Ep. #28 – Rivkah Watches
& Non-Homage Alternatives To Pricey Watches
Kaz decides he wants to start making watches (like, seriously, making them himself – case, hands, dials – everything except the movement and the crystal) – but he wants your input, #watchfam! Is this something you guys want to be a part of? Would the seeing and influencing every step of the process be something that you guys would be into? Let us know!
Also Mike and Kaz discuss a topic that’s been floating around for a bit now: affordable, non-homage versions of some pieces that are just waaaay too expensive for the everyday consumer.
Plus we cover chicken plucking, Kaz’s innate phobia of Rolex reference numbers, and Kaz just wants everyone to know that his Team Leader at work is a bare-wristed, asexual lizard-man.
Let us know your thoughts on this week’s episode in the comments below, on Instagram, or by email at [email protected]!
Show Notes:
First!
For sure I would be interested in hearing all about the process of building your own watch. Just hearing about the tech and the various decision points would be very interesting.
Also, you mention something about modding your 3d printer? Didn’t know you could do that, but I guess with anything these days, you can always mod.
Awesome, man – thanks for the feedback!
Yea, I originally bought my printer back in 2014. Out of the box it was only really designed to work with one type of plastic. Basically, certain printers can only work with certain materials because different printing materials have different thermal and abrasive properties. So if you’re printer has parts that are prone to abrasion or their warping point is at a relatively low temperature, you’re limited to what you can print with.
So, I upgraded the parts of my printer that would be compromised by highly abrasive and high temperature materials (in addition to upgrading the power source), which means that I have a lot more options to choose from now when it comes to printing. Home 3D printing was originally supposed to put the reigns of manufacturing in the hands of the individual instead of them having to rely on a third party or overseas manufacturer. That’s why a good majority of printers out there support modding, but you gotta be careful because you can mess up your machine if you’re unfamiliar with the process. Hope that wasn’t boring as hell lol!
No other subject in horology makes my head and heart hurt more than the topic of homage watches. The hypocrisy rampant in this topic makes me insane. FLAMES SHOOTING OUT OF MY HEAD. Good podcast guys. Kaz make the watch and post all the pictures. Mike buy the CWC. If you guys mug John Mayer, PSDance will post the bail.
Yea, man it’s such a polarizing topic but it really doesn’t need to be IMO – glad you liked the episode, man! And thanks for your feedback on Rivkah, I’m going to go for it and catalog the process as much as I can for everyone – and good to know, you hear that @psdance, we’re gonna need bail soon – look your way, dude
what do u mean by hypocrisy? (btw not saying I disagree with u)
Flieger watches. That’s the hypocrisy.
IWC, Zenith, Lange and Sohne, Stowa, Archimeda, Orient, Laco, Fortis, Alpina all make flieger or pilot watches that look a whole bunch the same. That is just naming a few. Funny, the first “Pilot” watch was made by Cartier. It looked nothing like the round case shape we think about today.
The Big Bang and the Royal Oak Offshore look pretty close to being the same.
Any watch that has the, “Panerai” case shape, is now a Pan knock off for all the Pan fanboys. That shape was used by Rolex in the 1920’s. Pan just make it bigger. Like Big Ben on your wrist big.
What the problem is there is no push to make a watch look different from another because they are selling. We keep buying divers that look like a Sub because fucking subs a crazy expensive. Like stupid dumb expensive. There is also the problem of when a new shape comes out, it likes like a Transformers hemorrhoid (credit to Kaz). Or it’s made of fused lizard scales a snow leopard spit and is priced at a level no one that has a job can afford. Which is another topic, pricing and what we as consumers are actually paying for. But back to homage.
At what point is the sub case shape and dial layout no longer property of Rolex? Sure some watches go way over the line of copycat, Invicta. But with companies like Steinhart making homage watch, have a solid build and come with ETA movements, I think we need to give them a break.
Not sure why we give some companies breaks of homage but not others. Unless it’s Invicta. F them.
I found a lot of info on pilot watches on Monochrome-watches.com They have a real good five part article on them.
I need a drink.
Flieger watches. That’s the hypocrisy.
IWC, Zenith, Lange and Sohne, Stowa, Archimeda, Orient, Laco, Fortis, Alpina all make flieger or pilot watches that look a whole bunch the same. That is just naming a few. Funny, the first “Pilot” watch was made by Cartier. It looked nothing like the round case shape we think about today.
The Big Bang and the Royal Oak Offshore look pretty close to being the same.
Any watch that has the, “Panerai” case shape, is now a Pan knock off for all the Pan fanboys. That shape was used by Rolex in the 1920’s. Pan just make it bigger. Like Big Ben on your wrist big.
What the problem is there is no push to make a watch look different from another because they are selling. We keep buying divers that look like a Sub because fucking subs a crazy expensive. Like stupid dumb expensive. There is also the problem of when a new shape comes out, it likes like a Transformers hemorrhoid (credit to Kaz). Or it’s made of fused lizard scales a snow leopard spit and is priced at a level no one that has a job can afford. Which is another topic, pricing and what we as consumers are actually paying for. But back to homage.
At what point is the sub case shape and dial layout no longer property of Rolex? Sure some watches go way over the line of copycat, Invicta. But with companies like Steinhart making homage watch, have a solid build and come with ETA movements, I think we need to give them a break.
