Episode 19: Collecting Time: The Shah, Seiko, and the Stories Watches Tell

To make the most out of your listening experience, follow along with the episode's Wingman post on our Instagram: @artvirgins.

Show Notes:

In this episode, Zahra dedicates the conversation to the people of Iran and their fight for freedom. Following recent events in her home country, she explores a collectible the podcast has never covered — watches — through the lens of Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last king of Iran, who collected bold, innovative, and controversial pieces.

Inspired by their friend Lucile's recent watch presentation, Zahra dives into four watches that defined an era. Three luxury sports watches that broke every traditional watchmaking rule in the 1970s — the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus, and Vacheron Constantin 222 — watches so controversial that collectors initially rejected them. And one military-issued Seiko that connects to her own family story.

Between investment strategies through fractional platforms like Timeless, stories of her grandfather in the Iranian army, and debates about Apple Watch versus analog craftsmanship, this episode reveals why the best collections tell personal stories that resonate across generations.

Highlights:

• Dedication to the Iranian people's fight for freedom
• Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi — collector of controversial, innovative pieces
• Fractional watch investing through Timeless platform (50€ entry point)
• Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (1972): Gerald Genta's "luxury sports watch" revolution — steel instead of gold, exposed screws, integrated bracelet
• Why collectors initially hated the Royal Oak and called it controversial
• Patek Philippe Nautilus (1976): Genta's second revolutionary design inspired by ship portholes
• Vacheron Constantin 222 (1977): the "holy trinity" completed
• Seiko — the military watch with personal family connection (grandfather and father in Iranian army)
• Apple Watch vs traditional watches: connectivity vs style, digital vs analog reliability
• Why the best collections tell your story, not just investment value