Perri Dash on How Taste And Craft Turn Objects Into Culture

A watch can be a flex, a tool, or a tiny machine that marks time, but that’s not why it stays with us. Perry Dash joins me to get under the surface of modern watch culture and enthusiast life, where a piece of steel can turn into a memory, a personal ritual, and a signal of who you are. We talk about the path that starts with aesthetics and quickly becomes storytelling: who made the thing, what it meant in its era, and why that meaning still lands today.

We also challenge the lazy definition of luxury as “high price.” Perry lays out a more useful frame: luxury as elevation, backed by culture, craft, and tradition. That takes us from vintage watches and the romance of heritage to how products become cultural icons. Think Air Jordan 1s as ephemera, not sneakers, and the way horology, design, and history can multiply an object’s usefulness into something bigger than function.

Then we get into the modern problem: algorithms, hype culture, fast trends, and the pressure to want what everyone else wants. Perry shares how he protects his taste by experimenting, learning what actually resonates, and remembering you don’t have to own everything to love it. We also talk about what brands still miss: community, hospitality, and the stewardship that makes newcomers feel like they belong.

If you care about watch collecting, vintage watches, craftsmanship, niche media, and building real community around shared passions, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s deep in the hobby, and leave a review with the one object that holds the most meaning for you.

Checkout Perri on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/perridash

Transcript

Welcome And Modern Enthusiast Culture

Blake Rea 0:00

Hello, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Lonely Risk Podcast. I'm your host, as always, Blake Ray. And today's guest is somebody who's helping redefine what modern enthusiast culture can look like. Perry Dash is the voice behind Risk Check Pod and the co-founder of Superniche, a cultural media platform exploring how time, craft, and community shape legacy. What I find fascinating about Perry's work is that it starts with watches, but it's never really about watches. Superniche is about the people behind the passions, the collectors, the creators, the tastemakers, and the communities transform transforming objects into culture and culture into identity, whether it's horology, food design, art, or hospitality through intention, mastery, and shared experience. So we're going to be talking a lot about watch culture, storytelling, taste, community, and the future of niche media and why some people are searching for meaning through things that they collect. Perry, welcome to the show. I'm happy to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

That's uh I didn't realize the description I had for Superniche was such a mouthful.

Blake Rea 1:06

I apologize. No, no, it I was like writing it and I was like, you know, because that that's what super niche is to me.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

No, it it is, and we are trying to hit all those touch points. So I'm glad that you did that. It it definitely was very ambitious undertaking, but it's part of who I am. So I think you captured it perfectly. Thank you.

Blake Rea 1:29

Yeah. So wrist check pod obviously started with watches and you know, super niche is like the cultural vehicle. What do you feel like connects these worlds and then you personally to those worlds? That's a great question.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

So to me, I think it's a it really started with our perspective. So the my approach to watches is the same as I approach anything else. Like it starts with aesthetics and then it moves into storytelling. And the storytelling aspect allows me to kind of excavate, right? And so it's like when you think about like a watch, first is like what it looks like, the design, and then I get into the mechanics because I want to know well, who's behind this? Who designed this? Someone designed it, watchmaker, you know, made the came up with the internals. What's the story there? And so it's really that approach with everything. So I don't it was a natural pivot for us because of the lens. So even when you watch the show Rist Check Pod, you'll notice like the manner in which we talk about watches. It's not just like from a spec sheet, right? It's like this holds some sort of like cultural value or holds a particular place in our community. And we want to give you some insight into what we think about it and what people are saying about it.

Blake Rea 2:52

Yeah, super super niche like has been described by you as like mapping the passions that endure. Is that accurate? Yeah, it's good. And and what like obsessions or communities kind of made you realize that luxury was more about meaning than it was about anything else? That's another good question.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

I don't know if it was like a particular community, but the people within all of these different communities. And I met some really interesting people over my life in the art world, in the music world, in the watch world. And

Storytelling Makes Objects Matter

SPEAKER_01 3:30

I always noticed how much they have in common. And I think it started with passion, you know, the passion to create something, to leave something behind, to kind of leave their mark. And I think no matter which industry or category you're talking about, that that thing, whatever that is, each of them are trying to hit that target, right? Like, how do I leave an impression on the people that exist in this community and perhaps even outside of the immediate circumference that that I have?

Blake Rea 4:05

Do you feel like there's something that like the mainstream gets wrong about like niche culture?

SPEAKER_01 4:12

Yeah, I think probably a few things. I think the main thing there's like an attitude that has been developing to be like anti-niche that not a fan of, where it's like maybe you're niching down too much. And I understand what people are are trying to say. I think there's this idea that if you're if something is niche, it can't have universal appeal, and I don't subscribe to that, right? I think niche for me is just like a fixed mark, like a target. Like we're going right there. But everything that is embodied within that is universal. So if I say, you know, I like 50s or 60s like reggae, that's a niche. For sure. You know what I'm saying? And I happen to really like that space. But there's a whole host of information, history, artwork that exists in that space that is meant to be enjoyed by everybody if you only give it a chance, right? A chance to listen, a chance to understand, but also an opportunity to discover how that niche has impacted other things that you might be a big fan of, maybe things that are even mainstream.

Blake Rea 5:35

Wow, that's deep. Was there like a moment where you realized that like watches were not really just objects, but more like little like gateway vehicles into like identity status or even like memory and like belonging?