Not sure why we give some companies breaks of homage but not others. Unless it’s Invicta. F them.
I found a lot of info on pilot watches on Monochrome-watches.com They have a real good five part article on them.
I need a drink.
Flieger watches. That’s the hypocrisy.
IWC, Zenith, Lange and Sohne, Stowa, Archimeda, Orient, Laco, Fortis, Alpina all make flieger or pilot watches that look a whole bunch the same. That is just naming a few. Funny, the first “Pilot” watch was made by Cartier. It looked nothing like the round case shape we think about today.
The Big Bang and the Royal Oak Offshore look pretty close to being the same.
Any watch that has the, “Panerai” case shape, is now a Pan knock off for all the Pan fanboys. That shape was used by Rolex in the 1920’s. Pan just make it bigger. Like Big Ben on your wrist big.
At what point is the sub case shape and dial layout no longer property of Rolex? Sure some watches go way over the line of copycat, Invicta. But with companies like Steinhart making homage watch, have a solid build and come with ETA movements, I think we need to give them a break.
Not sure why we give some companies breaks of homage but not others. Unless it’s Invicta. F them.
I found a lot of info on pilot watches on Monochrome-watches.com They have a real good five part article on them.
I need a drink.
Hah, yeah, I hear yah. I guess it comes down to good will. If you pump out some great innovative designs, the watch world will cut you some slack on the occasional homage/knockoff. If you sell yr pieces next to TJ Maxx, you can do no right.
I’m curious about 3d printing a watch case – would it be plastic, or a mold, or would you be printing metal? (I didn’t know you could do that!)
Also, I second PSDance posting bail. Good on you, bro.
The case material that I’m currently considering is a composite between surgical grade nylon and carbon fiber, it’s extremely rigid and impact resistance – plus it has a high tensile strength. It’s going to have a black matte finish with a touch of sheen – I’m going to start posting 3D renderings soon on the site and in a week or so I want to start sharing real-life pictures of the parts to give yall an idea of what it actually looks like.
If I ever get the space I’d love to tinker with the prospect of lost mold casting – print the bit in wax (yes, I can 3D print in wax 0_o) and compress it with sand – then pour in the material. But at the same time, I’m researching the metal 3D printer more – the only issue is that the material that it uses to print is expensive since there aren’t a lot of manufacturers out there.
Hope that’s helpful – totally ask me more questions – if you thought I could take about watches all day wait till you see me on watches and 3D printing lol
cool! If i hadn’t just bit on the Baltic, I would totally endorse the Rivkah kickstarter campaign. As long as it comes with a big gold coin as the caseback…
Lol no gold coin case back here – also I don’t think I’ll be doing a kickstarter – more likely a direct pre-order when the time comes. Plus don’t worry, man – this watch will cost no where near as much as those Baltic pieces lol – but those things do look super cool
Dude, instead of a gold coin, you should put like, a slightly rusty quarter in the caseback, just to let Bre Pettis know what’s up.
I read that the gold coin is supposed to be used for “post apocalyptic emergencies.” So the Rivkah quarter can be used for “Ms. Pac Man” emergencies.
Oh man, should I be finding a new profession? Bail Bondsman?
Found the info on the Bre Pettis piece. Not my cup of tea, but some tea bag patina would be an improvement. I saw the gold coin in the back, interesting concept, but how do you get change from a gold coin? Or is it like that old movie “The Million Pound Note” just the fact you have a gold coin means you don’t have to spend it. LOL.
I like the revisits to the various topics. Also glad you did the homage watches. I’ve seen that Orient with the Day and date and was wondering about it as it looks so much like the Rolex. So I guess no longer available new, but on the 2nd hand market.
I have bought my own homage watch, the Bulova Marine Star, that is basically like a Hublot Big Bang. After wearing it for a while, it just doesn’t set very well on my wrist. So I just saved a whole lot of money. LoL I would however still go visit the Hublot Boutique that is opening up in my city this year to try some on. I wonder if I can see if I can get an invite. Can I be a twobrokewatchsnobs field reporter? Hmm…
Ok, here is a challenge a Mechanical perpetual calendar, what is out there? I’ve been lusting after the JLC master perpetual in stainless steel with the black dial, but $20K the Frederique constant has a perpetual for around $10K.
I’m sure there must be a quartz version out there, but is there a quartz in an analog style perpetual?
I feel like this podcast is much about watches as Kaz’s life crises and self-therapy 😀 which is entertaining and part of the fun of the podcast (apologies that I receive schadenfreude, from your life, Kaz).
I think it would be totally awesome for you to make watches! I completely support your endeavors and I would be interested in purchasing one. I’m actually looking at a hand-wind movement watch (see: email I sent you guys today), so I think a hand-wind movement sounds cool. I too like the name Rivka — I think the meaning behind is good too, and ties up everything important in your life well. I would love to see the entire process, and see the prototypes, etc. I will give you feedback on it and my thoughts.
Alright, Richard Mille! Fascinated by Richard MIlle and love it when you mention them 😀 I recently saw pictures of the RM-69, and it’s such a stupid and ugly watch, I almost want to like it. First time I heard of Dietrich watches — these are pretty awesome. They are weird and I dig them.
First time I’ve also heard of Smith watches, and although I don’t like the Everest, some of those other models are cool.
Enjoyed listening to the episode! Look forward to your watch printing endeavors!