Hairspring
Episodes
Episode 93: Winners & Blunders 2026
29 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Watch & Wonders has come and past, but what of this year’s releases might be enduring? And what, if anything, was a complete mistake? This is th...
Episode 92: Pub Trivia
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Collectors love a good fun fact, unknown history, or unexpected trivia. This episode is full of all of that. From co-axial Nautilus and a Rolex QP to ...
Episode 91: Enamel 101
10 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A longstanding craft which has graced some of the greatest wristwatches made, this episode studies the basics of enamel dials and their application in...
Episode 90: Kari Voutilainen
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Erik & Max are thrilled to be joined by legend of independent watchmaking Kari Voutilainen. We explore the early days of branching out o...
Episode 89: Retroactive Bidding Circa 2016
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max time travel to 2016 to attempt to spend various budgets this week. It’s retroactive bidding, with the best 10k, 50k, and 200k picks a...
Episode 88: Audemars Piguet Beyond the Royal Oak
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max venture into the side of the AP back catalogue far too often forgotten and overlooked: non-RO vintage. From the Clover to the 1533 or S...
Episode 87: Our Ultimate 3 Watch Collections
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The title says it all here, with one twist. First, Erik & Max guess each other’s ideal 3 watch collections—a reverse grail collection built fo...
Episode 86: 3940 and Onwards, The Patek Philippe ‘Pure’ Perpetual Calendar Pt. 2
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It is finally time to dissect and opine on the 3940. Erik & Max break down series with some nuances you may not expect. This includes hallmarks, S...
Episode 85: Hot Takes & Resolutions
17 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are regulator dials ugly? Are Lange a credible threat to Patek’s repeaters? What’s the ideal Bond Villain watch? Why do so many watch professional...
Episode 84: A Year in Auctions, with a Market Update
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The year of 2026 is upon us, but it’s worth pausing to look at some of the great and atrocious things which sold. This episode covers a state of the...
Episode 83: The Balance Cocks of 2025
21 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, it’s year end. And the only awards show that anyone cares about is back in action. It’s the Balance Cocks second annual outing this week; thi...
Episode 82: Q&A (Pt. 7):
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are back to answer your wide-ranging questions in the seventh installment of what is becoming a cornerstone of the podcast. Questions r...
Episode 81: The Patek Philippe ‘Pure’ Perpetual Calendar (Beginnings until 3940)
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A monumental occasion, this episode covers a complete chronology of the Patek Philippe ‘pure’ perpetual calendar. Arguably, the QP was the complic...
Episode 80: Tom Segura
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Master comedian and legendary podcaster Tom Segura joins Erik & Max for a hilarious conversation on his love of watches and collecting. Tom’s en...
Episode 79: 5 Watches from the Last 5 Years That Will Age Like Wine & 5 Watches from the Last 5 Years That Will Age Like Milk
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a simple concept, but what’s recent that holds a fair shot of standing the test of time? And what are the absolute dogs that should be avoid...
Episode 78: The Second-Greatest Rolexes to Ever Auction
26 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We all know Paul Newman’s Paul Newman, but what was the second most valuable watch at that auction? This week, Erik & Max ask that question, as ...
Episode 77: An FP Journey (Beginnings Until Gold Movements, The Early Watches)
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the story of how an unlikely ruffian from Marseille came to be regarded as the genius watchmaker of a generation. This week, Erik & Max te...
Episode 76: Q&A (Pt. 6)
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max return to answer your queries in a a wide-ranging episode that hits on everything from 2 watch modern Rolex collection picks, vintage v...
Episode 75: Collaborations Gone Wrong
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Erik X Max talk the worst collaborations in watches. While a unique idea in 2010, collaborations seem more common than a single brand’s o...
Episode 74: James Blake
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Accomplished singer, songwriter, and producer James Blake joins the podcast for truly legendary discussion of watches, music, their intersection, and ...
Episode 73: The Vintage Rolex Collector’s Glossary (WTF Is a Musketeer)
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever what a Musketeer Dial is? Does Millerighe sound more like a sneeze than a pusher to you? What does PPDRSD stand for, are cherry Daytonas...
Episode 72: Henry Catchpole
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week is more automotive than most, as Erik & Max are joined by the esteemed automotive journalist Henry Catchpole. Henry is an immensely tale...
