HODINKEE Radio: Episode 78: Gear Patrol's Eric Yang & Chinese Watch Sales Woes

February 17, 2020

Subscribe to the show: (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn). Already heard it once or twice? Please leave a short review, and tell us which guests we should have on! There are just a handful of websites that are on my daily must-read list, and Gear Patrol has been a consistent part of my morning ritual for quite a few years now. As an inveterate product nut, I love that I'm always bound to discover something new C?but I also love seeing what my friend Eric Yang?(Gear Patrol's co-founder) and his team are up to.?Eric and I have attended countless industry events, press junkets, and even Baselworld appointments together, and he's someone who I've always respected for his combination of savvy, perspective, and kindness. Being the sharpest and nicest guy in the room is a dangerous combination. I've wanted to get Eric on HODINKEE Radio for a while, and I'm glad we could finally make it happen. We talk about everything from the parallel growth of Gear Patrol and HODINKEE and the responsibility that comes with telling people how they should spend their money to our own personal collecting habits (spoiler alert: we both do way too much research) and how we're trying to simultaneously buy fewer but more meaningful products. I had a ton of fun recording this one, and I think it comes through in the show itself. Gear Patrol's Eric Yang Before that though, you're going to hear a conversation about something more somber. The biggest, most unexpected news in the watch world in 2020 has been the COVID-19 coronavirus. It's obviously big news beyond its impact on the watch industry and it has already taken a massive human toll, but we'd be remiss not to touch on the already serious implications it has in our little corner of the universe too. I sat down with our own Joe Thompson to discuss what's happening, how people are reacting, and what the future might look like. It's an interesting and important subject, and Joe's going to have more for us on the topic soon. We hope you enjoy Episode 78 of HODINKEE Radio. Check out the show notes below, and let us know what you think in the comments. Wrist Check While Eric's Panerai PAM 111 is an awesome watch on its own merits, what makes it even cooler is the reason he chose to wear it to our recording: This was the watch on his wrist when he first started reading HODINKEE. It was something he purchased after getting promoted to art director at CBS (after a ton of research, obviously), and it's a watch that's been with him through Gear Patrol's journey from hobby blog to serious media company. It happens to go great with a pair of well-worn Japanese denim jeans and some R.M. Williams boots too, finishing off Eric's current uniform. Show Notes 9:00Bulgari Leaves Baselworld 2020?22:00Gear Patrol?34:40Gear Patrol Magazine?44:45Wrist Check?46:50Tadao Ando Octo Finissimo?49:30Ophion Watches?1:05:00Ochs Und Junior Date