I culled my YouTube watch subscriptions
These are the only YouTubers I watch now other than any which crop up on WatchCrunch or on the YouTube home page. Since I only have 5 left, it's easy to work out that 80% of them are watch reviewers. I recommend them all. You'll like them. Probably.
None of them are the big names (other than Gedmis) because I've grown bored of the "watch personalities" due to their repetitive and often stale content. I also have no interest in the Kickstarter micro brands, watch dealers, sponsored content, or any overpriced luxury watches with their associated AD games. I just want a little bit of entertainment with my watch information, but not too much.
There were a few more very British watch reviewers I was watching until fairly recently, but a lot of them started to irritate me by either copying each other or aping the content and styles of the bigger names. Seeing the same watch being reviewed over and over again with no difference in what they were saying about it earned them the "unsubscribe" button. No, I won't "smash that like button" ever, thank you, I'll click it gently if I actually like your video after I've watched it, and I usually don't. Some of them just weren't very good at what they were trying to do.
I also have more than enough watches now, and I'm really only buying silly, quirky stuff occasionally for the sake of a quick fix. I don't have a wish list anymore or a grail, so there's no point watching "influencers" to help me choose something else I don't need to spend my money on. If I want something, I'll buy it. I don't need persuading. If I haven't already bought something, I haven't liked it enough to want it.
I don't need self-proclaimed "lifestyle gurus" either because I'm almost in my golden years and have already made my own choices about how to live my life without them. In fact, I made most of my important choices before they were even born, and certainly long before YouTube ever existed. They have nothing relevant to say which would make my lifestyle any different to how it is, except they could possibly make it worse in some cases. A lot of them seem to like the sound of their own voices way too much, and have nothing worthwhile which isn't already common sense or common knowledge anyway. They aren't bad people, but what they have to offer isn't of any use to me.
I might add more subscriptions, but they probably won't be "watch people". I have a lot of varied (and quite eclectic) interests and many videos which I've saved on lists already. At the moment, I've been watching a lot of videos about mountaineering, although it's not something I would ever do. Prior to that, I watched a lot of videos about mountain biking, until they started to repeat the same content too.
Maybe it's just the nature of YouTube that the content creators run out of ideas eventually but want to keep the ad revenue coming in until their audiences get fed up and leave or new subscribers who haven't seen the older content appear. Maybe I'm too cynical and just bored with YouTube in general.
Have you culled your YouTube subscriptions lately, and if so, why?
I'm pretty much done with collecting now, but I've certainly got a good variety of affordable watches. As an occasional YouTuber, I'm a comedian not an influencer. Skmei is the new Casio!
I make it a point not to subscribe in the first place.
I agree with most of your opinion. I am guilty of sometimes enjoying the exorbitant and unattainable watch content on YT.
I have observed bigger Watch brands promoting their new releases via these social media influencers, example the recent rise in tissot suggestions like their prx on multiple American watch channels.
Amongst many I have come across, Teddy has a been an interesting content creator who has videos for all sorts of watch enthusiasts who also promotes his dealership. Beans and Bezels is another excellent creator.
I haven’t reached that saturation level with these Watch reviewing YouTubers. Probably because I just use YT to answer specific queries about a watch that caught my eye. Which is why I did not find the need to subscribe to any of these channels. Have a great weekend!
Ps: I am keen on checking out the channels recommended by OP.
c90 adventures is great, you only get about one video a year but it's a well crafted, well edited, interesting watch and usually nearly an hour long, quality not quantity.
My Youtube list is,
Johns Watch Joint - Focuses mostly on Chinese brands and is not afraid to highllight poor quality.
Mad Watch Collector @MWC2020 - Just watch to agree with his wifes opinion.
Just One More Watch - Unless the watch grabs me in the first 30 seconds I turn off.
Bens Watch Club @benswatchclub - Not much new content on there these days.
And of course the Youtube algorithm throws plenty of other related content to me.
You should ad Nico,Ben and Teddy to.
They are like base of watch content on youtube.
I am now here becouse I saw this app from Ben's Watch Club
Sorry you feel this way my friend! There are many of us that hat try to do things differently and sometimes we get slammed for NOT being like every other review channel. The beauty of YouTube is there will definitely be RIGHT channel for everyone , you just may have to search for it. All the best
Thanks to WatchCrunch, I found out about Wristwatch Revival which is an amazing channel where Marshall shows exactly how he fixes/restores watches and explain every detail of the process. I'm absolutely fascinated with his work even though I'm not really a "collector", yet, but just really love looking at different watches, and now, especially inside of them.
