The Watches of Holthinrichs

The Watches of Armin Strom with Claude Greisler – Co-founder and Master Watchmaker

This episode of The Watches Of goes deep on Armin Strom with co-founder and master watchmaker Claude Greisler. Recorded in person at Collective's Open House, the conversation traces how a brand built on a single conviction — that the movement, not the dial, should be the star of the watch — grew into one of the few genuinely in-house movement makers in independent Swiss watchmaking. Greisler walks through his path into the craft: a Swiss German watchmaking family, eight and a half years of training across watchmaking, restoration, complications, and movement construction, and an early role developing a tourbillon at Christophe Claret. From there, he and co-founder Serge Michel took over the Armin Strom name and made the decision that defines the brand today — not to skeletonize old movements, but to engineer everything from the ground up. The result is what Armin Strom calls transparent mechanics: watches like the Gravity Equal Force and the System 78 collection designed open from the start, plus a re-engineered approach to resonance that uses a flexible suspension spring between two balance wheels instead of transmitting vibrations through the plates and bridges. Whether you're new to Armin Strom or already deep in independent watchmaking, this is a rare chance to hear how high-end watches are actually conceived, engineered, and finished — straight from one of the people doing it. Explore the full Armin Strom collection at collectivehorology.com, and watch the full video version on the Collective Horology YouTube channel. Subscribe to The Watches Of for more deep dives into the brands shaping independent watchmaking. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly of Collective Horology, the Watches of Podcast looks at the history, philosophy, personalities, and of course the watches of a different brand on each episode. Also available as video on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5nHJCYEQsQX64CIUBS8Htw]. Collective is an authorized retailer of the brands featured on this podcast. You can learn more, and find their watches, at collectivehorology.com [https://collectivehorology.com].

The Watches of Carl Suchy & Söhne

On this episode of The Watches Of Podcast, we dive into the history, design philosophy, and modern revival of Carl Suchy & Söhne, one of watchmaking’s most quietly fascinating names. Founded in 1822 and once a purveyor to the Austrian imperial court, the brand’s deep roots span pocket watches, clocks, and precision instruments—long before the wristwatch era. We explore how that legacy went dormant in the early 20th century, only to be thoughtfully revived in recent years, reconnecting Austrian watchmaking with its cultural and historical past. We spend time unpacking what makes the modern Carl Suchy & Söhne collection so distinctive, from its grounding in Viennese Modernism to its balance of reduction, clarity, and emotional restraint. Watches like the Waltz, Vienna, and Belvedere collections show how geometry, proportion, and subtle motion can feel both timeless and contemporary—without slipping into cold minimalism. Along the way, we discuss how details such as dial textures, rotating elements, and unconventional date displays reward closer inspection and long-term ownership. Finally, we talk about why Carl Suchy & Söhne feels like a brand with genuine terroir—a true sense of place. From Swiss-made watches powered by top-tier calibers to Austrian-made clocks that express the brand’s most avant-garde ideas, everything ties back to Vienna’s artistic and cultural identity. We reflect on why that clarity of purpose matters, how the clocks embody the brand’s philosophy in its purest form, and why this is a name that truly earns its reason to exist today. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly of Collective Horology, the Watches of Podcast looks at the history, philosophy, personalities, and of course the watches of a different brand on each episode. Also available as video on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5nHJCYEQsQX64CIUBS8Htw]. Collective is an authorized retailer of the brands featured on this podcast. You can learn more, and find their watches, at collectivehorology.com [https://collectivehorology.com].