Episode 71: Forgotten Watches of the 2000s
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s after neo-vintage yet before contemporary watches? Quite a lot as it turns out. Erik & Max set themselves the challenge of uncovering som...
Episode 70: Building Independent vs Big Brand Collections (2 Watches for 200K)
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max build two-watch collections twice with a generous budget, once with independents and once with large brands. This, in order to help cry...
Episode 69: Royal Oak, The Most Influential AP (The Story So Far)
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some will tell you that Audemars Piguet have become the Royal Oak company. But why is this sole model so damn successful? How did one watch come to in...
Episode 68: Q&A (Pt. 5)
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max return to answer your queries in a a wide-ranging episode that hits on everything from guilty pleasures to asking if the independent sp...
Episode 67: Tony Traina Vents & Builds Lifelong 20K + 200K Two-Watch Collections
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The inimitable mastermind behind Unpolished returns to join Erik & Max; this episode is a wide-ranging discussion with Mr. Tony Traina himself. It...
Episode 66: A. Lange One (The Story of Rebirth 1994-2000)
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the story of how Glashütte came to be, once again, the epicenter of German watchmaking. This week, Erik & Max do their best to debrief th...
Episode 65: Crowd-Sourced Future Classics
24 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this qasi-Q&A format, we asked you for recommendations on watches that might be the future of collecting. Some replies were quite out there, so...
Episode 64: The Least Best Dials
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are going for it now: what are the worst dials made (the ones we all should’ve loved but can’t)? This is not just a roast of Jacob ...
Episode 63: Will Anyone Ever Start to Collect These?
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While independents, Daytonas, and PCCs return to new highs, Erik & Max turn their attention to unusual corners of watches that aren’t aggressive...
Episode 62: Daytona, An Introduction
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode covers all you need to know to begin speaking Daytona. No more needs to be said. Links Mentioned:Pre-Daytona:3346 Zerographe:https://www...
Episode 61: Winners & Blunders (and Alternatives)
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not just a Watches & Wonders retrospective this week, as Erik & Max attempt to also choose a superior vintage alternative in the same v...
Episode 60: Contrarianisms
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chances are, you won’t agree with the ideas we’re discussing this week. And that’s the whole point. This week, Erik & Max ask, ‘What do yo...
Episode 59: Faux Pas
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are small mistakes and then there is today’s topic: true faux pas. From interactions with other collectors to the way manufactures design thei...
Episode 58: The Day-Date Download
15 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week is all about the Rolex that moved the brand from tool watches to luxury: the Day-Date. We cover the beginnings, chronology, famous wearers, ...
Episode 57: Retroactive Bidding
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Auctions aren’t new, not even close. And, if we’re honest, we could’ve played history better. Today, Erik & Max have given themselves a seco...
Episode 56: Q&A (Pt. 4)
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, it’s Q&A time again. You asked (in a big way!), we answer. All the insane questions you asked us and more. This round includes crucial ques...
Episode 55: Great Unknown Modern Watchmakers & Their Watches
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of the series, Erik & Max turn their eye to the lesser discussed watchmakers alive and operating today. It’s not just independents, bu...
Episode 54: Great Unknown Vintage Watch Brands
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wristwatches have been around awhile. And, in that time, a great many names haves have risen and then fallen. This week, Erik & Max discuss some o...
Episode 53: Undervalued Speedmasters, Why Independent Chronographs Matter, and the Le Mans Market
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s start, stop, reset this week, as Erik & Max explore the ins and outs chronographs. The covers the Speedmasters we should all be talking abo...
Episode 52: PCC, The Greatest Bloodline in Watches
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Buckle up, as Erik & Max cover a complete chronology of Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph references this week. What separates the mor...
Episode 51: Strap Etiquette and Why Roman Numerals Often Fail
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered if it’s appropriate to wear a dive watch on leather? This week, Erik & Max have the final answer. Plus, a Daytona on alli...
Episode 50: Ben Clymer
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today marks the 50th episode of the Hairspring podcast, for which Erik & Max are extremely honored to be joined by Ben Clymer, founder of Hodinkee...
Episode 49: Enthusiast vs Collector vs Professional
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a bit of a first, this week is a philosophical rumination. What does it really mean to be into watches and why the hell should any of us be where w...
Episode 48: Time ‘Only’?