A while back I religiously watched the timepiece gentlemen, Nico, Paul Thorpe and Luxary Bazzar/Roman Sharf, I mean every video, old videos, I waited each week for the new ones, I bored my wife with tales from them, then all of a sudden I just lost interest, in a way that now I haven’t watched any of their videos for months, I don’t know what changed, even though I love watches I think the fact they were talking about watches way out of my league I found it didn’t relate with me, now I find myself watching Jody and Russ as they show videos that I can relate to, Casio, seiko, watches under £1000, plus these guys have something about them, they have character, I’ll check out your recommendations 👍🏼
Nice recommendations, thanks!
I’ve not unsubscribed from anyone - but I do find myself enjoying smaller content creators - even if they have less production value - they bring their own unique voices.
“Time My collection” was one I found this week
Hi me Ole matey, it’s Ben and Marshall for me only and I will add rarely……👍🏻
Meybe this guy
Have you seen him
You should ad Nico,Ben and Teddy to.
They are like base of watch content on youtube.
I am now here becouse I saw this app from Ben's Watch Club
Same
Some good points I whole heartedly agree with.
I just wish you’d condensed your post significantly. It would have more reach as most people will “TL:DR”
No, not that one. I'm tempted to say he was FredyUS or something like that, but that's not him either. I think he was Muslim because he did the Muslim greeting at the beginning, which is neither here nor there anyway, and he speaks fluent English unlike FredyUS. He did a lot of AliExpress and GearBest reviews, but then it became Seiko after Seiko which was boring.
Btw, I don't just watch the English language reviews, I've watched all of them even if I have no clue what some of them were saying, because I've had way too much free time on my hands. 😜
If he's Malaysian, I think that's because we can buy Seiko just about anywhere here. Heck, some gray sellers here even sells JDM models for rather cheap (because the scalpers will get pushed out by the fierce competition).
Also wouldn't be surprised if he stopped with AliExpress brands after getting burned by one of their shops.
I understand your frustration. No, I get it because I started my own channel due to that. Almost every watch review that I saw was merely a reading of the specs. They never talked about what it's like to actually live with the watches. "It's a splendid 40mm .. perfect for every wrist. And the lug to lug is perfect." Haha. They didn't feel like collector videos so much as store fronts. They never talked about the personal meaning for their lives or collection.
My friends were tired of my watch talk, so I turned to this forum (great!). And then trying to build my own community on YouTube. And I'm guilty of saying .. "See you in the next video". That really came from my time doing cooking videos. I didn't know what to say at the end so I tried different phrases and settled on that.
But to be honest, my most viewed and subscribed videos are my market analysis of Rolex prices. I had been struggling to buy a Rolex at retail and agonizing about buying used. So as an economist, I made some videos predicting future Rolex prices. Those got lots of views! In fact, my analysis got picked up by Watch Charts and Jenni Elle, I think a couple of others, likely Brit. No big deal, I'm glad to spread the word about Rolex prices given the frustration.
Being on this side, I also get the pressure about new releases. That's why you see so many talking about the same watch. You can see the analytics. And of course, you want your channel to grow. It's not even about money (of which there is none); it's about validation for your efforts. You get an endorphin hit from a like or comments.
When I dropped by first video, someone commented, "Nice, but how will you be different from all the other channels"? I told him all I can do is be myself. That means being an economist and contributing to an understanding of the market, and talking about my personal collecting. But it's a struggle under the tyranny of the algorithms. I often catch myself staring at a watch and thinking will that get any views? And then snap out of it.
I still watch TVG. He got me back into watches after a long hiatus. I do like his long historical takes, learning stuff along the way. I bought the Casio Duro, and a few other watches due to his reviews. So he is personally relevant to my collecting. I watched Jenni to learn how to pronounce those fancy brand names. I do enjoy Brit due to her self deprecating humor. Let's not take this too seriously, shall we. It's a fun hobby with lots of personal meaning.
So far, I've been enjoying making my videos and seeing where it takes me. I feel like I get to say what I really want to say about watch collecting.
My favorite channels as of now:
About Effing Time, WatchCrunch, Talking Hands (his own channel), Youreterrific, Oisin (not the live-streams), TGV some stuff, Teddy for specific info and watches (his ying/yang collabs with the bald guy are fun).
Oh yeah, and MadWatchCollector, I just bought the Bronze Seagull after watching one of his videos, I was interested for awhile in the standard watch anyway, so the anniversary watch sealed the deal.
