Dialed In

Hey watch nerds, George Watchington is back on Dialed In to share a summer 2023 market update! Unemployment is at a 50 year low,  inventory is building up, where does the watch market stand?

Recorded on 12/20/23, we catch up with our good friend George Watchington. In this insightful episode of our podcast, we delve deep into the intricate world of watch markets, analyzing recent trends and pondering future possibilities. Tim kicks off with some quick life updates then jumps into the state of the market, exploring whether the market has reached its lowest point, unraveling the complexities behind the recent liquidity crisis that has gripped collectors and investors alike. Our expert guest sheds light on the factors that led to this tumultuous period, from economic shifts to changing consumer behaviors. Whether you're a seasoned watch enthusiast or just curious about the world of horology, this episode offers a comprehensive look into a market at a pivotal moment. Tune in for an enlightening journey through time!

In our final episode of this season, we reflect on what it took to build Collected from the ground up: building the product, shipping dealer workflows, enabling transactions, and creating the earliest version of the community we believe the watch market needs. This episode isn’t just a recap, but an open question to the industry too. We dig into topics the watch world hasn’t spent enough time confronting like responsibility sellers have to disclose issues that materially impact value, why liquidity starts before a transaction ever happens, and why the future of this market depends on tools, transparency, and participation from both sides. It’s also what inspired us to launch our first-ever Future of the Watch Commerce survey – because we don’t want to set standards on our own, but build them with the community. We’ll see you back here in 2026.

We’re back — and we’re building.For the Season 2 premiere, I sit down with my co-founder at Collected, Zachary Scott. Zach’s last appearance on Dialed In (Episode 22) sparked the very conversation that led us to start Collected. We talked about the broken systems behind the scenes of the watch world — and then we set out to fix them.This episode dives into what we built, why we built it, and how Collected brings real value — and real trust — to both dealers and collectors.This is where the new era of watch collecting begins.

What does it take to run a trustworthy vintage watch business in 2025?For Episode 2 we sit down with Alex - a self-taught Rolex dealer who’s moved over 250 watches in just two years. He's operating almost entirely through Facebook groups and WhatsApp chats, all while holding down a full-time job.Together, we unpack the realities of sourcing vintage pieces, managing logistics without proper tools, and building trust in a market full of risk and ambiguity. From misrepresented parts to missing serials, we dive into why transparency matters more than ever and how Collected is building the infrastructure to support it.Whether you're buying, selling, or somewhere in between, this one's for you.

For Episode 3 of this season, Co-Founders Tim and Zach sit down to define what Collected really is and why most people (even only a year in) already have it wrong. We talk about why we believe the real opportunity is building an operating system for the $30B secondary watch market and focusing on the often overlooked but critical group keeping it running: the dealers. From nearly $1M in beta transactions to the edge cases we’ve solved along the way, we cover what it takes to build infrastructure for an industry still running on spreadsheets, DMs, and handshake deals. Whether you’re deep in the trade or just curious how the business side of watches works, this one’s our blueprint for where it’s headed next.

Episode 4 digs into the intersection of pressure x progress – whether in collecting watches or building Collected. Tim and Zach start with the story of a rare 1966 Seamaster picked up for $3,000, breaking down why its lume, bracelet, and design details still rival the tool watches of Tudor and Rolex from the same era. From there, they get into how the Collected team is scaling infrastructure through automation, testing, and dealer-first tools, while also unpacking the reality of 39% tariffs on imports and the potential ripple effects for pricing, risk, and supply in the months ahead. They close with a candid look at why clarity of brand positioning is as crucial for investors as it is for dealers. It’s a conversation that moves from case patina to market strategy, with plenty of lessons in between.

In Episode 5 of Dialed In, Tim and Zach announce Collected’s public launch with account sign-ups live—a milestone that signals more than just shipping product. It’s about rewriting the rules of the watch market. They dive into how Collected flips the traditional dealer/collector dynamic into a better ecosystem, why the new analytics dashboard, CRM, and transaction tools were designed specifically for this industry, and how the vision of infinite marketplaces unlocks wholesale, retail, and private sales on a single system. From fintech-level security to a roadmap that includes wholesale networks, auctions, and mobile tools that make running a watch business more fun than spreadsheets—this is the operating system the trade has been waiting for.

In Episode 6 of Dialed In, Tim and Zach share what the first few weeks of Collected have really looked like—launching while Zach was in Japan, watching hundreds of people sign up, and seeing early users build full profiles and collections without prompting. They break down what’s surprising them most on both sides of the market: Insiders leaning into community instantly, and dealers needing real education before changing habits built on spreadsheets, wires, and WhatsApp. The conversation goes deep on why the biggest opportunity isn’t just the sale, but everything that happens before it, and how running more of that workflow through Collected creates an asymmetric advantage over time. From CRM automation that helps Dealers find money already sitting in their business, to the standards the industry is heading toward whether it wants to or not, this episode is a candid look at early traction, real frictions, and where the market goes next when buyers and sellers finally operate on the same system.

Gai Gohari from Classic 55 joins the Fog City family to delve into his Milanese upbringing and his journey to the United States at the age of 21, with nothing but aspirations and mere $100. His upbringing in Milan shaped his affinity for fashion and design and played a pivotal role in his efforts to resurrect design-inspired watches that were once deemed worthless and sold as scrap just a few year ago.