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s independents aren’t battling over complication, they’re battling to perfect simplicity. Erik & Max asked you for your most expressiv...
Episode 47: Modern Watches, Excluding Independents, That We Love
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max attempt to defy the tropes of the podcast, opting for something a bit out of character. This week they attempt to give some examples of...
Episode 46: Building a 100K 3-Watch Collection That Must Go Up in Value, Plus New Year’s Watch Resolutions
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is no way in which to avoid values when talking about serious watches; this week Erik & Max lean into that fact by building a collection aro...
Episode 45: Common Misconceptions
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max embark on a myth-busting soirée which knows no bounds. Is Rolex a Charity? Why was the platinum Day-Date never fluted? Should hands al...
Episode 44: The Balance Cocks of 2000-2024
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Erik & Max bring back the awards ceremony that is the Balance Cocks in a follow-up to our Most Significant Independents of the La...
Episode 43: State of the Collectors’ Market (Plus 100K for Integrated Complication)
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max pause for a moment to contemplate the last year or two of the deep enthusiast watch market and where things are at this moment. This in...
Episode 42: Tremblasé & Researching for Dummies
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max take a listener question to the extreme: how do you go about learning in watches? Where should you be pulling information from: mainstr...
Episode 41: Hot Takes (Pt. 2), Plus an Attorney of BLNRs
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You asked, here are the answers. This week, Erik & Max read out and discuss your blistering hot takes, sourced from Instagram. The conversation co...
Episode 40: Is Modern Patek Philippe Lost?
26 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Much as they shy away from topical events, Erik & Max have to ask the obvious this week—but perhaps not in the way you think. While the conversa...
Episode 39: Would You Rather
19 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max have a surprisingly deep conversation around some devious watch-based would you rather questions. Plus, what do we make of the WoS Hodi...
Episode 38: Definitely Not Iconic
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are attempting the least-searchable list ever: what are the most un-iconic watches of all time? We all hate browsing listings and aucti...
Episode 37: Braving Looking Like A Fool & Desmosedicis (with Sylvain Berneron)
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max finally sync up with Sylvain Berneron to discuss his watches and just why they're being received so distinctly to anything else in ...
Episode 36: Rare But Nobody Cares (Pt. 2)
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are reviving a fan favorite segment: watches that aren’t widely produced, but also have zero attention being shined their way. There ...
Episode 35: A LNOS, Scholarship-Changing Podcast
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all know the terms. We all know they’re BS. Today, Erik & Max talk about them no-holds-barred. We assess the hype cycles that are created aro...
Episode 34: The 10(ish) Most Significant Independent Watches of the Last 25 Years
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max have another first here, an awards ceremony. This is not the GPHG though, we’re covering a quarter century; go big or go home. Prepar...
Episode 33: Q&A (Pt. 3)
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is Erik & Max’s first episode recorded together in person, for which they’ve saved a crowd favorite: Q&A. Yes, it’s time to answer ...
Episode 32: Great Omega That Isn’t the Speedmaster
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week is a first: a monobrand episode, but not as you might think. We are all given to love the Speedmaster, but there’s a whole world of Omega ...
Episode 31: Interesting Versions of Boring Watches
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Only in watches can one model or reference span from utterly dull to incredibly special depending on the variant. To highlight this unique facet of ou...
Episode 30: What Grinds our Gears
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether we call them pet peeves, grievances, or things that grind our gears, this week Erik & Max are enumerating all the tiny annoyances that get...
Episode 29: Building a 50K 3-Watch Collection . . .For Each Other
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are accustomed to giving watch advice to others. They’re used to competing to build the best collections for a given category. But th...
Episode 28: Uneven Discs (with Justin Hast)
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are joined this week by their second ever guest, Justin Hast. Justin is a great champion for watch enthusiasm, a presenter, consultant,...
Episode 27: Reference Punts (Pt. 2)
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are back to it, asking which references have languished most over time and, more importantly, why? No manufactures are safe. We ask why...
Episode 26: What Makes a Movement Great
13 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max attempt to answer a deceivingly deep listener query: what makes a given movement great? In a conversation that spans from column wheels...
Episode 25: Price vs Value
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are discussing just what value means in watches and relating it to price in a wide ranging discussion which covers Black Bays, 2499s, e...
