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David Newman sits down with Eugene Stohlman, founder of E. Stohlman Watches and head watchmaker for the Baltimore Watch Company, to explore a life where horology is truly in the family tree. Eugene shares how hanging out in his grandfather's bare-bones, 125-square-foot shop under a staircase inspired him to leave theater arts and attend watchmaking school in Illinois. He breaks down the art of designing vintage-inspired 1950s step-bezel cases, working with delicate natural stone dials like jade and malachite, and using rhodium-plated sterling silver to create a lasting patina. From starting Maryland Watchworks during the pandemic to restoring a Civil War era family fusee pocket watch, Eugene explains why micro-brands lead the industry in creative freedom and why buying what you love is the ultimate rule of collecting.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:01 : Watchmaking in the Bloodline

• Eugene shares how his grandfather launched The Watch Pocket in 1970 under a staircase with no AC or bathroom.
• Writing a 6th-grade paper about becoming a watchmaker before studying theater in college.

02:14 : From Gem City to Vintage Master

• Attending watchmaking school in Quincy, Illinois to master vintage mechanics up to the 1970s.
• Expanding into modern Swiss techniques through specialized AWCI courses.

03:41 : Launching in a Pandemic

• Starting Maryland Watchworks in April 2020 and delivering Amazon packages to fund the shop.
• Assembling custom MD1 movements based on classic 2824 movement architecture.

05:08 : The 1950s Design Aesthetic

• Launching E. Stohlman Watches to bring back 1950s step bezels, sculpted lugs, and proportion play.
• Utilizing rhodium-plated sterling silver cases that develop a rich patina over years of wear.

10:07 : The Fragile Art of Stone Dials

• The delicate process of working with jade, malachite, and agate dials that shatter under improper pressure.
• Why natural stone variations make every single piece in a limited run completely unique.

12:18 : Joining the Baltimore Watch Company

• Partnering with Alan Sao to serve as head watchmaker and VP of Brand Development.
• Combining brand storytelling with technical watchmaking to improve crown design and ease of service.

16:42 : Micro-Brand Trends and Sizing

• Why independent makers act as the R&D testing ground for major luxury houses.
• The industry-wide shift toward smaller 36mm cases and unisex collecting habits.

26:36 : The Evolution of Watch Fairs

• Why intimate shows like District Time and Gotham Watch Fair foster real human connections.
• How collector behavior shifted from long pre-orders to wanting to walk out with a watch on the wrist.

30:40 : Civil War Heirlooms and Personal Grails

• Restoring a 5th great-grandfather's 18k gold fusee drive pocket watch from the Civil War.
• Fixing an 18k gold Baume & Mercier with a lapis dial as his first post-school purchase.

35:26 : Finding Your Own Taste

• Why new collectors should ignore investment hype and buy what they actually enjoy wearing.
• The importance of attending live shows to try pieces on the wrist and meet the makers.

A great watch is more than an instrument; it is a living piece of mechanical history on your wrist.

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David interviews Ben Arthur of Ben's Watch Club, In The Loop, and the In The Loop newsletter about building a trusted voice in affordable watches and why the hobby doesn't require luxury spending. Ben explains how he pivoted from menswear content after receiving fashion watches, then started making honest reviews in response to "suspect" influencer coverage; he also briefly ran a one-to-one YouTube coaching business before focusing fully on his watch channels. They discuss the hard work behind channel growth, the motivational impact of a WatchCrunch "love letter," and why a follow-up Spaghetti Scametti parody watch is unlikely. Ben says he owns few luxury watches, critiques low-quality offerings from brands like Sekonda and Fossil, argues Seiko is moving upmarket via discontinuations and scarcity marketing, outlines when limited editions feel justified, and describes how Chinese brands evolved from clones to more original designs, with microbrand highlights like Vaer, Nezumi, Zelos, and Merkur. He closes with advice to avoid debt and ignore pressure to "level up" to Rolex, emphasizing that great watches exist at lower prices.

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FREE GUIDE: Buy Your First Great Watch Without Getting Burned

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David Newman interviews Ryan Thomas of The Lucky Loupe (luckyloupe.com), a high-volume vintage watch buyer/seller/trader with over 17,000 eBay sales, about how early exposure to his father's American pocket watches and later interest sparked by Heuer dash timers for his British racing green Triumph TR3 led him into vintage watches. Thomas explains how flipping hobbies evolved into a full-time business after COVID, prompting him to leave construction project management. He shares vintage-watch guidance: build knowledge through reading, handle watches in person, and learn from trusted NAWCC connections; reputation and dealer trust heavily influence pricing and quick flips. They discuss cash-driven show culture, sourcing via shows and inbound offers, using specialized independent watchmakers, defining "vintage" (often '80s/'90s, plexiglass feel), and favorite categories/brands (chronographs, divers; Omega, Rolex; A. Lange Cabaret), plus perspectives on Gruen, Bulova, and vintage Seiko and advice to buy from non-watch sellers to avoid pieced-together examples.

00:00 Meet Ryan Thomas
00:55 Early Watch Spark
01:50 From Hobby To Hustle
02:48 First Vintage Favorites
04:00 Going Full Time
04:44 Vintage Watch Basics
06:42 NAWCC Show Breakthrough
09:15 Defining Vintage Today
10:34 What Sells And Why
12:02 Flipping And Dealer Edge
14:59 Cash Rules The Shows
16:46 Reputation Matters
17:23 Being Young in NAWCC
18:47 Building a Watchmaker Network
19:53 Gruen Art Deco Gems
21:52 Bulova Design Golden Age
22:55 Vintage Seiko Picks
25:23 Where He Sources Watches
26:41 Estate Sale Reality Check
27:43 Advice for New Collectors
29:29 Where to Find Lucky Loupe

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