Hairspring

This week, the gentlemen behind Petermann Bédat join the show. We cover their early history, what it’s like working at Lange while not speaking German, challenges faced in starting their own brand, philosophy of their manufacture, and how they’re planning for the future. In addition, we discuss both Gaël and Bédat as collectors and lovers of watches and collectors—including their ultimate 3 watch collections and an Only Wrist. A huge thanks to Gaël Petermann & Florian Bédat for joining!

Links Mentioned:

Lange Young Watchmaker Program:

https://press.alange-soehne.com/committed-to-the-next-generation-of-watchmakers/

1967 Deadbeat Auction:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/petermann-bedat/205470

2941 Article:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2023/07/petermann-bedat-reference-2941-split-seconds-chronograph-review.html

1342 with Theo Auffret:

https://www.onlywatch.com/petermann-bedat-auffret-paris

Dominique Renaud:

https://www.dominiquerenaud.com/en/home/

Googling Recently:

https://hairspring.com/collections/exclusives/products/tank-a-guichets-prive-pink-gold

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/gronefeld-brings-back-its-four-greatest-hits-with-the-new-1941-quadrivium

Last Watch that Floored Them in Person:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/hands-on-xhevdet-rexhepi-minute-inerte

https://xhevdetrexhepi.com/en

3 Watch Roll:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/patek-philippe/209369

https://www.phillips.com/detail/patek-philippe/202611

https://wristaficionado.com/products/rolex-daytona-giraffe-126555tbr-rose-gold-chestnut-brown-diamond-dial-diamond-bezel-2025

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/important-watches/reference-2524-1-retailed-by-guebelin-a-pink-gold

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/5959r-patek-philippe-split-seconds-monopusher

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-a-lange-and-sohne-minute-repeater-perpetual-live-pictures-thoughts-and-comparisons

Only Wrist:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/h-moser-and-cie-introduces-the-streamliner-two-hands-in-28mm-and-34mm

https://laurentferrier.ch/collections/classic-origin/products/classic-origin-blue

https://romaingauthier.com/en/news/introducing-the-new-c-by-romain-gauthier-titanium-edition-39.5/

https://www.ming.watch

This is the story of two watchmakers, Daniels & Smith, who kept British independent watchmaking alive prior to the phrase independent existing. This chronicle encompasses Daniel’s story from Army service until pocket watches, fascination with Breguet, the Clutton & automotive connection, selling the Co-Axial, his pocket watches, wristwatches, the story of his first meeting with Smith, Smith’s near-decade attempt to become his pupil, Smith’s history, and a complete catalogue of Smith’s wristwatches so far. Of course, this includes many meandering and many offshoots, as you’ve grown to expect. We hope you enjoy. 

Links Mentioned:

Pocket Watch Two:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/roger-smith/185574

G W Daniels Chronometer:

https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/watches-sale-l17054/lot.119.html

1924 Bentley 3-Litre:

https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/pa26/lots/r0059-1924-bentley-3litre-speed-model-tourer-by-vanden-plas/

Cecil Clutton:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2026/02/cecil-clutton-collector-profile.html

Breguet 3862:

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4278226

The Clutton Pocket Watch:

https://watchesbysjx.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/16-The-first-Daniels-owned-by-Clutton-completed-in-1969.-Image-SJX-compositeAntiquorum.jpg

Edward Hornby:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/george-daniels/NY080121/102

Atwood & Daniels:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/george-daniels-seth-atwood-documentary-roger-smith

Space Traveller I:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2019/06/george-daniels-space-traveller-i-pocket-watch.html

Space Traveller II:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2019/08/george-daniels-space-traveller-ii-science-museum.html

Speedmaster Mark 4.5 Co-Axial Prototype:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2013/07/news-omega-co-axial-exhibition-in-singapore-august-23-to-september-1.html

Daniels Own Nautilus Prototype with a Co-Axial (Pictured Halfway Down this Article):

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/worlds-first-wristwatch-co-axial-escapement-london-science-museum-patek

George Daniel Datejust Prototype: 

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/on-the-block-a-customized-rolex-datejust-with-a-george-daniels-co-axial-escapement

Wristwatches:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2018/09/george-daniels-chronograph-wristwatch-tourbillon.html

https://www.phillips.com/detail/george-daniels/174033

Roger in the Pocket Watch Number One Years:

https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/67ae27a1e535f319ac00ecab/689c6d95f8fde73fbfa25703_1990-img-1.webp

