The SJX Podcast

The spring auction seasons gets underway in Geneva in just a few days. On episode 39 of the SJX Podcast, we look at some of the top lots that caught our attention at Phillips, Christie's Sotheby's, and Antiquorum.Auction dates (in order):Phillips: May 9 & 10Antiquorum: May 9 & 10Sotheby's: May 10Christie's: May 11 & 12Show notes:1:00: Patek Philippe Worldtime ref. 25231:20: Akrivia AK-061:45: Charles Frodsham pocket watch for J.P. Morgan partner Thomas Lamont2:55: Victor Kullberg tourbillon pocket watch3:25: Paul Ditisheim tourbillon pocket watch4:45: Patek Philippe dual time pocket watch with Turkish dial5:53: Audemars Piguet single-button chronograph wristwatch7:15: School watch from Geneva Watchmaking School7:47: Patek Philippe ref. 425 for Asprey8:55: Audemars Piguet observatory dial9:05: Rolex Submariner white gold prototype10:20: Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700 diamond-set11:30: A. Lange & Söhne grand complication pocket watch

During Watches & Wonders, all eyes are usually on the major brands exhibiting inside the cavernous Palexpo. Episode 38 of the SJX Podcast rounds up the highlights from the smaller fairs like Time to Watches, and the independents exhibiting on their own around town.Among the standouts were Mathieu Cleguer, who debuted a novel escapement of his own design, Dominique Renaud who launched a high-amplitude 1 Hz balance, and Franc Vila, who seems to be entering a new era of creativity.Show notes:1:12: Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Mystery2:45: Anton Suhanov Flamingo4:20: Dominique Renaud Pulse 607:20: Cleguer Horology Inspiration One9:15: Niton Prima12:00: Franc Vila FVF2 14:30: Sylvain Pinaud Tourbillon15:00: Marco Lang Seven Spheres

Episode 37 of the SJX Podcast recaps the biggest releases from the brands officially exhibiting at Watches & Wonders 2026. Highlights from the independent brands exhibiting around town will be covered in our next episode.Show notes:0:55: Rolex Daytona Rolesium Enamel Dial ref. 1265023:15: Rolex Yacht-Master II5:00: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 'Jubilee' Dial8:30: Patek Philippe Celestial ref. 6105G12:00: Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5610P 50th Anniversary12:30: Patek Philippe Automaton ref. 524913:30: Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar "Lumen"14:50: Lange Saxonia Annual Calendar15:50: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin ref. 2500V16:50: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual-Time Cardinal Points19:11: Tudor Black Bay Ceramic19:40: Tudor Monarch21:00: TAG Heuer Evergraph25:00: Cartier Crash Platinum26:20: Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA Ushio 300 Diver SLGB025 and SLGB02328:00: Ressence Type 1129:30: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux

Episode 36 of the SJX Podcast comes straight from Watches & Wonders 2026. As ever, all eyes are focused on Rolex during the first hour of the event. SJX and Brandon unpack the brand's new models, which feature new materials and a novel industrial approach to enamel dial production.We'll be back soon with more live coverage of the industry's biggest event.

It's been a promising year for independent watchmaking, and Watches & Wonders hasn't even taken place yet. On episode 35 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss Rexhep Rexhepi's first in-house chronograph bearing his own name. What Mr Rexhepi does, others often imitate, so it's worth thinking about how the launch of this traditional-yet-novel chronograph will shape the future of the category.The conversation also turns to Ressence, which has just unveiled its own in-house movement, and has done so at a fair price. Russian AHCI-member Anton Suhanov also joins the ranks of indies with their own calibres, installing a 15+ mm luminous balance wheel in his third wristwatch. And that's not the only Russian watch boasting unusual specs — Konstantin Chaykin revealed the series production version of his ThinKing, the thinnest watch ever at just 1.65 mm thick, complete with double 'mystery' displays.New names also made their debuts recently, including Stéphane Pierre and Mathieu Cleguer, who has come up with a novel double-wheel escapement of his own design. These makers are illustrative of a broader trend in independent watchmaking, namely the engineer-led brand. Show notes:00:20: Rexhep Rexhepi RRCHF06:45: Raymond Weil Millesime “The Fifty”07:20: Ressence Type 1110:00: Anton Suhanov Flamingo15:00: Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Mystery16:30: Cleguer Inspiration One18:00: Stéphane Pierre L’Impétrant

Why do watch debates get so heated, so fast — and why does no one ever change their mind? On episode 34 of the SJX Podcast, Brandon sits down with King Flum, collector and author of the ScrewDownCrown Substack, to dig into the psychology behind the arguments that define online watch communities.Drawing on research from psychologists including Jonathan Haidt and Dan Kahan, the conversation covers why our preferences form before we start thinking, why smarter collectors tend to construct more elaborate — not more objective — arguments, and why an attack on your watch can feel like an attack on you personally.Read more here: https://www.screwdowncrown.com/p/your-brain-is-a-defence-lawyer-watch-forum-psychology

Seiko is on something of a resurgence, aiming to take back its reputation as a value leader after the emergence, over the past decade, of increasingly competitive micro-brands. On episode 33 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss the King Seiko Vanac, now available in titanium, and the Marinemaster, which has been transformed through a number of incremental upgrades. The discussion then turns to some other affordable new releases from Orient Star, Raketa, and Christopher Ward, which just launched an in-house 'flyer' GMT calibre with a five-day power reserve.Show notes:00:35: King Seiko Vanac Titanium3:30: Seiko Marinemaster8:00: Orient Star M4511:10: Raketa Baikonur12:20: Christopher Ward Sealander True GMT

Watches & Wonders is less than a month away, so for episode 32 of the SJX Podcast we're talking about what we'd want to see from some of the major brands like Patek Philippe, Grand Seiko, and Tudor. It's always difficult to make predictions, and the best releases from every year are usually a surprise, but Andrew put together a few picks that we believe would be crowd-pleasers, were they to be made.SJX and Brandon also discuss the latest minute repeater from Girard-Perregaux, and SJX's own collaboration with Habring²: the Chrono-Felix Medicus chronograph.Show notes:1:00: Patek Philippe3:00: Grand Seiko4:20: Tudor7:30: Girard-Perregaux Minute Repeater Flying Bridges11:30: Habring² x SJX Chrono-Felix Medicus