The Journal
THE WATCH INDUSTRY DEMYSTIFIED
Shipping and delivery conditions
MEET DIMEPIECE’S BRYNN WALLNER, THE MILLENNIAL WATCH CONNOISSEUR WHO MADE HER NAME BY HIGHLIGHTING FEMALE WATCH WEARERS AND EDUCATING NEWCOMERS ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THE WATCH INDUSTRY
Picking a watch is a big decision, especially for people in the public eye like celebrities, athletes, and public figures. Brynn Wallner noticed this while researching watch auction pieces for Sotheby’s editorial department. While learning the history of heavy-hitter watches and their cultural significance, she also realized that the media was underrepresenting famous women wearing high-end watches. She says she’d never known anything about watches and didn’t grow up with them, but that was about to change. Brynn started spotting watches everywhere: on the subway, at work, in movies, and on TV. The idea for Dimepiece was born, a platform dedicated to all things women and watches “to inspire, educate and put a watch on your wrist without condescension.”
The Journal spoke with the New-Yorker-by-choice about The Cure, the typical IWC lady (if there is such a thing), and intimidating watch connoisseurs.
OFF-SCREEN BLISS
Please tell us two things about yourself that our readers should know.
One thing is that I am relatively new to watches. I only started learning about them in 2019, but I learn something new every day. I think this is a space that you can get into brand new, not knowing anything, and find your way. If you’re feeling intimidated, remember it’s fun to learn.
Another thing about me is, even though I run the Instagram account @dimepiece, I love not being on my phone. The things that make me the happiest are taking really long walks. I also play on the Vanity Fair softball team. And I love just being in the park and taking in nature. That’s also why I love watches. Because it’s a way to keep the time without looking at a screen. It’s a nice escape.
What else do you like about mechanical watches?
One thing that I love about the industry is that even the people who have been in it for a really long time accept that I am learning something new all the time. People are so open to non-stop learning. Once you are past all those intimidating things, you realize that they’re just other humans who love watches and tend to be generous with their knowledge.
— Brynn Wallner wearing the Portugieser Chronograph IW371624 with a Dune dial at Watches & Wonders 2024
— Brynn Wallner chatting with Supermodel and IWC Brand Ambassador, Gisele Bündchen, during their visits of the IWC Booth
WATCHES THAT CHECK ALL THE BOXES
What is more important to you: What you wear or how you wear it?
Definitely how you wear it. When we see watches, we have this preconceived notion of what they are, what they signify. You know what fashion they would go with. All of that falls away once you actually put it on your wrist and mold it to your own personality and sensibilities.
I mean, this is kind of cliché, but you could take a fancy watch like the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar and dress it down with jeans and a T-shirt, have a cool attitude and automatically make it more accessible and cooler. So yeah, it’s really how you wear it.
So, how do you wear them? What’s your watch style?
Well, I don’t have that many watches. I got my first watch in 2021, a year into starting @dimepiece. So, as a beginner collector, I don’t quite have the luxury of having a particular watch style. I have to be resourceful, I need something that can take me from day to night, from meeting to meeting. A watch that can check all those boxes.
A LITTLE EDGE
You have a very distinctive fashion style. How would you describe it?
I was asked by a journalist at a dinner at Watches and Wonders what music I listen to. I told him The Cure, which seemed to surprise him because I dress rather preppy and conservative. I think it’s cool when you see somebody and make an assumption about them, but then they surprise you. I don’t need my clothes to say everything about me. You can take the time and learn that, if you want.
I know I’m flattering myself, but I’d say I dress as if Princess Diana dated a skater boy. Like preppy classic with a little bit of an edge. Maybe a little lazy, roll-out-of-bed style. I guess that’s my short answer.
I noticed you hardly take any wrist shots…
During my time at Sotheby’s, I didn’t know how to make sense of wrist shots because I didn’t know enough about the watches to be able to critique them. When I started Dimepiece, I would just post a photo of a celebrity, a full body photo, so you can see where they are. You see their outfit. You see their sunglasses and their accessories, and you kind of see the energy. You're providing context clues for people to figure out what this watch is all about, how it can be styled, how it lives with this person. From there, you can start to make your own observations about what that watch represents to you.
— The founder of Dimepiece flaunting the Portugieser Chronograph Ref. IW371626 with a Horizon blue dial and 18 ct white gold case
— Portugieser power ladies: Brynn Wallner wearing the IW371624 with a Dune dial, Gisele Bündchen sporting the IW371626 with a Horizon blue dial.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
How would you describe a typical IWC lady?
I think that the IWC lady is advanced enough in her tastes to choose IWC. She respects craftsmanship. Maybe off the beaten path. She doesn’t want what everybody else wears, and does so with a poise. I saw Gisele wearing a Portugieser [at Watches and Wonders]. She made it look so sexy. It just goes back to how you wear it. You wear the watch, the watch doesn’t wear you. And seeing it on her wrist, this golden goddess in her white suit. She brings elegance and sex appeal to the watch. So, I think it’s a deeper cut: they are women who know, choose it, and make it their own.
What was your impression of the IWC booth at Watches and Wonders?
If you’ve ever been to Watches & Wonders, you know that, upon stepping into the exposition space, you kiss any sight of daylight goodbye. On an average day, you’ll spend eight hours hopping from booth to booth, looking at hundreds of watches without seeing any natural light... It can be a bit crazy making [laughs] so it was very nice to step into IWC’s booth this year and experience the calming effect of its nature-inspired lightscape, shifting from early morning’s “Silver Moon” tone to twilight’s “Obsidian.” If I could do it all over again, I’d linger a little longer and soak in Hans Zimmer’s score... But this year, I was too excited to hang out with Gisele.
