Unpolished Watches

Paid subscribers can see the full newsletter and show notes here: https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/precision-and-the-protection-of-disbelief
Welcome back to the newsletter for watch collectors. A few notes:
* Canvas Straps are now available in 20mm and, for the first time, 22mm. Shop the Unpolished Store here—all paid subscribers get 10% off. Pick one up at the launch price of $65 for the next week.
* Upgrade to Founding Membership here to get the 2025 Rewind Magazine. For annual subscribers: An email from Monday also has another easy way to upgrade.
* Unpolished hit #20 on Substack’s Fashion & Beauty leaderboard, which I believe roughly tracks paid subscriptions. There are just two male writers in front of me—Jake Woolf, I’m coming for you.
* I was on Derek Mon’s YouTube and talked about a few watches here.
* Today’s letter is brought to you by Pushers.io—more below.
This is the podcast version of the Unpolished newsletter from February 28, 2026.
* To subscribe and get full access to the newsletter and show notes, head to: unpolishedwatches.com
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter (and podcast) for watch collectors. Join to get all the good stuff for $8/mo or $89/yr:



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe

For full show notes, visit this link: https://www.unpolishedwatches.com/p/notes-from-tudors-quiet-100th-birthday
This is the podcast version of the Unpolished newsletter from February 23, 2026.
* To subscribe and get full access to the newsletter and show notes, head to: unpolishedwatches.com
* Shop straps in the Unpolished Store: shop.unpolishedwatches.com (Canvas Straps on sale this week!)
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe

Paid subscribers: Follow along with the full show notes here. To become a subscriber, join Unpolished Watches or manage your account here. Founding Members receive the 2025 Rewind Magazine, which you can learn more about here.
This week’s format is a little different.
Last year’s most popular podcast was How to Collect Neo-Vintage Watches. We’ll have more “How to Collect” episodes this year, but in addition to a podcast, I’ll write a more comprehensive Collector’s Guide for paid subscribers to follow along. Each episode will feature a dealer or expert going deep on their particular niche.
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors and a top-20 Fashion Substack. Subscribe now ($8/mo) to get all the good stuff, including the show notes to follow along with this podcast:

This week: The vintage Rolex Daytona with dealer Michael Morgan of Iconic Watch Company. Michael’s a dealer based in Orange County who focuses on vintage Rolex.
Collecting is about recognizing patterns, and whether or not you’re interested in the Daytona, this episode will help you understand those patterns in vintage Rolex and how to think about originality and period correctness. We cover all four-digit Daytona references, starting with the last Pre-Daytona 6238.
The vintage Daytona can be divided into three eras:
* Pump pusher era: Refs. 6239 and 6241 (1963–69)
* Transitional era: Refs. 6262 and 6264 (1970-71)
* Screw-down era: Refs. 6263 and 6265 (1972-1988)
* “Experimental” reference 6240 (1965-69)
The Daytona’s been covered again and again, so instead of repeating what you already know, I’ll try to fill gaps I see in what’s been published and talk about the market right now.
Why now? While everyone else is going crazy for neo-vintage Patek Philippe, smart collectors are zagging, baby!
We focus on standard dials, though the exotic Newman is mentioned a few times. In 1988, Rolex discontinued the manual-wind Daytona, replacing it with the automatic Zenith Daytona.
Other Show Notes: Here’s the Patek Philippe 5004P and First Series Patek Philippe 3970 we open by talking about. Both were listed for $750k by European Watch Co. The 3970 has since sold, which I suppose shows which one the “market” finds more compelling right now.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
UNPOLISHED STORE
Check out our Matte Calfskin and Canvas Straps in the Unpolished Store. We’ll be adding 22mm Canvas Straps in the next couple of weeks (and restocking 20mm)—in the meantime, 18-19mm straps are on sale for just $65. Shop the Unpolished Store now.


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe

View full show notes here.
This week, I’m joined by Alfred Chan and Phil Toledano of Toledano & Chan. They’ve just announced their latest release, the b1.3r, an updated take on their brutalist integrated bracelet watch. Alfred is a talented watch designer, and Phil is an inscrutable artist and collector.
We talk about that their latest release, but also: manufacturing in China vs. Switzerland (their first releases were made in China, while the b1.3r is made in Switzerland); stone dials and the state of the microbrand space; making an asymmetrical crystal; the best watches they bought in 2025; marketing, TikTok, brand ambassadors, and Timothee Chalamet; making something that’s intentionally divisive; why their costs $10,000 (!); and what’s next for Toledano & Chan.
The case and bracelet of the b1.3r is now in titanium, and it’s been slightly shrunk down compared to previous releases. The main feature of this watch is the solid-gold “ripple” dial, meant to look like ripples on the water (very Grand Seiko).
For more, visit Toledano & Chan or find them on Instagram.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
Unpolished is the newsletter for watch collectors, and a top-25 Fashion & Beauty Substack. Join a community of 1,000+ enthusiasts for just $6/mo:

Below: The new Toledano & Chan b1.3r, and the massive “soup bowl” Phil talks about at the start of the episode.

UNPOLISHED STORE
If you’re enjoying the podcast, head over to the Unpolished Store to pick up one of our Canvas or Leather straps. The leather straps are a high-quality french calfskin that sits right between dressy and distressed. The Canvas Straps are 100% cotton—unlike other canvas straps, they aren’t lined which means they’re thin, flexible, and comfortable:
* Shop the Unpolished Store
I’m able to keep the podcast free thanks to your support with subscriptions or buying straps!



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe

Paid subscribers: All winners of the holiday giveaway are being individually emailed today. If that’s you, please respond in 24 hours before I draw the next name!
Welcome back to the Unpolished podcast. Our first conversation of 2026 is with Nicholas Bowman-Scargill. He’s the 4th managing director of Fears Watches, based in Bristol, U.K., and the great-great-great-grandson of Edwin Fear, who founded Fears in 1846. Fears closed its doors in 1976, but Nicholas reopened them in 2016. This year, Fears is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its re-founding and the 180th anniversary of its original formation.
Nicholas made an early-career pivot to watches, joining Rolex in the U.K. as a watchmaking apprentice. After five years at Rolex, he set off on his own to relaunch his family’s dormant watch company. We talk about what he learned at Rolex, why the Crown makes such good movements for watchmakers, 10 years of Fears, mistakes he’s made, the state of British watchmaking, how to make a good watch case, and a lot more.
Subscribe to the podcast to get future episodes in your feed: Spotify / Apple / RSS
UNPOLISHED STORE

If you’re enjoying the podcast, head over to the Unpolished Store to pick up one of our Canvas or Leather straps. The leather straps are a high-quality french calfskin that sits right between dressy and distressed. The Canvas Straps are 100% cotton—unlike other canvas straps, they aren’t lined which means they’re thin, flexible, and comfortable:
* Shop the Unpolished Store
I’m able to keep the podcast free thanks to your support with subscriptions or buying straps!
Show Notes:
* Fearswatches.com
* What does craft actually mean to you? (last week’s newsletter
* Fears Brunswick collection
* Fears Arnos (my favorite Fears)
* A Theory of the Case, last weekend’s newsletter
Get in touch:
* tony[at]unpolishedwatches.com
* Instagram
* Tap the heart, leave a comment, or review the podcast wherever you’re listening.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unpolishedwatches.com/subscribe