In my continuous pursuit of finding the best watch and horology podcasts on the internet, I was happy to stumble across a new favorite that is unlike any of the other horological podcasts that I have recommended. To be more accurate, the Keeping Time with Oster Watches Podcast (“Keeping Time Podcast” for short) stumbled across me. The host of the show, Jeremy Oster, saw my previous podcast reviews and reached out to see if I would be interested in reviewing the show.
To be honest, I had never heard of the podcast before. Believe me, I have looked extensively in the Apple iTunes store for great watch-related podcasts. Obviously, I already found some great shows that I previously featured, but the iTunes store has a befuddling lack of intelligence when it comes to referring similar content. Surely, the Keeping Time with Oster Watches Podcast would have been suggested when I was listening to The Grey Nato, Time 4A Pint, Worn & Wound, Unwound or Two Broke Watch Snobs, right? The short answer is not really. I don’t recall ever seeing it. This is a shame that it took me so long to find Keeping Time with Oster Watches Podcast because it is excellent and should immediately be added to your playlist.
“Keeping Time…” podcasts on Apple iTunes
I like to listen to most of the available podcasts of any given show before I review it. This way, I can honestly judge the content, production value and the personality of the show. For the Keeping Time Podcast, I started an epic week-and-a-half binge during commutes and dog walks. The show has come a long way from Episode #1 that was recorded in a hotel lobby. Don’t get turned off by the audio of the earliest episodes because that was quickly remedied with a production engineer. You don’t have to listen to the episodes in order either. You can jump around to your favorite brand episodes or start from the newest and work your way back in time.
Frankly, Keeping Time with Oster Watches Podcast grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and got my attention. I could not stop listening because the Keeping Time Podcast is a unique view of the world of watchmaking from the inside looking out. It was created by Jeremy Oster who has seriously strong connections to different players of the luxury watch industry. You’ll hear more about the host later and why he is uniquely qualified to guide listeners through the upper stratosphere of watch culture.
Many watch-related podcasts have hosts that give opinions about watches from the viewpoint of a journalist, collector or art critic. This is what I call “looking into” the watch industry. These outsiders are usually not part of the retail side of watch industry but hover near it reporting on the latest news and events. They might give opinions on what it would be like to wear a certain watch or the aesthetics of a particular model. This is incredibly valuable information for those of us who buy watches and are looking for the next dream watch to pursue.
Jeremy Oster interviewing Mr. Claude Greisler, CEO of Armin Strom.
The Keeping Time Podcast with Oster Watches approaches watch content from a different direction. Instead of hearing about individual watches from a consumer’s viewpoint, you will hear directly from the creators of those watches. I cannot emphasize this enough. The guests on the Keeping Time Podcast are the geniuses that actually make the watches or the leaders of the brands that sell the watches. Other guests might include people who have been in the watch business for a long time, prominent horological journalists or even well-known watch collectors. Any other horological podcast would kill to get just one of these guests for a single show, but the Keeping Time Podcast has done it for practically EVERY show. This is truly impressive. According to Jeremy Oster, there is a lot more where that came from…
So, exactly who is this Jeremy Oster?
Jeremy Oster, the host of “Keeping Time…” podcast
I can tell you from the email conversations that I have had with him that he is a rare breed of human being. He is warm, funny and deeply intelligent. I guess you could distill these characteristics and just say Jeremy Oster is a “people person”. This is important if you happen to be the host of a podcast. Having a winning personality gets the best from each guest, even ones that hold brand secrets closely to their chests. There is a certain comfort level for the guests that is palpable.
This may be because Jeremy has known many of his guests for many of his 25+ years in the watch and jewelry business. Since 2002, Jeremy has run a store in Denver, Colorado with his name on it. Oster Jewelers sells gems and things that sparkle, but today we will only discuss the watches that the store carries. Oster Jewelers is a supporter of high-end luxury and independent brands such as Armin Strom, Audemars Piguet, Bell & Ross, Bernard Favre, Bremont, Dior, Emmanuel Bouchet, Fiona Kruger, Giuliano Mazzuoli, Grönefeld, Kari Voutilainen, Moritz Grossmann, Nomos, Parmigiani, Sarpaneva, Speake-Marin, Ulysse Nardin, Vogard, and Zenith. This list is important because many of the people associated with the brands have appeared on the Keeping Time Podcast.
