195. Mooned by Omega, Casio’s Emotional Support Furball, and Fudgy-Wudgy Watch Wars
This week on aBlogtoWatch Weekly, the show kicks off in the best kind of chaos as Rick, Ariel, David, and Ripley dive straight into the bizarre world of Casio’s new AI-powered pet, the Moflin, a furry robot companion that sparks a hilariously unhinged debate about whether Casio has gone too far or stumbled into genius-level diversification. Between jokes about Furbies, USB charging ports, and data-collecting guinea pigs, the crew manages to make sense of it all before officially starting the show and shifting into Ariel’s latest editorial on the evolution of in-person watch events. From Windup to Watches and Wonders, they explore how shows since the beginning of the pandemic have reshaped the way brands connect with collectors, whether there are too many of them, and how smaller gatherings create opportunities for more meaningful conversations. Ripley’s rant of the week follows with a deep dive into a watch that mistakenly called itself an annual calendar when it was actually a complete calendar, prompting a Watchmaking 101 lesson about the differences among complete, annual, and perpetual calendars, delivered with just enough watch-nerdy humor to make it stick. As things wind down, the team debates who is more obsessed with the moon, NASA or Omega, and somehow ends up joking about Bond watches, space marketing, and Panerai’s habit of rewriting its own history. From AI guinea pigs to calendar complications, this episode captures the chaos, curiosity, and wit that make aBlogtoWatch Weekly a must-listen for anyone who loves watches, good stories, and a little bit of absurdity along the way.[00:00] Weekly Banter: The show begins with a discussion about YouTuber Nico Leonard's partnership with CIGA Design.[04:08] Casio's New Product: The hosts talk about the "Casio Moflin," a furry, AI-powered "smart companion."[12:18] The State of Watch Shows: Ariel discusses an article he wrote about the evolution, challenges, and opportunities of consumer-facing watch events post-pandemic.[29:46] Rant: Haim Annum Watch: Ripley Sellers expresses his disappointment with the new Haim Annum watch, which was marketed as an annual calendar but is actually a complete calendar.[37:40] Watches 101: Calendar Types: Following the rant, the hosts explain the differences between various watch calendar complications:[38:12] Perpetual Calendar: Accounts for months and leap years[38:40] Annual Calendar: Accounts for different month lengths but needs to be reset at the end of February .[39:59] Complete/Triple Calendar: Displays the day, date, and month but needs to be manually adjusted for months with fewer than 31 days.[44:30] Brand Discussion: Omega vs. NASA: The hosts debate the question, "Who cares about the moon the most, NASA or Omega?"[57:28] Horror Movies as Watch Brands: The "Watch You Like" segment returns, matching horror films to watch brands:[59:40] The Thing: Bremont [01:01:34] A Nightmare on Elm Street: Tiso PRX (for hair pulling) or Daniel Wellington (for buyer's remorse) [01:05:32] Gremlins: A Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, due to its complexity and rules (don't get it wet, don't set it after midnight) .[01:05:41] Next Week's Challenge: In honor of Jay Leno's Scottish heritage, the hosts will match watch brands to sweets from the Scottish company Golden Casket.[01:10:20] Hit, Miss, or Maybe (Part 1): The hosts review the Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control.[01:15:22] Hit, Miss, or Maybe (Part 2): The final watch reviewed is the Ball Roadmaster M Model A, a mechanical alarm watch, which receives a "Hit," a "Miss," and a "Maybe"** YouTube Monetization ID for Copyright Material From PremiumBeat.com: #3826449