Beyond The Dial

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A podcast about watches, how they work, and why they fascinate us.

Allen Farmelo


    • Mar 28, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 56m AVG DURATION
    • 92 EPISODES

    4.7 from 38 ratings Listeners of Beyond The Dial that love the show mention: wrist, watches, deep, highly, life, thank, love, listen.


    Ivy Insights

    The Beyond The Dial podcast is one of my absolute favorites when it comes to watch-related content. While initially I was slightly put off by the occasional political discussions, the quality of the watch content kept me coming back for more. What sets this podcast apart from others is that even though I may not agree with the host's politics, his thoughts and opinions are always well thought out and free from any hidden agendas. I truly appreciate that level of integrity and honesty in a podcast. Every time a new episode is released, I eagerly await updates from the team at Beyond The Dial.

    What makes this podcast stand out is its ability to offer more than just glowing reviews and mundane interviews with micro brands. Rather, it delves deep into the cultural aspects of watchmaking, design, and time itself. The hosts, James and Jason, were even mentioned on another podcast called TGN, which is incredibly cool! Their thought process is engaging and relatable on so many levels. It's refreshing to listen to their conversations as they provide unique insights into the world of watches. The overall vibe of Beyond The Dial is interesting and relaxing, making it a pleasure to listen to.

    However, one downside of the podcast may be that it isn't for everyone. It took me a few episodes to really get into it and fully appreciate what it had to offer. Additionally, while wrist presence may not be solely about size and flash as discussed in one episode, some listeners may have different perspectives on this matter. Beauty is subjective after all.

    In conclusion, Beyond The Dial is undeniably the zenith of watch commentary podcasts. Free from commercial influence, it offers genuine insights into watches with an added bonus of meditations on life itself. Allen particularly stands out as a talented storyteller who adds depth and meaning to each episode. If you're looking for a thought-provoking podcast that goes beyond surface-level discussion, this is definitely worth tuning into. I can't recommend it highly enough for watch enthusiasts and those interested in exploring the connections between time, design, and the human experience.



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    Latest episodes from Beyond The Dial

    Through The Looking Glass - On Watches & Philosophy (The Final Episode)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 123:17


    Farewell, and thank you all for listening.  The Aesthetic Revolution Will Be Beautiful!

    Conversations - E19 - Rikki from Scottish Watches

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 63:36


    Allen and Rikki lament and celebrate the current world of watches in equal measure, covering the rise of fashion and red-carpet nonsense to the role of modern materials in high horlogy. 

    I Fell Into The Rolex Black Hole

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 48:29


    Allen could no longer resist the forces of gravity at the center of the horological universe, and now he is broadcasting from the within the Rolex Black Hole. He has sold off swaths of his collection and aquired two five-digit Rollies. An unexpected turn in Allen's journey, and perhaps one from which he can never return. Has he sold out or bought in?

    SWATCH's BIOCERAMIC - THE UNVARNISH FACTS (AND OPINIONS)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2023 32:26


    Is SWATCH's BIOCERAMIC anything more than a petroleum-based plastic? Find out in this episode as Allen shares his investigation into this divisive material, its history, its current context, its chemical makeup, and even an email about it from a SWATCH representative.

    Insights E35 - How "In-House" Obscures The Quality of Movements (& Insults Our Intelligence)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2023 20:33


    A watch movement made to exacting standards by a robot on Mars working for a third-party alien corporation might turn out beautiful, precise, complicated and fascinating. Barring production on a more distant planet, no movement could be further from "in-house." This hypothetical Martian movement would absolutely trounce, say, a cheap Seiko movement made "in-house" by actual Japanese robots. I'd take the third-party Martian movement any day, and I bet you would too.

    Insights E34 - For Exhibition Only - Rolex Without Watches

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 24:27


    Has Rolex evolved into a brand that's For Exhibition Only" And what if Rolex no longer made physical watches? Could this be the future of global luxury brands in the centuries to come?

