AMA Recap: Bracelets, Controversies, and What's Next

Roughly every four to six weeks, I run an Instagram AMA where I take questions and answer with video responses. About 90% of the questions are horological, and they are genuinely excellent. They make me think about collecting and the watch industry in strategic ways.

I kicked off the most recent AMA last night on @midlifecrisiswatches, and we're in full motion. I answered close to 20 questions this morning and have a bunch more to get to tonight.

A few highlights:

My favorite bracelet. The bracelet on my Laurent Ferrier SportAuto and my Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Minute Rattrapante are my favorites in the collection. Super soft, supple, and excellently finished. That said, I'm a strap guy at heart. You'll find a Molequin, Atelier Kai, or Handdn strap on most of my watches.

If I could only wear one watch. This one genuinely made me think. I limited the answer to what's in my current collection and landed on the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Minute Rattrapante. I have both the bracelet and rubber strap for it, and it flexes hard in both directions. Sporty on the rubber, dressed up on the bracelet. It also has a gorgeous open-caseback movement and wears perfectly on my wrist. One watch, no regrets.

Controversial watch opinion. I knew this question was coming. I'm not a controversial guy by nature, so I always resist it. My answer lands on independent watchmaking. I think the entry price for independents is too high. 60,000 CHF for a first watch from an independent maker is a steep ask. I'd love to wear many of those watches, and I think they're genuinely fantastic, but I find it hard to justify. I respect every artisan and craftsman in this space. I just think we've skipped the "working your way up" part and gone straight to starting at the top. Please don't cancel me.

Photo setup. I shoot the majority of my watch content on a Sony a6700 with a few Sony and Sigma lenses, mostly in a lightbox with simple backgrounds. I like simplicity. When I'm not on the Sony, I use the iPhone 16 Pro Max. There's a noticeable difference.

A watch you want comes up for sale, but it's too expensive. I have strong thoughts here, though what's right for me isn't right for everyone. If the watch is rare and you're unlikely to see it again for a year or more, I'm less price sensitive. I go for it. I have good friends who are disciplined on price and I respect it, but I couldn't walk away from something knowing I might not see it again. Candidly, I'm still scratching my head over a Daniel Roth piece I passed on recently. I didn't take my own advice.

What microbrand has my attention lately? Baltic. Didn't expect to say that. I've owned a few over the years, but I think 2026 is a breakout year for them, similar to how Christopher Ward accelerated hard in 2024 and 2025. The latest SpaceOne collab is gorgeous even though I didn't buy one. They're playing a game that very few brands are playing right now. Keep going.

What do I think of modifiers like Artisans de Genève? They do genuinely cool artisan work. That said, if you're modifying a Rolex, it is no longer a Rolex in any strict sense. The warranty is voided, the watch can only be serviced outside of Rolex, and in many cases the dial is replaced with a non-Rolex part. You're building a frankenstein watch. That's fine, just go in with eyes open. I'll admit the Wildman gold bracelet on a blue or green Explorer dial has been on my radar for a while. Rolex came out with something in that direction at Watches & Wonders this year with the Oyster Perpetual, but I think the Explorer would look even better.

Now that I have my Tortue, what's next? I'm currently wearing a Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Silver, and the most recent addition was a Lange 1 Moonphase. On the horizon: an Andersen Genève Jumping Hour, possibly 2027. That watch would complete what I'd call the first level of my collection. I don't own a jumping hour complication yet, and the understated luxury of the AG version has stayed with me. I like the Rising Sun, but Ole Mathiesen has a beautiful limited edition worth considering too.

Those were just some of the questions. If you submitted one, thank you. If you read them, I'd love to hear your thoughts. DM me.