Ep 877 : Shane Russeck owner of the True North Watch Company

All right, here we are. Another episode of Let There Be Talk. It is going to be watch Talk today. Introduce yourself, my man. >> What's up? I'm Shane Russ. I own True North Watch Company in Los Angeles. >> I can't I can't even believe like like how long have I known you? >> So, it's funny. I was thinking about that this morning. I think it's been almost 20 years since I've seen you. >> That's [ __ ] nuts. >> Is that crazy? >> That is nuts. Yeah, you and I. I was thinking about it and your name actually comes up often. We were at the Laugh Factory, I believe it was, and we saw it was before the really infamous crazy thing, but um Michael Richardson, we were there and we saw him completely go crazy on a uh on a member on an audience member. Do you remember that or no? Oh, dude. I was just talking to Bill Burr about it because sometimes when I talk to people, they look at me and Bill doesn't, but I could tell he's still, you know, people look at you like you're a liar, you know, like >> every time I tell that story, I feel the same. Yes. >> Not only that story, but just stories in my life after a while, you just start feeling weird. You walk away and you're like, "Yeah, they didn't believe me." You know, but I just told Bill that story. The when we were there, it was the guitar player for Poison, Richie Codson. It's amazing that you even just brought that up because this was literally a week ago when I talked about this with Bill. >> How funny is that? Well, I I do feel like when it comes to you, that happened and then since then, I saw your career just like go and go and go and go and go. So, uh, yes. So, I always think about you with that one particular, uh, with that one particular story. For sure. >> And I wasn't even doing comedy at the time. I was just going every Tuesday for Jay Davis's like Life of the Party uh, shows, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. But you were always, it was always like being with a comedian with you anyway. So, it's all the same. >> And are you still riding? >> I do. I I do ride. Um, not every day. I rode every day for 32 years and then I got ran over. Um and uh and then kind of, you know, it just I was like, well, it it's gotten so crazy in the last 10 years with weed smoking and texting that it's almost impossible to ride now. But I do ride like early mornings like 6 a.m. you know or when I'm on the road with like Bill or something like we rode out to the uh Shining Hotel recently Ducati. >> Super cool. >> Yeah, they hooked us up Ducati. And so we ride on the road and I realized that's real riding where you're just no cars around and you're just enjoying the two wheels, you know. >> How about you? Yeah, I don't have a bike right now, but I I think for guys like you and I, as long as everything's okay and there's not anything unfortunate that happens, that's at this point that's a lifelong thing when it comes to riding, cars, all that kind of stuff, like that's definitely a lifelong thing. >> Yeah. Oh god. Yeah. Now, we met through West Coast Choppers, I believe. >> We met through West Coast Choppers. Yeah. You know, it's funny because a lot of times when people talk to me about watches and building watches and they ask influences, it was those guys from that time period though they were building motorcycles, we were surrounded by such insane creativity and the level that guys were taking these motorcycles to and the idea of handbuilding something, it was it was really inspiring to me. So when I started building watches, those names from back then, Indian Larry and Billy Lane and Jesse and all these guys, they were like a although it's a completely different industry, they were really big influences, actually much bigger than anyone in in the watch world. >> Well, I think the one of the worst things about humanity is what I would call jealousy. And that goes with um you know the old thing of like look at this guy in his Ferrari, what a [ __ ] dick. Or you know, look at this guy in his chopper, he's got a small dick. And and what people don't understand is there's such a small small um amount of people that of course buy something for look at me, but I really believe that the people that love a watch, a chopper, handmade stuff, a uh Porsche, Ferrari, any of these cars, it starts early on when you don't you're you're Not like a kid in sixth grade like look at me. You're more like it's a design addiction and that's you know with architecture midcentury. It's really about well this doesn't look like a [ __ ] strip mall to me. Why is this so cool and affecting me? So that is a thing with watches big time early on. Who you know what got you into watches? Me it was James Bond. Mhm. A lot of people is James Bond for sure. I think that when it comes to watches and it comes to great design, we all have our things like I have in my office over here. I've gotten one recently. Swatch watches were really big to me when I was younger. I'm sure that this is very uh has to do with your age, but like the um old Nelson Sonic video game watches. I don't know if that's where it started. When it comes to design and being inspired by things, your eyes get opened a little bit. And I know I can say I've said this about several things and you mentioned West Coast Choppers and I felt this way about West Coast Choppers as well. Certain things for what they are I believe are as good as they can get when it comes to design. So for example, if you take a Rolex Daytona, if you take a Porsche 911, if you take one of Jesse's early choppers, these in my opinion for the context of what they are, it's as good as it can get. anything else you do will go past the line of perfection in that design. And when you start noticing things like that, it kind of sticks with you and then you take it with you and you notice it in everything you start to look at. And then that's where at least I find my inspirations. It's funny. Somebody uh recently I saw a builder and I'm not even going to mention who it was because I don't even really remember the name, but he had built kind of a a a really beautiful CFL style chopper mid controls two up. And I said, "Man, that thing's [ __ ] cool." He's like, "Thanks." And I go, "Yeah, I um I at one time owned the the uh you know, the Rust Chopper and uh and