243: Seiko Panda-Monium, Garmin's $3,000 Smartwatches, And An Upside-Down Panerai
A Blog To Watch WeeklyShow Notes
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel Adams is joined by David and Ripley for a conversation covering everything from affordable G-Shocks to luxury smartwatches and some of the most unusual designs coming out of Japan. Ripley kicks things off with highlights from the first Istanbul Watch Festival and a look at Turkey's thriving watch culture. The crew then explores Casio's new $180 G-Shock GW-BX5600, discussing its upgraded MIP display, solar charging, and Bluetooth connectivity before diving into the confusing world of Casio's product lineup. Next up is Garmin's latest MARQ Gen 3 collection, where premium materials, specialized features, and prices reaching $3,100 spark a debate about what makes a luxury smartwatch worth the money.
The conversation then shifts to an incredibly complicated Citizen pilot watch, leaving the crew wondering whether anyone actually knows how to use all its functions. From there, Seiko brings some much-needed fun with its panda-inspired chronograph from the Power Design Project, sparking a discussion about creative watchmaking, unconventional designs, and the watches enthusiasts wish brands would actually produce. The crew also takes a closer look at Panerai's left-handed Luminor, questioning whether flipping a familiar design is enough to call it something new. As usual, there are plenty of laughs, strong opinions, and a few detours along the way, even with Rick away on yet another secret mission that apparently must remain a secret.
To check out the ABTW Shop, where you can see our products inspired by our love of Horology:
- Shop ABTW - https://store.ablogtowatch.com/
To keep updated with everything Superlative, aBlogtoWatch Weekly, and aBlogtoWatch, check us out on:
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ablogtowatch/
- Website - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aBlogtoWatch
If you enjoy the show please Subscribe, Rate, and Review!
Key Chapters: [00:00] Introduction and Rick's Mysterious Absence [00:37] Istanbul Watch Festival and Turkey's Watch Culture [03:36] Casio's New $180 G-Shock GW-BX5600 [06:02] Casio's Confusing Website and Product Lineup [09:14] G-Shock Displays, Features, and Design Choices [12:22] The Many Faces of G-Shock [19:26] Garmin's $3,000 MARQ Gen 3 Smartwatches [23:08] Garmin's Specialized Luxury Smartwatches [25:41] The Garmin Golf Watch's Hole Indicator [29:03] Garmin's Design, Features, and Technology [34:01] Micro-LED Displays and Smartwatch Battery Life [37:50] Citizen's Incredibly Complicated Pilot Watch [43:05] Seiko's Panda Chronograph and Power Design Project [46:03] Bringing Seiko's Wild Designs to Market [50:03] The Panda Costume and Final Watch Design [52:40] Panerai's Left-Handed Luminor Destro [55:35] Is Panerai Doing Enough With Its Designs? [01:00:43] Panerai's Details and Design Decisions [01:03:10] Vintage Watches and Historical Design [01:07:23] Closing Thoughts and the Wheel of Death
More from A Blog To Watch Weekly
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel Adams returns alongside David and Ripley for a packed episode covering military watch history, controversial design decisions, and one of the most expensive G-Shocks ever made. Ariel shares stories from his recent visit to the Navy SEAL Museum in San Diego, including the history of Tudor Submariners issued to Navy SEALs during the Vietnam War and the mysterious disappearance of watches that were reportedly destroyed after being returned to military storage.
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Ariel is away, which leaves Rick, David, and Ripley to make sense of a watch market where price and positioning seem increasingly difficult to untangle. The crew starts with Zenith and a lengthy debate over pricing, brand identity, and whether a good watch can still be a tough sell at the wrong price. Then things get sweeter with the Donut Watch Company, a new Ming adjacent project that brings familiar design DNA, a Miyota movement, plenty of lume, and an actual donut theme to the roughly $700 price point. The question quickly becomes whether offering a more accessible taste of an expensive brand is clever expansion or simply leaning a little too heavily on the name and design language people already recognize.
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, David, and Ripley are back with an episode full of watches that are cheaper, pricier, and considerably weirder than expected. The guys start with H. Moser & Cie. going digital before turning to the state of watch marketing and why so many brands seem to have forgotten how to keep the conversation going. They also consider whether Cartier could ever truly challenge Rolex and what it would take for the brand to get there.
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.
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, Rick, Ariel, David, and Ripley are back together, with Ariel and David freshly returned from Geneva Watch Days and apparently still recovering from the heat. They recap the highs and lows of the event, from impressive watchmaking and questionable hospitality to the latest GPHG selections and the brands that did, or decidedly did not, make the cut. The conversation also turns to what makes Geneva Watch Days worthwhile despite its quirks and why the watch industry continues to descend on Geneva even when the city seems determined to make everyone sweat.