    Field Reports E9 - Bremont's Authenticity Soars In An Old Plane

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2023 61:17


    Allen went to the UK for the launch of Bremont's first serially produced watches with their in-house movement, but what Allen got was a ride in an old plane that showed him the unique authenticity at the center of the brand set on reviving British industrial watchmaking.

    Conversations E18 - Walt Odets On His Five Favorite Watches

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2022 72:05


    Walt has some very classy timepieces, all of a type: smaller, understated, and often highly complicated. Allen and Walt talk through five of Walt's most favorite watches, plus a sixth that came to Walt as a very pleasant surprise.

    Insights E33- From Horological Silence Into The Noisy Watch Space - A Personal History of Watch Collecting (1990-2020)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2022 36:57


    In this essay-style episode, Allen drags the historical lens across the watch space from 1990-2020, showing how what was once a lonely nerd's hobby grew into a fashionable social activity.

    Insights E32 - A Tentative Critique of the Post-Pandemic Watch Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2022 19:05


    In this insight essay, Allen admits to feeling a little disillusioned with the broader watch culture and tried to identify why it feels different to him since COVID pandemic lockdowns and the rapid expansion of interest in watches. Special interest is paid to the role of social media in hollowing out how we enthusiasts and collectors interact around watches.

    Insights E31 - Iteration Inundation - The Endless Stream of New(s) Watches

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 35:59


    It's gotten overwhelming, all the new releases. Allen talks about how the digital medial environment, including the socials, has put undue stress on watch brands to always be releasing something new. and he has some ideas for how to deal with it. 

    How Watches Work E6 - Complicated Chronographs - Flybacks, Split-Seconds, Ultra-Fast, & More

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2022 55:51


    David takes Allen deeper into the world of mechanical chronographs, covering all the major complications from early flybacks to the latest in mechanical chronograph technology. 

    How Watches Work E5 - Understanding Mechanical Chronographs

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2022 64:50


    David takes Allen inside the fascinating world of mechanical chronographs, and Allen finally "gets it."  Vertical vs. horizontal clutches, column wheel vs. cam actuators, reset functions, and much more are covered here, leaving the listener with a foundational understanding of mechanical stop watches.

    Beyond "In-House Movements" - How An Overused Term Lost Its Meaning & How To Fix It

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2022 43:51


    Allen expands on his written essay on this always confusing and sometimes contentious topic. "In-House" refers to a movement built....Where exactly? By whom? It's hard to know anymore because brands have use the term in marketing so loosely that no precise definition exists. Allen suggests new terms to help clarify the many modes of movement manufacturing.

    The Watch Collector / Enthusiast Dichotomy & Its Discontents

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2022 43:33


    Allen upends our current way of diving up the watch community into collectors, enthusiasts and consumers and suggests that we'd be far better off describing different levels of horological experience. Not to be missed for the die-hards, in this episode Allen's  "phenomenology of watches" finally pays some dividends.

    Bulova's 20th Century Mechanical Prowess - Feat. Michael Benavente of Bulova and Colin de Tonnac of Semper & Adhuc

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022 61:49


    Allen speaks with Michael Benavente of Bulova and Colin de Tonnac of Semper & Adhuc about the history of Bulova as a mechanical watchmaker. There's a lot to learn here. For example, did you know that Bulova once employed more Swiss mechanical watchmakers than any other brand, including the Swiss ones? Michael provides historical perspective and Colin provides mechanical insight. Good stuff.

    How They Work 4 - Servicing Mechanical Movements

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 56:59


    David and Allen walk through the sometimes dubious topic of having your mechanical watch serviced. David explains how it all has to happen as Allen warns of scammers and how to beat them. You'll learn about timegrapher results, especially amplitude, as well as old and modern lubrications, why parts wear out, and even when service should be avoided.

    How They Work 3 - Torque

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2022 70:35


    David Flett schools Allen about what torque is and how it operates and is managed within a watch movement. Philosophical ponderance eventually finds its way, of course, but applied physics to horology remains the main story here.