SPEAKER_01 5:52

Yes. I think I think I wouldn't I probably would give that credit to my time at Ralph Lauren. I'd always been into watches, but at Ralph Lauren was where I kind of got like my first entry into vintage watches. And I'd been collecting like vintage clothing prior to that and like old records and like just old things. And watches was something that I never really considered getting into in terms of from a vintage perspective. And at Ralph Lauren, everything's about storytelling. And you know, if you there was a brand that I I was working with within the company called Double RL. Anyone who's familiar with Double RL, it is it's very niche, but it it covers like 1930s to 1960s Americana clothing. So, you know, 1930s and 40s, tailored clothing, military garb, western clothing, work wear. And so just the the ethos of Ralph Lauren is sort of creating caricature. Yeah. Right? You know, if when he feels like an equestrian, he dresses like one. When he feels like a race car driver, he kind of emulates what he thinks like a race car driver would dress like on his weekends in Monaco. And it's very easy to buy into that mindset at a company as romantic as Ralph Lauren. And so naturally that transcends into the watches as well. And then beginning to look at vintage timepieces in particular from that same point of view, narrative, storytelling, curiosity, thinking about like, oh wow, this is an Omega Speedmaster. This is an important watch. This is a watch that you know was the first watch worn on the moon. Like those things are gateways in and of themselves, right? They say, okay, there's more here. It's not just something you wear in the wrist that tells you time. It's not just a luxury object that is, you know, a marker of status. It is those things, but there's way more depth.

Blake Rea 7:58

Something that I've always said about watches to me, and and this is like very weird, but I think only watch collectors know what I'm talking about, but they they're time capsules, but they're also like time machines of the future. And like I can look back at all the watches that I own and be like, okay, this happened to me when I was wearing this or like that, or like, you know, maybe memories or stories that are gonna inspire or transpire, sorry, from the watches that I currently have, which is just wild to even start to like get into that and think like that as a collector.

SPEAKER_01 8:34

Yeah, but it's it's it's it is kind of like the natural progression of things too, right? Like as someone who handles a lot of watches, it's very easy to you know lose that sense of attachment. Yeah. What happens is these watches that are linked to specific moments or people, they're they become harder to part with. You know, there's um I have a vintage Pepsi 16750, and I don't wear it as much as I should. This is a watch that I I grew up like I like, I want this watch. This is like this is an iconic watch. This is what I first knew about Rolex's sports models outside of like a date dress or a day date. And I have it now, I don't wear it as often, but I can't bring myself to sell it because when I look at it, I think about my my family. Yeah, you know, it's it's one of the watches that I'm most photographed in on family vacations. And so when I look back at photos of like me and my daughter in like Italy, like Como, and I'm wearing that watch, I'm like, man, that's a memory. I want to be able to have this watch when she's older and we're looking back at these photos. I'm like, remember, I wore this. She might not care, but at least I might have that opportunity.

Blake Rea 9:49

Maybe she will.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Yeah.

Blake Rea 9:50

You know, because then you could just be maybe it'll be like you talked about, I mean, off when we were recording, but you talked about just growing up like with your cousin. Yep. And like not really understanding the significance of what your cousin was doing.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Yeah, it didn't click initially. Until later, right?

Blake Rea 10:08

Like, so maybe that'll happen for your watch, your Pepsi to your daughter.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

I hope so. I mean, I think that would be cool. I would love for her to get into the hobby. Right now, she's she's nine, she thinks it's

Defining Luxury Beyond Price

SPEAKER_01 10:20

boring.

Blake Rea 10:21

So super niche is framing the luxury as like mastery, like intention, and like shared experience. So, like, how do you distinguish like taste from I guess wealth? That's a great question.

SPEAKER_01 10:40

So I think it starts with like how we look at and define luxury. I think for a lot of people, luxury starts and ends with price point. It does, and you could pay a lot of money for something that's like really terrible quality. You could pay a lot of money for something that's a you know really bad experience. So for me, luxury is about elevation. It's about elevation in the experience, elevation in product, whether not really whether it's really both, both tangible, like physically, but then also like the intent behind why that product is necessary or useful. And so through identifying those elements, I then go back into the storytelling. Like, how did we arrive there? Right. If someone, you know, weaves a bag and they're like, man, everyone's like, this is amazing. This the way that they're weaving this bag, the techniques are incredible, and it costs XXX amount of dollars, and and and this is why. Like, that's fantastic. That's great. I might not have any interest in that particular bag, but I'm really curious about how we arrived there. Where did this person get that technique? Yeah, what is the story and origin of that technique, of the colors that they use? Where is this item indigenous to, right? Like, those are the things that I think people want to know. That's like the peeling the curtain back behind luxury. And the luxuries are great, you get to enjoy them, you know, but they they rest on pillars for me. And those pillars are culture, craft, and tradition, right? And that is really what I'm trying to get to. I want to understand those things.

Blake Rea 12:29

So I don't know if I anybody else can answer this, but you might be. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

I'll try. I'll give my best effort.

Blake Rea 12:36

Well, obviously, coming from the product world, right? Like, what makes an object kind of transcend product status and become like a cultural like icon or that's a great question.

SPEAKER_01 12:55

That is a great question, and that is not an easy question to answer. I dude, I have to I have a lot of burning questions. That's a fantastic question. I'll do my best. I think the transcendence of products happen when the idea around that product's usefulness can multiply into other things. So for example, you take like a let's just and maybe this isn't the best example, I'll do my best. You take like a pair of Air Jordans, let's say the Air Jordan ones, right? And let's say hypothetically you found an original pair of Air Jordan ones from the 1980s. Mint condition, incredibly rare. What would you do with those? Would you wear them and play basketball? I hope not. You'd probably put them on display.

Blake Rea 14:02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

Because of everything that that those sneakers mean. You if they're a mint condition, let's say they're great, it's not brittle or anything, you probably could put those on and go to the basketball court and impress a bunch of people. But they've moved into a space where they're now considered ephemera. They have cultural significance because of all of the accomplishments of Michael Jordan. Of course. Right? All of the accomplishments of Phil Knight. What it took in each of their own stories to arrive at that one particular moment where they came together and said, We're gonna do this. Yeah. If you ever read the book Shoe Dog, it's one of my favorite books, it's Phil Knight's story. It is the story of an entrepreneur meets the story of the alchemist, and it's incredible. And you get to see all the twists and turns and things that shouldn't have happened, but did that led him to the point to where he created Nike, right? And then if you go in Michael Jordan's story, it's a similar story, right? Young guy who's really, really talented at basketball, but was never selected to be like the number one guy, and then has the shining moment in college where someone says, Oh man, he's good. And they meet and they create a shoe simply to be a product. They didn't think anything else of it. We're gonna put shoes on people's feet. He's popular, we're gonna sell a lot of make a lot of money. They did that, but something else happened, and now you look at Michael Jordan's career. He's been out of the game of basketball for decades, but his emblem is on the side of cars in NASCAR, and he's winning championships. That's what it is.

