When I learned, towards the end of last year, that former Hodinkee writer Tony Traina was launching Unpolished – his paid, independent newsletter – I got curious on a few levels. First, can such a business model succeed? After all, there’s a bunch of free content out there, and paying $100 a year for media typically gets you Netflix or an online newspaper, not just a one-man-show. Second, do I actually want to purchase a subscription myself? I greatly enjoy Traina’s writing (this piece is one of my favorite ever on Hodinkee), but what would I actually get from the newsletter that I can’t from all the other watch reading I already – excessively – ingest?
Because I thought others who read this blog might be asking themselves the same, I introduced myself to the man himself on Instagram, and requested an interview. The former-attorney-turned-watch writer accepted, and we eventually hopped on a video call. Without revealing this to him, I decided to wait until after our chat to make up my mind about getting my own paid subscription. I’ll tell you at the end what I decided to do…
When did you decide to pull the trigger and fly solo, as an independent?
I started writing about watches, including through a Newsletter, before joining Hodinkee. That’s how they found me. Back then, I already thought there was a gap, a need for independent collector-driven media. What folks like you and I talk about. A few years later, the need still feels to be there. It’s been a gradual process, a slow build. I learned from the best at Hodinkee, and in a way am coming back to my roots as an independent. It’s been exciting to see the pickup in the few weeks since I launched.
What will you bring to the table with Unpolished that you couldn’t with your previous hat on?
This is something I think very seriously about with the subscription-based model. Are people getting – every week – their money’s worth? Would I, as a collector and enthusiast, pay for it? Everything I do stems from that. In a larger publication, you don’t have a choice but to serve various interests. So my freedom of mind is a foundation of the proposition. Then, it’s about finding the right balance. I don’t want to be negative for the sake of it. I want to contribute a certain positivity to the industry. Another thing is that I have a bit of distance from the industry, not being in Switzerland or even New York. In a way, I’m both an outsider and an insider.
You mention no advertising from watch brands. What does that mean?
There will be advertising at some point, but my firm line is not from watch brands. Lifestyle, menswear, watch accessories, that’s all fine. But it’s ads from watch brands that makes it hard. LVMH Watch Week is happening right now. I feel no obligation to cover it. I’m scrolling through the press releases as an enthusiast and collector but also as an editor and writer. This posture would be a lot harder if I depended on their advertising for revenue.
What’s your biggest focus right now?
There’s definitely a lot going on. I’m really happy so far with the engagement and number of paid subscribers, both regular and founding members. My main focus, at least until Watches & Wonders, is to get the best possible newsletter out, twice a week. I need to establish that regularity. The Q&A was also super fun and an important exercise: interaction with the community is key. Longer term, the possibilities seem endless: collaborations, YouTube videos. There’s so much we can do.
You often say “we”, not “I”, but it’s just you at this stage, right?
It’s the royal we! So, a friend is helping right now with the Watchlist – a curation of vintage finds on the market. And more generally, there will be plenty of opportunities to bring in contributions from journalists, collectors, dealers. Slowly, new voices will be introduced.
Another thing I was wondering about: how will you protect content? If people just forward the paid newsletter, doesn’t that put the project at risk?
Even as an attorney, I’m pretty realistic about this. I’ve come to terms with the fact that when you post anything, people will screencap, etc. The key for me is to always be ahead, getting the next thing out while people are still going through the previous one. Being recognized as the source is what matters the most in today’s world.
Who is your typical paid subscriber?
That’s a good question and one I’m still grappling with. Among the founding members, there seems to be a really solid group of serious collectors and vintage dealers. A few who work at brands but definitely not the majority. Among the collectors, some have super high-end collections, others are all about Seiko – and that’s the great part, it’s all about the passion. Regular annual subscribers I’m still getting a feel for. Some have been collecting for longer than I’ve been alive, others are new-ish to the topic and say they want to learn how to build a vintage collection.
What reactions have you been getting from fellow watch writers / content producers?
It’s been a mixed bag, everything from skepticism to people willing to pay $100 (regular subscription) or even close to $300 (founding member) for a year of content. It’s never been easy to monetize any form of watch content, no matter how big your following is. People are looking for ways to commercialize their content, and I’ve received a lot of interest ranging from vintage dealers to TikTokers who are super curious to see how it’s going. It’s not something that’s really been tried in watches before, and because of my standing in the industry – in large part thanks to the time at Hodinkee – I’m in a good position to give it a shot.
What’s your biggest fear, and your biggest hope, for Unpolished?
The biggest fear of course is that there’s not enough people in the world willing to pay for watch content. Thanks to those who have subscribed so far, that’s already being proven as incorrect. The other thing you don’t quite realize is that you’re kind of on the hook to do it forever. The annual subscription clock restarts every time someone signs up. A classic issue on such projects is how to resist burnout. The biggest hope is that I prove that there is an alternative. A method to monetize independent, collector-driven watch media. I’d love to be a nucleus, bringing other people – say, a Rolex dealer or a former auctioneer – into a broader bundle, with their own content.
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As mentioned above, I waited to have this conversation to decide whether or not I was going to subscribe. The free samples already gave me an indication that Unpolished was about quality vs quantity. Tony’s determined, focused vision when we spoke confirmed that impression. There’s a level of sharpness, transparency and of course independence – combined with his professional watch journalistic skills – that make Unpolished feel like a unique proposition that I want in my inbox.
While I initially planned to go for a regular subscription, I even finally went for founding membership. Why? It wasn’t the valet tray – it’s lovely but I have more of those than I can use – but a combination of two things: modestly supporting the effort, because I think it’s worthy, but also, more selfishly, to join the monthly Zoom calls. Looks like those will be a lot of fun and bring in a bunch of eclectic, interesting watch people I want to hang out with. And come on, let’s face it, “founding member” just sounds really cool.
I’m super curious to see how this whole project pans out.
You can find out more about the Unpolished newsletter by following this link.
Wishing him the best of luck. A bold move but seems there is a space for it.