EPISODE 123: Joshua Shapiro (J.N. Shapiro) on engine turning and the pursuit of perfection

Think about high-end guilloché and chances are, you think about a chalet-like maison somewhere in the snowy Swiss hills. The urban sprawl of Los Angeles, California — not so much. Nonetheless, this is where some of the finest engine turning in the world is being created right now — thanks to Joshua Shapiro. We chat to Shapiro about the fine art of engine turning, and what it’s like to invent your own unique guilloché pattern. Shapiro talks about what drives his watchmaking and why — even if perfection isn’t humanly possible — it’s still worth pursuing. We cover off collaboration, and Shapiro teases some details about the possibility of a Californian-made Shapiro Movement. And just in case that wasn’t enough, Andy and Felix ponder the next big thing in watches.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Artem Straps. Check out their sailcloth straps here.

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Show Notes:

  1. Sergei Krikalev, the last Soviet citizen

  2. Watches of Espionage on Hodinkee

  3. Artem’s loop-less sailcloth strap

  4. J.N. Shapiro watches

  5. J.N. Shapiro watches on Instagram

  6. Jeff Kingston explains guilloché dial

  7. Wheel of Time Trailer on Youtube

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EPISODE 124: James McVey (The Vamps) on getting married in a castle and finding grails

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EPISODE 122: Looking back at Greg Yuna, on to Drake, ruining watches and setting trends