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Collectors Gene Radio
Gary Striewski - From Seiko to SportsCenter With ESPN's Resident Watch Guy
01:05:37
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- [00:01]
A
I broke every unwritten rule as it relates to, like, going in and establishing a relationship with your local store. I went in after the gym. It was a dark, like February night. I'm sweating. I'm in a Carhartt hoodie that's just like soaked in sweat. I got my beanie on. I'm in sweats. They probably thought I was going to rob the place and I'm like, I want to buy this watch.
- [00:26]
B
What's going on, everybody? And welcome to Collector's Jean Radio. This is all about diving into the nuances of collecting and ultimately finding out whether or not our guests have what we like to call the Collector's Gene. If you have the time, please subscribe and leave a review. It truly helps. Thanks a bunch for listening and please enjoy today's guest on Collector's Gene Radio. Today I'm sitting down with ESPN and SportsCenter anchor Gary Striesky to discuss all things watch collecting. Gary got the bug early on when he noticed his father wearing a gold Seiko with his army fatigues and never got that image out of his head. Fast forward and as Gary's career started to pave its way, so did his watch collection. He's the guy you want representing your brand simply because he loves this stuff. He's walking proof that you can never have too many GMTs and that being in the spotlight every day doesn't get you allocations. It's your character that does the trick. He's had the pleasure of being a guest on Hodinkee's talking watches, and his love for cars comes with the same collecting passion. We chat about how he's ESPN's resident watch guy now, citing the risks of those at events like Formula One and the ESPYs. It's definitely not the last time you'll be hearing from him on here either, but for now, please enjoy. This is Gary Striesky for Collector's Dream Radio. Gary Striesky, welcome to Collector's Dream Radio.
- [01:47]
A
This is fantastic. And actually this is the preferred medium, depending on what timeline and what comment section you're reading is. Hey, get this guy's face off of my TV and off of my phone. But now you're haunted by just my voice.
- [02:03]
B
Well, don't run away yet because we'll definitely, I'm sure, do another one of these in person at some point. But due to Geographics, we're doing audio only today. But it's actually been a really long time since I've had a watch collector on the show, so we got to start what's on the wrist today?
- [02:20]
A
You know what's crazy is I've actually been running like crazy errands. So we're going to see if this episode just has an instantaneous drop off rate because I'm wearing an apple watch right now.
- [02:33]
B
Hey, it's still on the wrist.
- [02:34]
A
Yeah, but last night, I mean, listen, that's, that's the contrast that you get with me, you know, this being on a Thursday that we're recording. I'm currently wearing an apple watch on wrist after I got done with the gym, running a bunch of errands and doing a couple of work things. But last night I was in my gold Daytona, my John Mayer Daytona. So, you know, it's, it's the contrast.
- [02:58]
B
And that's a watch that you've had your eye on actually for quite some time, isn't it?
- [03:02]
A
Oh my gosh. Yeah. I've loved Daytona's actually. It's funny, before I got like heavy, heavy into watches, I was sort of like, a lot of people have that story. Like I just went into a store and I was like, can I buy this watch? I'm ready to make this purchase right now. And they're like, what do you mean? You can't just walk off the street and get a. Steal anything. This was like 2019. And I work closely with a local store here. Lux Bond and Green. They're fantastic. I'm in West Hartford, Connecticut, and I broke every unwritten rule as it relates to like going in and establishing a relationship with your local store. I went in after the gym. It was a dark like February night. I'm sweating. I'm in a Carhartt hoodie that's just like soaked in sweat. I got my beanie on. I'm in sweatshirt. They probably thought I was going to rob the place. And I'm like, I want to buy this watch. But they were cool.
- [04:01]
B
Like, get the, get the F out.
- [04:03]
A
Exactly. They, it was dark outside. So like this, this is a suspect behavior. But no, they were cool. They spent some time with me. My guy Dave, you know, was asking me all the right questions and then, you know, a couple of minutes into the conversation, hey, what do you do where you work? What brings you to Connecticut? And then he was like, oh, yeah, okay, you do look familiar. So that was sort of my initial entry into the relationship building side of starting to become a collector.
- [04:31]
B
I love it. And we'll talk about relationships a little later on in the episode. But you know, most people know you for being a personality on ESPN and sports center and all that. But as a watch collector, you've actually loved watches since you were a kid. It's always something that you've admired, you've spoken about it in depth. But there's one in particular that really kickstarted things for you, and that's your father's watch, Is that right?
- [04:56]
A
Oh my gosh. Let me go get it right now. I know this is a visual or this isn't a visual, but this Seiko World Timer that I just went out and got from my watch box, this is the watch that I saw on my dad's wrist. And mind you, I grew up in Colorado. My dad retired from the army. He was a government salary. My mom, she worked just as a server, just to get sort of like side cash for us, like grocery money. So we were very, very fixed income, we lived comfortably. You know, we were middle class, ish. Growing up in Colorado. But I remember my dad as I'm holding this watch now. He would come home in his fatigues, his camouflage fatigues, his woodland camo fatigues. He was a sergeant first class, tank commander. But he would come home with this gold watch on his wrist and gold and camouflage. The contra, he made it cool before. It's, it was actually cool. And I remember seeing this as like an elementary school kid thinking to myself, I think we're rich. I'm pretty sure we're loaded. Because my dad, sure, if my dad.
- [06:10]
B
Can wear whatever he wants and this gold watch, everything's fine.
- [06:14]
A
Is this gold Seiko? I mean, of course I didn't know what a Seiko was at the time, but I just knew that my dad had a gold, you know, obviously it's gold plated, gold, brushed. It's not a solid gold Seiko, but he would wear this. And I just thought he was so cool because he had this gold watch on. And then, you know, he stopped wearing it. He retired from the army and then became a Colorado state trooper. So he went from this watch to a more tactical watch. He wore a G shock, you know, when he was an active state trooper. So this watch just sort of sat dormant in his medicine cabinet until about college for me. I was like, what happened to that watch? So then I procured it on a, on a visit home and it's been in my watch box ever since. And I bust it out on a pretty regular basis. So yeah, it's, it's cool holding this thing and it takes me back to like being in Fort Carson, Colorado on a military base. Yeah, this is cool. This is very cool.
- [07:17]
B
I love it. I love it. It's such a, an heirloom piece and it's such a. I don't know, it just has. No matter who the person is, when you show them that, they can't not appreciate it. Right. And appreciate the story and all that. And so, you know, growing up, obviously you were curious of your dad wearing this watch and had, you know, some idea what it was. But did you always notice what other people were wearing? Was that a thing for you or was that something later on once you started?
