HODINKEE Radio: Episode 90: Matt Hranek And Even More New Watches

May 11, 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! This week, we're bringing back a HODINKEE Radio fan-favorite, Mr. Matt Hranek. Whether you're a subscriber to WM Brown magazine or you simply follow him on Instagram, you'll know that Matt is typically a globe-trotting, crowd-enjoying guy who's never in the same place for very long. Obviously, that's not the case these days, but that doesn't mean Matt's not finding ways to enjoy his time grounded at his upstate New York farm. We talked about how he's been structuring his days around cooking for his family, what it's like trying to produce a travel-centric lifestyle magazine during a global lockdown, and the comfort that can be found in old mechanical things. Matt also whipped up one hell of a Negroni on mic (naturally) and shared what it was like for a vintage watch guy to design a modern watch. It was a blast catching up with an old friend who I haven't gotten to see in a while, and as usual, Matt had lots of wisdom to share. Before that, though, I talk with Jack and Jon about the avalanche of new watch releases from this past week. They just keep rolling in! We cover a lot of ground, discussing the latest trio of pieces from Cartier's fine watchmaking program, a few wild independent releases, and a new take on a ladies' watch from Breguet. Good stuff all around. We also do a little head-to-head comparison of two all-black watches that Jack and Jon wrote about this week, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic and the Zenith Chronomaster Revival "Shadow." Jack also gives us a little sneak peek at a story he'll be publishing soon, but you'll have to listen for more. To finish this week's show, we've got our own Cole Pennington talking about the watches he's been wearing while working from home and what he's learned about his watch collection over these last few weeks. It's a thoughtful meditation on collecting in general, and I know you're going to love it. We hope you enjoy Episode 90 of HODINKEE Radio. Check out the show notes below, and let us know what you think in the comments. Wrist Check There are certain watches that carry strong memories with them. Matt first saw the Heuer Pasadena when he was a kid, on the wrist of one of his dad's friends. This friend was a Lancia-driving, sport coat-wearing, cool guy who Matt?looked up to, and this badass chronograph was always the watch on his wrist. Years later, Matt acquired an example of his own, and whether he's wearing it around the house cooking falafel or behind the wheel of a 911, it always brings a smile to his face and reminds him of where he came from. Show Notes 5:00Baselworld Cancels 2021 Show6:00Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin With Diamond Indexes11:07Three Supercomplicated Cartier Watches From The Fine Watchmaking Collection14:20The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire17:45The De Bethune DB28XP22:52The Urwerk UR-100 In Yellow Gold24:50The Breguet Reine De Naples 8918 In Grand Feu Enamel29:30The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic29:40The Zenith Chronomaster Revival 'Shadow'35:241970s Zenith Chronograph In PVD-Coated Steel41:00The Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept, The World's Thinnest Mechanical Watch45:20WM Brown Project51:40@wmbrownproject1:01:04William Brown, Issue No.41:06:05Matt's Heuer Pasadena1:16:30A Man And His Watch1:22:40The Serica W.W.W. William Brown Edition