also Death Dealer." And I named some other bikes. And he's all, "Are you talking about those [ __ ] shitty West Coast Choppers?" And I just I was like, "Whoa, dude. First of all, you're copying exactly what he did." He goes, "I've known numerous people that have owned those and those Revtec motors. [ __ ] that." And I go, "Wait, they don't even have Revtec motors. This guy doesn't even know what the [ __ ] he's talking about. He's ripping off somebody's design." Now, Jesse didn't invent the chopper, but he was wise enough to go like, "Oh, wait a minute. The 60s choppers are killer. Let's make them to where we can ride 120 miles an hour." So this guy was like completely a [ __ ] and he was like completely aggro on his DMs to me though. I just [ __ ] you know, muted them. I was like, "Wow, man." So it is uh I understand what you're saying. People get a design and then you don't really, you know, you can't really improve on it, but you can make it your own thing. uh you can improve on it, but I'm saying you don't want to change too much of the flavor because you you love the um the the whole DNA of it. >> Correct. >> So, >> and that's that's again that's what I think to go back to Jesse, you take somebody who obviously loved choppers, had a very specific type of chopper that he that he liked and had his reasons for liking that. So when you incorporate all these influences and what you like, eventually it does become your own. There's nothing about, you know, Jesse's bikes that weren't original. He was inspired by the past. But I've had similar things to you with people. And I I think a lot of that just comes down to jealousy. I once called a shop. You would definitely know them and actually like the owner of the shop, but they told me when I I had a Diablo that I needed something done and um the guy said, "No, we only work on custom bikes here. His bikes aren't custom." Okay. Like cool. like we don't even need to get into that conversation. That's just a silly thing to say. So, um >> yeah, and also to sit around and go, "Oh, those are just rich people's bikes that don't ride." Sure, rich people bought them, but that's what kept the shop alive to where somebody like myself could get in there. Now, you owned the Sturgees Special. >> No, never. >> Oh, you didn't know? Oh, no. You owned the Copper Chopper. >> Copper Chopper. Yeah. >> And what else did you have? I can't remember. I had that and I had a uh blue Diablo that we built at the shop. >> That's right. Oh yeah. With the short fender. >> Yeah. I was a really really really big fan of that bike. That was that was a great bike. And the copper bike obviously was just incredible. And the uh guy who had last had it I know had a really big collection of those bikes. So it was cool to see it there with all those other motorcycles. >> Was it the tow truck guy? >> No. No. Um wasn't a tow truck guy. And I believe when I had last spoken to him, I believe he had Sturgeis also. He had a lot of them. Like when I'd last spoken, he had gotten a lot of those bikes. So again, it was cool seeing them with somebody who appreciated that so much. >> Now, how long did you have the bikes and then what made you eventually sell them? >> I had the bikes. The blue bike I The blue bike I didn't have as long. The copper bike I had for a while. I think with Jesse, with the shop being gone, right, >> and I didn't really have anybody that I trusted at that level to service that bike. So, it just got more to the point where I was like caretaking for that motorcycle versus really enjoying it. So, it was just time to sell it. It was And I'm not one of those guys. I don't get emotionally attached to things. I like to see them, enjoy them, respect them, and then it can go on to somebody else. I'm okay with that. >> Yeah, I'm the same way. And also, uh, as much as I love Chongo Blanco, uh, I felt that for my height and my, uh, you know, like I'm only 57 on a good day with boots. So, the two-up death dealer was the ultimate riding for me. And I had sold that to get the Chongo Blanco. And Chongo Blanco to me was kind of the crown jewel of the [ __ ] thing, you know? >> For me, too. I remember when you had that and I agree with you on that. >> Yeah, it really is the ultimate West Coast choppers. Nobody had done anything like that. It was all rusted, weird patina. It had the crazy ape on there. It was It was epic. If that bike was a twoup, I probably would still own it, you know, but it was a little bit of a stretch. And then, you know, I had like prostate problems from hitting speed bump, you know, potholes. Right. I was like >> that little seat in the rigid frame. Cher share. >> [ __ ] yeah. >> And then he did a he did a Dominator, the Cisco Dominator, and I loved the dimensions of that motorcycle. I always thought that like that was really that and Chongo, I would say, were my two favorite bikes that he did. >> Yeah. I, you know, to me, I wish I could buy Headfield's uh two up knuckle, let's call it, like pop ahead or something. >> It's an awesome bike. I remember when that bike was done. That's an awesome bike. >> Yeah, it's a knucklehead engine. And it's a two up and it's real small. I like the small choppers and I like them up a little bit to where you turn it into a driveway. You don't drag the frame. >> Yeah. Friend of mine, Timothy White, he's a photographer, has a Rolex the I mean I'm sorry. Yeah, Timothy has the Rolex, the Indian Larry bike Rolex. >> Oh yeah. >> Dimensions. It's perfect. The bike is absolutely perfect because it's exactly what you're saying. It's the size that you can still handle it, but it has the stance that you want that motorcycle to have. >> Yeah. The Indian Larry with the chain down to the rolling sands bikes and and West Coast and some of the exiles are so [ __ ] mindboggling great it's not even funny. Even when I see them now, I've scooped up a bunch over the years. you know, they dropped down in in price and and uh that was because people didn't know what the [ __ ] they were doing. So, uh give it give it to you for 25. It's like, okay, here all day long, you know, you got to know how to sell these bikes. They're not just a [ __ ] special construction. You got an exile. Nobody has an exile, >> right? You sell that [ __ ] thing as like this handmade over in van eyes in a warehouse by a dude and it looks like nothing