- [07:43]
A
Oh, yeah. Oh yeah. So I always knew, or at least I grew up with the perception. My dad had a gold watch. He's an adult, even though at this point he was in his late 20s, early 30s, you know, when he was in the army. But I was always drawn to the watches that kids were supposed to be drawn to, right? The big, colorful, sporty, athletic. One of my first watches was just a digital Nike watch that we got at the px. It was molded after the swoosh with the bands and dude, you couldn't tell me nothing if I had that watch on, man. That was one of those watches where before, like a fighting necklace or like those anti gravity bracelets that are actually coming back, before those were a thing, having an Adidas or a Nike rubber waterproof watch, like you were him in middle school, if you had one of those, unfortunately, you were rich. Oh yeah, dude, I was. I was rich with aura before aura was a thing. Yeah, you pulled up to elementary and recess with one of those. And it added, you know, it took time off your 40, it added to your vertical, you know what I mean? So that was one of the first watches I had. And I've always had a keen eye to whatever is on people's wrists. And before it was like a status symbol of, oh, they must be doing pretty well for themselves because they have an insert brand here on their wrist. It was always just like a man. That person's cool because they have a insert brand of, of of watch on their wrist.
- [09:20]
B
Yeah, I love it. And so time goes on, you know, your career starts to take off for you a little bit. And you know, you mentioned you walked into the Rolex store after the gym with your hoodie on and obviously they didn't have something for you then. But shortly after that, you were able to secure a Submariner, which was like your first love foray into watch collecting where you are today. And then another watch I was really excited to see in your Collection was a 36 millimeter day date and of course. Extra sauce on the kimchi with it being a birth year, day date.
- [09:50]
A
That's the one.
- [09:51]
B
That's the one. And I love that the 36 millimeter day date is making a comeback. But I gotta get your opinion because for me, I don't understand what in the world Rolex was ever thinking making that watch. 40 millimeters.
- [10:05]
A
I mean, it's the distinction. Isn't it crazy how games championships. I'm making a sports analogy just because it's what I live in. Are. Are decided, you know, by literal millimeters. Sometimes, you know, gold medals are decided by middle millimeters or thousandths of a second. And that matters, right? Like a thousandth of a second matters when you are deciding who is the fastest person in the world. We saw it in the 100 meter final this summer. So, like a millimeter of a difference is a noticeable thing, especially when you're catering to an audience that pays attention to these things. So to 4x that difference. Right. Like to go from 1 or 2 or 3, you're like, wait a minute, we're going now a 4 millimeter difference going from 36 to 40. And listen, I get it. It's. It's certainly regression from 10 years ago when the bigger the better. And if you didn't have a 48 millimeter Breitling on your wrist, you weren't doing it. Right, right.
- [11:02]
B
You're not the guy if you don't have that.
- [11:03]
A
Yeah, you're not. You're not him. But I feel like to appease the masses, 40 is. I'm okay with 40 in terms of a precious metal. Knowing and handling and wearing a 36. That's plenty. That is certainly plenty in my estimation of a precious metal on your wrist. I like the quaintness of it. Yeah. The 36 is certainly the sweet spot. And I mean. Yeah, that's what people have to remember is, you know, when these watches came out in 87, the Tony Soprano watch, right. 36 was the masculine size, that was the manly size, that was the proper size of a wristwatch. And, you know, everything evolves. Style evolves, things of taste evolves, but it's all cyclical at the same time. So, you know, it gets bigger, but also we're seeing sort of people revert back to. All right, let me go with something a little more understated in the 36, in the 39. It's a moving scale.
- [12:04]
B
Yeah, for sure. And for me, I think that the 36 millimeter actually packs a bigger punch than the 40 millimeter in a Lot of ways, because it is smaller and it is more understated that when someone sees it, they just get it. But, yes, a lot of times when you see the 40 millimeter, you're like, you know, you feel, like, flavor. Flavor, yes.
- [12:23]
A
The 40 mil, any 40 millimeter precious metal, you're going to know you're wearing it whether or not your watch walks into a room five minutes before you do. Where some people, hey, listen, man, they work hard to get that thing. The 40 millimeter is certainly a step up in that regard.
- [12:40]
B
Yeah, they're beautiful. No doubt. I just, you know, I was happy to see the 36 in your collection.
- [12:45]
A
Definitely had to have them. And that. That was a cool story, too, because I had been on the hunt for a birth year because I was. I was turning 35. So this was a couple years ago. And funny enough, I was just scrolling on TikTok, and my algorithm is very much cars, watches, real estate, sports. And this came across. And this is a jewelry appraiser in Philly. His name's Josh. He's actually a good buddy of mine. Now. He's like, you'll never believe what I just got in my store. I'm going to keep it. One owner. So I messaged him, and I was like, dude, I would love to buy that. Here's what I'm looking for. Here's why I would love it. And initially, he wrote me back. He's like, no, I'm gonna keep it in my collection. Then he sent me a message back. I guess this is a perk of the job. He's like, okay. So I showed my sons your TikTok, and they know who you are, and they watch your show, so I'll sell it to you. And I was like, hell, yeah. Yes, please.
- [13:43]
B
That's amazing. It's such an incredible watch. The story's amazing. And I love that you found it on the Internet that way, because it's just. It just doesn't happen like that anymore.
- [13:53]
A
Yeah, no, it was cool. We took a trip down to Philly. In hindsight, I should not have been as naive as I probably was a couple of years ago. To. Me and my girlfriend stayed right there in the city center, but we walked down to, like, the jewelry district. And we got about halfway down, and we were like, we probably should not have walked. We're definitely going to. We're definitely going to Uber back.
- [14:18]
B
Bold move, Cotton.
- [14:19]
A
For sure. It did pay off.
- [14:23]
B
Your other birthday watch is your moonswatch, and I would love to know how you feel, how this and Your day date could make an argument for a great two watch collection.
- [14:33]
A
Man, the Moon swatches are so fun. It brings me back. I don't care that it's plastic. I don't care that Neptune, the, the blue on it bled a little bit. They corrected it. That's fine. Listen, I think people deserve to have fun at every price point. So the people who kind of turn their nose up to it, I mean there's a flavor for everything. There's, there's, there's something for everybody. Which I think is one of the special things about being in this hobby. So whether or not, you know, you have a budget to spend on a precious metal Rolex or precious metal, you know, high end watch, or if you got 250 bucks that you've been saving up, man, I think the beautiful thing about the watch world is you can get in at any level but still connect on the same level with people who are entrepreneurs or excuse me, who are enthusiasts about the collection. And that's what I like about it. I don't like the, I don't like the snooty aspect of any sort of hobby. You know, you, you want to broaden the hobby. You want people to come in, feel welcome and have a good time and want to pursue more of it. And I, I think a watch like a moose watch is the perfect example of that. I have a two moon swatches, I have Uranus and I have Earth. And then you know, the stuff that stays on my wrist more than anything are like my Casios. So yeah, anybody who thinks they're in some stratosphere because they have a certain watch on their wrist and people don't, man. Yeah, those aren't quite the collectors I like to rock with.
