide us through the rise of the independents: Tim Jackson.
Tim is a passionate advocate for independent watchmaking, with a deep-rooted appreciation for mechanical timepieces that dates back to his childhood near Liverpool, England. His journey began with a Timex at age 10 and evolved into a lifelong fascination with horology that’s spanned a career in the UK and now here in California. With over 30 years in the watch world, Tim has developed a particular admiration for independent artisans who push the boundaries of traditional watchmaking. Today, he continues to champion these masters of micro-mechanical art, helping enthusiasts discover and acquire truly exceptional timepieces through his business Independent in Time.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.

The Unspoken Realities of Swiss Production – Praneeth Rajsingh (CEO, MING Watches) – Episode 34

We’re joined by Praneeth Rajsingh, CEO of Horologer MING, to discuss the realities of watchmaking in Switzerland. While most watch brands are incredibly secretive about production, MING is remarkably transparent. So we invited Praneeth to discuss how exactly watch production in Switzerland works – warts and all. We discuss how the brand has evolved to be able to produce watches using movements and components from a wide range of partners to create their consistent, unique and thoroughly recognizable watches.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.