else, you know? >> Right. And those bikes too, man. They they remain pretty timeless. Like they'll always be around. They'll always have that MadMax thing that he was going for. Another super super cool company. >> So what do you do after that? Do you get into Porsche? >> Well, I've always been into Porsche. I actually I I learned to drive stick when I was 14 years old on a 930 Turbo. So Porsches have always been a a huge passion. Porsches and and certain muscle cars. As a matter of fact, the copper bike when after that I got a uh 440 Cuda and that would be out of anything that I've had that would be one thing that I sold that I miss a lot. Like that I'd like to have back, >> right? >> So, >> but yeah, it was more more older cars now. Like I definitely went more in that direction than motorcycles. >> Right. Yeah. Yeah. I had a a 70 Dodge Superb B5 blue. >> I've seen that. I remember that. And I think I've seen that. >> I had a 69 Roadrunner convertible R1 red. >> Okay. Oh, so you were always a Mopar guy, too. >> Oh, yeah. Oh, Mopar. What's the thing? Magnus says no. Mopar or >> no? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> So, um, >> so how do you get into the watches? >> So, during all that time, I'm actually a wildlife photographer. So during that time when I was out shooting, I was shooting killer whales and I was wearing a watch, a 1675 that was a gift given to me and I was so concerned about banging the watch as I was shooting that when I went back that night, I'd always played with watches. I was into watch making as a hobby and um I thought I'm going to build myself something cool that I can wear on a shoot that has the aesthetics I like and I don't have to worry about it. So did that and I would say for about maybe three years I would build watches from friends. I'd buy parts. I'd restore things and then Jonathan Ward from Icon, I don't know if you had him on your show. I feel like you guys know each other. >> I had him on the show. >> Yeah. I made him a watch. He posted it and then like I really started getting a lot of requests for them. So at this time I was still handmaking every watch. So there was definitely a ceiling on what I was capable of doing or not. And when I started to see people's reactions and people wanting the watches, I thought, you know what, we should really start to do this a little bit more and see how the reactions go. And, you know, fortunately, we really hit the ground running and people really enjoy the watches and it's all just kind of just snowballed from there and just continues to. >> Now, what was the first one you did? Like a a sub. I have a sub. It's like a military a milspec sub. What was >> Yeah. No, we we actually didn't do didn't do very many of those. I did them, but we didn't do very many. Uh, the first watch that I ever did was a just an original design chronograph that again, you kind of Do I have No, I don't have it here. That would feel like you've seen it before. And then we went into really heavily going into all the different chronograph styles. And I've done a couple dive watches, but dive watches aren't really the focus. Chronographs are really my passion. That's that's where I really land when it comes to collecting and what I'm primarily interested in. >> And what year was that? How long you been in business? >> 2023. >> 2023. Yeah. We were doing classic trucks before that. That's what True North was. It was a kind of hobby passion project during COVID when I wasn't really traveling and shooting. We were fixing up mostly K10s and um >> fixing them up, restoring them, selling them. I'm a huge huge K10 fan and uh then we did the watch um and just started focusing more on the watch. One the desiraability I mean so many people wanted them and two watches are I love trucks but watches are more there's nothing on a watch I can't do. There's a lot on a truck I can't do. So that was why when I saw the interest was there, we kind of pivoted around 2022 and really started focusing on just watches. >> Let's give the uh the watchers here, the watchers, the viewers uh show them some of the stuff here and let's go through them here. >> First, I'll show you something cool that I actually made for you. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. Let's see that. >> You had mentioned that you liked our 2480, which was our >> 100%. >> Yeah. But I noticed that I've never seen you wear anything small. I always see you in 40 millimeter. Am I am I reading that? >> Yeah. 38 to 40. >> Okay. So, I wanted to make you something that would kind of fit that. So, this is our Let me see if you could see it. This is a 40 mm 2480 that I made you. You mentioned you like that color. >> This is a one-off case, oneoff bracelet. And this watch won't go into production. So, everything about this watch is a unique watch that was made for you. And again, the concept though it has modern dimensions when you see it, it it has that vintage watch feel. So, I'm not sure if you can see that that well. >> Oh, yeah. That's great. Now, it's 40 mm. >> This is 40 millimeter. >> Is that quartz or automatic? >> Quartz. >> Quartz moon phase. So, for me, a big thing with the brand is that I want everything to be affordable, >> right? >> So, as long as I know when I first started, I wasn't sure about quartz. I'm very honest about that. I didn't know how I felt about doing quartz. I got the first Mecca quartz prototype and I have to say, first off, it was great to be able to put a watch on and not have to set the time. That was actually pretty cool if you didn't wear it for a while. And it just didn't bother me. The accuracy, the affordability, and the durability of the watches, that's that's where I find we land, and that's what's important to me. >> Well, my favorite watch on the planet is the FPJ. You know, it's a quartz watch. >> Uhhuh. Uh-huh. you know, and and that thing's [ __ ] like a hundred grand, you know, >> right? Listen, I mean, >> yeah, my mind changed completely on and we still do automatics 100%. But for certain watches to make it in the context with affordability as a very, very, very big priority that I think that quartz movements in the right context with the right design can work. Okay, let's see some more stuff. Which, by the way, I love that watch, you know, that you just showed me. You know, Kevin and I