- [16:08]
B
Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. And I, I think, you know, like you said, the moonswatch is so fun and it is to me the perfect companion for something like a day date or a GMT or whatever it may be because it adds this playfulness to the collecting category of anything and you get to tell people who don't understand what the Moon Swatch is, why it's cool, and the fact that it's 250, 500 bucks, whatever it may be, when you compare it to a regular Speedmaster, you know, there, there's just a, there's some novel quirkiness to it that, that you don't usually get with other things.
- [16:42]
A
And you can still, and you don't have to worry about, oh my gosh, there's a x thousand dollar watch on my wrist, like, it's 250 bucks. Would it suck if it busted because it's plastic or you lost it or God forbid, it got stolen? Yeah, that sucks. But, like, a $250 hit is far easier to swallow than a $2,500 hit. On that note, I was at an event yesterday, and, you know, it was a Rolex event, so obviously the crown was sort of running, ruling mightily. But there was a snoopy 50th anniversary speedy, and it was so cool. You know, the case back movement with Snoopy on the rocket shift. Like, dude, that was, like, the funnest watch there. And, you know, I went from handling that and getting it in my. My reel that I posted on Instagram last night to then handling, literally, a rainbow Daytona. So, yeah, man, there's incredible. That's the. That's the cool thing about this hobby, man, is everything is cool, right?
- [17:44]
B
If you appreciate it and you have an open mind, you can't be mad at really anything. You don't have to love it, but you can't be mad at it.
- [17:50]
A
Exactly.
- [17:51]
B
Speaking of the Speedy, I know that you had one and you sold it. And after seeing the Snoopy last night and having a moon swatch now or a couple of them, do you think you want to add a Speedmaster back into the collection?
- [18:03]
A
Yes, yes, yes. I was actually just talking to my friend Dan who runs Boston Watch Shots. If there's anybody on the east coast who's looking for a community, a dialogue, a group, me, or a Instagram page that posts daily, it's Boston Watch Shots. I was literally talking to him two weeks ago because somebody in the group bailed on a white dial Speedmaster. And I think that watch is so sharp. I mean, I. I do have. I have a Panda Daytona 11 6500. So those watches check all of the same boxes, right? It's a white dial, stainless steel chronograph. But, man, there's just something so sharp about a white dial with black accents that I told myself, like, if I were to get back into a full steel Speedy, it would definitely be the white dial variant. And not for nothing, whether it's the Moonswatch or a standard Speedy, those things are strap monsters, man. So, like, throwing it on a NATO just completely, completely changes the dynamic and the usability and the functionality of the watchman. I like watches, and I make my girlfriend sit through, like, watching James Bond movies with me because obviously the plot's cool and Daniel Craig's a legend. RIP no spoilers, but I just gave a Spoiler if you watch no Time to Die. But listen, hey, it's in the title. I watch those movies in large part for like the quick glimpses of the watches of his Omega. To be like, that watch is sick. And here's why, like, that watch is cool, because you can also buy it. And that's the fun thing about watches is you can sort of in part live that identity. Live that James Bond identity, or if you're in a Casio or a G Shock, you live that Spy Kid mentality or that Spy Kid identity. I watch, I grew up watching. You know, I'm 37, I'm a millennial. So like, I grew up watching the Disney Channel. So like, smart guy, he had the tech watch and that is the Casio calculator watch. So, you know, you can sort of like transform yourself into these identities just based off of the watch you wear. And I just think there's not really other hobbies that allow you to do that so easily.
- [20:20]
B
Right. Whether it's a Casio or a Daytona, you can connect with someone on that level.
- [20:25]
A
Yes.
- [20:26]
B
Yeah. Rolex does make up a big part of your collection. You've gotten the call for some of the most sought after pieces. What is it about Rolex for you that no matter how many GMTs you have, they all still have a place in your life?
- [20:41]
A
So the thing about Rolex, and I'll be the first to admit I'm fortunate enough to have been in this position to accept these calls and gracious enough, or excuse me, I'm not calling myself gracious enough, but the people who have given me the call have been gracious enough to say, hey, you know, I think this piece would really be great in Gary's collection. So I'll be the first to admit that. But there's no arguing as saturated as people want to say Rolex is in the high end watch market, or, you know, overexposed it is, or that it makes up 50% of the luxury watches that are on the market there. You cannot argue over the build quality and the craftsmanship of the watch. Now it's one thing if, you know, a lot of these people get Rolexes and they're flimsy and they don't hold up well, but if you buy a Rolex, it's going to be with you for the rest of your life. Obviously maintenance and the standard cares, obviously advisable, but like, the build quality of that watch I think is second to none. I have a Patek holatrava, I have AP15510. And those watches, man, are like super delicate, I feel. And even the ap, the Royal Oak, the bracelet is like super delicate. It's the most stylish in my opinion. But a Rolex is the most comfortable watch I've ever worn. And I feel okay working out in it, working on a car in it, doing lawn work in it. And I can't say the same about any other brand that I've worn. I love it.
- [22:22]
B
With a collection that is so diverse, from Timexs and Casios to Audemars, Piguet and Patek, what does it take for you to add a watch to your collection? What is it that you look for? Are you a dial guy? Are you a case guy? What is it?
- [22:37]
A
I think I'm a dial guy. I try to. I ask myself that. And I want, like, diversity in my collection. I don't want to open up my watch box and just see all of the same stuff. Now if you're on the heels of watching my episode of Talking Watches, you're like, what are you talking about, Gary? You literally have three GMTs. And I get it. Listen, hand up, I know this is, this is just an audio medium, but hand up, I know, I'm guilty of that. But I think colors catch my eye more than any sort of build. And I don't want to spoil. Right. Like next questions that come down the road. But, like, the things that catch my eye are cool, contrasting colors. Like, I would love a Tag Heuer Carrera like the Skipper, because that's such a unique color setup. And it's a throwback. It's an homage to a throwback. So the first thing that catches my eye is an interesting and an eye catching color palette. Everything else is interchangeable like bracelets, straps. I mean, for most watches, if you don't like it, you can switch it out.
- [23:46]
B
Absolutely. And I think the thing with GMTs is that the bezel obviously is really the main differentiator. Obviously with the two tone root beer, you know, you get a little bit differentiating in the bracelet.
- [23:56]
A
Yeah.
- [23:57]
B
But that watch, when you put a GMT on and you get to travel with it. Right. The Pepsi is so different from the root beer. Even though it has the same function. They are so different in so many ways. And it is because of the color. And I think Rolex just does such a great job at using color as a huge differentiating factor for them.
