John Mayer & Ed Sheeran RUINED The Watch World...AGAIN! 

There's something poetic about waiting 12 yrs for a watch just for people to confuse it with Baltic😂

Michael's intelligence, wit, and overall appeal are irreplaceable. The difference is profound, and this channel needs his presence. Not to mention his actual breadth of knowledge about watches, which is informative and creates interesting banter. What a relief.

One thing that kills companies are when they become too popular, too fast. It gives the illusion of success, but your actual measure of success is whether you can actually deliver the product. Hearing the story that someone’s watch was delayed 10 times means they’re already experiencing major issues. They either have to scale to meet their customers’ expectations or they need to issue refunds. Moreover, how do I even know this company will be around in 12 years?

Prior to the Ed Sheeran and John Mayer video - the waitlist was at 10 years. I believe John had mentioned it prior to that video as well.

Theo and Harris back together again !

“A larger Patek 96 would be perfect”. Yea, it’s called the 570 and they made it for like 30 years (1940s-1960s) alongside the 96.

Yay, Michael’s back! 👏🥳

Good to see Theo back

Nothing like seeing Theo & Harris! Instead of Theo and Ferris!

Thank God, Michael is back.

So they’re committing to 12 years running a company that makes less than 200k in annual sales? That’s insanity.

A Longines Master Collection for USD100k? Meeeh...

But these aren't even fully in-house. They're getting movements from Vaucher, along with cases, hands, etc. made from other suppliers. I would love to understand why it takes them as long as it does to make each watch.

A Collected Man sold one recently for £32,500…

After Kikuchi Nakagawa, Naoya Hida has decided to temporarily suspended production for 3 out of their 4 models.

Same sort of thing happened with Anordain. I got on the waitlist when it was about a year, which for the price range and what they offer I think is perfectly fine. Well a recent email just went out and a buddy of mine wanted to get on it but it is out to 2028..... and they are still asking for a down payment to reserve a slot. To me that is insane and I see people turning away and putting their money elsewhere, not to mention prices have crept up and continue to creep up. Model 3s being $4k and Hodinkee special ones being $6k for a sellita inside and a pretty simple case is absolutely crazy to me.

Only watch youtubers that actually make amusing videos that are kind of self-deprecating. Like I love watches but I hate myself for it. And this channel represents this perfectly. Most days i'm Micheal. I want a Daytona but i'm happy with my Explorer. But other days i'm Christian. I want to make a bitchy comment about someones Patek because it's the non precious metal non complicated variant. Feel like you two really cover off both of those mindsets and I think that resonates with your standard issue watch fancier.

12 years waiting! How old is mister Kikuchi again? 😂

GS’s Zaratsu polishing is the same as black polish.

great episode!

Maybe Kikuchi Nakagawa start selling merch to make their business sustainable. 😆

And after this video all watches with 38.6 mm diameter will have 20 year waitlist

very good guys.. For the last 10 years during the Oversizing era I was thinking watches would return back to the 36mm - 40mm case size range that has happened... But... Now I think it is time to crank up the larger sizing 🤓 that I now subscribe too 😎

Mayer has no. 3 ( 3rd ever watch Kikuchi Nakagawa made) so he knew about the watches way before people talked about it. That's an insane example of influence and impeccable taste if anything.

12 yrs is 12% of a person's lifetime (given that they live upto 100yrs, which many don't). In that time you can get an undergrad degree, master's degree and a PhD. Waiting 12 yrs for a watch is quite stupid.

Could you please move the computers off to the side. They take up almost 1/4 of the frame. Other than that keep up the great content!

I'd rather have a Baltic. I'm done with all these overhyped brands that gatekeep their supply.

If I hear 12 years it’s like so boring to me. There is no thing in the world I would ever wanting to skip 12 years for! It’s insane!

0:51 I would say Bee-dale, not B'dale. I could be wrong, but North Sea fisherman are not posh folks.

Nice to have Stan back !

The deposit is likely their costs. If someone doesn’t deliver on the rest, they would benefit if they filled the order elsewhere

Theo is back!!!