Episode 24: The Ultimate Three-Hand, Three-Watch Collection from the Holy Trinity
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a collection-building gauntlet this week; Erik & Max limit themselves to 3 watches, 3 handers, and the Holy Trinity. Prepare for a surprisi...
Episode 23: Silicon Dreams & Interrogating a Rolex AD
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max tour through some of the more significant innovations ever in the history of watchmaking to ask, ‘Where are all the innovations?’ I...
Episode 22: Q-Watches, SpaceX, and Oil Infrastructure
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does the Rolex 6238 black dial have in common with the Zenith 135? Why was Erik wrong to judge a green 5711? And what does Max think the first pe...
Episode 21: WTF is Finishing
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max attempt to answer the question, ‘What separates good finishing from bad finishing?’ It is a question that requires them to go throu...
Episode 20: Jordan’s Wellendorff, Patek Philippe Dial Condition, and Dad Watches
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max go from the absurd to the practical with two major topics this week. The first headline is a rewrite of athlete’s watches, we make ch...
Episode 19: Hot Takes & The Most Interesting Watch in the World
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max engage in a battle of hot (and lukewarm) contrarian takes for our first audience-sourced Hot Takes episode. Buckle up. Plus, what is th...
Episode 18: The Ultimate 3 Watch Rolex & Tudor Collection at 75K
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max embark on their first collection building exercise: 3 watches from either Rolex or Tudor for 75K US. The catch is we’re requiring one...
Episode 17: The 2915 vs 6239 ‘Face’-Off (With a Tour of Japan’s Obscure Independents)
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max answer one of the great watchmaking debates that’s been raging since chronographs immemorial: 2915 Speedmaster vs 6239 Daytona. It’...
Episode 16: Heavy Luggage
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are back to the serious debates this week, this time the most beautiful lugs of all time. We ask how Instagram has influenced the watch...
Episode 15: Alpine Researching
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week is all about specifics of rare vintage watches; Erik & Max cover off some lots from the upcoming spring auctions and use them as muse to...
Episode 14: Q&A (Pt. 2)
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Erik & Max finish up the Q&A entirely. Is there more room for FP Journe to run? Why are Longines so underrated? And why does Max hat...
Episode 13: Q&A (Pt. 1)
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Max & Erik have done zero work in preparation, it’s all crowdsourced: our first Q&A. Questions range from thirsty watches to askin...
Episode 12: Events for Escapements
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The horological equivalent of horses for course, this week Max & Erik are presented with a randomized watch collection and veritable plethora of l...
Episode 11: John Mayer and North Korea
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max divulge their watch-based guilty pleasures this week, watches that we feel a bit strange to publicly profess our love toward, but we bi...
Episode 10: Rare But Nobody Cares (with Tony Traina)
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are joined by their first guest this week, Tony Traina, for a wide ranging chat including the topic you’ve all been asking for: watch...
Episode 9: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (of Watch Accessories)
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For once, Erik & Max are not talking watches. This week, it’s all about the objects that surround them. From straps to geiger counters, roasting...
Episode 8: The 16550 vs 16750 ‘Face’-Off
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are firing up for a fierce debate this week. It’s a watch battle, or rather face-off, inspired from a question we get often: 16550 or...
Episode 7: GPH-Cheich
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From stylish Italian men to Piaget and Cartier, Erik and Max warm up this week discussing the quite recent rise in jewelry watches, what is fueling th...
Episode 6: Manufactured 2024 (On Black Alligator)
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik and Max attempt to give some genuine advice for once on how to avoid heartbreak in watch buying, excluding condition for this discussion. Broader...
Episode 5: James Bond’s Blancpain
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Erik & Max are rewriting watch movie history, it’s literal story time. We’re covering John Wick, Le Mans, Wolf of Wallstreet, The Da...
Episode 4: Date-O-Nah?
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max get straight to the important topics this week: feedback from Max’s mom. From there, discussion swings wildly from the virtues of gat...
Episode 3: Reference Punts
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are coming in hot this week, discussing our top 3 watches which have most fallen from grace in their contemporary iterations as opposed...
Episode 2: Base 1000
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Erik & Max are back for a second go, audio fixed, and covering such pressing topics as the greatest chronograph pusher of all time, early Lange, a...
Episode 1: Prototype
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are prototypes worth considering? Is Universal Genève the next 44mm Breitling for Bentley? What should you wear if you're a middle-aged insurance...