Blake Rea 15:45

Put North Carolina on the map, baby. Yeah, come on, UNC. Yeah,

How Icons Outrun Algorithms

Blake Rea 15:50

and what something too that now that you bring that up, and like I'm a huge fan of like those storage wars, TV. Oh, yeah, I love those shows. But like, think about all the products out there or items or like belongings to some iconic human that just got lost in time. Like the story never came packaged with that product.

SPEAKER_01 16:13

That's a that's a really good point. I mean, there's there's a there's a ton of those out there, you know, and I think that's why Superniche was important to me, because it was about discovery, you know, and the Michael Jordan story is one thing, but how many other stories exist like that that the general populace doesn't know about? Infinite, right? And they're all interesting. And the thing is, there could be those products out there, those those items that may have never even seen the light of day publicly, but you have no idea how they impacted someone else who did deliver something to the public.

Blake Rea 16:52

So now it seems like everything is based on algorithms, unfortunately. Where trends are like just lightning bolt fast, and I guess from your lenses, like your your perspective, like how do you identify you know something that will like endure those like digital era, the digital era you live in? That's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 17:20

I think I got a lot of good ones for you. I'm gonna be honest, I don't know. I don't know how you identify them. I do know what they feel like, yeah. And I know that because of the things that I enjoy that come from a time when there was no algorithm and they've endured. And so a lot of the things that I do is based around chasing that feeling. Yeah. So I don't, I don't always know. Sometimes it works out, you know. I think it worked with RisscheckPod. People really, really fell in love with it. For sure. And it was like, okay, wow, that there's something here, but that was that something that exists. Part of it was authenticity in who we were as personalities on the show. But the other part of it was like me being a student of like the interviewer, you know what I'm saying? Like, I grew up watching Charlie Rose. Like, I lived for Charlie Rose. I was probably the only fifth grader that was like, good way to turn on PBS and see who he was interviewing next. Like he was just so good, right? And so my thing was always like, how can I be like him? How can I be like, you know, I used there was a show with Gil Noble on Channel 7. He used to come on every Sunday, like it is. Like, how can I be like these two gentlemen? How can I emulate them and then create my own style? And then what how do people, you know, how does that resonate with the public? Yeah, yeah. And so it's always been just chasing that feeling. I grew up on Larry King. I mean, there's another group. He did super good at interviewing, another great, and then the guy at a cigar aficionado, I forget his name, but he has a famous interview with Michael Jordan that's incredible.

Blake Rea 19:04

Yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah, dude, me and my friends, we when we used to skateboard. I grew up in Charlotte, which Michael Jordan, from my understanding, Michael Jordan has a condo there, and we would skate and we'd take the elevator all the way to the top and like skateboard, and then we'd look across and be like, that's Michael Jordan's house, you know? Like, like, and I don't think he was ever there, but at one point, I mean, I think he still might be the owner of the basketball team there. Oh, wow, yeah. Or he Yeah, yeah, he is.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

He owns the the Short of the Hornets. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Blake Rea 19:33

Yeah, yeah. I mean, so he was pretty much there for every home game, sitting courtside. How do you feel like, especially now with these trends, right? The digital trend, like fast fashion is insane right now. So that impacts the culture that we live in now. So do you feel like craftsmanship is still like trying to punch through to the masses? Because you know, now I can go on Amazon and order something and be in my door like two seconds.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

I don't think craftsmanship is still trying to punch through. I just think it's just way more expensive now.

Blake Rea 20:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:11

And when you want things that are made well, they were always really costly, but now that cost has compounded because we've got to worry about messaging and brand positioning and all of these things. I can't just make like a really well-tailored suit anymore. You know, there was a time when it was like if you got a suit from Savo Roe, that meant something. Yeah, it doesn't mean anything today to most people. If you go to you know, a bunch of Gen Z and say, Oh, my suit was made in Savo Roe.

Blake Rea 20:43

Who cares? Who cares?

SPEAKER_01 20:45

You know what I'm saying? Because they don't understand. I don't want to say that they don't understand, they aren't exposed to via social media, at least in a in a mass informational way, that that tradition matters.

Blake Rea 20:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

Right in that respect. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't content creators that are telling those stories. There are. There are amazing content creators doing an incredible job at trying to keep that tradition alive and deliver it to the masses. But Saville Row, just using that as an example, that idea, yeah, could not and is not in a position to deliver that message themselves to continue to grow their audience. They need help. And so it's way more costly for companies who are focused on quality to deliver messaging to the to an audience to have them come back and do business with them.

Blake Rea 21:35

And if everybody wanted suits from, I mean, not this every every man at some point has probably wanted a custom hand tailored suit from the UK, like and but they couldn't even like meet the demand if everybody wanted one. You you couldn't. Yeah. I'm sure they have way more time in their hands now, though. Yeah, it could be. So obviously, like, as I've known you now for a A bit like and something that really kind of like I think is is amazing is people lose kind of touch of like like the their roots in a weird way. Like we all grew up somewhere and we've all most of us have left where we came from, you know, sub sadly. But you know, now I'm sure with your daughter and like you think a lot about legacy, you know, and so like what is sure what is that what does that personally mean to you at this point in your life? That's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

I mean, I think I I do think about legacy, but I think about it in terms of impact and how what I've done and what I'm doing can positively impact others around me. As it relates to my children, I have two daughters, every nine-year-old and a one-year-old. I hope A that I make them proud, B, that I create something, whether it's a business or a lane that they can own if they choose to, and if they want to do their own thing, that's amazing too. You know, but I I think at the very least, if I can continue to create and and to create opportunities for people around me and for my family to do things that they're passionate about, then I'm successful. And I hope that would be my legacy. I hope people would be like, hey, here's a guy who followed his passion and his dreams, but also encouraged and helped a lot of people on the way. Yeah.

