Time 2 Calibrate

Episode 33: Our 1st retailer, Sam Messiha from gem Bijou

Bob's ex-employer drops by to sit in the hot seat. In all seriousness, we had a great conversation with one of Canada's leading watch retailers. We've spoken with media personalities, collectors, brand representatives, brand owners, and designers, but never with a retailer before. It was about time we had someone on the other side of the watch counter. You'll really enjoy this conversation. 
Gem Bijou website: https://gembijou.com/
Sam's watch: https://monochrome-watches.com/tudor-black-bay-black-bezel-red-triangle-79220n-exclusive-review-live-photos-specs-price/
Brent's right wrist: https://www.rzewatches.com/collections/utd/products/utd-8000-gr
Brent's left wrist: https://www.omegawatches.com/fr-ca/watch-omega-seamaster-diver-300m-co-axial-master-chronometer-42-mm-21030422001010
Marc's watch: https://sherpawatches.com/ultradive-moon_and_sun/
Bob's watch: https://www.casio.com/ca-en/watches/gshock/product.DW-5600BCE-1/
Our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:14 – Introduction01:04 – Wrist Checks05:41 – Sam’s all-time favorite employee11:16 – How it all began13:45 – Carrying the watches collectors want15:45 – How Sam’s heritage shaped his perspective17:21 – Sam’s destiny in the watch/jewelry business19:27 – Going the extra mile, events, shows, etc.20:56 – Travels in the watch business22:47 – Gem Bijou’s competitive advantage26:32 – Building relationships with brands28:52 – Gem Bijou’s newest brand, Montblanc30:59 – Cool customer stories38:00 – What are people buying right now?41:42 – Keeping the right products in stock44:31 – Balancing bloops & beeps vs. brick & mortar45:53 – Online marketing and social media48:04 – How Sean came into the picture (the retail version of Marc)50:30 – New brands Sam is working with53:31 – Dream brand to bring into Gem Bijou (apart from Isotope)57:32 – Proudest decision or pivot that helped his business59:57 – Gem Bijou pre-owned watches1:02:07 – All about Sam’s 1959 Omega Speedmaster1:04:43 – Advice for new retailers1:08:12 – What would Sam be doing instead of retailing1:08:52 – How Sam measures success1:12:52 – How Sam deals with PIA customers like Marc1:15:49 – Thank yous and goodbyes1:16:55 – T2C OUT!

Episode 32: Toronto Weekend Recap (They're such a good person!)

This is our annual recap of the Toronto Timepiece Show, which this year also included the Timepiece World Awards and the TGN/Marathon party. We had a wonderful time. Although we are tired, if asked, we would gladly do it all over again next weekend.
Brent's Hanhart 215 ES: https://www.hanhart.com/en/product/415-es-reverse-panda-39-mm/
Bob's Isotope Mercury Shadow: https://isotopewatches.com/products/isotope-mercury-shadow
Marc's Isotope Moonshot Chrono: https://isotopewatches.com/products/chronograph-moonshot-terra-maris
Timepiece Show website: https://www.timepieceshow.com/
Timepiece World Journal website: https://www.timepieceworld.com/
Our community discord: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:14 – Intro00:52 – Wrist checks03:36 – Favorite moments at the Toronto Timepiece Show09:50 – Top picks at the show20:42 – The feeling after the show27:36 – Stories about the watchfam36:02 – Standout peeps we met43:25 – About the Timepiece World Awards52:23 – Surprise winners59:12 – The famous TGN/Marathon party1:09:30 – What we’d like to see next1:15:50 – Cool watches on collectors’ wrists1:20:25 – Thank yous & goodbyes1:21:07 – T2C OUT!

Episode 31: Jason Hutton returns... for the forth time!

