Analog Explorer
Analog Explorer
AJ Barse, Analog Explorer®
The Analog Explorer® is a journey with fellow enthusiasts and the #watchfam to discover their passions with watches and beyond. As a professional photographer, hiker, and recreational diver based in the Pacific Northwest, host AJ Barse shares his drive for exploration through interviews and discussions with analog enthusiasts, collectors, creative watchmakers, and others who celebrate the impact and art of horology. The most universally limited resource is time; and the Analog Explorer reminds us all of the need to Fac Tempus Ad Explorandum i.e. "Make the Time To Explore."
AE | 46 "The Voice of Your Universe" - Gavox Watches - Michael Happé
Full show notes at https://open.substack.com/pub/analogexplorer/p/ae-46-the-voice-of-your-universe?r=8z6az&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueOne of the things that draws me to shows like the Vancouver Timepiece Show is the creative independence on display. These brands are not just growing up, some of them are just ‘grown up.’ And what many of them are producing now sits at a level that can go toe to toe with far bigger names, at a price point that still lets the rest of us play along. Gavox Watches out of Belgium is a perfect example of that.For full show notes, Analog Explorer ® is a reader-supported publication and podcast. To receive new posts, full show notes, and more, ⁠⁠consider supporting Analog Explorer on Substack.⁠⁠
May 21
13 min
AE | 45 - "The Human Work" - Timepiece World Journal - Matt Black
Because the stories behind the watches matter as much as the watches themselves.Full show notes at https://open.substack.com/pub/analogexplorer/p/ae-45-the-human-work-timepiece-world?r=8z6az&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueMatt is a communications professional and fellow avid watch enthusiast with a passion for not just watches, but the “human side” of the stories behind them. Together, they are building the Timepiece World Journal as a new editorial platform focused not on specs and reviews, but on the people and stories behind the watches we collect and love. So in an age where the content space feels this wide, where do you go? For these two, the answer was to go deeper not wider.For full show notes, Analog Explorer ® is a reader-supported publication and podcast. To receive new posts, full show notes, and more, ⁠consider supporting Analog Explorer on Substack.⁠
May 21
9 min
AE | 44 Running Into Old Friends - "Our Ken"
Ken as Arken Watch Co. wasn’t at the show as a brand this year. No table, no speakeasy (this year), just Ken as a fellow lover of watches and the #watchfam checking out the floor as a regular attendee and catching up with friends.Full show notes at : https://open.substack.com/pub/analogexplorer/p/ae-44-running-into-old-friends-our?r=8z6az&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueFor full show notes, Analog Explorer ® is a reader-supported publication and podcast. To receive new posts, full show notes, and more, ⁠consider supporting Analog Explorer on Substack.⁠
May 21
7 min
AE | 43 Community Connections - 2026 Vancouver Timepiece Show
Community, storytelling, and new voices from the #watchfamFull show notes at : https://www.analogexplorer.com/p/ae-43-community-connections-2026 Last year, the conversations from the show centered on what I called the shifting sands of global trade, with tariffs, uncertainty, and how brands were navigating constantly moving ground. A year on, by and large our favorite brands are still standing and things seem to have stabilized. So this time around, I wanted to shift the focus to something closer to the heart of the Analog Explorer: community.In the #watchfam there are so many different ways we share our enthusiasm for horology, and the interviews going into this season with the Vancouver Timepiece Show are going to highlight a few new and different ones.The interviews from the 2026 Vancouver Timepiece Show are on their way to the Analog Explorer  feed....For full show notes, Analog Explorer ® is a reader-supported publication and podcast. To receive new posts, full show notes, and more, consider supporting Analog Explorer on Substack.
May 7
4 min
AE. 42 | Sinziana Iordache- Vancouver Timepiece Show
In this episode of The Analog Explorer, I sat down with Sinziana Iordache—hyperrealist graphite artist and fellow #watchfam creative—live from the inaugural Vancouver Timepiece Show. Unlike the many brand founders I’ve had across the mic during the show, Sinziana represents a different part of the horological world that I can only describe as the artistry of analog...https://www.analogexplorer.com/p/ae-42-sinziana-iordache-vancouver⁠🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts, or support the Analog Explorer on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠.