My favorite watch that I own is a Grand Seiko (my wife uses a Lady GS daily also). What I aspire to next is Vacheron Constantin if my net worth will ever get high enough to permit that indulgence.
I’m totally addicted and “watch” them all and enjoy all the different angles and perspectives they offer.
Watch crunch is my favorite 😉 but love the various collector videos, the crazy reaction stuff, unboxing, “tough” negotiations in NYC and only because of YouTube I need to visit the Dubai airport. Our airport in Arizona has zero watch boutiques 😂
bring them on!!!!
I have a pretty good friend who is also a bit of a dick but is the one watch enthusiast guy that I know who is intimately connected to the gossip, news watches that everybody will want next year. He worked for years for the Canadian civil service travelling to the four corners of the globe. There is a rumour that he received a call for a white dial ceramic Daytona because some watch seller in Mexico City became smittened with his stewardess daughter. He and his fourth wife returned from a vacation in Dubai a few weeks ago suggested we meet for a fast lunch to catch up our news. I cannot compete against my friend when it comes to wearing the latest high demand watches but recall talking a few years ago about the Omega DSOM. I finally bought one to share with my friend. He politely examined my new ceramic before asking about the level of interest with the Silver Snoopy iteration watch? Very!! He informed me that looking into various ads for the SS in Dubai revealed a 10 year waiting list. 😂
I hate to be "that guy", but it's not really a "hobby". It's actually part of marketing, because even the bad reviews get a product known when it might have received no advertising before. Even if the reviewer gets no financial reward from it, they are still helping to market the watch to someone somewhere who will buy it. For example, nobody gave a good review of the Orient retro diver reissue, but it's still selling extremely well, and I want one when the price drops a bit.
The lines blur even more when the videos are made for "entertainment", because then it's "showbiz". And, not being patronising, but that's show business with the emphasis on business. Nobody in showbiz does it for the good of it or for free (unless they are already comfortably off, or there are other more charitable exceptions to my generalisation), but because it's a job. When YouTube goes from being a hobby to a full time job and a way to make a living, the content had better be good, because it's going to get a lot of scrutiny.
Ok, but I wasn't talking about youtube. I was saying watch collecting is a hobby. Maybe that didn't come across. And are you saying you don't want any reviews of watches on youtube? I think even the biased reviewed do have some value in terms of hands on experience. I intend to do more than that but I acknowledge that many people are making good faith efforts to convey useful information.
Well, it sounds like you are pretty much done with collecting and find little of value there. But not everyone is at the same place.
And now you have shown yourself to be one of the reasons why I will never subscribe to your channel. You must have sat there all triggered, taking offence where none was given, and started ascribing opinions to me and putting words in my mouth which I never said. That's actually rather rude of you.
Obviously, since you highly rate such disingenuous grifters as Britt and Jenni, everything else you have to offer is tainted with the same lack of discernment.
Now of course, you'll probably play the victim and call me rude, when it was in fact you who misread what the post was about, used it as a springboard to tell us about your new YouTube channel which nobody cares about (and we don't even care what anybody is wearing on their wrist all that much either), and completely ignored somehow that, yes, my entire post is about YouTube.
But watch collecting isn't a hobby. It really isn't. It's just buying things. We are consumers who have been trained, persuaded, or brainwashed into buying more and more stuff all the time. So if shopping is a hobby now, then it is a hobby, but that's not what my post was about this time anyway.
Did you see that interview with Jordan Peterson which became a meme because the woman on it kept saying, "So what you are saying is..." and then filling in her own version which wasn't what the man was saying at all? If not, you should be aware of it, and learn from it that it's not a good way to have any kind of conversation with normal people in the real world even if you have severe communication disabilities as an excuse. It is designed to frustrate and gets people's backs up and dates back to Plato using a fictional version of Socrates to be an irritant to "experts" in classical Athens. I am familiar with it, and the rest of the elenchus form of argument, and I'm not taking the bait even though I'm responding to it. So no, I'm obviously not saying that I don't want any reviews on YouTube. I even recommended the 4 reviewers I'm still subscribed to at the start of my post, which shows a lack of reading comprehension on your part, or a desire to just cause an argument.
Yes, that's what it says on my profile too and has done since I first filled it in when I joined WatchCrunch. Are you new here? 😜
They'll get there in their own time. It would be a very boring world if they already were. 🤣😂
Ok, reading your reply, I wondered if it's wise to continue this conversation. But I want to let you know that I was not offended by anything that you said. Not at all. You're entirely within your rights to say anything here.
