HODINKEE Podcast: Jesse Johnson & How To Make A Limited Edition Watch (December 23, 2019)

Episode Overview

This episode explores two interconnected worlds: the inside story of how HODINKEE develops its coveted limited edition watches, and an insightful conversation with musician and consummate collector Jesse Johnson (of Motion City Soundtrack). Hosted by Stephen Pulvirent with guests from the HODINKEE team (Kara and Russell), the episode pulls back the curtain on the creativity and logistics underpinning limited editions. It then shifts focus to Jesse Johnson's collecting journey—from watches to backgammon boards to keyboards—highlighting the universal passion for collecting, storytelling, and community.

1. How a HODINKEE Limited Edition Comes to Life

Guests:

• Kara (Special Projects, HODINKEE)
• Russell (Chief Commercial Officer, HODINKEE)
• Host: Stephen Pulvirent

1.1. The Unique Challenges and Joys of Limited Editions

Time: 02:30 – 04:42

• HODINKEE’s limited editions—far from simple—demand cross-team effort, from ideation to customer fulfillment.
• Everyone, from engineers to editors, helps pack boxes during big launches (Ben, the founder, even joins in).
• The energy on launch days is a mix of excitement, exhaustion, and a bit of fear.
  • “It’s a high level of energy...a really big lift by the whole company.” — Kara [03:27]

1.2. The Design Process: From Community to Collaboration

Time: 05:02 – 09:24

• The process starts with community feedback and team brainstorming before any design work begins.
• Special attention is paid to both HODINKEE's and the partner brand’s design codes:
  • “We first look at feedback from the community…what’s a brand we’d like to do something with, what’s the watch they’re not making that we would like for them to make?” — Kara [06:54]
• In-house designers dive into brand history, collecting inspiration from old catalogues/books to shape the vision.
• Magic happens when editorial research transforms into a product vision.

1.3. Case Studies: Nomos, Swatch, and More

Time: 09:39 – 13:15

• Nomos Collaboration: Partnered with brand decision-makers early at SIHH, benefitting from Nomos’s flexibility as a smaller producer.
• Swatch Collaboration: Inspired by '80s catalogues—a highly accessible limited edition for the “whole community.”
  • “A 14-year-old can save up and buy, or a 25-year-old…” — Russell [10:41]
• Strategy is to offer fun, nostalgia (“first watch” memories), and options for all budgets and tastes.

1.4. Balancing the Portfolio: Indie Brands to Iconic Names

Time: 13:15 – 19:15

• HODINKEE intentionally varies price points, production volumes, and types of partnerships—Tag Heuer and Laurent Ferrier, Groeneveld and Oris, etc.
• Sometimes the schedule is dictated by unpredictable Swiss production timelines, resulting in themed launches like "Dive Month."
• Editorial and storytelling are central—even buyers of other watches can enjoy the story and knowledge.

1.5. Personal Favorites & Regrets

Time: 19:16 – 22:42

• Team shares favorites: the steel Vacheron Cornes de Vache, Laurent Ferrier blue dial, Oris diver, IWC, and the H10 Omega Speedy.
  • “It’s a pretty special watch.” — Kara on the H10 Speedy [20:45]
• Some lament missing out on the Heuer Skipper; others mention campaign highlights and photography inclusivity.

1.6. The Importance of Campaigns and Marketing Pages

Time: 22:42 – 26:01

• Marketing is a company-wide effort: custom-designed and -coded landing pages with brand “easter eggs,” narrative detail, and creative visuals.
• Example: the Blancpain page features an interactive depth gauge that switches units depending on your location.
  • “Each one tells a story, which is what it’s all about.” — Russell [25:59]

1.7. Looking Ahead: Strategy & Community Involvement

Time: 26:01 – 27:48

• Emphasis continues on an “organized calendar,” product diversity, and an inclusive, fun approach.
• The team pays close attention to community suggestions on Instagram and the site.
  • “We really are observing and taking in what people want.” — Russell [27:06]

Memorable Moment:

• “Make buying a great watch easy, fun, and a great experience for everyone.” — Kara [26:24]

2. The Collector’s Journey: Jesse Johnson

Guests:

• Jesse Johnson (Motion City Soundtrack, collector)
• Stephen Pulvirent (host)
• Cole (HODINKEE)

2.1. Origins: From Music Scene to Watch Enthusiast

Time: 28:38 – 36:14

• Jesse and Cole met through Instagram over a shared fascination with '70s design.
• Jesse’s collecting bug did not come from family tradition:
  • “My father...he’s always hated watches...it wasn’t from him, which I know a lot of them are passed...” — Jesse [33:54]
• His journey began with an inexpensive Timberland watch at age 19-20 — saved up his GAP salary for it, and it felt “like the nicest watch” [34:22].
• The thirst grew with a $400 Citizen eco-drive, eventually leading to a U-Boat collaboration, which unlocked the addictive world of forums and watch research.

2.2. The Slippery Slope: Forums, Mods, and Seikos

Time: 36:14 – 41:29

• Jesse jokes about staying up until sunrise, lost in WatchUSeek and modding Seikos.
• He highlights the power of community and demystifies the “entry-level” joy of Seikos and G-Shocks, sharing stories of bar conversations and fixing “cursed” watches for others.