Blake Rea 23:45

This is one of the hardest questions I think I have on the list.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

But these are great questions, by the way, too. Like, this I'm enjoying this. Thanks, man.

Blake Rea 23:55

Yeah, means a lot. Yeah, I well, I look up to the best.

SPEAKER_01 23:58

Oh, come on, please.

Watches As A Grounding Ritual

Blake Rea 24:00

So obviously, like you and I are both insanely rabid over freaking wristwatch. Everybody out there, the lonely wrist fans, right? So, like, why do you think watches like continue to matter in a world that like nobody needs what we're passionate about?

SPEAKER_01 24:22

There, there's a I probably have a few theories on this, but I think like the world isn't slowing down, right? Right? We got AI is here, it's growing fast. Every week I feel like it becomes more and more like unrecognizable and sentient. But I think in a world where things move fast, there is people want to reach for something that feels grounded. Yeah. And I think there are various ways of feel getting that grounded. For some, it's design and art, for others, it's storytelling. And for some, it's just it's mechanics, it's analog. Yeah. Right? The fact that like what I love about a watch, whether it's a manual wound or automatic, it requires my attention if it's a mechanical timepiece, right? And that either means I have to set it or I have to wind it. You know, even coming here, I mean, we're in Vegas right now. I just got in this morning. I had to change the time on my watch, right? So that I would I know because it was still set to New York time.

SPEAKER_03 25:33

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

And for some people, that's annoying, and I get it, that's fine. And there are watches that solve that problem really simple. Yeah, and I think they're cool too. But I do enjoy the process of like, even if it's like a quick 30 or 45 seconds of quiet time and just taking the watch off my wrist, setting it, winding it. Like that is everything because for those 45 seconds, I'm not thinking about anything else. My phone could be going off, emails are coming in, but watches are so important to me that I always have that 45 seconds.

Blake Rea 26:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

And if that's all I can get during the day, I'll take it.

Blake Rea 26:14

I love that. I love that you say that. And I've thought about this like too, that like the way that I need watches, and maybe you need watches, and maybe a lot of the listeners out there need watches, like they need us too. Facts, like to po to power it 100% to wind it, put a battery in it, like we just dropped my tank off today, like RIP to my battery. Like, but and I think I already know the answer to this, but do you feel like the object itself or the person behind it that collects it is more important?

SPEAKER_01 26:53

I always think people are more important than objects, but maybe that came out wrong. No, it's fine. Like we don't care about anybody, no, but that doesn't mean that objects aren't important, sure. I think it's just how you look at it. I know, you know, in our world, people who are on the outside can often see us as being like materialistic. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I get it, you know. And you know, what I always try to explain to them is it's not I don't value a watch or any object more than I value like human life or a person. But I'm also not going to pretend like these objects aren't in and of themselves, you know, they are they are important, right? For various reasons. Whether they serve as like a marker of a period in time you want to remember, a person or a loved one that's no longer with you, yeah, your ambition, your aspirations, those are important. You know, aesthetics are important, you know, beauty. Someone took the time to learn how to deliver their perspective in an object, and you're wearing it on your wrist. That's that's important. And those are things that I care about. I care about beauty, I care about form, function, you know, those things matter to me. So I view these objects as though they're not as important as people, they still hold a special place in my life, and I value people so much I want to share them with people.

Blake Rea 28:27

Yeah. I guess off the the heels of the A P swatch release, right? Where people are getting like punched in the eyes. Oh, that was crazy. Plastic watch that you can't even service. I still want one though.

SPEAKER_03 28:39

I'm I I'll wait. Yeah, I know.

Blake Rea 28:41

I I'll I'll get one. I I think I mean at some point I'll just be able to walk into the boutique here. And it's gonna be right next to Bucharra where you're gonna be like you can just poke your head in there and see.

SPEAKER_01 28:52

I'll pop in and see.

Blake Rea 28:54

I've started to notice something that's weird in watch collecting, at least in the the the collector sphere that I'm in, that people are becoming more like emotionally driven than they are kind of like, you know, at one point watch collecting was about status. Sure, yeah. And instead of being like status driven. Like, is that something that you've noticed too?

SPEAKER_01 29:14

I have. I think that is, I think it's interesting. I have noticed that I think that's a byproduct of people losing interest in the same big brands. And so, you know, either because they can't get it or they've already experienced it. And so now they're trying to figure out like, okay, I got everything from this brand and that brand and that brand, and you know, they don't really make me feel anything anymore.

Blake Rea 29:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

And I think people are chasing feeling. I think this reason why a lot of people are going back into vintage. I think for all the reasons that we talked about in terms of like how you value an object, people are trying to chase that, right? Like, let me find something that I value. And for for whatever reason, but I need to feel something if I'm gonna put it on my body and have it be an expression of myself.

Blake Rea 30:05

And I do think people are chasing that. It's weird because people are told to value it, not because they value it. It's like they see other body people like drooling over some, you know, some Rolex or whatever. Yeah, and like and be like, oh, this is this is super rare. Like you can't buy this.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

It's almost like people feel like, oh, these are that's what I'm supposed to have instead of like what I like.

Blake Rea 30:26

Yeah. And then, you know, like it's not like they they don't even really like, sadly, sometimes they don't even do their own research and be like, well, why do I like this? Or they don't like dig deep within the second they get the chance to buy it, and then you know, they they do, and

Hype Culture And Knowing Your Taste

Blake Rea 30:40

then it ends up on the secondary market.

SPEAKER_01 30:42

You see it happening a lot right now with like brands like Jorn, where like celebrities have finally like caught wind, and now it's in a weird space because it's like you know, to get a Jorn, you know, the process is like it's very serious.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

Like you gotta go to the parties, you gotta go to the classes, you have to learn, you know. And I know I've heard collectors express like how it's it's a lot, and you know, obviously, because you have like your normal life, but you know, I think what I love about Francois Paul Jorn is that you know, he really fought for his brand. You know what I'm saying? Like he fought to bring that thing to life. And so for him, it's important that if it's on someone's wrist that they they know what they're wearing. And though that might not always be convenient, I respect it. But you know, the celebrities aren't going to the classes or the dinner event.