have been talking about the we we've come up with the ultimate Delray. Kevin, like I uh moon phase with a pink dial. >> Moonphase with a pink dial. That's >> I mean, if you want, you could do this and you could throw We We just did a pink dial with one of the wind watches. So, you throw a pink dial in that. That that that's what I'm talking about. You know what I mean? That's the Delray. >> Well, now you got the Delray. That's what we'll name that watch. The Del Rey. >> Yeah. Hell yeah. >> When I when I photograph it, that's what it'll be called. >> Hell yeah. Now, what else do you have? >> Oh, do you have that that one that's sold out? It's like the the the Daytona, but it's like green and and yellow, and >> you don't even have one, huh? So, the funny thing with that watch, first one we did sold out in I think it was 28 seconds. >> What? How many How many units? >> 250. The I can't Was it 200 or 250? I've forgotten because we changed the number for the next release. And then they went they got even faster. So, those watches go so fast that with the second release, I said, "Okay, I'm putting some aside for myself for sure. Like, I'd like to have this watch." >> Yeah. It went so fast that our server crashed and I saw it said -10 under the inventory. So, I actually had to call 10 people and tell them, "Listen, I'm really sorry, but you didn't get the watch. I know you think you did." And both Eric and myself ended up buying watches on eBay because they were going for like $2,500 right after that. Buying watches on eBay to give to customers who are really upset with us that they didn't get it. It was for something that you think would be like really celebratory. Like that's incredible. They sold out so fast. It was also not because there were a lot of people who buy every watch I do who've become friends who are like really loyal customers who were pretty upset that they didn't get one. >> So we have a new launch October 2nd and this time we did 1990 watches >> of the same dial. >> Yeah. And so the goal here is that we really want to make sure that we can keep the watch limited. It was available that one time, but everybody can get one. That's something that we're really really striving for because it has been an issue with things selling out so quickly. >> Yeah. There was that one guy, that big high up older dude. He was like recommended the watch on like Hodinki or something or or some news thing. He was like, I love this one. You know that that older dude. >> Kevin Olir. >> Huh? >> Kevin Ori. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Apparently he he saw somebody with it from across a room at a party. Yeah. >> And he went up to her and asked where she got it and that was how he found out about it. And stuff like that's so cool cuz I don't always hear about that stuff. And then all of a sudden I'll see on social media or I'll see like all of a sudden there's like 5,000 new followers and whatever and you have to backtrack and then you find out, oh wow, how cool is that? Kevin Olirri was on the news talking about the watch today. >> That was nuts. >> That stuff ends up being very cool. Well, the the there's kind of a good thing about what you're doing is that in this, you know, in the last five years of these uh smashing grabs and these people robbing people at, you know, dinner, you know, they're eating dinner at Beverly Hills getting their watch robbed and stuff. There's something amazing about being able to to enjoy something uh you know for the design but not have to worry about you know if they come up and rob you they're just dumb. You're like yeah here take this. You know >> that's the whole concept of the brand. And surprisingly one thing that was a surprise was how many watch collectors have been buying my watches for those exact reasons. They buy them, they vacation, they wear them, which again, people I have people who send me concepts all the time. I'd love to see you do this. I'd love to see a split-second chronograph and I'd love and as a watch fan, I love all that, too. It's just not true north because affordability is a big part of True North, right? >> So, like I said, affordability and reliability, those are like the two most important things I have obviously along with design. >> Let's see some other ones. You got some other there. >> Yeah. So, here I'm just trying to show you some new stuff we have. One thing that I really want to work on um is our straps. We have a lot of really, really, really cool straps coming out. So, like this is an example. This is our Moholland, which I also sent you. >> Yeah, >> this has been hands down the most popular watch that we've had. So, this is a handmade leather bracelet that we have coming out for this exact case. You can see the curvature on it at the end matches the radius with the case. So, it just fits in there nicely. >> Hold on. I I want to show you something. Hold on. Hold on. I thought I had it. I that's my favorite style strap because you you have the white stitching on it and then you don't in I don't like metal and that's leather >> and and so I bought a strap like that from Switzerland a few years ago and I mean I completely mutilated it from riding in the sun and >> but they look cool that way. That works. No, it wor it was great, but it had a backing on it and it came apart. So, I you know, I love that style. So, that's going to be a strap I have to own because I love the white stitching and then leather instead of you know like all those uh you know military straps, they all have the metal >> and it [ __ ] bangs on [ __ ] you know. >> Sure. Sure. Sure. I got ADD or or not ADD, but I'm I'm like uh what what is that called? >> OCD. >> Yeah. OCD. >> So, you'll relate to this. I And you'll know what this is. I had just gotten a new a restored rimlow steering wheel. Do you remember them? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> I was so excited about this steering wheel. Sunday night, went out, came home, got home at about 11:00 at night and looked and my swatch had put little scratches in it from what I was turning like, oh, it sucked so bad. So, but you know, that's just that's just part of it. But another thing that I have that I'm really excited that we have, I love bun straps. >> I think they're cool. They have a really cool Paul Newman kind of feel, but sometimes they feel big and like they're they're wearing the watch, right? So, what we did is we have a line of buns coming out that we designed right to fit smoothly along the side of the watch. >> That looks great. >> Yeah. So, these are coming out. I I like I think this is an old school look that people aren't really doing anymore that I'm a big big fan of. >> Dude, that's the Paul Newman strap right there. You know, >> the one that Paul wore was thicker. It was more like cuff. >> But I just love the design. >> Yeah, me too. >> What's the history on that strap? Do you know? >> I don't and I should. I feel like I did at one point. >> Right. Right. >> But I don't. I'm going to assume that it had to do with something with wearing outside your coat. So, you can also put it on outside, but I'm not sure. Actually, I did at one point, right? >> And um >> I'm the same way. You go down rabbit holes and then it just goes out after a couple years of you need space for >> it just goes out. The information was once there, but there's only so much that you uh that you >> I love that strip. Now, how much are these straps? >> These the this one is going to retail at 95. The bundle be 95. And you can see it's all handmade. And then these will be 45. >> Man, I got to have that. I love those straps. >> And we have several different colors also. >> Yeah. Mine was army green. >> It was like olive. >> And what were you wearing that on? >> On a blank pond. the uh the Hodinki military. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> What are you wearing now? >> Oh, right now. Oh my god. I love these guys. This is the Kuwami Tokyo. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Now, this is this is a killer $600 watch. And you know, like your watches, I just [ __ ] love this price point. And then, you know, I love your watches. This Kami and then Tornic Rael for a thousand makes to me the ultimate, you know, Blanc Pond style diver. >> Sure. Now, do you know the history of that brand? That's a pretty >> Oh, yeah. Of course. Yeah. I mean, you know, those that guy was wild. He's like a diver and then he goes, "I need a watch." And you know, he basically invents the diver watch and then Rolex like, "No, we'll just grab that." >> Yep. Yep. So, a lot a lot of people think that the Submariner came first and it didn't. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's that's very cool. And then what other are you into vintage or not as much? >> Well, here's my thought on life now. I I was a vintage guy forever. vintage motorcycles, vintage cars, and now I'm 60 and I I don't like fragile because I use [ __ ] every day. >> Uh whether it be a car or a watch or whatever. And so I'm way into, you know, brand new 911. Uh you know, no gas fume. Like I rode choppers so long and drove Mopars that I huffed gasoline smell. And then you get to an age I was just telling someone this. You get home and you go, "Fuck, I got to shower. I stink like gasoline." And people are like, "Yeah, that's part of it." It's like, sure, for you who like drives once a month, you're like, "I went out riding. I smell like gasoline." But to me, it's all about, you know, how much can I drive this or how much can I wear this watch or or even vintage uh eyewear or anything vintage. And what inspired me was this guy got a 2018, I believe, Carrera, and he's got 250,000 miles on it. He drives it every day to all around America to all the national parks. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. I've seen that guy. I've seen him. Yeah. >> Yeah. So that guy inspired me. It's like, hey man, make your own vintage. >> Sure. >> You know, sure. >> And that's almost a good brand name, you know, make your own vintage >> where let let it be your stories like oh this [ __ ] car I got in 2018. It has a 100,000 miles. People will go like what? It's like oh yeah, I I drive this car. That's why I bought it. >> Yeah. No, I like that too. Make your story. you create with it and >> yeah, I like that a lot, you know, but there still is, and this is why there's brands like Singer and like Icon. There's always going to be people that just love that vintage aesthetic. I know like, you know, an F-150 is perfect for me for a daily driver, but I am all for years I had a 65 F100 that I drove. I'm always going to prefer the aesthetics of the 65, but sometimes it's nice to just get a fuel injected car, have it start, and get where you need to go. >> Right. Well, I go everywhere with my dog. So, one of my main paranoas is [ __ ] if I break down some the the dog, you know, like >> I got I got to get her out of this [ __ ] weather or whatever, you know? So, >> yeah. And I I actually had that one time I had a uh >> car breakdown in traffic right on Highland and Melrose at like 5:30 in the afternoon, the middle of an intersection. And I also I had to get home to feed my dog and I was like, you know what, man? This is like this is a pain in the ass. I'm too old for this now. Like he's got to get fed. I got to figure out the car. So, it's something we all go through. Everybody who loves vintage cars all understands that part of it as well. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. You know, look, I love that stuff, but I like other people owning it now. You know, >> I like that. I literally can go over, stick my head inside the window, smell the interior, and go, "Oh, I'm good. That's killer." >> I got it. That That little smell just hit me. >> I'm good. And then take a picture and look at the picture while I'm laying around in bed like, "Whoa, look at this." You know? >> Yep. Yep. >> What What uh You got a Porsche now? >> Yeah. A um 81 SE. >> Oh, yeah. >> Then that was that was a really cool story with that car. It was a guy single owner car and he loved It has only now it has 21 but only 19,000 miles. But the exciting thing was it's not like he drove it 10,000 and put it away. It was driven 300 to 500 miles per year and documented with all service records and everything. So it was a really really really cool car to find. And uh anything old that I get now I always like to have some sort of cool story connected to it. >> Yeah. What color? >> Black. Black on black. Is the head were the head studs done or >> No, it didn't need anything yet. It only has 19,000 miles. >> Wow. >> So, yeah. No, hasn't hasn't needed anything and it's just been a really great car. >> I'm also a guy who's like, you know, you get in one of those 915 transmissions and it's like, you know, and they're like, well, you got to you got to shift it just right. I'm like, I'll take a G50. You know what? >> I mean, the G50 is much better. 