The Dive Watches of MING

On this episode, we take a deep dive into Ming’s dive watches and why they’ve become such a defining, and perhaps unexpected, part of the brand’s identity. Rather than treating the category as a checkbox, we talk about how Ming approached dive watches as a design problem—one that demanded its own language, priorities, and point of view within a genre that’s already crowded with icons and conventions. We explore the brand’s evolution from early experimental concepts to more confident production models, focusing on how Ming gradually shifted from interpreting the dive watch through familiar tropes to creating dive watches that feel unmistakably its own. The conversation centers on restraint, proportion, and the idea of the dive watch as something closer to an art object than a purely utilitarian tool, without losing sight of what makes the category compelling in the first place. Finally, we reflect on the modern era of Ming dive watches and what makes them resonate so strongly with collectors today. Compact dimensions, inventive engineering solutions, and distinct aesthetic identities come together to create watches that feel both thoughtful and original. As certain models reach the end of their run, we frame this moment as the close of an important chapter—one that shows how Ming didn’t just participate in the dive watch category, but quietly reshaped it on its own terms. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly of Collective Horology, the Watches of Podcast looks at the history, philosophy, personalities, and of course the watches of a different brand on each episode. Also available as video on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5nHJCYEQsQX64CIUBS8Htw]. Collective is an authorized retailer of the brands featured on this podcast. You can learn more, and find their watches, at collectivehorology.com [https://collectivehorology.com].

The Watches of Renaud Tixier

On this episode, Gabe and Asher discuss what makes Renaud Tixier one of the most conceptually ambitious projects in independent watchmaking today. The brand brings together two very different but complementary watchmakers: Dominique Renaud, co-founder of the legendary movement specialist Renaud & Papi, and Julien Tixier, a younger independent known for both traditional restoration skills and original complications. Dominique Renaud’s legacy spans decades and more than two dozen significant horological developments created for brands like Audemars Piguet, IWC, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Julien Tixier, by contrast, represents a new generation, combining deep handcraft with modern technical thinking. Together, they form a “horological supergroup,” not for a one-off project, but for a seven-watch series, each designed to solve a specific watchmaking problem. The first watch in the series, the Monday, addresses a fundamental limitation of the micro-rotor: winding efficiency. Renaud’s solution introduces an inertia wheel inside the micro-rotor, allowing energy to continue winding the mainspring even after the rotor stops. The result is a genuine technical breakthrough, paired with Julien Tixier’s romantic, highly finished movement architecture and contributions from specialist artisans such as enamelers and engravers. The Monday is not just a technical statement but a fully realized expression of collaborative independent watchmaking—beautifully made, deeply considered, and built around a clear reason for being. Renaud Tixier watches, including the Monday, are available at collectivehorology.com [https://www.collectivehorology.com/]. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly of Collective Horology, the Watches of Podcast looks at the history, philosophy, personalities, and of course the watches of a different brand on each episode. Also available as video on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5nHJCYEQsQX64CIUBS8Htw]. Collective is an authorized retailer of the brands featured on this podcast. You can learn more, and find their watches, at collectivehorology.com [https://collectivehorology.com].

The Watches of Holthinrichs

On this episode, we look as how Holthinrichs—founded by Dutch architect-turned-watchmaker Michiel Holthinrichs—has become one of the most distinctive voices in independent watchmaking. While the brand is often associated with its use of 3D-printed case construction, the real focus is design: Michiel draws heavily on Art Nouveau, creating sculptural cases, bridges, and dials that all serve a coherent architectural vision. Collective first connected with Holthinrichs at Geneva Watch Days, where Michiel arrived with a vintage briefcase full of watches. Seeing the pieces in person—especially the in-house Ornament Nouveau—made it clear how far the brand pushes form and case architecture. The more accessible Signature Ornaments line keeps the same design language through CNC-machined titanium cases and a three-piece dial construction, including a sapphire dial layer that adds depth and shifting reflections on the wrist. The watches are a distilled expression of Michiel’s design philosophy: wearable, visually engaging, and rooted in his architectural training and personal commitment to the brand. Of course, Holthinrichs' full collection is available at collectivehorology.com [https://www.collectivehorology.com/]. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly of Collective Horology, the Watches of Podcast looks at the history, philosophy, personalities, and of course the watches of a different brand on each episode. Also available as video on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5nHJCYEQsQX64CIUBS8Htw]. Collective is an authorized retailer of the brands featured on this podcast. You can learn more, and find their watches, at collectivehorology.com [https://collectivehorology.com].