SPEAKER_03 31:35

Yeah, no, no, no.

Blake Rea 31:37

It was so funny, like when I was in Geneva last month, or when April, and end of April, and I saw you for like two and a half seconds, but I was sitting down with with Georgia and Alex Tusher. Okay, yeah, and like, you know, like minding my own business, dude. I was sitting next to FP Jordan for like three hours. I had no freaking idea, dude. Yeah, of course I I didn't know, and then nobody said anything, you know. I think Georgia or Alex realized before, and then they're like, dude, like, like, I mean, probably like this close.

SPEAKER_01 32:09

That is kind of like the fun thing about like the watch world is that the watch world has its own celebrities, yeah. Often case watchmakers, and you know, most people might not know, but in certain circles they're kind of like rock stars. It's funny.

Blake Rea 32:25

Well, to me, like, like I don't really get like super hyped about like Rolex or Patek or AP, sorry. Like, it just like to me, I I get like more excited about brands that like are like rediscovering themselves, right? You know what I mean? Like, like I don't think I don't I mean maybe they are like at least after you know the the the last leadership at AP, but like you know, it's it's they still feel like they're they're kind of like sticking to the roots in a weird way. I like brands that are like rediscovering like their archives or like you know trying to like bring something different, you know, but to a modern a modern consumer.

SPEAKER_01 33:11

No, yeah, I think that's that's something that's kind of interesting happening right now. I mean, you see it with like I think Ulysse Nardin is a really great example. You know, they've completely pivoted as a brand in terms of how they position it for the future. They have an incredible vision, and I think that vision is really starting to take shape and take hold, and it's resonating with people. You know, we we were in Watches and Wonders and they released the Super Freak, the most complicated time-only watch, which I think is hilarious.

Blake Rea 33:41

I dude, I thought for a second that they were gonna do like a perpetual freak. That would be crazy. Were you at were you at the keynote there? I didn't go, I didn't make it to the keynote. Dude, the way that they were talking about, I was like that would be crazy. I was like, I could be into that. That would have been I was like, I was like, I looked over at my friend, I'm like, dude, they're about to drop a perpetual freak. And then I was wrong as always. Time only.

SPEAKER_01 34:04

We got some seconds on display for you. But a beautiful watch. For sure. I think, in my opinion, the coolest freak they've ever made. It's also the most expensive freak they've ever made at a price point that made me feel a little uncomfortable, but they sold out. Yeah. So they know what they're doing, right? And I think it's an interesting time because you have a few brands that are kind of reinventing themselves right now. And I don't think that's a bad thing. I think that's a good thing. I think brands could get stuck in heritage and then forget the fact that like there's a whole new crop of collectors coming up that don't really care about, you know, your heritage. It doesn't mean you don't share the story with them, right? And I think that's the part of storytelling that maybe the watch brands miss. Because you have brands that are really great storytellers, but they're not focused on their direction and where they're going today. And there's gotta be, in my opinion, a really good balance. Where are we headed? And then let me tell you about where we came from. Yeah. And I think that's a winning recipe instead of just focusing on one or the other.

Blake Rea 35:12

I want to figure out a way, and maybe this is something you've already figured out, but it seems like, from my experience, being an insider in the watch industry, just like you are, that like they only listen to the insiders. Hmm. Like, I want to figure out a way to connect like the the collectors to the brands like more efficiently. You know what I mean? Yeah. I think some brands are starting to listen, but not a lot.

SPEAKER_01 35:40

No, uh, this is something I talk with brands about pretty often. There are brands that are starting to to listen more. I think Moser, H Moser does a really good job at embracing the community, yeah, and getting feedback from the community and ideas from the community. And listen, I also understand the argument that like you've got to maintain some DNA, right? You can't lose who you are just because your audience wants you to do all these other things. But I do think there has to be balance. And, you know, brands do have to listen to their audience. I think we're starting to see some brands start to win because of it. I I think you know, Brigade seems to be having like a really good year in 2026. When I talk to collectors, they're really excited, particularly younger collectors. And I would love to see a brand like Brigade rise back to the cream, you know, on top where they are seen, you know, if not on the same level as uh Patek Philippe, they're close, not far behind. You know what I'm saying? Because they deserve to be there historically. So, no, it's it's it's interesting. So AP would leave the Holy Trinity. Uh you're trying to start something. Nah. You know, listen, I love AP, but I love AP I love AP's heritage. In terms of innovation, they are a very innovative company, I think, inside of the watches. Yeah, for sure. I I hope they know, I think they know I feel like they do that they've got to they've gotta figure out this whole thing about the Royal Oak. And not only because collectors will view them as a one-trick pony, but because if if this is how it's going to be for the foreseeable future, and it's already been this way for a long time, the Royal Oak loses what makes it special. And it's a special design, it's a special watch, it should feel special, but there's way too much emphasis on it. They have an amazing, amazing archive, and I think they are a brand that could benefit by listening more to collectors. The unfortunate thing is a lot of collectors just want a royal oak.

Blake Rea 38:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:02

So how do you filter through the noise and come up with a winning recipe? Because they're trying, listen, they released the neo frame. Not the biggest fan of that watch. I think it it looks cool, but it's too large for what it is. So they're still tinkering,

Brands Heritage And Community Feedback

SPEAKER_01 38:20

and I would encourage them to continue to tinker because we they're too important of a brand for us to only be interested in one model from them. And I collect vintage AP, they have so much juice.

Blake Rea 38:36

Do you look at all like the juice they have in like the whole Jules Artemar collection? Insane. Like insane.

