239: Carpeted Hublots, Bulgari Dazzles, And Apple Is Listening

This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, Ariel, David, and Ripley are back to tackle watches that dazzle, watches that feel like furniture, and watches that may be listening to everything you say. The crew starts with a look behind the curtain at Dexel and the manufacturing capabilities that help make Formex such an interesting value proposition, including the cases, bracelets, clasps, and technology that often go unnoticed by consumers. Then things get considerably more colorful with the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dazzle, a watch that leaves absolutely nowhere for your eyes to rest. From there, Hublot takes titanium in an entirely different direction with the rubber coated Big Bang Original Soft Touch, prompting questions about scratches, lint removal, carpeted watches, and whether anyone really needs a softer Big Bang. The Hublot conversation also leads into the latest Nico Leonard and Christopher Ward drama, the internet’s long history of hating Hublot, and whether the Big Bang should simply be reinvented from scratch.

The conversation then turns to aBlogtoWatch’s upcoming 20th anniversary and Ariel’s plans for brands to create watches inspired by the occasion, including one particularly unusual idea involving 5,000 year old fossilized tree rings. Apple enters the chat with its latest Apple Watch technology, including the ability to continuously listen, transcribe conversations, identify speakers, and generate meeting notes, which naturally makes everyone feel completely comfortable and not at all concerned. The guys also dig into the complicated relationship between watch media, auction houses, and charity auctions before wrapping things up with Louis Vuitton’s latest Tambour Spin Time collection, including an extravagant world timer and opal model. Along the way, expect the usual detours into watch industry drama, questionable materials, smartwatch rivalries, and exactly how much technology you really want listening from your wrist.

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Key Chapters:

[00:00:07] Welcome and Opening Banter

[00:07:41] Inside Dexel and How Formex Watches Are Made

[00:18:53] Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dazzle

[00:25:32] Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch

[00:31:59] Nico Leonard, Christopher Ward, and Watch Industry Drama

[00:41:25] aBlogtoWatch’s 20th Anniversary Watch Plans

[00:45:34] Apple Watch Ultra 4 Is Listening

[00:47:48] Apple Watch Series 12 and Ceramic

[00:52:06] The Hermès Apple Watch and Its Price

[00:57:29] Watch Auction Houses and Charity Controversy

[01:02:15] What Happened to Only Watch?

[01:05:43] Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time

[01:09:46] Garmin vs. Apple Watch