Member Spotlight: Adam Craniotes

Adam Craniotes

Chapter: Founder of RedBar (Home base NYC)

Instagrams:

https://www.instagram.com/craniotes/

https://www.instagram.com/redbarcrew/

What was your introduction to horology?

While I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a particular yen for horology, it didn’t find its true outlet until my grandfather bought me my first watch when I was 7 years old.

What was your first watch?

As for that watch, it was a humble Casio F-7. I wanted the calculator watch with all the buttons, but I was afraid that it was asking for too much (little did I know that it wasn’t all that much more expensive than the one I chose).

What fascinates you most about watches and/or horology in general?

I’m not sure that I can adequately explain what my initial draw was – it’s been a while since I was a smitten 7 year old boy, wearing the snot out of his new watch. As for the here and now, it’s all about intersection of history, tradition, craftsmanship, science and technology that horology and watchmaking represent.

What are the kiss, kill, and marry of your collection?

Kiss: Rolex Submariner ref. 16800

Kill: Lemme get back to you on this one… ;-)

Marry: IWC Top Gun Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar

Name one watch that got away.

Too many.  No, really… Right now I’m dying to put an MIH back in my collection, but the same could be said about pretty much every watch that I’ve ever sold. (They all fell on their swords to fund the next watch, ya dig?)

What watch do you wear most often?  

To be honest, my rotation is fairly consistent, with few pieces garnering more wrist time than their stablemates. I will say that I’ve been wearing my Rolex DSSD D-Blue a lot recently, however.

What is the first thing you notice about a watch?

Aesthetics. I mean, it’s hard to see what’s going on under the hood, unless you’re Superman that is.  I’m not Superman (unfortunately).

How were you introduced to RedBar Group?

I suppose you could say it was Michael Kobold, since it was at a lunch event he hosted over 10 years ago where I would meet Dr. Jeffrey Jacques, with whom I would go on to start RedBar with. ;-)

Thanks, Mike!

How has RedBar affected you as a collector?

Not only has it shown me that I’m not an outlier with respect to my almost pathological passion for watches, but it has introduced me to so many people from so many different walks of life. It has also exposed me to new brands, and new genres of watches that I never realized I liked until I got up close and personal with them at our gatherings.

Outside of collecting how has RedBar impacted your life?

Interesting question. Let me put it out there like this: there’s a point in your life where you sort of stop making new friends. Your focus settles on family, and perhaps a close knit circle that you’ve had since college.  To be sure, you make some new acquaintances along the way – but as for truly close friendships? Not so much. RedBar has turned that on its head, so much so that today many of my closest friends come from RedBar. If anything, this is what I’m most proud of in terms of RedBar’s overall effect on the industry. It really does bring people together in a way that the internet never could.