SPEAKER_01 38:44

And a lot of that can be had for you know really great prices. I encourage anyone to go and yeah, because people are gonna figure it out one day too, right? Where they're gonna be like, yo, okay, I'm an AP collector, I got five Royal Oaks, I love the brand. And then you see all the stuff they made in the 80s and you're like, I want some of that. Yeah, I know. You know, so go get it. Get it before the prices increase because they're steadily increasing.

Blake Rea 39:12

I I when I drove, me and Georgia went to GG Le Cout, like when we were leaving, like April 20th or something. We drove past uh because Le Brasu is like right there next to Le Sentler, which is where JLC is at. And we like drove. I got this, I was like, okay. Like that was like my first time like on the on the ground there, you know, which is cool. Because, you know, I didn't know. I'm just freaking in a little bus getting shuttled out there, and I'm like, okay.

SPEAKER_01 39:39

It's interesting though, because they are one of the few watch brands, and they're not the only one, where the model feels like a brand. Yeah. And that's it's great to have a platform, but I it also to me, from a branding position, is very dangerous. Because if your brand becomes the Royal Oak, you know, like where for Patek it becomes the Nautilus, and it's not, but it could. How does where does Audemar Paget live in that?

Blake Rea 40:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:15

What is Audemar Paget if all anyone knows them for is the Royal Oak? Right? There's a disconnect in terms of the heritage and what made that house what it is, and that is a story, which they do tell the story, and they tell it well if you go to any of their events and stuff. But we need the product.

Blake Rea 40:38

What's a watch story that you've either lived, experienced, or heard that like you will like always tell for the rest of your life? That's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 40:50

There's a few, but one of my favorites is shout out to one of my dear friends, Dr. Albert Coombs. He's a a uh dentist in DC, and he's the founder of the CP Time Watch Club. We had an event in San Francisco. I've seen him on Instagram. Yeah, he's he's he's become quite popular.

Blake Rea 41:13

Yes, he has.

SPEAKER_01 41:15

He's got some sick watches. He's got he's got some great watches. Yeah. And we were doing an event in San Francisco with Cartier. And I can't remember if his birthday just passed. I think I want to say it did. But either way, it was a bunch of us flew out. They were all hanging out. His dad decides he's gonna buy him a watch. And so he buys him a Cartier tank and surprises him with it. And it was cool to see not only that Al was happy and and touched by the gesture, but his dad's reaction to his dad really just wanted to make him happy because Al is like, you know, Al's at a point in his life, he's he's married, he's got kids, and he's got a business that's doing really well, and he's the leader of a community where he's at, and you know, he's good with bearing the weight of the responsibility of what all that means. Yeah, and so this is his time, I think, from his perspective, where he's like, No, I take care of my dad because my dad took care of me. And so for his dad to still kind of hold that position and be like, no, I'm buying you a watch, Mr. Watch Guy. It was it was really it was really nice to witness. And there was a really funny part where I loved where we were looking at the watch, and his dad kind of like it he realizes it, and he's like, ooh, I just did that. I just bought that watch. It wasn't a cheap watch. So um that was yeah, that was a very memorable moment. That's amazing. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.

Blake Rea 42:53

Let's jump in and and I feel like we've got so much more to dig out of you. I'm here, man. Like, what do you feel like is missing from luxury? And like, how do you feel like enthusiasts are like uncovering it?

SPEAKER_01 43:10

What's missing from luxury? Community. I don't think the brands have figured out how to cultivate community. The only one I can think of is H. Moser.

unknown 43:36

H.

SPEAKER_01 43:36

Moser has something special where they've done it, but I think in most cases the enthusiast community has taken it upon themselves to do it. And the watch industry benefits because of it. I mean, let's be honest. Like you look at like what you're doing, like the lonely wrist. Like this benefits the watch industry. I hope so. It does. It does. It's a paradigm. I'm joking.

Blake Rea 44:03

20 years from now.

SPEAKER_01 44:05

But it does, you know, and and some some of the brands are starting to realize it, you know, that these voices, even if they don't have a million followers, right? They have a powerful following. Yeah. They have a following of enough people that have the ability to spend some serious coin. And that matters. And for some reason, these people who spend a lot of coin or have the capacity to say that this person's voice is important. And they galvanize around these people and they go to these people's events and they join these people's clubs. And so this is something that the industry has to learn from. How can we cultivate that same energy internally? Why can't we have our own club as a brand? Why do we have to wait for the audience to make a club and then we have to, you know, if I and listen, some of the clubs are doing very well. If I were on the inside, I'd be trying to figure out, like, okay, well, if this club can have this many members and they're paying, why can't they just pay me? Right. You know, if you just put your capitalist hat on for a second, Mr. CEO watch company, like just think about it. Like, right, right, there's a whole there are a whole host of other ways that you can monetize your business other than just selling the watch. The watch community is proving it. I don't want them to infringe on what the community is doing, but I'm just saying, as an idea in terms of untapped potential, right? There's a lot that they're not thinking about, and it's happening all around them. And there's gonna be some things that happen very soon that they're gonna see, and they're gonna go, why haven't we done that? Why haven't we thought of that? Because the community isn't slowing down, the community is building.

Blake Rea 45:59

If anything, we're I feel like some of us are pushing brands, but something too that like you said two like super powerful words community and audience. Yeah. So like what do you feel like separates those?

SPEAKER_01 46:16

The community, so they're the same. The only difference is the community is active, right? You have some people who consume content or participate from afar, you know, whether it's a like or

Community Hospitality And Stewardship

SPEAKER_01 46:30

a comment, an Instagram post, a share. That's your audience. Your community is I'm in Las Vegas, some people are coming to see me.

Blake Rea 46:42

I know at least like 30 people. That's my community, right?

SPEAKER_01 46:45

That's our community. Like the community comes out. Yeah, and there's nothing wrong with occupying either space, that's just what it is, right? So the community participates and the audience just participates from afar.