Is this podcast some sort of ad for a jewelry store?
Oster Jewelers is located in Denver, Colorada
You might be thinking that the Keeping Time Podcast is just a subversive way to sell watches at the Oster Jewelers Store, but nothing could be further from the truth. I suspected that the podcast was a passion project for the host. In fact, Jeremy confirmed that his wife, Melissa, noticed that he came alive when talking about watches with people. She saw this on their annual trips to the BaselWorld Watch Fair when they would come directly in contact with the watchmakers and CEOs of watch brands. I would suspect he acts the same with customers. She urged him to pursue this passion, and luckily for the rest of us, Jeremy listened to his wife (good man).
Because Jeremy has relationships with some of the guests that go back decades, the atmosphere of the Keeping Time Podcast is relaxed, and the conversation flows. Jeremy tailors his questions to the personality of the guest so each episode is different and I think listeners will be pleasantly surprised at the variety of topics. Some are fun, some are technical, but all are enlightening.
I have yet to listen to an episode where I thought that a guest was reading his or her company’s latest ad slogan or pushing a hardcore agenda of “buy our watches”. On the contrary, I started to realize that the people behind many of the aforementioned brands are passionate about what they do. They sincerely believe in their brand. These titans seem to strive to be the best at what they do and remain authentic to their vision of the perfect watch. The individuals behind the actual product development should not be confused with the lifestyle marketing that pervades the industry… that is something completely different created by ad agenices. Many of these small independent brands do not have large ad budgets so having a voice on a podcast such as Keeping Time with Oster Watches Podcast helps to get the word out. Of course, there are behemoth brands” represented too.
What kind of high-power guests will you hear interviewed?
I have found the guests to be thoughtful, precise in what they wanted to say and very dedicated to chasing perfection. You might be surprised to hear people talk about serious horology, and not just how much a watch costs. The watches that many of them create are NOT the result of a committee decision or market testing, but hard work and research at the highest levels of the craft.
Some of my favorite episodes opened my eyes to brands that I was not that familiar with. I did not necessarily know an Armin Strom from a Parmigiani, but the Keeping Time Podcast made me want to learn more about these brands. Just because I cannot afford one right now, does not mean that I could not aspire to own one in the future. I can allow myself to dream big. Many of these brands represent the pinnacle of modern watchmaking and should be celebrated.
Your host, Jeremy Oster, is an authentic guy who is passionate about “talking watches”. I asked him if I could quote an excerpt from one of our email conversations because I thought it summed up the spirit of the podcast better than I could explain it. He wrote…
“I go into each episode with the same desire: to personally learn and gain real insight into the emotions, thoughts, and passion behind the people driving the industry. I rarely have any notes. I don’t discuss the topics beforehand with the guest. It is just a natural conversation with minimal editing. As raw as possible.
Obviously, sometimes that is not the best in a world that expects diluted, perfected, manicured production but it’s my style and, I believe, the most honest and genuine. I have been very fortunate with the friends that I have made and want to share the insights and access that is afforded to me. To be honest, the podcast for me is the most enjoyable part of running my small business. I really love it and have surprised myself with how I’ve taken to the challenge.” – Jeremy Oster
To wrap up, Keeping Time with Oster Watches Podcast is a gem of a show that showcases amazing people in the watch industry that few of us will ever have the chance to meet. Even if we were able to meet them, they likely would not give us the same kind of unguarded answers that they share with their friend, Jeremy on the show. It is obvious that a high level of trust has been built between interviewer and interviewee and the audience benefits greatly from it.
I told Jeremy that I think he just might be the Johnnie Carson of the horological podcast scene. Rockstar watch collectors (literally), eclectic personalities, CEOs, marketing managers, journalists, artists, engineers and master watchmakers come alive on his show, and it is worth hearing about watches from insiders’ points of view.
The Keeping Time with Oster Watches Podcast is available on Apple iTunes and also on the Oster Jewelers blog at https://blog.osterjewelers.com/category/podcast/
Andrew, thank you so much for the amazing, thoughtful and detailed review of Keeping Time Podcast!
Very best wishes,
Jeremy