Finally Michael is back. Always do videos with him, just reduce the “wows”

I just happen to be in Japan today. Turns out the Japanese DO use English numbers! As Michael would say, How ODD…

Great video

You guys are the best 😂 they use the same numbers in japan has got me laughing too!

Where did you get those sweters?

Guys this guy is making 8 watches a year is this story really that important

8 watches a year when they don’t make the movement? Is that just a hobby on the side? What happens if one of the guys has an accident? A lot of enthusiasts, myself included, get into micro-production watches only really people who don’t really care about losing a 5-figure deposit normally got into. In one year lots can happen, let alone twelve. Not to mention how erratic many watchmakers are. A real indie watchmaker is rarely interested in making the same watch for that long.

*Looks over at Baltic* 👀 👀 👀 😁

Real question... What makes this better than a $6,500 grand seiko with zaratsu polishing?

I agree that the Murakumo would be better if it were smaller. 34mm would fit my 6 1/2" wrist better. I wrote to Kikuchi Nakagawa during Covid, before Ed Sheeran promoted them. Back then, Yusuki Kikuchi and Tomonari Nakagawa were working out their garage. The wait was 7 years and I was sweating. That was too long and I did not place a pre-order. Now it's 12 years. There's no guarantee that I would get a watch, either in 7 years or 12 years. The dial design, finish, even the Vaucher Fleurier VMF 5401 movement on the Murakumo is flawless. I've written love poems about this watch and posted my thoughts everywhere I could. Ed Sheeran buys them for his kids. I've got none.

39:00 anybody identifies name of the artist or the song?

Where's Christian's sweater from?

It had a wait list of 7 years before the john mayer video.

I would take orders 3 years out. And open it for people once or twice a year to build the pipeline.

This conversation about orders reminds me of the Tesla Cybertruck hype. The difference is Tesla stacked two millions, $100 orders (allegedly), and Nakagawa has a hundred orders with $12,000 each.

I see you KN and I raise you one Baltic and 12 yrs back 😂

This is the whole deal with hype watches. The 12 year waitlist is the point, the USP of the watch. If anyone could get one, no one would want one.

I’d rather get a 5196 now than wait 12 years for that!

"Black Polish" is the same as Zaratsu polishing ... Grand Seiko does it by hand using a Sallaz polishing machine on nearly every model. Takes years to master the technique.

Imagine the wait for 5157A

Naoya Hida should be on your radar next if you are talking about Japanese microbrands

Grand SEIKO also does it with inhouse movements!

Lug width seems way too big on the Nakigawa

Christian, I'm older than your dad and we have the same taste. Not only was my Pepsi 16750 my one watch for 30+ years ['83-'15] my dress watch of choice is not a PP, but rather a white gold, white dial PF Tonda 1950 that I purchased [full set, factory warranty] new old stock for one quarter the price of an equivalent Calatrava.😙 No wait for either watch!

I’ve. Been in a waitlist for an explorer for more than a year, what would you do? i really wanna live the boutique experience, should I go grey market or just buy another watch

Anordain runs this same risk now with many years wait.

Would they be getting another 12k x 8 per year? It seems the cost of the watch might be less than 12k

Czapek had a long wait time for the Antartique…now no one wants it and value has plummeted

Kikuchi is basically getting a bunch of 12-year interest-free loans. The grift is incredible.

from their website: "We temporarily stop taking any order."....

make independent watch brands tier list

All this proves is that marketing sells. 😂 Hype over reality 😊

I’ve been on the waitlist for 2.5yrs for a $300 HELM Vanuatu Ti 😂

Would much rather have a Rolex 1908.

Twelve years is a hell of a long time to NOT change your mind, or to find something else to buy, or to go bankrupt, or to not be alive anymore. Waiting twelve years for a watch is fucking stupid.

This couple is so much better. Great conversation

black polishing on the whole case? yes please spend way more time to make a fingerprint magnet

Sheeran and Meyer feel like the average paid celebrity, but with extra steps.

Homage of that watch will be on Aliexpress in a few months…wait for it. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Harris

Baltic already sells this watch. Maybe I'll buy one of those for 450 or $500 whatever they sell for

Michael will end up looking like Wolverine when he's older!