100%. But, you know, every car has its quirks, and once you drive it a couple times, you just kind of get used to everything about it, and then it just is what it is. It just becomes that vehicle's personality. >> Yeah. Yeah, man. Now, how many watches do you do a year designwise? >> A design-wise? >> Yeah. Like, do you do like 10 watches a year, 10 releases? What do you do? I would say roughly around 10 to 12 per year, but design-wise I do a lot more. I am always always always working. And one thing about watches is that from initial design to product, it's such a long period of time that if you take the Moholland, I was so excited about this watch. I was so excited when I first came up with it. I was so excited with how we decided we wanted that wanted the design language of the watch to read because I didn't want it to be too spot-on. I wanted it to represent that area but in a cool way. So, I was so excited about it. >> Still am. I love it. I wear it every day and it's definitely my favorite watch we've done yet. But since then, other projects have come on the table that I'm so excited about. So, what happens is by the time you're actually creating the release, in reality, there's something else that you're just chomping at the bit to get everybody to see, but that's going to be a year down the road. So, that's how it goes. And yeah, for now, it's about 10 releases per year. I like to keep it small and interesting. I don't I don't have an interest in just doing a watch brand with all these different looks and kind of hitting every I like each release to be something special. Have like a meaning behind it. There's a why. I can discuss every detail of why we chose to do what we did on that particular watch. So that's how we're keeping it for now. What I love about the Maholland was about 10 years ago, I was in Philipp and this is before the Kermit sub lit fire, you know, the quote unquote like the flat four era and and all of that. And I remember Philipe goes uh I go, "Hey, I'm looking for the green sub." He goes, "Cool. Come by." And so he pulled out his tray and he had 36 of them >> because they weren't crazy money, you know, then. And uh there was one that he had and he goes, "Look at this one, man. A surfer wart every day in Malibu surfing." And the green bezel was like your M Holland. It was faded to a green gold. And I was like, "Wow." like salt water, sun, and just non-stop wear. This bezel looked ultimate. And still to this day, I'm bummed I didn't buy it cuz I went for the mint one. I go, that's cool, but let me just get this mint one. But holy [ __ ] I'd never seen a bezel. You know, the watch was only maybe 10, 15 years old, but he had wore it out in the sun surfing every day and it it completely faded to like the color of the M Holland bezel. >> And that's I love that. That's my favorite. We actually This is going to be far down the road. So, small cabin up in Sky Forest and I noticed that metal patina is just incredibly up there. There there's copper gutters and the colors. And what my theory on it was is that where sky forest sits, the altitude, you have the ocean right there. I mean, not right there, but the ocean's there. You get snow, you get rain, it gets hot. There's just like a mixture of everything. So, you really get the perfect perfect patina. It's taken a while, but we've developed a process up there where we're getting really amazing patina results. So, that's something that I'm working on that I'm really excited about. Always been big on patina, but when we did the Moholland, that bezel to me is what I've always loved. That faded ghost bezel, especially if there's a color change in it, >> that's where it really gets exciting for me. So, um, that's definitely going to be a big focus on what we're doing now because a lot of people hate faux patina, as do I, when it doesn't look good. But if you can have it look really good, then I mean I think there's nothing cooler. >> Well, speaking of cool, two things yesterday happened. Rolex put out the [ __ ] frying pan again, which is, you know, that they re-released that that [ __ ] Did you see that? >> I did. I don't keep up on new stuff as much, but I did see it. Yeah. >> Well, that's like a crushing vintage design. Uh, and then the Serena AP with the pink dial and ceramic white case and and strap just, you know, Serena Williams. That thing [ __ ] I'm a huge fan of pink. Because I'd love, you know, people that are comfortable in their skin to wear something that they know other people are going to be like, "Oh man, look at that [ __ ] thing." You know, you know. So, I love pink dials. Blanc Pond did a [ __ ] 50 Fathoms in pink last year. It is insane. Yeah. >> You know, and um then this Serena AP just knocks me out. So, it's it's it's cool right now in the watch world between what you're doing all the way to the highest up. There's, you know, with the Swatch uh collabs with Omega and Blanc Pon and there's all kinds of [ __ ] entryways in now. Like when you and I were young, it was a Swatch or a Hot Wheels or Snoopy watch, you know? >> Yeah. Correct. Correct. And now even forget young, even go back to when when when we were hanging out and riding back then there was not a lot of affordable stuff that was cool. like if you wanted a cool watch, you really had to figure out and there was something about that I always felt especially when I was learning to build watches that everything cool we're discussing and I'd have you know different forums for watch makers and like in that world people are very very helpful like in a lot of those forums you can send pictures discuss you know any kind of struggles that you're having with doing something and I noticed people are constantly referencing watches that half of us have never even seen in person >> so you know it always kind of knocking around in there. Like, I want to make a watch that is this cool. We have all these things that we're talking about that we love, but like we can all enjoy it. It's not just for, you know, the five guys who happen to be lucky enough to be