2.3. Experience over Ownership

Time: 42:48 – 45:26

• Philosophical reflection: the joy of “collecting experiences,” told through the story of a man who visits Japanese sword museums rather than owning swords.
  • “...you can experience all of these watches, and you get to see them, you get to talk to people about what it’s like to wear them...” — Stephen [43:22]
• Auction previews and watch meetups are a way to “handle” and learn from rare pieces without ever needing to own them.

2.4. Building the Collection: Tactics and Nostalgia

Time: 45:52 – 56:08

• Jesse’s method: obsessive ebay searches including deliberate misspellings for “sleeper” deals.
• Wide-ranging taste: early days with swatches and Timex, moving to indie brands and finally “leveling up” to pieces like the Tudor Black Bay (“my first big purchase when Motion City was doing well” [49:40]).
• Emotional attachment to family heirlooms, like his great-grandfather’s 1909 pocket watch.

2.5. Stories in Numbers: Numerology and Sentiment

Time: 52:26 – 55:53

• Jesse ascribes special meaning to dates and numbers in his watches: birth years, anniversaries, and other significant moments are linked to watch choices and even serial numbers.
  • “So I don’t know if there’s anything that really connects it all or if I’m just overanalyzing everything...” — Jesse [55:31]

2.6. Collecting Beyond Watches

Time: 62:27 – 65:59

• Jesse collects backgammon boards, playing cards, poker chips (entering wild “group buys” for casino chips), dice (“precision dice” with balanced weights), and vintage board games.
• “My biggest screw up in life is everything that I’m interested in, nobody else wants to talk about.” — Jesse [62:37]
• Hosts express fascination with these “niche” pursuits—community exists for every passion.

2.7. What Makes a Collector?

Time: 67:12 – 69:24

• Jesse distills the collector’s drive:
  • Research and learning (“I enjoy manuals...the process of being like, ‘okay, this was manufactured from this time…’” [67:42])
  • Search for heirloom objects; wanting to leave “daddy’s things” for the next generation.

2.8. Music, Persistence, and the Maker Mentality

Time: 69:39 – 77:24

• Jesse recounts stumbling into Motion City Soundtrack after being spotted playing punk and hardcore. Not a trained keyboardist, he learned by doing.
  • “They were like, ‘Can you play keyboards?’ …and I was like, ‘Absolutely not.’ …They go, ‘Cool, we’ll show you.’” — Jesse [70:01]
• Early “DIY” ethos: burning CDs, making handmade packaging from floppy disks.
• The grind: playing 320 shows a year, riding in a van with a loft built from plywood, hustling through tiny crowds (and sometimes zero audience), and eventually breaking through.

2.9. Collecting Stories via Modern Patina

Time: 78:27 – 80:13

• Jesse’s Instagram (@modernpatina) shares stories of watches and objects as personal heirlooms—focusing on the meaning and memories behind the items.
  • Example: Meeting a man who’d worn a single Rutgers University Seiko every day since 1976.

2.10. Final Reflections & Community

Time: 80:13 – end

• The hosts and Jesse agree on the fun of nerding out over “obscure” collections and how every collector’s journey is really about stories and connections.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “We read the comments, we read the Instagram posts. We really are observing and taking in what people want.” — Russell [27:06]
• “I remember buying a Timberland… watch… at the time, that was like, oh my God, I gotta save up my gap paycheck…when I got it…this is it.” — Jesse [35:10]
• “My biggest screw up in life is everything that I’m interested in, nobody else wants to talk about.” — Jesse [62:37]
• “I enjoy reading the instructions to put something together…I enjoy manuals…” — Jesse [67:42]
• “The idea is trying to find and tell the story of the relationship to the object.” — Jesse [78:32]
• “[On Modern Patina] I was gonna put it towards a Porsche. I got the watch. Next year I got the Porsche. Do you still have the Porsche? ‘No, I still have the watch.’” — Jesse [79:16]

Key Segments & Timestamps

• [02:30] — Kicking off the limited edition watchmaking discussion
• [05:02] — The ideation and partnership process
• [09:39] — Examples: Nomos, Swatch, brand influence
• [13:15] — Balancing price and partnership variety
• [19:16] — Favorite and most-missed limited editions
• [22:42] — Marketing, design, and storytelling in limited edition releases
• [26:01] — 2020 and beyond: strategy, inclusivity, and community
• [28:38] — Introducing Jesse Johnson; music and collecting crossroads
• [33:54] — Jesse’s earliest watch memories
• [36:14] — The forums, Seiko modding, and community building
• [42:48] — The philosophy of collecting experiences, not just objects
• [52:26] — Objects as numerological and emotional touchstones
• [62:27] — Collecting outside watches: backgammon, chips, dice, and more
• [67:42] — Why collect? The joy of process and legacy
• [69:39] — How punk rock attitude led to indie music and Motion City Soundtrack
• [78:27] — "Modern Patina" and the art of collecting stories

Final Takeaway

This episode is a celebration of creating—not just products, but community, narrative, and meaning. Whether it’s HODINKEE’s careful curation of limited edition watches or Jesse Johnson’s passionate, sometimes quirky collector’s heart, it’s clear that the best collections (and the best projects) are built from thoughtful collaboration, obsessive research, sincere inclusivity, and above all—a love for stories waiting to be told.