    How They Work 2 - The Going Train

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2021 63:22


    In this second installment of the How They Work series, David Flett joins Allen and leads him through the gears that make your mechanical watches work, generally known as "the going train." By the end they've imagined complications that track time on Mercury, Jupiter and Mars.

    Collecting Concepts - Quantum Leaps Require Dead Reckoning

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 43:02


    Allen explores his new directions for his own budding collection of Vacheron Constantin watches, centering on a near disaster of a purchase due to his unbridled impetuousness. Two friends saved him from repeating past mistakes.

    Vacheron Constantin - Marrying My High School Sweetheart

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2021 53:24


    Allen sold his 50th Birthday Grand Seiko, and now he's run out and bought a sweet 33mm platinum 1984 Vacheron Constantin Historique and a Unimatic U4, which he feels embodies Milanese Brutalism. Find out why he's in The Horological Flow State.

    Why I Sold My 50th Birthday Grand Seiko At Age 51

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2021 62:57


    Allen explores his decision to sell his BIG 50th BIRTHDAY WATCH just one year later. This one is all about aligning one's true passion with one's budget, or lack thereof. And Allen explores how modern watch marketing can come between an owner and his watch.

    9000 Miles, 21 States, 5 Weeks, 1 Motorcycle & 1 Watch

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2021 47:24


    Allen return from an epic cross-country motorcycle trip with reservations about his Grand Seiko birthday watch and a head full of American Weirdness.

    Our First Watch - The Alsta x BTD Motoscaphe 120

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2021 63:11


    Allen goes into the ideas behind the Alsta Motoscaphe 120, one of a very few purpose built motorcycling watches. Not branded to match this or that bike, nor just a clever facelift, the Motoscaphe 120 is the culmination of Allen spending the last 30 years or so riding motorcycles with mechanical watches. 

    Eccentricity, Ostentation, Wealth & Watches

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2021 42:29


    Why do the rich get away with all kinds of bizarre quirky behavior while the rest of us are made to look silly when we express our little kinks?  The answer is complicated, and when we bring watches into the picture, it only gets more complicated.  

    Walt Odets - Going Beyond The Dial With The Original Watch Blogger

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2021 105:39


    Walt Odets is, by most accounts, the first person to blog about watches, thus creating a template for how watch journalism evolved over the past 20 years. His work, however, never resembled modern watch journalism; his was critical, mechanically minded, and decidedly unconcerned with fashion and trends. Allen and Walt discuss his journey in watches and much more.

    Satanic Ramblings

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 60:31


    Allen grabs the mic and speaks for an hour with zero edits on topics ranging from his dream of playing with The Grateful Dead (#letallenplay) to OEM straps to how mechanical ignorance leads to silly horological obsessions, and more...

    Divine Dials, Horological Hedonism & The Aesthetic Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2021 43:28


    Horology Inc. provides us with a vast array of dial colors able to splash dopamine onto our opiate receptors. We often dismiss new colors as a superficial trend lacking horological innovation, but Allen argues that - because splashy dials spontaneously inspire joy, beauty, and emotions that, science has shown, replicate our experience of Love - great dials may be closer to the center of The Aesthetic Revolution than we ever imagined. 

    Overlooking The Glory of Large Watches - A Case Study Featuring the Moser Pioneer Centre Seconds Limited Edition in Mad Red

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2021 32:46


    Allen breaks form on his approach to the hands-on review while exploring how Moser creates what is, in his opinion, one of the most beautiful watches currently being produced.

    Rolex vs. Gen X

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 44:45


    Can irony reconcile the cynical Gen X world view with a luxury hobby? Does the Swiss watch industry sell us "Vintage Nationalism" along with our watches? Did Jean-Claude Biver leverage anti-establishment tendencies with his anti-electronic rhetoric of the 1980s and 1990s?  Allen takes a stab at these topics and more in this essay episode.