Jason is back once again, making him our very first four-time guest and our only repeat guest overall! Today, we're discussing the upcoming Toronto Timepiece Show and the inaugural Timepiece World Awards, of which he is the producer. Jason also has a special announcement to make, so be sure to listen until the end to catch it. We always enjoy having Jason on the show and look forward to welcoming him back again soon!
Timepiece Show: https://www.timepieceshow.com/
Timepiece World: https://www.timepieceworld.com/
T2C Discord Community: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:12 – Introduction01:04 – Wrist checks04:59 – How doesn’t it feel being our first 4-peat guest?06:43 – About the new venue at this year’s Toronto Timepiece Show09:34 – More shows = more easy?11:11 – Handling the unexpected14:21 – What’s new for the shows?16:49 – Visiting other shows/networking19:09 – Getting the most out of the shows23:26 – Capping the number of brands25:12 – Jason’s thoughts on concurrent events27:02 – Concurrent shows are not pirates30:48 – What has Jason learned so far34:44 – What could have been done differently this year36:27 – All about the awards show & where to watch41:46 – Looking forward to the 2026 Awards Show45:36 – Es-tu Mr. Timepiece?46:56 – The big announcement!49:43 – Any brand commitments for the new Show?50:43 – Local retailers participation42:09 – Watch releases timed with the events53:29 – What’s next? Anything left in the tank?57:24 – Most rewarding element of doing all these shows59:27 – Thank yous and goodbyes1:00:11 – T2C OUT!
Robin Williams on Who's line is it anyway: https://dai.ly/x5sbwhf

Episode 30: The one with Jose Cermeno

If you're not familiar with Jose's watches, we highly recommend visiting his website (link below) to follow along more closely as we delve into his creations. Jose is a passionate, charming, friendly, and knowledgeable individual. We are proud to have him with us and to showcase another remarkable young Canadian watchmaker. We hope you enjoy the show!
Jose Cermeno Watches: https://www.josecermeno.com/
Our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:15 – Introduction01:02 – Wrist checks07:15 – About Jose Cermeno07:56 – Going to watchmaking school in Switzerland13:00 – Parental pride14:27 – How did his internships influence his designs17:56 – Jose’s special Tudor21:08 – Watchmaking – in front vs. behind the bench23:06 – How being a valet influenced his designs25:09 – Initial challenges of starting his brand28:31 – How many ouchies did it take to get started29:27 – Jose’s dexterity working with leather36:29 – Leather in the long run39:58 – Balancing details and simplicity46:20 – Coming back after a 6-year hiatus54:44 – Future models, to leather or not to leather…58:07 – Scale up or not to scale up...1:01:50 – James Fournier’s UN Torpilleur story – THANK YOU RIKKI1:03:05 – Jose’s other watches and what he’d like to own1:07:06 – Future complications for Jose Cermeno watches1:13:40 – Balancing price vs. exclusivity vs. quality1:15:34 – Reject rate for dials1:17:38 – Working the threads through his dial blanks1:19:36 – Advice for aspiring watchmakers/brand owners1:22:17 – Brands that inspire Jose1:30:34 – Creating brand awareness and watch reviews1:33:28 – Form over function or vice-versa1:34:51 – Accidents are the mother of invention01:39:02 – Thank yous and Goodbyes01:39:48 – T2C OUT!01:39:50 – But wait, there’s more…