- [24:18]
A
It's crazy how such a. Again, as we're talking about like the minutia of change with these watches that have generally Stayed the same in terms of the utilitarianism of them, the usage of them, the materials of them. Now they mix and match them all the time. But I mean, half of a bezel, people freak out over. You know what I mean? Like, just like the slightest change in something, people. I mean, people lose their minds over. But I think that speaks to how people appreciate the details and things, which is what brings everything together.
- [24:57]
B
It is funny, like when. When Rolex releases their new watches every year, you know, everyone is always speculating and, you know, coming up with renderings of what they think it is. And I'm always thinking to myself, I'm like, guys, history repeats itself.
- [25:11]
A
Correct?
- [25:11]
B
Let's just think of what colors they could change out. Let's not think about case changes and crazy dials. And obviously they've done that too. But for the majority, like, just make our predictions based on colors, and I think we'll get a lot closer to what releases will be.
- [25:26]
A
It's very much like what Apple does, right? For sure. Every September, they come out with new models, and it's something as small, quite literally physically, as going from USB to USB C. But it changes the entire market. It changes the entirety of what shoulder products have to do, whether it's cases or chargers or blocks. And I think to a certain degree, Rolex does the same. When they say something is in. Right. We saw it with the color green when Rolex says that the color green is in every other manufacturer and brand gets on top of that. And now all of a sudden we're seeing green variants from every other player in the game. So as Rolex goes, so too does the industry in the same ways that we see with Apple when they come out with something, whether it be a very small change or adjustment or something macro, a new product, the industry falls in line. And we will then start seeing products mirror the changes that Apple makes.
- [26:38]
B
Absolutely. And, you know, I mean, it's so true. Rolex is such a trendsetter. And you do see so many brands obviously copy them or follow in their footsteps, for lack of a better term, and that they're. They're the crown for a reason, I guess. Right?
- [26:56]
A
Exactly.
- [26:57]
B
Tell me about the Patek that's on your wrist. Because I'm wearing a Patek Calatrava on my wrist today as well. And I would love to know which route you went.
- [27:05]
A
Yeah, so I have a guy in the. This sounds like I'm like a drug mule. I have a guy in the British. I have a guy in the British Virgin Islands. And I went down there on a. On a vacation. Gosh, this. This was. Holy smokes. This was pre Covid. So this was 2020. I went down.
- [27:29]
B
Is this before you did talking watches?
- [27:31]
A
Yeah, this was before I did talking watches. And I went down there and I was with my girlfriend and a buddy, and I walked into a. God, it's not a watch, it's a Switzerland. The name is escaping me. But anyway, they're right down there in the. In the little main drag of downtown St. Thomas. And I walked in and that's the day that I did buy my Speedy. I brought a. I bought a Hesalite Speedy that day. That was. This is how long ago it was. That's when they were discounting 15% in store. There was no tax. I crushed it. Yeah, it was awesome. But I told him that my grail, Grail. Grail patek is a 5712 or 5167. 5167, I know, would probably be the entry point and then the Nautilus. So we said, okay, cool, I'll get you on the list. And then we stayed sort of just in contact with each other. And he got a Patek 5226, the white gold variant with like the. I call it an asphalt dial. And he got that in and asked me if I'd be interested. And obviously I was. So I flew down there. Gosh, this was two years ago, prior to the Miami F1. Miami Grand Prix F1. I do F1 coverage for ESPN. So before I went to Miami, I flew to St. Thomas, from St. Thomas to Miami with the Patek. And yeah, I wear it often. But it. Again, it's. It's a white gold. Well, you know, you have a Calatrava, so it's. It's certainly more delicate than, you know, my steel sports watches, but, yeah, it's. It's a stunner on the wrist. It doesn't get as much wrist time as probably some people would hope for, but it is cool. And, and listen, everybody understands like, that is. That is a stepping stone and a relationship builder in hopes of getting the call for the watches that I told him that I would love to have in the collection. So we'll see. Dean, if you're listening to this, that'd be great.
- [29:36]
B
We're going to tag him. I'm going to make sure everybody tags him in the comments too, for sure. I love it. I mean, the 5226 is such a great watch, and I do understand where you kind of feel about it is, obviously it's white gold, but it's a Calatrava. But the dial is also more sporty. So in your head you're like, I can wear this when I'm working on my car. I can wear this while I'm mowing a lawn. But then you're like, wait, it's white gold. That's why I don't necessarily want to scratch it open.
- [30:02]
A
Tastes back. Like, the cool thing is, you know, it does have the black strap to go along with it, and I actually prefer to wear it on the black strap. You know, it's like that ballistic mesh. Yeah, I like that look. Sort of like the stealthy, sporty look, even though it's a white gold Patek. So, yeah, it is. It is what you make it. You know what I mean?
- [30:25]
B
Yeah.
- [30:25]
A
These watches. Watches are ice cream bars, man. You have. You have all these options, and you craft it to what suits your flavor. He did call me on a 6007 a couple of months later, but I was like, those. Those watches are sort of one and the same. The baby blue one and the red one, the yellow one. So I did pass on that.
- [30:47]
B
Yeah, yeah, I understand that, though.
- [30:49]
A
I mean, that's a.
- [30:50]
B
They're cool. But I think. I think having the 5226 is A. Makes more sense in your collection. And hopefully it is a stepping stone to get a 5167. Would you go steel or precious metal in the Aquanaut?
- [31:05]
A
I would love the 5167. Just the all black, but the 51, I believe, 64, the green, the white gold. I would not say no to that. That watch is incredible. And I like the fact that, um, it's obviously a very different color, but in my estimation, neutral enough that it could be a daily. A daily wear and a watch like that on a rubber strap. People like what you would daily wear a white gold Patek. The answer in my head, if you're asking me, is yes, absolutely. A white gold Sport Patek.
- [31:38]
B
Yeah.
- [31:39]
A
Even though those two sentences are, like.
- [31:41]
B
Contradictory, for me, the 5167R, I've spoke about it on length here is like a total grail for me. I love the rose. And I would also daily that watch because the rubber just does kind of casual it down a bit.
