Openwork: Inside the Watch Industry
Openwork: Inside the Watch Industry
Collective Horology
V-shaped Recovery? – The Watch Industry Shows Early Signs of a Turn-around – Episode 67
1 hour 8 minutes Posted Feb 9, 2026 at 8:00 am.
Intro & Hosts
Ming Starfield Hands-on & YouTube
Watches of Switzerland — Growth & US Strategy
Acquisition: Deutsch & Deutsch (Texas)
Impact on Independent Dealers & Allocations
Swiss Exports & US Surge (December)
Patek Pricing & Market Implications
Currency Pressures & Commodities
Dealer Margins & Industry Pressure
Swatch Group Earnings & Activist Investors
Audemars Piguet — New Jump Hour Release
Closing & Contact Info
0:00
1:08:15
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Show notes
On this episode, we zoom out to the state of the watch business, using Watches of Switzerland as a real-time bellwether. We unpack strong holiday performance alongside shrinking margins, then dig into accelerating U.S. retail consolidation: why large groups are acquiring family-owned authorized dealers, how Rolex factors into approvals and allocations, and what this growing concentration could mean for collectors and regional markets.
We then connect the dots on Swiss export data, tariffs, currency volatility, and rising material costs—and why pricing pressure in the U.S. isn’t going away, it’s just evolving. From pent-up demand following tariff relief to a weakening dollar versus the Swiss franc, we explore how macro forces are reshaping brand strategy and retail economics.
We close by reacting to Audemars Piguet’s newest release, the Neo Frame, and discuss what this jump-hour design signals about AP’s creative direction and its efforts to expand beyond the core Royal Oak playbook.
Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology, Openwork goes inside the watch industry.
You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email [email protected].