Waitlist open · founding price for the first 50 members
Know which watch to buy next.
Research any watch with sources, rank your wishlist, and see what to buy first.
I built it for my own collection. At last count it held 161 watches and 889 sources.
- Every fact cites its source
- Unknowns stay unknown
- Your desk stays private
A look at the desk.
This is the app itself, not a mockup: a demo desk sorted Buy first, a watch researched with its sources, and Grails. Your own desk starts empty and fills with the watches you add.
A demo account, not my own desk. Watch photos are the brands’ own.
How it works
Add a watch, or have it researched.
Type in the brand, the model and a price, and rate how well it suits you. Or spend a credit and Watch Desk researches it on the web: the specs, the movement, the bracelet, service and what it actually costs, each with its source.
Rank what you want.
Drag your wishlist into your own order and sort it into tiers, from absolute favorites to the ones you’re only thinking about. Dream watches go in Grails.
See what to buy first.
Buy first weighs how well each watch suits you, how well it’s made, its price and your own ranking, and puts your next buy at the top.
Buy first: the next watch, at the top.
This is how I decide what to buy next. How well a watch suits you counts 40%, how well it’s made 20%, the price 25% and your own ranking 15%. When two watches rate close, the cheaper one comes first.
Set a buying limit and anything above it stays out of the list. You can change the mix in your account.
- Suits you40%
- Price25%
- Made well20%
- Your rank15%
A close call, from the demo desk
Before price, the Astron rates a little higher: it’s better made and ranked higher. It costs twice as much, so the Gentleman comes first.
| Watch | Suits you | Made well | Your rank | Price | Buy first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seiko Astron SSJ013 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 4th | $1,425 | #4 |
| Tissot Gentleman | 8.1 | 7.2 | 5th | $684 | #3 |
Research with its sources showing.
Type in a watch and Watch Desk researches it on the web: the specs, the movement, the bracelet, service, what it actually costs, and how it scores for you. Every fact cites where it came from, and anything it can’t confirm is marked unknown.
- One credit, one report.
- A credit is only spent when the report saves.
- Yours to correct.
- It’s personal research, not a source of truth. Edit any fact, and your notes and preferences shape what it looks for.
- Private to you.
- Nothing from your account is used to research for anyone else. Research runs through an AI model and web search, which see only what that report needs.
Grails get their own list.
Your dream watches go in Grails, kept apart from what you’d buy next, so a watch you’ll admire for years never crowds out the one you’d buy this year. Grails keep their own order and never count in Buy first.
I built this for my own collection.
Watch Desk started as a tool for me. I wanted one place for the watches I own and the ones I’m thinking about, with sourced research behind every one. So I’m opening it up, and you get the same research and ranking I use, in your own private account.
My YouTube channel is coming, where I work through these decisions at this desk. Until then, I’m on Instagram at @holdenswatchdesk.
Holden Richardson
My desk at last count
- Watches on my desk
- 161
- Sources behind them
- 889
- Counted
Pricing
One credit is one research report with sources, and a credit is only spent when the report saves. Adding watches yourself, ranking them and Buy first never cost a credit.
-
Free
$0
No card needed.
- Research1 credit a month
- WatchesUp to 10 you add yourself
- Buy first and GrailsIncluded
- Compare side by sideNot included
- Credit packsNot included
-
Plus
Founding price, first 50 members
$9.99 a month
Locked for as long as you stay subscribed. After the first 50, Plus is $19.99 a month.
- Research20 credits a month
- WatchesUnlimited
- Buy first and GrailsIncluded
- Compare side by sideIncluded
- Credit packsAvailable
-
Power
$29.99 a month
About 75¢ a credit, and new features first.
- Research40 credits a month
- WatchesUnlimited
- Buy first and GrailsIncluded
- Compare side by sideIncluded
- Credit packsAvailable
Credit packs for Plus and Power
- 10 credits $11.99
- 25 credits $27.99
Monthly credits reset on the 1st and get used first. Pack credits never expire.
Release notes, starting soon.
Each day I’ll pick one new watch from the day’s releases and write it up: what’s new, the specs that matter, the price, and what I think, with the sources behind every fact.
Questions
Anything else? Ask me on Instagram.
What is a credit?
One credit is one research report with sources, and it’s only spent when the report saves. Free comes with 1 credit a month, Plus 20 and Power 40, and on Plus and Power you can buy packs that never expire.
Where does the research come from?
An AI model searches the web and reads what it finds: brand pages, reviews, forums and listings. Every fact cites its source, owner reports are marked as anecdotal, and anything it can’t confirm says Unknown. It’s personal research, not a source of truth, so you can edit any fact.
Do I have to research every watch?
No. Add the ones you already know with a brand, a model, a price and one rating, and they go straight into Buy first. Free holds up to 10 of those.
Who can see my collection?
Only you. Your watches, notes and research are private to your account, and nothing from it is used to research for anyone else. The AI model and web search see only what a report needs. The privacy policy has the details.
When does it open?
Soon. Join the waitlist and I’ll email you when it opens. The first 50 Plus members pay $9.99 a month for as long as they stay subscribed.
Get on the list
Watch Desk isn’t open to everyone yet. Leave your email and I’ll write when it opens.
The first 50 Plus members pay $9.99 a month for as long as they stay subscribed.