- [31:54]
A
It does what you need it to do. That's funny. I saw. I was at the Las Vegas Grand Prix F1 last November, and I have this bit on my socials where if, when I go to these events. Everybody sort of knows me now as the. The. The resident watch guy at espn, so I'll go to these events. And it's like, here's the watches I saw at insert event here. And the very first one that I sniped was the 5167R on the wrist of Devonte Adams, soon to be former Las Vegas Raider at wide receiver because he's getting traded. But it was cool, man. And that's, I guess, to go down this path is like, I've come to find out that watches are such an incredible icebreaking hobby to have that, you know, a lot of these athletes are very guarded because it's, you know, the media, they're out to get me sometimes that it's. It's changed a little bit. But, man, if you approach them with, hey, love the watch, hey, check out mine. Hey, what's next on the wrist, man? They open up. And it's not that it's like I'm trying to get something out of them, but I want them to know, like, hey, you're a collector. I'm a collector. I'll never know what it's like to score a touchdown on a Sunday in front of 80,000 screaming fans, but I know what it's like to get a call from the ad that the watch that you've been waiting for a year has finally come in. So Devonte and I, like, we hit it off and he was showing me what was next on his registry apotek. So that was cool. So it's funny you brought up the 5167 because. Yeah, that brought up a pretty cool memory for a moment that I shared with him last year.
- [33:34]
B
Yeah, and you've done the watch spotting thing at the ESPYs, too. I mean, does. Does that now add, like, another layer of excitement to your job? And obviously, it's so not sports related, but obviously, you know, your employer doesn't necessarily care that you talk about it because you are kind of breaking these athletes down a little bit to be a little bit more humble and a little bit more, you know, willing to talk and all that sort of stuff instead of, you know, you. You grilling them.
- [34:03]
A
Everybody knows at espn, from the top bosses all the way down, that, like, I am the watch guy at espn and it's actually been a net positive on every account because it's content, Right? Like, we are in the content manufacturing business, espn, we are at the king of the hill. We have the most eyeballs, and we have to continuously evolve into the content that we share and that we aggregate. So actually, this has been nothing but a net positive because there was nobody in. At ESPN that was sort of in this watch space. But then they were realizing, like, how much access it actually gave you and how much different of a side of an athlete that you can sort of get out of them. By just talking about watches, you know, the barrier of entry is establishing the conversation, but then carrying. Carrying on the conversation with these guys about why they like watches, why they collect what's on their wrist, what's next on their wrist. Yeah, that has certainly been something that I actually am most proud of, that I've been able to do at espn. Yeah. Because when we do these watches I saw at F1, watches I saw at the SBS, I mean, they do crazy numbers on social.
- [35:15]
B
I love it.
- [35:16]
A
And everybody. And not to run on about it, but they do know that when they send me out to places like, obviously the task at hand is to host whatever show I'm out there for, whether it's F1, whether it's SportsCenter. But priority 1B is everybody knows Gary's going to get his watch content and.
- [35:33]
B
They'Re okay with it. I love it.
- [35:35]
A
They're okay with it, man. It's. It's good for the brand.
- [35:37]
B
Yeah, for sure. You talked earlier about relationships and you know, the ones that you've made with various ads and you went to Rolex event last night, and people in the industry that you've made relationships with getting allocations aside, which is just a result of all those relationships, how important is having them and how important has it been to you for collecting?
- [36:01]
A
I would say the number one benefit of becoming a collector in any space, but specifically because I'm familiar with this one, the watch space, it's not about, you know, the actual assets that you're, you know, able to collect. It truly is as corny as it sounds. It truly is like the connections and less connection, more relationship that you're able to build with the people who also enjoy the community. You know, the. This watch collecting habit has. Or hobby has literally done so much for me on many scales. Like, I actually met one of my best friends, the guy Dan I mentioned. He's like one of my best friends in life now, and I only met him 5 years ago thanks to this watch hobby, professional connections at work, connections that I can make that can help other people as well. You know, I've brought a bunch of, like, small business owners at West Harford who are like, hey, I see you collect Watches, I'd love to treat myself. You know, we had a good year. I'm like, you want to go see, you know, my folks at Luxbond, if they're local. So it is. It's such a people business. I feel like Michael Scott, right? Like the papers, paper people, paper person. Right. But, like, I'm the. I'm the watch guy in that aspect is I love creating the relationships and the connections and the friendships that come along with, like, this silly hobby.
- [37:29]
B
I love it. Let's talk about another special acquisition of yours, which was an insane 9 11. And, oh, my God, the thing I love about Porsche, and I've said this before, is that there is no other brand that is more collected in the car world. That is. Was this a dream car for you? Have you been a Porsche fan your whole life?
- [37:50]
A
It is. It was. It. I would. I would honestly say cam, like, less. Less a dream, because I never really thought, like, I'd ever be in a position, you know, as we're talking about, like, these precious metal watches or whatever. But I think when you're talking about a car of that esteem, I never thought I'd be in a position to realistically acquire one. So when I did, I mean, I drove it today. I drive it, like, once a week. You know, I try to take advantage of the weather while we still have good weather here in Connecticut. And every time I'm in it, man, I'm just. It's like no music, windows down, and I'm just driving. Like, what the hell am I doing behind the wheel of this thing? You know, it's like, it's. It's 100 gratitude, but then also a little bit of recognition and a little bit of. I'd be lying if I said if it wasn't a little bit of me patting myself on the back like, holy hell, Gary. Like, you did this, man. Like, yeah. You got to a point where, like, you made this thing that wasn't even a dream into a reality. So that's cool. And again, similar to washes, I've never met a watch person who wasn't into cars.
- [39:02]
B
Right.
- [39:02]
A
There are plenty of car people who aren't into watches. So I. It's. That's like an interesting Venn diagram that I'm sort of familiarizing myself with. Like, there are some car heads, some gear heads who don't wear watches, who don't care about watches. All they want to do is gear down on their cars, which is totally cool. But I do. I do like that overlap in the Venn Diagram of people who collect watches or car enthusiasts. And they're oftentimes like, they're people that span like so many different professional fields. And that's where I get the benefit from, right? Like learning from people who just have different life experience. Because, you know, if somebody's listening to this podcast and maybe experiencing or listening to me for the first time, like I'm on TV and I do sports highlights and, you know, what I do isn't as important as the doctors or the lawyers or the, you know, the bankers who enjoy these hobbies, who I get to interact with.
- [40:04]
B
Yeah, no, it's, it's a special car and I think once you get in one and you get your first one, you're kind of stuck forever in the best way. It's just such a great brand. It's so badass, it's insane. And you, I love that you did all black too, because you don't usually see that specific on 911s anymore.
- [40:23]
A
Oh, my whole fleet is all black. Yeah. I drive a black truck. My girlfriend has a, I got her a black Grand Cherokee and then, yeah, dude, I had to go with the, the all black everything on the gts. The big hang up I had was actually, it wasn't even a hang up. I knew I was going to get the arrow kit from the jump, but I made a tick tock, like, should I, should I not? And obviously like the purists were, no, you don't get the arrow. You know, you, you ha. You already have, you already have the wing that comes up. But the arrow is just so badass. When you draw a car as an elementary school kid, you always put a wing on it. You always draw a wing and it's always the silhouette of a 911. So when I'm building, when I was building this car earlier this year in March is when I got the allocation from my friend Bob. Shout out Bob at Porsche the main line. I knew I was going to go with the arrow. And then I built my car in March. They started it in May, and I think in June is when Porsche said they were discontinuing the seven speed manual and the DOT two gts. So I immediately texted him because I got the seven speed manual. And I immediately texted and I was like, you're not going to pull the rug out from underneath me. Right. Because this is now an immediate, in my opinion, collector car because it's the last one in a manual box.
