Ask a 30 Under 30(ish) Honoree: What Have You Been Up To?

The recent flurry of high-profile watch community meet-ups (auction season, the GPHG awards, Watch Time New York, Worn and Wound Watch Fair, Dubai Watch Week) allowed Watchonista to check in with many past 30 Under 30(ish) nominees. So many of these good folks continue to give us high hopes for the future of watchmaking, and we want to share their recent accomplishments with you.

–––––––––––––––––––––

The youngest person on our 2022 list, Lazarus started dealing with vintage watches at the age of 15. The secondary market has boomed since he founded his company, Oliver & Clarke. He has since moved his operations to Los Angeles and opened a brick-and-mortar showroom.

Part of Lazarus’ success is his willingness to evolve Oliver & Clarke to keep the momentum going and to prove that vintage is not just a trend.

Because the shop is still mostly an online presence, he has invested in a team to help document the watches he sells through words and pictures. “When you buy vintage, you are buying a piece of art,” he says, “and a piece of history.
 

“That these watches have survived for so long and in such good condition is a story in itself.”

Bringing these histories to life is a continuation of Oliver & Clarke’s founding mission—to provide transparency in the process for customers. And there is always a way to step up when it comes to providing a modern customer experience, says Lazarus. “We have to prove that we are not going anywhere.”
 

In October, Richard Benc, the brains behind the British microbrand Studio Underd0g wowed the crowds with the 02SERIES Field Collection.

These four fun tool watches use layers of sapphire and SuperLuminova to create a floating glow-in-the-dark face that is attractive and easily readable by day or night.
 

Watchmaker Dufour was not only part of this year’s GPHG jury, but she was also a presenter. Alongside M. Pietro Tomajer, she handed the coveted Horological Revelation to another young talent, Simon Brette.
 

The dealer known on Instagram as @jojolamontre has collaborated with a team of fellow vintage watch obsessives on a magazine called heist-out.

The team describes it as “Halfway between an animated adventure around eclectic artists and a narrative journey close to a 1990’s thriller, heist-out wants to be the playground for creative ideas and unabashed non-conformity.” It may sound crazy, but this description is quite apt.
 

For our favourite New York Flanuer, Elias Marte, watches are an integral part of living the good life. If you follow his Instagram @staycrispymyfriends, you’ll know that fashion and design are also essential. This is why we’re happy that Marte is bringing his online influences to the real world as part of Alfargo’s Marketplace team.
 

Founded in 2021 by Stephon Carson, Alfargo’s is a uniquely New York pop-up with a focus on menswear. This flea market/mixer is also an opportunity to people-watch and learn how to incorporate things like timepieces into your lifestyle.