My point of view was that you posted about youtube watch reviews, and I honestly felt I was contributing to the conversation by sharing my experience from the other side. But I suppose a certain cynicism is warranted now a day. And reading your post, I was quite sure that you would not and should not subscribe to my channel.
I do think you are being harsh in calling those other channel 'grifters'. I believe those persons are genuine watch enthusiasts; and they are trying their best to balance self interest with genuine desire to help others.
As for the interview, yes, I watched it. There were ridiculous things said by both sides. The journalist was pushing an agenda. And Jordan said things that were scientifically inaccurate. That whole lobster thing was patently absurd. The truth is both were pushing their own perspective. It was an ugly clash and no one was the winner. But if one were to apply your logic, then Jordan is also a grifter making millions from his followers.
If watch collecting for you has become simply 'buying things' then I get your cynicism. But I'm not at that place and doubt I ever will.
I personally wouldn't let it get to you or even waste your time if you have got to a level where simply watching videos has burnt you out. Thats deep!
I definitely get tired of the click bait head lines and the cringe takes sometimes. It just gets disingenuous at times and you see how ppl eat it up.
The only 2 channels I consistently tune into is You’re Terrific and Theo & Harris. The former because I enjoy Evan’s humor and the latter because I enjoy the fun chemistry between Christian and Michael. Not for everyone but more entertaining than most. 👌
Sorry you feel this way my friend! There are many of us that hat try to do things differently and sometimes we get slammed for NOT being like every other review channel. The beauty of YouTube is there will definitely be RIGHT channel for everyone , you just may have to search for it. All the best
Ah don't feel bad I'm a big fan and you remind me a bit of Benny Hill. The wife's opinion is just frosting on the cake! 😅
I go from time to time into a youtube purge. Where I delete most of them. Them when the algorithms decide to show them again I have like twenty episodes to choose from only the ones that really interests me instead of having them pushed everyday. There is simply too much content being produced theses day for one to view them all.
There are so many that I culled just because of my own "If they say/do this one more time, they're gone!" philosophy (and point where my patience has been tried for way too long) that we'd be here for a week talking about it.
None of them are perfect because we're all human, mistakes happen, and the biggest problem is when these guys are doing it on their own with nobody to bounce off, which makes it much harder. Sitting there making content for any medium whether it's video, podcasting, or blogging is very isolating and sometimes a very lonely experience. It's very disheartening when you've spent hours or days on something to get either no views or a load of unnecessary backlash because someone vocal doesn't "get it" or is "offended" or there's some equally lame reason to be a spoilsport. That only applies to those who put any effort in at all though.
The one thing I detest more than any other is when one of them gets a certain watch and does well with it in terms of views, but then all the others have to get the same watch and talk about it again... and again... and again! The Tissot PRX and the MoonSwatch were both very popular and very polarising, and good examples of this herd mentality. Milking every last bit of ad revenue out of the system is up to the individuals themselves, but it is the heart of the problem with the YouTube game. I can't blame them for wanting free money, we all have bills to pay, but there's a point where they should move on because it's not interesting anymore. Suffice it to say that any mention of Tudor now (especially Tudor Black Bay or Pelagos) and I'm out.
Bach in the day that was the seiko skx and hamilton khaki field they moved on a bit. I like the prx and I recommend it often to new watch collectors but yeah that and the bb58 I hope the wheel turn soon.
Surely, you haven't had too much of Hugo, darling?
In all seriousness, I have culled too, but I still like TGV. Some find him irritating, but his content is well thought out and his production chops show. Very professional looking. He's not everyone's cup of tea but I find his videos entertaining and oddly comforting. I'm a bit of an anglophile anyway.
Also like:
Jody from JOMW
Peter Kotsa (also slick production values)
And MWC. I like him. He's also not everyone else's cup of tea either, but his enthusiasm shows.
Time Teller. He's pretty good. And man, if taking the piss out of Hodinkee was a drinking game. I'd be ripped watching his videos.
I can't abide that thing. LOL
I'm an awful human being because part of me loves that stupid dinosaur.
My Youtube list is,
Johns Watch Joint - Focuses mostly on Chinese brands and is not afraid to highllight poor quality.
Mad Watch Collector @MWC2020 - Just watch to agree with his wifes opinion.
Just One More Watch - Unless the watch grabs me in the first 30 seconds I turn off.
Bens Watch Club @benswatchclub - Not much new content on there these days.
And of course the Youtube algorithm throws plenty of other related content to me.
Just watch to agree with his wife's opinion. Lol 🤣