- [41:40]
B
Amazing. Amazing. Such a good acquisition. Perfect weekend car in Connecticut there. I love it. You Take it. You take it through Bedford at all?
- [41:52]
A
Haven't been out that way. I have a spot in New Hampshire up in Guilford on Lake Winnipesaukee. I do some skiing in the wintertime, so I'm dying to get up there. There's a cool scenic highway not too far from me in Guilford. So as soon as I get back from this trip, I'm hoping to spend a couple of days up at my spot in New Hampshire and take advantage of those back roads, get. Hopefully get some cool pictures and videos.
- [42:20]
B
The car wouldn't look too bad with a roof rack on it either.
- [42:23]
A
That'd be sick. Dude. What's the. What's the 911? What's the rally 911? It's escaping me.
- [42:30]
B
The Dakar one or the car?
- [42:32]
A
Yeah, the car.
- [42:34]
B
It's insane.
- [42:36]
A
Those cars, like 400. I didn't know how expensive those things were.
- [42:39]
B
Yeah, forget it. Forget it.
- [42:41]
A
Like 3, 400.
- [42:42]
B
Absolute madness.
- [42:43]
A
Golly.
- [42:46]
B
What are your thoughts on the nil money and I mean, do you see college athletes wanting to get into collectibles, things like cars and watches and all that?
- [42:53]
A
I hope so. Actually there, there was a. Oh, gosh, what is his name? Why am I drawing a blank on his name? A Yukon basketball player, Donovan Clingan. Donovan Clingan. Back to back champ. He was a high school legend here in Bristol. And I was at the store one day and he came in and he wanted a Pepsi. Those are the Yukon colors. They didn't have one for him at the time, but Lux Bond agreed, eventually got him a gmt, a Pepsi gmt. And they got it to him in time for draft night. So amazing. That's freaking awesome. So like, that's one of those watches that Donovan Clingen hopefully has and keeps in his collection if it, if he decides to get into the hobby his whole life. Because he can look, he can always look at that watch and say, this is the watch that I went into the store for, asked for, had to wait for, but got it in time that I could wear it the night I got drafted into the NBA. And I say that because now he's in a first round pick in the NBA. He's got money that he doesn't have to wait in line. He plays for a team where he can walk into the local ad and probably skip ahead of people. So hopefully he looks back at that watch fondly and say, man, this is the watch that I acquired before, you know, I quote, unquote made it to the league. So I think back to your question about nil, I think it's good for the players. I think it's good for the sport. I was just on the El Duncan show with Elle talking about how nil, I think will eventually, eventually make the professional product better because college athletes will opt to stay in college and play an extra season or two because the money they make as an upperclassman playing collegiately is about the same, if not more than a rookie contract in, let's say, the NBA or the NFL or another professional sport. And because they get to season a little bit longer on the D1 level, it will prepare them a little bit better for the professional level. So that's the sport aspect of it. What I do want to see, though, is I would love to see regulation is a hard. Is a strong word to use. But we have to teach kids common sense, money things. We have to teach them as trivial Right. As this sounds for us, because we're used to it. Like, we got to teach them what taxes are. You know what I mean? Like, we got to teach them that they sign $100,000 deal, they might see half of that after they pay taxes and agent fees and manager fees. So I think we just have to do a better job educating these players who have the ability to earn money off of their name, image, and likeness.
- [45:34]
B
I love it. And then they go get in line and get a Pepsi, and then go.
- [45:38]
A
Get in line and get a Pepsi and wait like everybody else.
- [45:41]
B
Yep. Before we wrap it up with the collector's gene rundown, I'd love to know, how has your father's gold Seiko shaped your perspective on watch collecting and the sentimental value that you place on the watches that you buy?
- [45:58]
A
Mainly that the hobby is for everybody. And I would trade every watch I have to keep this one because all of that stuff is replaceable. Right. Monetarily. But, like, I'm handling this one right now. And it's like, it's so patina, and the links are scratched up and faded and the bracelets loosey goosey. But again, it takes me back 30, 25 years ago to, like, my childhood. Right. So I think as it relates to the hobby itself, never ever cast stones on anybody's sensibilities or why they like something or why something is so special to them. I mean, Ben Climber started an entire freaking. He created an entire industry because of his grandfather's Omega. Right. And now he's, you know, into pieces that have two commas in them. And, like, look at. Look at the life that he's built and, and I actually hosted Ben and his brother and a couple of friends at espn. So he brought a couple of those watches that have a couple commas in them during his tour. But I mean, look at, look at the life he made based off of this hobby. And if he would have got shut down, you know, on first arrival to somebody who, you know, was turning their nose up because, oh, yeah, that's a 30 year old Omega, like, who cares about that, then, you know, that could alter the literal timeline of, like, watch collecting history. And like millennials like me who read Hodinkee and are familiar with it and had always dreamed to have an episode of talking watches and, you know, actually freaking got one, which is, I still think so silly. But yeah, man, this hobby is for everybody, no matter your price points, and anybody who meets you with resistance. Otherwise, pay them no mind, give them no time. There are plenty of people in, I think this hobby in this space who would be glad to accept anybody for whatever reason they're in this hobby for.
- [48:05]
B
Couldn't have said it better. Gary. Let's wrap it up with the collector's dream rundown. Answer these based on, you know, all the watches that you've collected. You can answer them based on, you know, what cars you want to collect down the road. Totally up to you. So first question is, what's the one that got away?
- [48:22]
A
Okay, this is. This is actually bad. So let's go back to my friend dean here in St. Thomas. And this was. He did call me on an Aquanaut. He called me on a 5167 1A. So the stainless steel bracelet. But he did say, like, he would sell it to me. This was probably about a year after I bought my Speedy. He would sell it to me if I added. I think at the time it was like $30,000 worth of other purchases. Right? So you can. You would imagine me, I'm like, okay, cool, I'll buy six Speedies, you know, and sell them all off. But at a time I wasn't in a position nor like, maybe a little bit of ego got in the way, right? I wasn't in the position or really the headspace to be like, okay, cool, I'll spend. At the time, I think the 5167 1A was 20. I think it's 25 now. So I didn't want to say I didn't. I didn't want to do it because I didn't want to buy all the extra stuff. So I'll say that's the one I think that got away a little bit. But maybe with an asterisk, I don't know. You tell me.