Episode 29: The one with Marathon's Mitchell Wein

Brent and Marc sit down with Mitchell Wein, the President of Marathon Watch Company, a proudly Canadian brand known for producing highly durable watches for militaries worldwide, as well as for civilian collectors. This episode is a bit lengthy, but trust me, by the end, you’ll wish it were even longer. What an amazing gentleman!
You can find Marathon Watches here: https://www.marathonwatch.com/
And the T2C Discord community can be found here: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:12 – Introduction00:43 – Wrist Checks08:47 – Mitchell’s Bio13:57 – Wisdom through the generations18:00 – Selling to civilians, what started it31:06 – Is Marathon still mostly government procurement?35:17 – Pivotal moments or breakthroughs41:45 – What would Grandpa Wein think of Marathon today?46:22 – Being a good human, great advice from Mitchell50:30 – What about them dressy vintage Marathons?59:54 – How varying currencies can erode margins1:03:36 – Old car jokes1:05:26 – Playing the long game1:15:12 – About winning the U.S. Best Value Bronze Medal1:21:17 – Raiding Mitch’s drawers part One1:25:44 – Continuous improvements, even those you don’t see1:33:16 – Why traditional watches are still needed in modern warfare1:36:17 – Material or tech restraints for government contracts1:37:17 – The Jeep collab, where, what, when, how?1:40:34 – What else does Marathon make?1:45:39 – Raiding Mitch’s drawers part Deux1:53:02 – Interacting with civilian collectors1:55:16 – Special word from Milspec “Watch” Group1:57:16 – Thank yous and Goodbyes1:57:55 – T2C OUT!
 

Episode 28: Rico's Beans 'n' Jeans

On today's show, we have Eric Ricioppo, the man behind Rico's Podcast. He is also a veteran police officer with over 10 years of experience and the co-founder of the Sketchy Boys Watch Club. It was terrific speaking with him today, and we even picked up a few podcasting tips. We hope you enjoy the episode!
The Sketchy Boys Watch Club can be found here: https://sketchyboyzwatchclub.com/
You can follow the on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/sketchyboyzwatchclub/
And the T2C Discord community can be found here: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:13 – Introduction00:55 – Wrist checks06:63 – About Rico09:32 – What came first, the watchman or the policeman18:59 – Social media before the podcast21:53 – Does Rico collect dress watches?26:10 – Watches on the job33:26 – Watch content to sketchy content on Rico’s Watches38:26 – How did Rico get there?43:36 – Would Rico start podcasting again?48:12 – Being a guest or host, which is better?50:08 – Storytelling in watches56:34 – About the Sketchy Boys Watch Club58:41 – Who’s behind the SBWC1:00:31 – The most crucial question of the podcast1:07:14 – Rico’s writing talent1:09:41 – About SBWC collabs1:15:30 – Collabs outside of watches1:17:42 – The future of the SBWC1:19:59 – Advice for up-and-coming podcasters, not us, of course1:26:59 – What is Rico hunting for next?1:33:21 – Thank yous and goodbyes1:34:10 – T2C OU!

Episode 27 - The one with Pioneer Richard Paige

It is often said that one should never meet their heroes. However, Marc met one of his heroes on this podcast and has no regrets about it. Richard's stories about the early days of watches on the internet and his efforts in building a community were truly remarkable. We hope you enjoy this episode! If you’re a watch content creator, and/or attend events and participate in discussions about watches on platforms like Discord or Slack, then you, too, owe a debt of gratitude to Richard Paige.
You can find Richard here on IG: https://www.instagram.com/rpaigewatchco/. Do go say thank you!
Link to our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:12 – Introduction00:46 – Wrist Checks03:42 – Richard Paige’s Bio06:35 – Richard’s early days – Paris 192511:22 – Taking Paris 1925 online - early ‘90s24:42 – The very first online brand collabs33:44 – What are WIS, from the man who coined the term!37:44 – The challenges of running TimeZone.com46:35 – Herding cats, I mean keeping TZers in check49:26 – The brands vs. Richard Paige51:11 – Adding subforums on TZ53:37 – The next generation55:47 – Why did he sell TZ, and Marc’s terrible Godfather impression1:02:25 – Richard’s perspective after the sale1:07:30 – 11 years between TZ and Rpaige Watch Co.1:13:14 – The future of large-scale watch production in the USA1:15:06 – Advice for new watchmakers1:17:34 – THANK YOU to Richard Paige1:18:11 – Listener Question1:24:27 – Goodbyes1:25:04 – T2C OUT!