Jun 30, 2025
19 min
AE. 41 | Serica Watches - Vancouver Timepiece Show
In this episode of The Analog Explorer, I sat down with Jérôme Burgert, designer and co-founder of Serica Watches, right off the floor of the inaugural Vancouver Timepiece Show. Serica is one of those brands that has been on my radar since day one thanks to its minimal, purposeful aesthetic and the rare balance it strikes between elegance and adventure.For Jérôme, good design isn’t about chasing trends or copying vintage cues, it’s about capturing emotion through form, all while building something that can take a hit and keep ticking. “Why choose between pretty and robust?” he asked. “When you don’t have to choose, it becomes the watch you just reach for every day.”https://www.analogexplorer.com/p/ae-41-serica-watches-vancouver-timepiece⁠🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts, or support the Analog Explorer on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠.
Jun 30, 2025
25 min
AE. 40 | Studio Underd0g - Vancouver Timepiece Show
In this episode of The Analog Explorer, I stepped outside the bustling Vancouver Timepiece Show to chat with George, lead videographer at Studio Underd0g—a small team with big personality and watches that crank the whimsy dial to 1000!If you’ve ever asked, “Why so serious?” while doomscrolling past silver-and-black dive watch reels or posts, Studio Underd0g is your antidote. Founded by Richard Benc in 2021, the brand launched with a Kickstarter and a mission: make great watches that don’t take themselves too seriously. And they’ve stuck to it—with colorways like Watermelon, Mint Choc Chip, and the latest duo, Avocado and Guac. They’ve managed to blend horological craftsmanship with joyful whimsy....https://www.analogexplorer.com/p/ae-40-studio-underd0g-vancouver-timepiece🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts, or support the Analog Explorer on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠.
Jun 30, 2025
27 min
AE. 39 | Isotope Watches - Vancouver Timepiece Show
In this episode of The Analog Explorer, I sat down with José Miranda, founder and design mind behind Isotope Watches, live from the inaugural Vancouver Timepiece Show. If you’re someone who thinks all watches are starting to look the same—José is here to flip that narrative.From his early inspiration with a childhood Timex to creating a brand that fuses form, function, and fearless creativity, José doesn’t just design watches—he reimagines how we tell time altogether. Isotope’s timepieces aren’t based on heritage homages or vintage revival. They’re bold, round, ergonomic expressions rooted in science fiction, 1930s streamlining, and a spirit of playful disruption.https://www.analogexplorer.com/p/ae-39-isotope-watches-vancouver-timepiece🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts, or support the Analog Explorer on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠.
Jun 30, 2025
25 min
AE. 38 | Paulin Watches - Vancouver Timepiece Show
In this episode of The Analog Explorer, I caught up with Katie from Paulin Watches, a design-forward brand based in Glasgow, Scotland, and the sister company to the well-known AnOrdain. We spoke live from the show floor of the inaugural Vancouver Timepiece Show, where Paulin made their Canadian debut.https://www.analogexplorer.com/p/ae-38-paulin-watches-vancouver-timepiece🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts, or support the Analog Explorer on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠.
Jun 29, 2025
8 min
AE. 37 | Jacques Bianchi Marseille - Vancouver Timepiece Show
In this episode of The Analog Explorer, I meet up with Benjamin and Omer from Jacques Bianchi Marseille, live from the Vancouver Timepiece Show. If you’ve never heard of this French microbrand, then you’re exactly who this episode is for—because Jacques Bianchi is the definition of an if you know, you know brand.https://www.analogexplorer.com/p/ae-37-jacques-bianchi-marseille-vancouver🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts, or support the Analog Explorer on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠.
Jun 29, 2025
9 min
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