The SJX Podcast

Why do watch debates get so heated, so fast — and why does no one ever change their mind? On episode 34 of the SJX Podcast, Brandon sits down with King Flum, collector and author of the ScrewDownCrown Substack, to dig into the psychology behind the arguments that define online watch communities.

Drawing on research from psychologists including Jonathan Haidt and Dan Kahan, the conversation covers why our preferences form before we start thinking, why smarter collectors tend to construct more elaborate — not more objective — arguments, and why an attack on your watch can feel like an attack on you personally.
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Seiko is on something of a resurgence, aiming to take back its reputation as a value leader after the emergence, over the past decade, of increasingly competitive micro-brands. On episode 33 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss the King Seiko Vanac, now available in titanium, and the Marinemaster, which has been transformed through a number of incremental upgrades.

The discussion then turns to some other affordable new releases from Orient Star, Raketa, and Christopher Ward, which just launched an in-house 'flyer' GMT calibre with a five-day power reserve.

Show notes:

00:35: King Seiko Vanac Titanium
3:30: Seiko Marinemaster
8:00: Orient Star M45
11:10: Raketa Baikonur
12:20: Christopher Ward Sealander True GMT
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Watches & Wonders is less than a month away, so for episode 32 of the SJX Podcast we're talking about what we'd want to see from some of the major brands like Patek Philippe, Grand Seiko, and Tudor. It's always difficult to make predictions, and the best releases from every year are usually a surprise, but Andrew put together a few picks that we believe would be crowd-pleasers, were they to be made.

SJX and Brandon also discuss the latest minute repeater from Girard-Perregaux, and SJX's own collaboration with Habring²: the Chrono-Felix Medicus chronograph.

Show notes:

1:00: Patek Philippe
3:00: Grand Seiko
4:20: Tudor
7:30: Girard-Perregaux Minute Repeater Flying Bridges
11:30: Habring² x SJX Chrono-Felix Medicus
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Episode 31 of the SJX Podcast digs into two major industry reports — one from Vontobel on the primary market and one from EveryWatch on the secondary — and what they reveal about where value is concentrating in the watch industry. SJX and Brandon discuss the K-shaped nature of the market, the dominance of F.P. Journe among independents, and Cartier's remarkable ability to sell across every price tier.

The discussion also touches on the role of emotion in driving purchase decisions, the financialisation of the hobby, and why market reports have limited utility for collectors.

Show notes:

00:30: K-shaped market dynamics — Vontobel and EveryWatch reports
3:00: F.P. Journe dominance among independents
4:00: Cartier's unique market position
10:00: Emotion vs. financialisation
14:00: Marteau & Co.
16:00: Phillips
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On episode 30 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss to what extent the latest crop of jump hour watches constitutes a trend. In just the first six weeks of 2026, several new jump hour models have been released, including a new collection from Audemars Piguet and the relaunch of the Niton brand, which is discussed in detail. Even the Louis Vuitton Convergence also fits into this trend aesthetically, despite being a dragging hours construction.

SJX also provides context on the leading jump hour watches in the industry and shares views on whether reliability still matters in today's market.

Show notes:

1:30: Niton Prima
5:30: Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence
8:45: Berneron Quantième Annuel
11:30: A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk
12:10: Lange Zeitwerk, F.P. Journe Vagabondage III, and Harry Winston Opus 3
13:10: How important is reliability?
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