Blake Rea 46:56

So funny. So, like when I was collecting like invites like for this, like at one point I was collecting them to me and then they started to like overwhelm me. I'm like, I have to go back through my WhatsApp messages and like bring all these people to Sarah. And then so, like, I like put a button on my website and like through the link, and it's even you press the button and then it emails Sarah. That's awesome, and it's like, I'm here to see Perry dash. That's great. Like, please add me to this, you know. It's like I love that. Thank you. I was like, this is so funny. That is great. I figured we would laugh about it later. And something too, I mean, we've you've let into this, but you know, you talked about hospitality earlier. So, like, what role do you feel like hospitality plays in in like building culture? Oh, it's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 47:48

I think hospitality is as it relates to building culture, is being a steward. Right? And so understanding what needs to be protected, what needs to be shared. Sometimes that includes boundaries. Not necessarily the boundaries of the steward, but of the heritage, the you know, there are things that need to be kept sacred, right? And shared in the in a particular way with a certain tradition, you know? So, for example, you know, some people don't feel comfortable about going into an authorized dealer. I totally get it. I don't always feel comfortable my wife, yeah, you know. But like an example of hospitality or stewardship would be like me having a great relationship with an authorized dealer, maybe doing an event with them or just visiting, but bringing people with me who have a hard time coming in, right? And helping to facilitate, right? And this happens regularly, like with collectors that do referrals. I mean, we know guys like Giancarlo that will personally take you to an authorized dealer who is run by a friend of his and make an introduction. And, you know, that is an example of like stewardship and hospitality. And, you know, he doesn't get paid for that, right? You know, if John Carlo says, Hey, I'll introduce you to my guys at Vatron, right? And drives you over there and says, Hey, you meet him and you sit down for an hour and have a coffee and share a story, he's he's now broken down that barrier for both of you, for both the retailer and their inability for some reason to connect with a stranger and the person who is trying to get in the building that doesn't understand like what place or role they have there, and they just they're just fans of the brand, right? You have a guy like a Giancarlo or an Al or yourself that says, Hey, like, this is easy. I can take care of this for you. Yeah, let me introduce you.

Blake Rea 50:03

Yeah, yeah. Something that I've thought about too, and this is starting to get real deep real quick, but when I first got into collecting, I didn't really understand what it was to be a collector. And so, like, I realized that like I wasn't you on the surface level, collectors are collecting things, yeah, right? Like, but then you start to realize that you're collecting experiences, but then you also deep within your like heart realize that like you're looking for something that like you haven't yet captured, which like I've started to like process this. So, like welcome to the rabbit hole, my friend. It's I'm screwed, yeah. You are is there like a danger that like luxury culture like becomes more like too performative? Hmm. Because we're there, yeah. I mean, especially out of retailers, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:09

You know, I do I do, you know, there's there's a lot more people that have jumped into collecting. I do sometimes wonder if they want to be collectors, or if this is just kind of like the the thing for them right now. And you know, I don't know. I don't have the answers to that. What I do know is and I've wrestled this with this too. Like, do I consider myself like a watch collector? I mean, I collect watches, I consider myself a collector just of things in general. Connoisseur. Yeah, but I'm also like, I don't think, I don't think that there's anything wrong with you know being a watch enthusiast. Nothing. Or record enthusiast or an art enthusiast. Like one of the things that I've wrestled with, maybe not even wrestled with, I think maybe I've come to terms with, is the fact that like I don't have to own something in order to enjoy it. Right? That's watches, music, art. You know, I realized that I was actually at um I was in the city one day and it was like raining and I had a bunch of time to kill. So I was like, oh, I'm gonna go to the MoMA. And I went to the MoMA by myself, and I was listening to a podcast and some music, just kind of like wandering, and I was like, I'm gonna look at everything. And you know, I had the most amazing time. I didn't get to bring any of that stuff home with me, but I really, really enjoyed it, you know, and I'm looking at watches in in the same way, and so I just think, yeah, the danger part comes from feeling like you have to consume everything. Yeah, like if I like it, I have to have it. And it's just like, no, you can like things that you don't own, you don't have to own everything. You only have two wrists. Yeah, you got ankles too. Okay, well, see, and now you could do a Rihanna thing.

Blake Rea 53:04

Sure, yeah. What the neck? That's where it gets dangerous. How do you protect your

Owning Less And Choosing Obsessions

Blake Rea 53:10

own tastes from like because hype hype culture is like crazy at this point? I borderline, I don't want to say toxic, but it's almost there. It's getting there. Like, how do you protect your own tastes from from what other people try to influence you with? Because it it it happens every day.

SPEAKER_01 53:28

I think just knowing what you like, I think, which takes time to kind of like figure it out. So, you know, the way that I protect it, I try my best. I don't know, it's weird, you know. I think I could say I try my best just to pay attention to the things that I've liked, but I think I'm also like privileged in that I've gotten to experience a lot of things to figure out what I like. You know what I'm saying? So like Rolex has a place in my heart, but I'm not a big Rolex guy. Right. But that's only because I've experimented with Rolex. I've owned modern Rolexes and I've gone through a few and realized, you know what? Ultimately, the majority of this is not for me. And so sometimes I think it takes that. I think it takes experimenting. You know, if if all you've ever wanted was that 1016 Explorer, then maybe you need to try it out. Maybe you need to hold on to it for a while. And maybe you discover that you do love it and that it's real, and maybe you discover that, you know what, that isn't me. And then you can start the process of figuring out what it is. And when you figure out what it is, you cling to it, you know, which is what I do. Like I know the things that I like. And because of that, out of all the things that I own, I usually own these things for a really long time. You know, it's like, I mean, these pants, these chinos are like five years old. You know? I have tons of like stuff like that where it's like I wear old clothes. I wear clothes that are older than me. Wow. You know, but because I'm like, man, I like this. This is what I like.

Blake Rea 55:12

I get I get fat too fast and I can't I can't wear it for very long. Okay. Let's just say 20 years from now. Sure, I'll be like shit, I'll be 59. Looking back, like if you could look back, or even what do you hope that people can take away from like what you're doing, like either in watches or in with super niche, or you know, wrist check pod, or like like what do you hope that people can like walk away with like in the future?