- [49:32]
B
Well, I think if you want to look at it as to where the market is now, you know, you can buy these 5167 as or dash 1A, whatever it is, you know, in that range, if you were to buy all the extra stuff now on top of it, and gosh forbid, you couldn't sell all the speedies off and all that sort of stuff. So if you're in the position now to go ahead and buy one, you know, and you don't want to wait for the rest of your life, you can always buy it on the secondary market.
- [49:58]
A
Yep.
- [49:58]
B
But hopefully he gets you one again without all the contingencies behind it.
- [50:04]
A
Yeah, exactly. So that would be cool. And he and I, we have a great relationship. So I'm hoping that call comes. But it's much like anything, right? Like it's great when it comes, but it's painful when you have to swipe the card for sure.
- [50:20]
B
And then you, then you forget about it as soon as you pay the bill.
- [50:23]
A
Exactly.
- [50:24]
B
How about the on deck circle? So what's next for you in collecting? Maybe something that you've been hunting after.
- [50:29]
A
So this, I think this plays into very much like the character that I'm in right now or the character who I kind of want to sort of self identify with. It goes back to the TAG Heuer and I think it's because a lot of things right, like, so Rolex isn't going to be the title sponsor of F1 starting next season. Tag Heuer signed, you know, a 10 year deal to be the official timekeep of Formula One. Obviously it's a sport that I love. Carrera, obviously with the 911 Carrera. So the words, the word play right there. So I think something like a Tag Heuer, a Carrera, but something different like the Skipper because of the color. I would say something like that would certainly pique my interest before hopping into another steel sport of any variety.
- [51:24]
B
I love the new skipper that they did. I think they absolutely crushed it.
- [51:28]
A
Yeah, it's, it's great. It's freaking sharp.
- [51:32]
B
Yeah, it's sharp. The rubber strap looks awesome too on it. I think it's an undeniable choice for your collection.
- [51:37]
A
Oh, that's great. Okay, cool. I get one. I got an endorsement.
- [51:41]
B
Yeah, I guess I'll go buy it.
- [51:42]
A
I need endorsement when I buy watches.
- [51:46]
B
How about the unobtainable? So this is one that is too expensive in a Museum, private collection. It's just complete unobtainium.
- [51:57]
A
Gosh, I hate to close the door. I would hate to close the door on, like, something that I would deem as unattainable because there's something, I guess, in my garage that I thought was unattainable the first 35 years of my life. You know what I'm saying?
- [52:15]
B
You wouldn't be the first guest to say that everything is attainable.
- [52:18]
A
Sure. Listen, man, you grind hard enough, you make enough deals not to be, you know, life coach Gary or anything like that, or cliche Gary, but there's nothing. There's nothing that I've ever seen that I'm like, there's no way. There's no way I'll ever. I'll ever sniff that. Like, I never thought that I would be somebody who can like, realistically, maybe one day consider a rainbow Daytona or something, something like, as nuts as that is. But I'm like, you know what? Why not? I love it.
- [52:49]
B
No, I think all that's for sure obtainable. And I think you started at a good time in your life and your career making those relationships again to go back to relationships. But if you start too late in life to make those relationships, it's really difficult.
- [53:03]
A
Yeah, I think that's what I think hopefully listeners take away from and I. And I'm pretty sure that's what you mean too. Like relationships, but not in the transactional definition of the relationship. Like, you are my ad, I am your customer, not relationships in there's a common jumping off point. This being watches and the relationship evolves into more of a connection, more of into a, dare I say, friendship. At the very least an acquaintance. But like, that's what I hope people take away from this is the relationship not in the transactional sense, but the relationship in the actual human sense that you get from a hobby like this, 100%.
- [53:48]
B
Because if people start to look at this as strictly transactional and I need to go and make this relationship with this ad, and I need to start with this watch, and I'll buy every other watch that they offer me. That's the wrong mindset. Because I know plenty of people that walked into an ad, became friends with them, and the first watch they got offered was a gold Daytona. I mean, there's plenty of stories like that, and it's not about a lot of depending on who you make friends with, but it's not about your previous spend history sometimes.
- [54:18]
A
Correct.
- [54:18]
B
And that's what it should strive for, for sure. All right. The page one Rewrite. So if money was no object and you could collect anything else besides watches, what would it be?
- [54:30]
A
That's a great question. If I. I would have gotten in, you know what I would have gotten into? Everyone's like, oh, bitcoin. No, I would have gotten into sports memorabilia a little bit earlier. Well, I say earlier. I'm not really into sports memorabilia right now, but seeing the boom and seeing its consistent evolution and boom, and I think the Internet and having niche collectors and, you know, YouTube and podcast and things of that nature have really helped all hobbies across the board. But I've been so close to the space for so long that if I would have paid a little bit closer attention to the athletes, maybe that I got the opportunity to work closely with and the relationships again, that I've been able to sort of foster, I would have probably gotten into maybe sports memorabilia collecting.
- [55:22]
B
I say that today the swings are crazy.
- [55:25]
A
Yeah. Tomorrow could be completely different. And I'm not talking about, like, you know, tops, refractor cards, because those swings are nuts. I'm talking, like, game used, game worn. Here's a jersey, here's a helmet, here's a ball. Talking about sort of that stuff. Stuff that I've been within arm's reach of, stuff that I've, you know, actually handled physically, probably something like that. I don't know. If you asked me tomorrow, maybe I say art. I don't know.
- [55:54]
B
Hey, both are good options. All right. How about the goat? Who do you look up to in the collecting world or who do you think is a great collector?
- [56:02]
A
There's certainly a lot of collectors that I pay attention to, you know, online. Ferrari guy, Dr. Lee. I think it's Dr. Lee, right? Like, that's cool. He's got the ketchup and mustard Ferrari collection. But sometimes I. I'm like, damn, how much is. How many do you need? I hate to make this a freaking a Dan gush session, but my buddy Dan, he collects, and he's very modest with his collection, whether it's like, sneakers or bags or. Or watches, but everything is, like, perfectly curated. Everything has a meaning, everything has a purpose, everything has a story, and everything is quality. And I think those are some. Some of the benchmarks, because if you have a big enough bank account, you can literally collect anything that you want. But if you have to be judicious with your collecting, but you're able to amass a collection over a decade or two decades or three decades, and look back on it and say, wow, everything is quality. The materials are great. Like, everything is still in style. I think that's like the real trademark of an awesome collection because, you know, there are people who have collections of stuff that were hot one day, but now they just have a bunch of Beanie Babies, you know What I mean?
- [57:14]
B
25,000 Princess Diana Beanie Babies, dude.
- [57:17]
A
My girlfriend, her family collected Beanie Babies. And I think last time we talked about it, she thinks they're still worth something. I'm like, I don't think.