    Lume

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2021 63:52


    In this essay-style episode, Allen takes a journey through the history of glow-in-the-dark materials, drawing a personal narrative spanning five decades alongside a technological and psycho-evolutionary analysis of luminescence. 

    From Singapore to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New York, London & Beyond

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 134:33


    Daniel and Lung Lung from The Waiting List podcast join Allen and James for a 2-hour conversation about how unique regional cultural experiences shape our attitudes toward watches and each other. Expect a lot of laughter and surprises as cross-cultural discoveries emerge in this lively conversation.

    Addressing Anti-Asian Hate (w/ James Im)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2021 74:36


    Flare ups in anti-Asian hatred in the USA have inspired communities to join together to raise voices and awareness around the often overlooked (and sometimes intentionally erased) abuses against Asian-Americans.

    Ducatis, Watches & Espresso Machines (with Jon Ferrer of Brew Watches)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2021 104:50


    Allen and Jon both ride Ducati Panigale V2s, and therefore have much to talk about. But they don't talk all that much about motorcycles, instead focusing on Jon's family's history at Cartier and Tiffany, Italian espresso machines, and the indie watch scene.

    Beyond The Dial's Promise To Our Readers & Listeners

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2021 28:17


    This is an explanation of how our commitment to you, our readers and listeners, requires that we maintain traditional journalistic ethical boundaries. It summarizes many months of concerted dialogue between the four founders as we created our brand of product journalism. That brand can be summarized as a promise to always keep you, our dear readers, as our primary allegiance.

    How They Work 1 - The Long History of Escapements

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2021 62:42


    Welcome to "How They Work," a series of episodes dedicated to understanding the devices behind the dial. In this introductory episode, David Flett walks Allen through a history of mechanical timekeeping going back over 5000 years and sweeping up to modern times.

    Back To Earth With The Omega Speedmaster (with Greg Bedrosian)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2021 66:08


    Greg knows his Star Wars, Speedmasters and NASA history inside out. Greg's rebuttal to Allen's deconstruction of "Grand American Space Narratives" via the Swiss watch industry opens up new ways of thinking about the Omega Speedmaster, humanity's role in space, and much more.

    Drifting Through Space With The Omega Speedmaster

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2021 78:37


    Allen finally takes on this horological masterpiece, which he's never really felt anything for at all - perhaps until now. From musicological analysis of Phillip Glass's minimalist music to deconstructing nationalist narratives, this episode doesn't critique Omega's branding of the Speedmaster as much as it critiques modern branding entirely.

    Grokking The Rolex Explorer II Polar White While Skiing Vail

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2020 22:30


    Allen takes us on a downhill journey back to his days as a ski-punk while rocking an Explorer II Polar White in Vail, CO. It's a tale of personal rediscovery aided by a badass tool watch.

    The Quartz Crisis - Part 2 - The Future of the 20th Century

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2020 54:51


    Following up on Episode 51, Allen turns a cultural-history lens onto the Quartz Crisis for a look at how quartz watches fit into the broader context of the 20th Century. Using his formal essay format, Allen contextualizes The Quartz Crisis as just one of many technological disruptions that ultimately culminated in the so-called Digital Revolution of the 21st Century.

    The Quartz Crisis - Part 1 (with Pedro Mendes)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2020 74:44


    Pedro comes on to discuss his new-found acceptance of some quartz watches, and he and Allen end up discussing the Quartz Crisis from many different angles. Notably not reaching consensus on key topics, this conversation leads to some rather interesting questions about how and why electronic watches disrupted the watch industry in the 1970s. The Quartz Crisis Part 2 will be a formal essay by Allen inspired by this discussion.

    watches notably rolex seiko horology pedro mendes quartz crisis
    50 Lessons From Allen's 30-Year Watch Obsession

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2020 49:44


    Episode 50 gets a special episode in which Allen spends one minute each on fifty different lessons he's learned over the past 30 years of being into watches.