SPEAKER_01 55:47

I hope that they walk away. This is a great question. I hope that they walk away with a certain level of respect and reverence for culture and history. It doesn't mean they have to love everything, it doesn't mean that they have to agree with it, but understanding that the world is the way it is, because someone decide to have impact, you know, to introduce an idea, and then if you can understand that concept, you can have respect and reverence for the process. And if you have respect and reverence for the process, then you realize that you can have the same level of impact. Yeah.

Blake Rea 56:44

Wow. I'm gonna have to like listen to that over and over, like after we're done, and like figure out what that means for me. Okay, but that was deep.

Rapid Fire And Closing Thoughts

Blake Rea 56:54

I want to try something like that I've never done before. All right, because I special guest, right? Sure, special moment. So, like, I'm gonna do some rapid fire, man. Okay, cool. Let's try it. I'll see how fast I am. I mean, you don't have to be fast, but all right. What's one object that you feel like tells your story like the best?

SPEAKER_01 57:14

Ooh, that tells my story the best. Probably probably my wardrobe. Okay, my clothing. Because then you realize uh he likes old things.

Blake Rea 57:29

What do you feel like is the most underrated watch city in the world? That's a good question. Because we know it ain't Geneva. No, uh DC. DC? Yeah. What about like a like a non-watch niche that like you're secretly obsessed with?

SPEAKER_01 57:47

Oh man, that's a great question. A non-watch niche that I am secretly obsessed with, trucker caps. You have a lot of those. I collect trucker caps. But it's it's funny too, because like I'll wear like weird stuff. Like, I remember I was in, I was at a Hodinki event and I had a trucker cap that was probably from like the 1960s of like someone's like, I don't know, who it had to do with like replacing like water heaters or something like that. And I think it was this dude Rich, and he was like, That's a funny hat. And I was like, I know, I love it. Like it's just was weird. I like trucker hats.

Blake Rea 58:29

What about if you could have dinner? I mean, this is probably everyone asks this question, but if you get dinner with one person living, deceased, or or maybe somebody that you you'd ever want on on your Rishek pod.

SPEAKER_01 58:42

I would get the dinner with Jay-Z. I know everyone's talking about taking the 500k. I find him incredibly interesting, given his story and background and what he's gone through to get to where he has. Not that I want to go down the same path or wind up in the same place, but I understand in my short four years, five years now of doing this. The idea of like managing a family, balancing your passions and your friendships, navigating the world of business, navigating you know, professional relationships where not everyone has your best intentions. Like, I have so many questions for him that I would want to go out to dinner with him and ask him, how do you do it? Because he's doing it at such an intense level. How do you do it? Probably a lot of key people in the right place.

Blake Rea 59:40

Maybe. I don't know. I'm sure he's got some secret, you know. What about like a brand outside of watches that you feel like that understands culture like perfectly? I mean, uh, you did mention Ralph Lauren earlier. I'm not sure if that's that's the one you want to go with.

SPEAKER_01 59:54

Ralph Lauren for sure. And even when they weren't fully immersed into because the thing with Ralph Lauren is Ralph Lauren has so many different cultures attached to it, right? Especially because it it takes inspiration from so many different cultures. But there was a time when you know hip hop was like becoming a thing and they didn't get it. And but eventually they embraced it and they realized they were like we should have tapped into this much earlier. And today it's it lives in the same home as all these other cultures within the brand.

Blake Rea 1:00:26

What do you feel like is more important, like rarity or resonance?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:31

What do you mean by resonance? Like it resonates with you. I think I would I would choose that. I don't think rarity really doesn't matter. You know, what matters is your connection to something, how it makes you feel. Because you can have something that's rare that you don't care about. That's true. What about the last thing that actually like inspired you? The last thing that inspired me.

Blake Rea 1:01:01

Because you're pretty inspirational.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:02

Oh man. The last thing that inspired me. And that's a really good question. I'm inspired by my friends. I'm inspired by there's a f there's a few people in my life, friends, that inspire me for different reasons. I have a friend Ashraf. I'm inspired by his like unfledging loyalty. It's really remarkable. I've never met someone so loyal who will literally drop anything for me because he just believes in me so much. I'm inspired by my friend Lex. With all that he's achieved in life, he still has like this yearning desire to do more. He doesn't have to, right? There's no financial pressure on him to figure something else out. He's a creator. I'm inspired by my wife, I'm inspired by my children. They have to put up with me. It's not easy, you know.

Blake Rea 1:02:09

What do you feel like vintage soul or modern innovation? That's tough. Yeah, that's a hard one.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:17

That is a hard one. I don't know if I could choose, to be honest, because I love old things and I love you know that vintage soul that you're speaking about, but I am someone that's also incredibly fascinated on the future and I like new things and I like new ideas, and I I try, I think my best to exist between the two. So I couldn't choose. Sorry.

Blake Rea 1:02:44

What about something that if you could speak directly to somebody out there listening that isn't quite sure what they're obsessing over? But if you could give them assurance words, what do you feel like it's worth obsessing over?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:05

I think what's worth obsessing over is what moves you. Sometimes that's hard to articulate. You don't know, but you kind of recognize the feeling. There's like it's like magnet, magnetism. You know, there's an attraction that's there. It's like, I can't shake this thing. I can't get away from this thing. Why is this thing following me around? That's how watches were for me. You know, I couldn't shake it. And so I was like, all right, well, I just need to figure out how to embrace it. And and, you know, luckily figure out my own way to embrace it with a few friends of mine, and we started Risk Check Podcast. And that's, I think, blossomed into you know all these other things that have provided us with incredible opportunities to follow a whole host of other ambitions that we want to achieve.

Blake Rea 1:03:54

So yeah, I think that's it. I think that's it for me, too. I know I'm getting hungry.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:01

Let's go get some grubs.

Blake Rea 1:04:02

We got we got some dinner, cool dinner reservations.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:05

I'm excited. It's my first time in Vegas, and I'm ready to eat. Let's do it. I'm in. See you guys on the next episode. Incredible. And thank you for coming on. Thank you for having me.