- [57:27]
B
I hate to break it to you, babe. I'm just. Sorry. They're just not.
- [57:31]
A
It's great. So I think if you can take a look back at anything that you've collected and one, it maintains its value, that's not the end all, be all. But if it's a quality collection and one that you can be proud of, I mean, I think that's the true testament to, like, a cool collector. And they're. They're in the space for the right reasons to them.
- [57:51]
B
I love it. Yeah. I love when people have such thoughtfulness to the ways that they collect. And I, you know, curated is, I think, another level of the word thoughtfulness. But when someone is just thoughtful and has intention with the way that they collect, you can never go wrong.
- [58:04]
A
Yeah. What about yourself? What's. What's the one that got away for you in terms of collectability? It's obviously watches. And, you know, your family is in the auto business, so, you know, those are two immediate things. But, like, what's. What's something that people would be surprised to hear you wanting to dabble in?
- [58:22]
B
Yeah, I, you know, I collect a lot of things. Not just watches, you know, vintage furniture and vintage object and decor and all that stuff. I love to collect decanters, and there's so many antiques and little pieces of, you know, glass and, and. And tables and all that stuff. And I wish, one, I had more space to put all that. But two, I wish that I collected earlier on all this vintage Hermes stuff. So back in the day. Oh, my God.
- [58:57]
A
Yeah, dude.
- [58:58]
B
Hermes was making all these different, I guess you could call it home goods or decor or even, like, office supplies. They were making, like, silver letter openers with a massive horse head on it. They were making wine coasters and bottle coasters and bottle openers and all these amazing things. And they're all stamped Hermes. And I've had a couple pieces here and there, and a lot of them have gotten really expensive and they're still fairly obtainable. But I wish I would have collected all that stuff early on and just Had a massive collection of all this vintage Hermes stuff.
- [59:34]
A
Oh, for sure. That'd be incredible, man. Like, that stuff is. That's what, you know, stands the test of time. I have an old Louis Vuitton chunk book, and it's just all of the, I mean, you forget that Hermes and Louis Vuitton, like, these were actually like utility luggage companies that, you know, obviously you had to have money to, to buy them because that's what you would take on holiday. But these things would literally get hitched to bulls and horses and get thrown around on dirt roads. And I like looking back at old vintage pictures like that and saying, like, oh, this is how you're supposed to treat the. Treat it. And now you, you know, you have to put it down on a felt. You know, you have to put Hermes bags down on felt surfaces. Right? Like, you can't let it touch the ground. And it loses a little bit of its, it loses a little bit of its origin story when you have to baby it that much.
- [60:30]
B
So I like, like, with the Louis Vuitton trunks, I like, if you're gonna buy a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk, you want to buy one that's a little bit beat up. At least then you know it was used.
- [60:39]
A
Exactly. For sure. That's why I love. I, I, I like, I have removal luggage, and I love going into the stores and seeing, like, their, their, their old pieces that are just, they're crumpled up copies. But they got the stickers and they have the stories, and that stuff is freaking awesome.
- [60:55]
B
Yeah, vintage Remova is the best. And when you see someone with one that's beat up, you're like, okay, you get it. You didn't just, you're not just, like, unboxing it every time that you go on a trip? It's like the scratches are all there, each one. And yeah, so for me, it would just be stuff like that. Stuff that has not become unobtainium. But, you know, you're not going and spending on an average day, 20, $30,000 on a Louis Vuitton trunk. All right, for you, how about the hunt or the ownership? Which one do you enjoy more?
- [61:30]
A
The hunt, for sure. It's not even close. It's not close. It gives you. It's like, it's like going on vacation. Yeah, vacation's cool. And that's why I think December 1st through the 24th is the best part of Christmas. You wake up Christmas morning and you're like, okay, yep, this is cool. No, it's everything. It's everything that goes into it. It's the spirit that it puts you in. It's the mood that it puts you in. It's the activities that you participate in leading up to the big event. So, you know, on the hunt, while you're waiting, it's checking in, it's popping in, having a conversation, it's talking to your buddies about what it's going to be like when you get the call, or this is the first place I'm gonna wear it, or this is the first strap I'm gonna put it on. Like, having those conversations and having those experiences are fun. I'm like, I'm liking it to, you know, dating somebody. And, yeah, it's cool, you know, when you get comfortable in a relationship, but, like, you'll never, ever replace the feeling of, like, kissing the girl for the first time, right. Or like, her saying yes to the date for the first time. So, like, it's this big buildup, and then you kiss her. Come to find out, she tells you your breath stinks, right? Like, damn, this isn't as cool as I thought it was going to be because I built it up to be this amazing thing. And I think the limitless of what something can be is the most fun. And that's why I would say the hunt.
- [63:08]
B
I'm with you there. You know, the. The ownership is an extension to me, for me, of the hunt. It's. And. And I know I ask that question to people and I make them choose one or the other, but, you know, the. The ownership is the legacy of the hunt. It's the story of the hunt, you know?
- [63:26]
A
Correct.
- [63:27]
B
Yeah. Love it.
- [63:28]
A
And not for nothing, if you eventually obtain it and you don't like it, you don't love it, you can always sell it. You can always sell the product. You can never sell the hunt. For sure. You can't put a price tag on what that feeling is, what that buildup is. You can always get rid of something if you don't like it.
- [63:48]
B
Couldn't agree more. Most importantly, do you feel that you were born with the collector's gene?
- [63:54]
A
I don't think so. I think everybody is born with an appreciation for things. Like, innately, as humans, we love art. I think we appreciate connection. We appreciate relationships. I think that we were taught to appreciate things. And obviously appreciating things is the byproduct of then becoming a collector of things. So I don't know. I think I would say no, we're not born with the gene, but we are born with an appreciation of, like, beautiful things. Or cool things or things that we end up loving and evolving into collecting them. I love it.
- [64:40]
B
Gary, thank you so much for joining me on Collector's Dream Radio today. What a pleasure. Great chat. Can't wait to come and hopefully get a tour of the ESPN studios over there next time I'm on the east coast and chop it up a bit more about watches and cars.
- [64:52]
A
Oh, my gosh. Please make that happen. The invite remains open. This was actually really fun. This was definitely. This was a very cool downshift away from. Do you think Aaron Rodgers is going to lead the jets to the play? Like, this was a very needed, very much appreciated and welcomed downshift into talking about the stuff that I actually care about.
- [65:17]
B
I love it. Anyway, cheers. Thanks so much for coming on and we'll do this again soon.
- [65:21]
A
Appreciate you, Cam. Thanks, man.
- [65:26]
B
All right, that does it for this episode. Thank you all for listening to Collector's Gene Radio.