    Dear Horology Inc., Enough With All The New Watches!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2020 35:15


    It's not just COVID-19, it's the hundreds of watch brands bombarding us with hundreds of "media worthy events" every year that's a creating clamorous mess. New watches hit the market every day, and it's exhausting. The decorum and sanity of a reasonable annual release schedule is long gone, but perhaps it's time for brands to innovate new marketing strategies before the white noise of Horology Inc drowns itself out.

    Wrist-Presence & The Inelegance of Tool Watches

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2020 60:38


    Evolutionary theory suggests that we are drawn to certain people and not others based on hardwired aesthetic judgements wrought over some five-million years. Allen suggests that similar hardwired aesthetics are at play when we judge "wrist presence," and goes on to suggest that tool watches categorically fail to achieve this elusive quality. A deep dive into Cartier and Rolex in the early 20th Century shows how very different impulses in creating the wrist watch, the former elegant, the latter not so much.

    Is Your Pilot's Watch a Nazi Watch? (with Oren Hartov)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2020 64:43


    We see so many recreations of vintage watches issued to commemorate moments in history, people, wars, accomplishments, and so on. A certain line of WWII pilot's watch recreations present difficult questions about memorializing the Hitler's Nazi regime. Israeli paratrooper and military watch expert Oren Hartov joins Allen in an open dialogue which explores numerous angles on what will always be a tricky subject.

    The In-House Oris Calibre 400 Movement (with VJ Geronimo)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2020 39:00


    The Calibre 400 is not the first of Oris' in-house modern movements, but it is their first work-horse automatic winding movement of the modern era. Designed from the ground-up according to Oris' value-focused ethos, this movement is highly efficient, packs a 5-day power reserve, is robustly anti-magnetic, and happens to look a bit like the Oris Bear. VJ gives us an in-depth consideration of this innovation.

    Collecting Concepts #2 - Spreadsheets, Soccer Timers & Mindfulness with James

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 87:41


    BTD guide James shares his concepts about collecting with Allen. They discuss James' spreadsheets, his love of Omega Soccer Timers, older railroad packet watches, and alarm watches. James gets into Buddhist philosophies about mindfulness as a guiding principle for watch collecting and life more generally. This episode wanders in a rather delightful manner.

    Seiko's Dueling Factories, with David Flett & Pedro Mendes

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2020 61:04


    Seiko famously had two factories working simultaneously in both collaboration and competition to produce the most accurate watches in the world in order to beat the Swiss at their own game. David and Pedro had done deep research into this topic and come up with new intel that's fascinating in its own right, and very relevant for collectors of Seikos and all watches.

    Mission Lake George - Part 2 (Allen Reflects on a Successful Mission)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2020 50:48


    With the diving behind them, the BTD Crew that dove Lake George is unpacking both their gear and their thoughts about the experience. Allen reads an essay he wrote about SCUBA diving in search of outbreaks of the invasive species Eurasian Milfoil, and he muses on everything from bringing climate change deniers together with environmentalists to how much better the Oris Divers 65 was than his dive computer.

    Mission Lake George - Part 1 (Concept & Plans)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2020 44:51


    Sponsored by Oris and in partnership with The Lake George Association, the BTD crew is headed out to document invasive species in this iconic American fresh water treasure nestled in the Adirondack Mountains. Allen and Shelley will be making 6 dives over two days to photograph Eurasian Milfoil, a plant that threatens fresh water ecosystems throughout the USA. In this episode, Greg and Allen discuss the mission, their preparation, their gear - including watches - and the concept of mission-based journalism.

    Narrowing Focus & Opening Vistas in Watch Collecting (with David Flett)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2020 62:38


    Allen and David discuss their simultaneous breakthroughs in their personal collections, with David going deep on very specific vintage Seikos and Allen finally admitting that the Cartier Tank is his favorite watch of all time, and thus worthy of his full attention.  David's keen distinction between watches one wears (the rotation) and those one collects (the collection) clarifies and focuses the whole endeavor of owning watches.

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