25 years from now, Christian is as old as I am now. Yes…..arthritis is an issue 😂

I think the numbers are the same 😂😂😂

11:17 Audio fuct

Inflation?!!!

John Mayer and Ed fucked over this company inadvertently. The only way for this company to move forward with production is 1) get investors to help hire more staff 2) stop orders and raise prices significantly. If this company sticks to its current schedule at the same prices for each watch? There will be no growth. Just steady income and work. These clowns put that watchmaker in a tough position. Shit! I think you can get one of these watches before you get a call for a Pepsi or Daytona LOL

C’mon guys, you can’t think of the ways they could manage the deposits? Ways to invest the deposits, borrow against it, obtain a favorable interest rate on a line of credit. And you’re not even considering the capital the company already has already banked, the cost of materials vs labor? PLEASE stop talking about this until/unless you understand it.

I'm teaching myself how to black polish so that I can polish my scuba guy.

Just take a Vacheron 1921 , almost the same dial

12 years - their income is eaten away by inflation...

lol not you with your "vintage rolex for life" bs, ed sheeran did it

what a nice video and how funny it is to see people try to understand the reasoning of a Japanese person/craftsman. Really funny to see. Kikuchi Nakagawa will not raise the prices, at least not much, and he won´t hire any more people that help with the craft. Has nothing to do with honor or whatever. Its just how they do business. Scaling is not of their concern when it comes to artisan work. He´s the master and he will execute piece by piece to the best of his ability and the highest standard possible, which takes time. He takes pride in his work and he wants to be compensated appropriately, but he won´t charge more, because orders are in till whenever, cause also customer is king. He serves the customer not the customer him through the deposited or money for instance. There won´t be scaling, there won´t be much higher prices but you have to spend the time, because that what it takes to become a master and that what it takes to produce a well rounded product of the highest quality. I am also pretty sure, even if you´d say "hey man I give you 10k more; can I have my watch next year instead of in 8 years?" he won´t do it. that would be a betrayal of other customers. and last, don´t try to come up with a reasoning for that, you won´t get it unless Nakagawa will explain it to you and even then it might not make sense. Having worked in a Japanese environment and having lived there, I speak from experience. ps: the prices are not necessary calculated to make him rich, but so he can make a decent living. If you ever have been in Japan you will notice that most prices (food/consumer products/appliances/ etc.) are calculated in a way that the company/craftsman makes money but also the customer does not fell overcharged and it represents the actual value. Speaking of a craftsman like nakagawa, he´ll have a decent house and workshop and 2 employees maybe but thats about it. He has to pay them and himself a bit thats it. There is no thinking of a career goals or a career in the western way involved. Japanese people esp. craftsman work for the works sake eg. Ikigai. Hard to wrap your head around if you come from a place where "cutthroat capitalism" is the norm and not harmony is the main driver of business/society (no offence intended).

Baltic released the watch today 😂😅😅

Why not auction the production slot to the best offer. If you really want it first you pay to play.

I think the numbers are still the same 😂

If your a true wax jacket snob you go Belstaff over Barbour 😂

The 12 year cap is probably to account for inflation. They also probably want to retire after that.

Which one of you is Theo and which is Harris?

MICHAEL MY MAN!!!!!

Its a perfect watch for those in the hobby, the rest of the world doesnt care

The poetry of pinching 💩 😅

Lolz Anthony ferrar

If 100 people want your watch and you can only make 10, you have to increase your price until the demand for your 10 watches is ~15 , or ramp up to make 100. This business can’t work.

I don’t know what the laws are in Japan, but what is he able to do with the deposits in the interim? Is he required to put the money in a secure savings account of sometime at interest that will not keep up with inflation? Could he risk investing it somehow? Can the money received for goods not received be used to fund his operations today? When does this guy get to touch the money? It doesn’t add up in my mind.

they have 12 years to train people now

Great channel like ye guys 😊 but im afraid watches and prices are way 2 high no watch worth the worth😮

So like, is anyone gonna address the visibly coked up elephant in the room?