Pocket Watch Two:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/roger-smith/185574

Cosigned Millenium:

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/important-watches-part-i-2/millenium-number-01-a-unique-and-historically

The Blue:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/unique-george-daniels-tourbillon-wristwatch-a-collected-man

Roger W Smith Timeline:

https://rwsmithwatches.com/evolution

Only Wrist:

https://hairspring.com/products/3940p-perpetual-calendar-third-series-platinum

https://hairspring.com/products/730-032-1815-tourbillon-pink-gold

This week, the tables have turned. Erik & Max polled you, the audience, for your opinions. Together, we find out what future classics you believe are being made today, how your views and actions in collecting have evolved over the last decade, independents that are your capturing interest, how you track or record your collection, how you’d theoretically build a 300k collection, and your deepest regrets around giving into hype or missing it entirely. This was a fascinating insight into our little group’s deep, sometimes controversial views on collecting. 

Links Mentioned:

Ludacris:

https://www.movado.com/us/en/ludacris-x-bold-quest

Your Future Classics:

https://hairspring.com/collections/exclusives/products/chronometre-artisans-rose-gold

https://hairspring.com/collections/exclusives/products/mirage-34-lapis-lazuli-white-gold-1

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-rolex-daytona-le-mans-126529ln-review

https://hairspring.com/products/414-028-1815-chronograph-white-gold-1

https://hairspring.com/products/chronograph-black-dial-white-gold

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/vacheron-constantin-cornes-de-vache-for-hodinkee

https://hairspring.com/products/142-055-zeitwerk-lumen-honeygold

https://hairspring.com/products/363-150-odysseus-honeygold

https://hairspring.com/products/sp-one-platinum

Your Independents Likely to Enjoy the Largest Rise Over the Next Decade:

https://simonbrette.com/en/

https://www.berneron.ch

https://www.rexheprexhepi.com

https://rwsmithwatches.com

https://petermann-bedat.com

https://www.auffret-paris.com

https://philippedufour.ch/en/

https://romaingauthier.com

Single Reply Runners Up:

https://www.instagram.com/qingan.official/?hl=en

https://www.bexei.hu

https://naoyahidawatch.com/?lang=en

https://stephanepierre.com

https://astrehler.ch

https://go.davidcandaux.com

https://sopranawatches.com

https://www.ming.watch

Collection Building Discussion:

https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/oakley-watches/

https://hairspring.com/collections/exclusives/products/reference-2-yellow-gold

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/guillcohe-dial-47101-vacheron-constantin-historiques-chronograph

https://www.analogshift.com/products/bulova-accutron-261-original-cushion-tv-as11348

https://hairspring.com/products/17000-oysterquartz-tropical-purple-pre-cosc-dial-steel

https://hairspring.com/products/6238-pre-daytona-chronograph-black-galvanic-dial-steel-1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Galli_(watchmaker)

https://www.europeanwatch.com/blog/audemars-piguet-25548pt-quantieme-perpetuel-calendar-review

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-lange-1-daymatic/

https://www.fpjourne.com/en/collection/octa-collection/octa-automatique-lune-havana

https://www.europeanwatch.com/blog/patek-philippe-5101p-10-day-tourbillon-review

https://www.sinn.de/en/watches/556-i.html

https://watchesbysjx.com/2026/08/berneron-quantieme-annuel-review.html

https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-longines-conquest-1972-munich/

https://greubelforsey.com/en/collections/balancier/balancier-qm

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/186-0013-omega-equinoxe-reverso

Only Wrist:

https://monochrome-watches.com/introducing-laurent-ferrier-classic-traveller-series-atelier-magnetic-green-hands-on-specs-price/

https://hairspring.com/products/5164a-aquanaut-travel-time-steel

This week Erik & Max are honored to be joined by founder of 37signals, thoughtful collector, and original thinker Jason Fried. While this episode briefly touches on Jason’s path as a collector, it’s spends more time on the philosophy of a meaningful business, knowing what doesn’t matter in design, what mades watches special to love, what defines craft, which watches were the least impressive in the metal, how the ability to sell permanence is linked to looking after your product, and so much more. 