able to get allocation for one of these watches. >> Yeah, that shit's nonsense. I love this uh this couple, Hairbring. They're in Austria or whatever. They make God, man, they make a watch. This is Dynamite. And uh you know, like I said, there's some great [ __ ] out there. Now, how do people they follow you on Instagram? >> Mhm. >> Um True North time pieces. Is it >> True North Collections is what? >> True North Collections. And how do they you announce something and then you sign up like uh is it like Kowami Tokyo where you sign up and get ready for the release? >> Yeah. So, we have an email list and I do tell everybody. So, what I try to do is if you're on our email list and you're a TNC insider, for the most part, you get your notifications 30 minutes early when things get released. And this way, if you and if you've been with us and you know, enjoying watches and have watches, you have a shot to get in there and get it. It's a real struggle keeping things low production and then keeping making sure that all your customers actually get an opportunity to get the watch because you know I had one guy and I I felt like it's this is just one story like I had a customer who sent me a message after a Panama watch had sold out and his father was a Panama pilot and he really wanted one for his father and I didn't have any to give him. So like it's it's a constant struggle to balance the demand which is a great thing but there's a lot of people that I want to make sure get watches. So we're always trying to find the best most efficient way to do that. >> Is there a difficulty in or is it about keeping it hot and and wanting something? Let's say you do a release. Could you just say [ __ ] it, it's going to be 3,000 or is it just way too hard to do 3,000 at once? At this point for us, it's too hard to do 3,000 at once. We don't have that level of production here. We're really small team. If there's any level of aging or patina, I'm so particular with that that it just couldn't we couldn't at least for now. I can't say where things will grow and evolve into, but at least for now, we just we just couldn't we couldn't do that. This release with Eric Wind will be the most we've done at 1900 for uh for one release, but so you know that one there's no aging on it. So the the loom is aged, but there's no like aging beyond. We have things coming out with completely patinaed cases and all that stuff. So that that stuff's always going to have to be very limited. >> You got anything else you want to show the guys? >> What else do we have here? Um yeah, let me show you some other cool stuff. I got it over here. Cool. couple sneak peeks of of releases that are coming down the road after the next win release. So the 2480 that we did. >> Yeah. >> That you had initially seen, we have this coming out next with the beginning verse. Now this is a 37 mm. >> Right. Right. >> So this will be coming out next. And then this one I'm really excited about the Heritage Chronograph, >> which is what the Moholland is. That's really the um the cornerstone now. like that's our line that I want to keep. So, this is a fun um Heritage Chronograph that we have. >> Oh, look at that >> with the black and white piano dial. I've done different variations of this before and people seem to go crazy over these. So, again, we had a lot of people asking when these are coming out. So, this will be about September. >> Wow, that's crazy because it's for those people that are like, "Do you go black dial or white dial Daytona?" You know, >> and there's both. So, and then this would be another one of our patina samples that we're working on. This is a oneoff watch, but that shows some of our tropical dials. And we have a lot of really cool patina stuff that's coming out. So, that's what will take us through the end of this year and then into 2027 is when we're really going to start pushing more with the patina. >> What's the average thickness of these cases? Since they're courts, they got to be a little thinner, right? >> Yeah. So you're it it it all depends. Every single watch is different. Now they're not all quartz. So like >> this is automatic. We do have an automatic chronograph coming out as well. That's still very early in the prototype stages, but I do try to keep all the geometry of the watches very true to vintage aesthetics. >> So you know, I'm I'm I don't I I I don't like the way big watches wear on me. I've always preferred smaller watches. So, that comes first and foremost with everything. And that's the secret to really giving the watch that vintage feel is the proper dimensions. Well, I think once Tutor figures out their fat watch bodies, you know, they're going to dominate because right now they're constantly taking chances and putting out incredible stuff, but they're these hamburger cases and you put them on and they just, you know, they just [ __ ] move over to the left or whatever. They're just too fat. You can't get them underneath a jacket. So once they figure it out and and and I know what it is, they're still just using these old style movements uh that are thick, but once they get a fully redesigned movement, they're going to start putting some serious punishment on the upper brands, you know. >> Sure. Sure. >> Yeah. And you know, people pe you can see it everywhere, too. You were able to see it with I mean, the Bronco, there's just been so many people like that. that vintage aesthetic. There's there's just a thing and it's something that I've never really understood why brands don't don't go in that direction even more. As much as I love Porsche and I'm a huge fan of that brand, I think even they could they did it with their sport classic, but like >> I mean, who has a Sport Classic? Like, I've never even seen one. It's the ST. Like, I wish there could be more stuff like that that's done at a level for more for normal people to take and enjoy. The ST is an amazing car. It's like half million bucks. Well, I don't understand Harley-Davidson. They have the technology right now to put out a 36 knucklehead. You know, you get like the modern SNS style knucklehead engine and you make a 36, you know, bike and you just call it the 36. You got to mine your [ __ ] past. It's your past. It's your history. Sure, you want to go forward, but also go, "Oh, over here is our vintage line." And man, you know how many people would buy the 36 knucklehead right now that runs new? >> 100%. I actually had a bike just like that. It was built, but I had a bike just like that with the SNS knuckle. 