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.
The conversation then turns to Tudor's new Northflag GMT, where the crew debates its design, proportions, and place within the brand's lineup. David takes particular issue with the dial's mismatched details, while Ripley questions whether the new GMT has lost what made the original model special.
The discussion continues with Casio's extraordinary $80,000 sapphire-cased G-Shock, prompting questions about luxury pricing, durability, and whether anyone outside the watch community would believe a G-Shock could cost that much. The crew compares Casio's latest creation with high-end sapphire watches from Hublot and considers the appeal of ultra-expensive versions of otherwise affordable designs. Ariel also raises concerns about algorithm-driven watch recommendations, arguing that human curation remains essential for discovering new brands and expanding one's interests as a collector. Along the way, the trio finds time to debate a Lufthansa-exclusive Sinn, poke fun at the idea of luxury tool watches, and question where the watch industry is headed.
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Key Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Ariel's return
00:02:38 - Lufthansa's limited-edition Sinn watch
00:04:28 - The history of Navy SEAL Tudor Submariners
00:06:24 - The mystery of the missing Navy SEAL watches
00:14:17 - Rolex connections and military watch history
00:18:45 - Tudor's new Northflag GMT sparks a design debate
00:23:47 - What the original North Flag got right
00:27:03 - Northflag dial details and design criticism
00:31:47 - Casio's $80,000 sapphire G-Shock
00:35:41 - More luxury G-Shocks and sapphire alternatives
00:39:13 - Is an $80,000 G-Shock worth it?
00:43:56 - Human watch curation versus algorithms
00:49:21 - The dangers of algorithm-driven watch recommendations
00:53:44 - Wind Vintage and the sold-out Dreamsicle watch
00:55:35 - The usefulness of flyback chronographs
00:57:21 - Brellum chronographs and affordable Swiss watchmaking
01:00:20 - Watch thickness and movement design
01:03:52 - Closing remarks