A guide to the wristwatch YouTube rabbit hole
Five channels that will make you lose track of time
I’ve always liked watches. My Timex Ironman was always on my wrist in grade school, until it was stolen, along with several items from my house. Don’t feel bad, my sister and I wanted to move out of there anyway. So that was a good incentive for my parents. Plus, I got another Timex Ironman. Everything worked out.
My interest shifted to G-Shocks in the following years. I had about three or four and I was always looking for cheap, interesting models of these rugged Casio’s. I never owned anything else, aside from the classic F-91W.
During the pandemic, either the YouTube algorithm sensed weakness and took me into this rabbit hole of watch review channels, or my interest broadened and matured. I want to believe the latter.
What I learned from the Social Dilemma documentary is that you should not watch the recommended videos. That is why I am writing this guide so that you can get there yourself. This is not a laminated list, but a list of my five favorite channels. Sure, checking out millionaires’ collections is interesting and John Mayer’s rainbow Daytona is pretty cool, but I want to feel like I can actually own some of the watches being reviewed.
I’m pretty sure this is where most people started their watch trip. TGV’s (Tristano Geoffrey Veneto, which can’t be a real name, it’s way too cool) content is unmatched in terms of production quality. He clearly puts a lot of thought into each video. Plus, he caters to every taste: from Omega and Rolex to a 35$ Casio.
Teddy also covers a wide range of watches. He has some videos virtually assembling collections on different budgets, talks about microbrands, and has even produced a documentary on MVMT, the face of the much-maligned fashion watches. He is now an authorized dealer for several brands and has a channel with his videos dubbed in Spanish. This kid is going places.
The watch world seems very male-dominated. Enter Jenni Elle. This German lady started her channel this year, just before the pandemic. Perfect timing. Her videos focus more on luxury brands, but she has reviewed Seikos and homage watches (a nice term for a copy of a famous established watch). I love the accent too.
Jody Musgrove, with a different but equally great accent, brings us a wide range of watches: from luxury to Ali Express superstars. No room for watch snobs on this channel. As the name suggests, this is the place for those more interested in variety than the price tag. Plus, Jody is a thumbnail master.
Adrian Barker seems like he has done zero preparation for any of his videos, even though they are visually pleasing. And that is what is so great about them. You feel like you are having a conversation with him about watches over some coffee. It is mostly about luxury watches, but there are even some videos on how to take better Instagram photos for your wristwatch check and creating a backdrop for your YouTube channel. All filled with moments where he wanders at the horizon of his studio. Don’t ever change, Adrian…
This is my list. I am sure you will find others on your ride. Just don’t start buying every watch you see on these channels. I try to remind myself of this rule but I broke it a few times. You can check them out in my Instagram page.