100%. And it's something that I've just not really been clear on why more brands don't see that. You know, that was that what you just mentioned was a great idea. They did have their revival line, which, you know, from a distance, like it definitely did what it was supposed to do. Like it had that vintage aesthetic, but again like the size, all of it was really off to what the original bikes were like. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like Indians killing it with that new classic with the big fenders and everything came out. >> Yeah. I I've not ridden one. I've not I've not been on one, but people seem to really really love them. >> Oh, I've been riding one. They they loaned me one and man it is I mean the perfect it's got the big motor but it's got the looks of the 50s4s Indian with the huge fenders. It's got the Indian head on the fender on the front that lights up. >> It just boogies. The riding position is perfect. But it has those big fenders and the solo seat. You look at it 10 feet away, you go, "Wow, man." You know, >> now I know you had Guard on and I was always a huge fan of Guard. Did you know him when he was at uh had the Indian dealer on Seova? >> I did. Yeah. >> Or Lincoln. It was. >> Yeah. Yep. >> So that was >> that Indian dealer. >> That was my That was when Indian had first came back and they had some cool looking bikes, but this time now it's it's a it's a whole different thing. >> Yeah. The problem with those Indians were, you know, they had the round cylinder motors which looked cool as [ __ ] but the all the stuff just it, you know, I don't even think they were counterbalanced at the time. So everything just vibrated and broke off. >> Right. Right. >> And then, you know, they of course, you know, you had any kind of warranty issues and they're like, uh, you know, but now they're really killing it. the [ __ ] is just like, you know, they had all that years as victory or whatever, you know, uh they were before. And so, yeah, they're killing it. And and Harley's killing it with like the, you know, the the crazy those ST or whatever, you know, CVOS. >> I see them and they're they're cool when I see them, but I've not paid that close attention to any of the new There was a new dealership out here. It didn't last that long. >> I know. That thing's gone. >> Yeah. And it seemed like it should have worked like seeing where it was in the whole thing, but I I haven't kept up with a lot of that when we were talking about builders from back in the early 2000s that inspired us. Guard Hollinger was also in that list. He was I was very very into stuff that Guard was doing back then and now too. Same thing with Arch. I'm a big big fan of Arch. >> Also, rest in peace Jesse Rook. Man, that guy was making stuff that was insane. They looked like Schwin bicycles. >> Insane. >> Nobody made anything. Like talk about art. That was like what the [ __ ] >> Yep. Yeah. That was really back then a a lot of guys were like you would go around, you'd see these shops. It was such a really creative cool time. I don't know why that all stopped and kind of got like out of vogue. I'm not >> I don't think it got out of vogue. I think what happens is, and whenever I see someone go, "Oh, $100,000 for a chopper." I go, "Dude, you know how long it takes to build that [ __ ] bike man hours?" It's like without the t-shirt business, Jesse would have been gone years ago because like even if you look right now at the Brad Pitt Paul Cox Indian Larry bike, the whole thing is hand engraved. >> Oh, the bike's phenomenal. Well, Tay did that whole motor. >> Yeah, that bike. >> He ended up doing the frame like six years ago. Brad's like, I want the frame done, too. And they did the [ __ ] frame. >> Wow. I didn't I haven't seen it since they did the frame. That's a great great bike. >> That's my favorite chopper. >> What's that? >> That's my favorite chopper. >> Love it. He has another one, too. Bone crusher that Paul I I don't know if Indian Larry Legacy did it or Paul Cox did it. I think Indian Larry Legacy did it. I actually saw the bike once riding by and just again the stance, the geometry, that rear wheel, it's everything that I like a chopper to be. It was very, very impressive when I saw it. Paul Cox, Paul Cox and Kano, those are other ones. They're just like so Paul Cox, I think anything that guy touches is cool. Like if he he could make you anything and it's just unbelievable the artistry that comes from him. >> That guy's a freak of like his hands are magic. What do you want to [ __ ] see? You want a knife, you want a sword, you want a chopper, you know, you want a [ __ ] uh, you know, a Corvette fender. This guy, there's nothing he can't do. >> I know. It's phenomenal. It's really, really phenomenal. And again, that goes towards that time period and the creativity that was coming out of these people. I mean, like, the truth is, you go see somebody like Billy Lane, and I don't know if you ever went to a shop when it was in Melbourne, Florida, but like you're around a modern artist. That's what you're around. Like the guy is just everything he touches is like it's really impressive the stuff that he's doing. >> Unbelievable. >> Well, it's great catching up with you, man. And congrats on the watch company and all you do. Good stuff, man. Really just really kickass like daily watches, you know? You're looking for a daily driver, this is it. True North right here. >> Awesome. Well, it was great talking and great catching up with you, by the way. >> Come see a show, dude. >> I will do. I will do. Let's make sure that we exchange we have everybody's information and um and I will do >> Yeah. Come out and see some comedy and we'll do a flashback of uh back when we used to go to the Laugh Factory. >> Yeah. There we go. There we go. Maybe we'll take some bikes to get there. Well, hey, it was it was it was great talking to you and you're also welcome to come down to the studio anytime. >> I'm going to come there for sure. And I can't wait to see my watch, man. That thing is cool as [ __ ] >> I'm gonna have it off later today. All right. Thanks, man. Great speaking with you. >> See you.