Scottish Watches Podcast #758: Taking A Gamble On Retro With Farr and Swit

Date: March 5, 2026
Host: Scottish Watches
Guest: Adam Hodge, Founder of Farr and Swit

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the unconventional journey of Adam Hodge, founder of Farr and Swit, a watch brand known for its playful retro-inspired designs—most notably, its wildly popular cassette tape and VHS-style watches. The conversation explores how nostalgia, affordability, and passion shaped these unique products and discusses the broader theme of making watch collecting fun and accessible. Adam shares the backstory behind these watches, creative marketing tactics, and where the brand is heading next.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brand Name Origins and Early Days

• Pronunciation Playfulness: The brand name, Farr and Swit, often gets mispronounced (e.g., "Fart and Sweat"), which Adam embraces with humor.
  • Quote: “A lot of people call it Far and Sweat. No issues with that... I always call it Ferron Sweat because it came from my middle name.” (B, 00:07)
• Name Genesis: Named after Adam’s middle name (Farrand) and co-founder Zach Swatolski.
• Founding Ambitions: Born out of a desire to create something simple yet memorable, after brainstorming and rejecting many other options.
  • Quote: “Coming up with a brand name is extremely difficult... In the end, I was like, we just gotta keep it simple.” (B, 01:09)

2. From Watch Collector to Watch Brand

• Spark Story: Adam became a collector after a fateful Citizen Pro Diver purchase as a teenager.
  • Quote: “I had walked by this store that had a Citizen Pro Diver... I just, I can like play the video in my head.” (B, 04:20)
• Show Experiences: Early days of industry events and nurturing his dad’s interest in watches.
• Passion Project: Farr and Swit started as a love letter to watch collecting; not chasing luxury nor ultra-budget, but balancing style, function, and accessibility.

3. Product Evolution: Affordable and Nostalgic Designs

• Original Models:
  • Seaplane (automatic, Swiss Sellita) aimed at bridging enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts.
  • Lumedale Wayfinder (quartz, heavy lume, lower price) broadened appeal, especially to youth.
• Transition to Digital and Fun:
  • Noticed that traditional analog watches didn’t excite his own children, but fun digital watches did.
  • Quote: “My son just one morning was like, ‘Hey, dad, why don’t you make one of these?’” (B, 10:54)

4. The Birth of the Cassette Watch

• Creative Backstory: Tried to fit a cassette motif into a round watch—struggled until pivoting to a rectangular format, which also made production easier and more authentic.
• Parental and Nostalgia Factor: Adam's own kids inspired the digital cassette watch; seeing their enthusiasm cemented his path.
  • Quote: “The art of handing someone a mixtape, putting together a mix... That was your little love letter.” (B, 12:22)
• Accessible Pricing: Intentionally kept below $40 to remain inclusive and encourage collecting multiple colorways.

5. Community Response and Viral Moments

• Initial Anxiety, Surprising Success: Adam was nervous about how the quirky cassette watches might affect the brand, but Instagram buzz and customer feedback were overwhelmingly positive.
  • Quote: “This is the one thing where I was, like, sweating when I was doing my post... It was a relief because everyone did. They were excited.” (B, 15:16)
• Universal Appeal: Kids loved the watches—even those too young to know what a cassette is—and collectors appreciated the nostalgia.
  • Quote: “That is huge to me. That’s a huge win—getting on these kids and... my son, my daughter has not taken it off since I gave it to them.” (B, 19:43)

6. The Next Level: VHS "Kill Count" Watches and Over-the-Top Packaging

• VHS Watch Concept: Progressed from cassettes to VHS, capturing slasher flick nostalgia and the thrill of Blockbuster rentals.
• Elaborate Presentation: Worked with 3D printing artisans (Brain Shutter Studio) to create authentic VHS tape packaging.
  • Quote: “I have never… this is High Fidelity 3D printing... You cannot tell, it’s so bloody good.” (A, 30:21)
• Marketing Stunt: Scottish Watches’ impromptu Halloween unboxing video—shot on vintage TV with practical effects—drove international buzz and tangible sales uptick.
  • Quote: “If you hadn’t had the brains to think of this, if you hadn’t put the ingenuity into it, and then that sparked my creativity, we wouldn’t have done that... Everybody won.” (A, 32:52)

7. What’s Next: “Be Kind, Please Rewind” Series

• Upcoming Models: Plans for a full VHS-inspired series, each themed after classic genres—slasher, buddy cop, magical kids’ movies, raunchy comedies, and more.
• Community Collaboration: Future marketing will involve watch community members in promotional content, including trailers and story-driven reveals.
  • Quote: “We’re going to do late 80s early 90s buddy cop theme... I want people to be like all my watch friends... to be a part.” (B, 34:08)

8. Brand Values: Accessibility, Fun, and Social Responsibility

• Affordable Gifting: Emphasis on making watches that are collectible, giftable, and bring joy at a very low price point.
• Local Impact: Utilizes a local autistic school for packaging, creating employment and life skills opportunities.
  • Quote: “I use a local autistic school... to help doing our packaging, assembling the packaging for the mixtapes.” (B, 38:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Collecting:
  “It just, something about it gets the bug, gets the heart pumping... you’re like, I’ve got to get this.” (B, 04:20)

• On Creativity and Family:
  “I think I’ve done like 80% of my design while walking my dog.” (B, 11:16)

• On Nostalgia:
  “The mixtape has died off, the legacy of it... it holds a very warm place in my heart.” (A, 18:01)

• Packaging Easter Eggs:
  “I love Easter eggs. Like, I’m all about how much stuff can you hide in there that people may or may not pick up on... you’re in the club.” (B, 28:13)

• On Watch Community Spirit:
  “We love founders, CEOs, people that invested time, energy, blood, sweat and tears into something that benefits the watch collecting community at large. And you did it differently.” (A, 36:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|-------| | 00:07 | Introduction to Adam & brand pronunciation jokes | | 01:00 | Origin of Farr and Swit name & team composition | | 04:18 | Adam’s watch collecting origin story | | 07:05 | Initial product releases and design philosophy | | 09:05 | Cassette watch inspiration and backstory | | 12:22 | Nostalgia and mixtape significance | | 15:13 | First release reception, brand anxiety, and Instagram launch | | 19:43 | Kids loving the watches, anecdote from a listener’s son | | 21:24 | Unboxing the VHS “Kill Count” watch, authentic packaging | | 26:48 | 3D-printed cases, partnership with Brain Shutter Studio | | 30:21 | Reaction to packaging quality, horror festival stories | | 32:52 | How the Halloween video came together and inspired sales | | 33:46 | Teasing the next “Be Kind Please Rewind” series | | 38:00 | Local social impact and packaging by autistic school | | 39:03 | Community thanks and episode wrap-up |

The Episode’s Tone and Style

The conversation is upbeat, irreverent, and packed with nostalgia. Both Adam and the host delight in retro references, candid storytelling, and play off each other’s humor. There is strong emphasis on community, playful creativity, and a love of all things quirky and analog.

For Listeners

• Who Should Listen: Fans of indie watch brands, collectors drawn to fun or nostalgic products, and anyone interested in creative small business stories.
• Key Takeaway: Farr and Swit proves that watches can be affordable, creative, and deeply meaningful, bringing together generations—whether you remember mixtapes or are seeing cassettes for the first time through your kids’ eyes.

Check the episode show notes for links to watch images, product pages, and the viral Halloween unboxing video. Sign up for Farr and Swit’s newsletter for advance notice on wild new releases!