Episode 26: One year Anniversary Hostful

In this episode, the hosts take a reflective journey through their inaugural year of podcasting. They share their delightful surprises and standout moments that shaped their experience, offering a glimpse into the laughter and challenges that accompanied their journey. Together, they ponder the exciting possibilities that lie ahead, weaving in a selection of thoughtful quements from their listeners.
Link to our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:13 – Introduction00:51 – Wrist Checks04:21 – Initial podcast goals12:13 – Marc’s on-air initiation13:40 – The Canadian Watch Community15:43 – How Marc got things going17:57 – How it was for us at the beginning21:56 – Any regrets with the Show format23:40 – Personal collecting goals27:25 – Perception of podcasting vs. reality32:11 – Stand-out moments after 26 episodes38:02 – I can’t believe I said that42:01 – Stand-out guests44:50 – Guests making us nervous47:18 – Dream guests55:47 – Would you do it all over again?56:49 – The future of the Pod1:00:15 – Goals for year 21:04:14 – Listener Quements1:31:05 – Closing1:31:59 – T2C OUT!

Episode 25: With Jose Miranda, co-founder Isotope Watches

The guys engage in a lively conversation with Marc’s new employer, Jose Miranda, who is the co-founder of Isotope Watches. Known for his warm demeanor and approachable nature, Jose stands out as one of the most compassionate figures in the watch industry. His designs reflect a perfect blend of innovation and creativity, drawing inspiration from diverse influences while simultaneously inspiring others in the craft.
Isotope Watches: https://isotopewatches.com/
Isotope on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isotopewatches/
Isotope North America on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isotopewatchesna/
0:13 – Intro (yes, Marc said Episode 24)
00:47 – Wrist Checks
02:33 – Marc’s Relationship with Isotope
09:22 – The story behind the Lacrima Logo
16:24 – Guiding principles behind Isotope Watch Design
22:55 – Isotope’s Origin Story
29:57 – Challenges with movements and components
32:48 – The inspiration for the Moonshot Chronograph
42:24 – Collaborations, past, present, and future
45:04 – Marc’s Seconde/Seconde idea
53:24 – About the upcoming OVNI watch
1:02:31 – Winning the AuroChronos Innovation Award
1:07:55 – Why Isotope attends so many shows
1:11:13 – Feedback from fans, showgoers, and customers
1:16:16 – Glutton for punishment
1:24:20 – Jose’s collecting habits
1:32:23 – Kyle’s awesome Omega Z-33
1:35:23 – Goodbyes, T2C out!
To see Jose's Grandmother's famous clock: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/139247
The damaskus watches Jose was talking about: https://www.goswatches.com/
To see Jose's IWC/Porsche Design: https://everywatch.com/iwc/porsche-design-world-time-alarm/watch-10136572

Episode 24: With Felix Wallner CEO of Hanhart Watches

The guys had a fantastic opportunity to chat with Felix Wallner, the CEO of Hanhart Watches. Their conversation flowed effortlessly and was filled with insights into watchmaking and the unique philosophy behind Hanhart's craftsmanship.
Hanhart watches: https://www.hanhart.com/
T2C Discord community: https://discord.gg/3pfhUFPYFD
00:14 Introduction
01:00 Wrist Checks
04:11 Felix’s Vancouver Timepiece Show experience
07:22 Felix and the flamethrower!
08:44 Felix’s Hanhart origin story
13:14 Hanhart’s direction since Felix took over
16:11 About Hanhart’s 1930s facility
19:19 Dealing with old machinery in the modern age
21:16 Hanhart after the war
26:05 Hanhart and Quartz
27:22 Collaborations
28:30 Legacy watchmaking and new horizons
31:56 Innovations in the new 417ES
36:13 Felix’s involvement in new designs and production
38:58 About the Primus series
43:02 About the Preventor
45:42 Marc makes a funny
47:20 About the Aquasphere
53:19 Hanhart and the Toronto Timepiece Show
54:24 Teasers for the future
56:42 Listener questions
1:03:39 Goodbyes