Links Mentioned:

The MIH:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/found-elusive-mih-watch-up-for-grabs

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/mih-watch-review/

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-mih-gaia-watch

105.012:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/105-012-65-omega-speedmaster

Steel Lange 1:

https://langepedia.com/stainless-steel-a-lange-sohne/

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/lange-one-101026-steel

(We were wrong around this timestamp Lange are at about 7,000 watches annually)

Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar:

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-lange-1-perpetual-calendar-tourbillon/

Inline Patek QP:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/patek-philippe-ref-5236p-001-in-line-perpetual-calendar-a-first-for-patek-introducing

90% of Astons are still on the road:

https://www.carthrottle.com/news/90-cent-aston-martin-cars-ever-built-are-still-road

Rapide:

https://www.the-intercooler.com/library/blog/man-maths-aston-martin-rapide/

Lagonda:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1983-aston-martin-lagonda-3/

Resonance Pisa:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/fp-journe/229536

T10:

https://www.acollectedman.com/products/t10-tourbillon-40mm-platinum

Watch Jason is Googling Often:

https://hairspring.com/products/sbgz005

Watch that Floored in Person:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/740-056-a-lange-sohne-datograph-perpetual-tourbillon-1

3 Watch Roll:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/introducing-the-patek-philippe-3670a-a-new-chronograph-in-st

https://hairspring.com/products/701-011-pour-le-merite-tourbillon-pink-gold

https://www.acollectedman.com/products/t10-tourbillon-40mm-platinum

Only Wrist:

https://naoyahidawatch.com/new-release/nh-type-7a/?lang=en

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/heuer-3646-second-execution-autavia

https://hairspring.com/products/239-050-1815-thin-homage-to-fa-lange-honeygold

This is the story of Danish watchmaking’s most storied name, a deep-dive chronicle to help collectors understand the very nuanced and convoluted history of Urban Jürgensen. This includes relevant backstory on Urban himself, a deep dive on Baumberger, Pratt, and the watches they made together—plus a look at what’s happening today under the Rosenfields and Venla with Kari Voutilainen. This episode focuses on wristwatches with particular attention given to the rise of the Pratt-Baumberger era, noting each reference in detail with points for collectors to come away from having learned something new: like how to take over Iceland. 

Links Mentioned:

Some Guides Worth Reading:

https://revolutionwatch.com/a-retrospective-the-legacy-of-urban-jurgensen/

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/urban-jurgensen-then-and-now

19th-Century Pocket Watch:

https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/urban-jurgensen-lot-299-87

Jules Jürgensen Pocket Watch Deconstruction:

https://www.thenakedwatchmaker.com/deconstruction-jules-jurgensen

Baumberger:

https://quillandpad.com/2020/05/20/tribute-to-peter-baumberger-1939-2010-rip-you-complete-and-utter-bastard/

https://watchesbysjx.com/2020/05/peter-baumberger-urban-jurgensen-helmut-crott.html

Pratt:

https://www.acollectedman.com/blogs/journal/derek-pratt-the-forgotten-watchmaker

https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/getting-to-know-derek-pratt-the-watchmakers

https://quillandpad.com/2018/07/14/the-life-and-times-of-legendary-independent-watchmaker-derek-pratt-archive/

H4:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2019/09/john-harrison-marine-chronometer-h4-diamond-pallets.html

The Oval:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2024/11/urban-jurgensen-derek-pratt-oval-pocket-watch.html

https://www.phillips.com/detail/derek-pratt-for-urban-jurgensen/206983

https://www.phillips.com/article/149733060/derek-pratts-oval-pocket-watch-voutilainen-urban-jurgensen-phillips-reloaded

Wristwatches:

https://www.acollectedman.com/blogs/journal/urban-jurgensen-wristwatches

Ref 1:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/urban-jurgensen-reference-1

Ref 2:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/urban-jurgensen/213445

Ref 3:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/urban-jurgensen/228974

Ref 5: 

https://hairspring.com/collections/exclusives/products/reference-5-platinum

Ref 8:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/urban-jurgensen-reference-8

Repeater Tourbillon:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/urban-jurgensen/228973

Great Podcast with Dr Helmut Crott:

https://collectability.com/podcasts/interview-with-leading-horological-expert-and-pioneer-dr-helmut-crott/

Detent Escapement:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/urban-jurgensen/145819

Alfred:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/urban-jurgensen-the-alfred-hands-on

The One:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/urban-jurgensen-one-collection-introducing

Urban Jürgensen Revival:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/introducing-urban-jurgensen-returns-2025

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/hands-on-urban-jurgensen-uj-1

Only Wrist:

https://hairspring.com/collections/exclusives/products/3755pt-perpetual-calendar-tourbillon-skeleton-platinum

https://hairspring.com/products/25668pt-perpetual-calendar-skeleton-platinum