Karol Sadaj about his passion and view on watchmaking

Karol Sadaj is known in the corporate, startup and technology industry on a daily basis. His name is associated with the leaders of the global economy – including Google, Uber and Revolut and their successes on the Polish market. In private, Karol is also a fan of watchmaking and a long-time client of Chroneo.pl. For this reason, we invited him for a conversation and asked him to share his story related to watches and his perspective on several selected brands.

Chroneo.pl : Karol, let's start with the basics. When did your interest in watches begin?

Karol Sadaj: I've actually liked watches since I was a child. The first one I remember was a Swatch Scuba, which I got when I was 9-10. It had a diving bezel, which unfortunately came off over time. I wanted to fix it after that and ordered a new bezel, but I came across a watchmaker who couldn't put it back on and finally glued it permanently to the case. I really liked that watch and I even bought that exact model a few years ago, but because of its very small size I practically didn't wear it and I gave it to my godson.

Chroneo: Weren't you discouraged by such a bumpy start?

Karol: I have always liked watches and I have always been a watch watcher. I remember going to a gallery in the Tri-City and one of my favourite watches was a Zenith. I would also go once a week for 3 months and look at a Tissot Le Locle with a white guilloche dial. I really wanted to buy it, but I didn't have the money for it, so I would just go and look at it. It was a huge passion. Later I wanted to buy a ceramic Rado without indexes, just hands, a round case, also quite unusual. I looked at it for a good year, but I also lacked the courage.

Chroneo: What was the first thing you bought after looking at and trying on watches for so long?

Karol: I bought a Certina, a DS Diver. Not the current model, but the previous one which resembled a mix between a Submariner and a Planet Ocean. It was quite an interesting watch, although a bit too big. I remember reading on a forum that you can remove scratches with Cape Cod cloths. Unfortunately, I polished my brushed bracelet with them, which looked really bad, luckily I managed to brush it with a dish sponge. Finally, I gave the watch to my brother, who still has it to this day.

Later came the Tag Heuer Grand Carrera GMT with a central second and a second time zone. It was a terribly uncomfortable watch - too big, too thick and with an uncomfortable strap. Despite this, I wore it for a long time, because it was spectacular and I liked it very much. When I wanted to sell it, my acquaintance with Chroneo.pl began.

Then came Omega - initially I wanted to buy Aqua Terra, but finally I decided on Planet Ocean 42 mm, which I also had been looking for for quite a long time. It was a watch that I wore for a good 2 years. It was a good size and anti-reflective. I guess that was the moment when I started to take watches seriously.

Chroneo: Was this Omega Planet Ocean that high-end dream watch you had been waiting for?

Karol: I wouldn't say so. I always bought watches opportunistically, I didn't buy new ones. An opportunity came up, so I bought it. That started a bigger story. The next watch I bought was my first Grand Seiko. It was a model with a beautiful black dial. I wore it quite often, but I had a problem with the lack of micro-adjustment in the bracelet. I worked at Google at the time and the office was terribly cold, so I could never adjust the bracelet. I remember going to a watchmaker at the Central Station and the watchmaker was hammering out pins and adding or removing links. Eventually it started to tire me out and I exchanged that watch for a Breitling Superocean, which I liked for a week, and then I decided it was too vulgar.

Chroneo: While on the subject of failed purchases, has there ever been a watch that, after only 5 minutes on your wrist, seemed like a bad purchase?

Karol: There was, there were lots of such watches... I would call my biggest blunder a Zenith with an El Primero movement. Gray titanium, 37 mm in diameter - I saw it at my friend's, where I really liked it and decided to buy it. After 3 hours I already knew we wouldn't get along. It didn't catch on at all, it was too small and uncomfortable.

Chroneo: On the other hand, was there a watch that exceeded expectations and became a permanent part of the collection?

Karol: None of my watches have stayed in my collection permanently. I try not to get attached to things, so I sold all my watches sooner or later. Even if I thought that something would stay with me forever, it was eventually replaced by something newer and more interesting. I believe that you have to have sentiment for people, not things. Although sometimes I go back to watches that I already had, sometimes even in exactly the same version, Rolex Submariner is a watch that I have had nine times in my life and I hope for a long time to have the strength not to sell the one I have now, because I will probably end up buying it for the tenth time.

Chroneo: That's a very interesting approach. After so many watches, have you developed a preference for a specific type of watch? Maybe there is a feature that defines a good watch?

Karol: A watch must be comfortable for me first and foremost. This is essential, especially in Poland where the weather is different and the circumference of the hand often changes. Interestingly, comfort is not 1:1 related to size. I know comfortable watches that are 42 mm, but on the other hand there are also small watches that simply do not fit well on the hand. Ergonomics is important and here it is not only the adjustment of the strap or bracelet that counts, but also the design of the case itself.

Chroneo: Is there a brand that you think lives up to its legend?

Karol: Rolex. In the end, it's always Rolex. An elite, egalitarian brand that practically all watch enthusiasts and collectors have. I love that you don't have to worry about them or take excessive care of them. I went down to a depth of 40 meters with my Hulk. I'm also fascinated by the whole history of Rolex diving watches, I remember watching movies with Jacques Cousteau and he always had a Rolex on his wrist. Interestingly, I often ran away from this brand for a while, because it was cliché, because there were so many more interesting watches, because it was too obvious.

Chroneo: Is there a Rolex model that you consider the golden grail?

Karol: For me, the Daytona is something like the Porsche 911. Timeless, universal, improved over time, a true icon. For me, it is definitely the best Rolex. Incredibly comfortable, thin despite the chronograph and absolutely timeless.

Chroneo: Is there any brand that, in your eyes, deserves much more attention and recognition than it currently has?

Karol: I think you have to think in price categories here. Baltic is definitely in the lower range. Beautiful watches, functional and with cool stories. Then Grand Seiko - I had a lot of them. Beautiful watches that I love to have in my drawer and look at under a magnifying glass. Aesthetically, they are a masterpiece, unfortunately their bracelets have always bothered me, they are simply uncomfortable. Of the more expensive brands, definitely Bulgari and Parmigiani Fleurier. I have Parmigiani on my wrist today, I am delighted with its complete anonymity.

Chroneo: Is this your latest purchase? Can you tell us a bit about the brand?

Karol: I have a plan now, to focus on alternative, more niche brands such as Parmigiani. Check out Tonde, the model I have. There are so many details to discover. A platinum micro-rotor, a super thin movement, 8 mm thick, incredibly delicate guilloché dial, the way the indices are mounted. It all makes sense here and distinguishes this design from many common but better known brands. I also like their philosophy and the way they approach the issue of watch design. Rarely in the industry is so much attention paid to the balance of the case, the comfort of the bracelet and the issue of how the finished design is worn on the wrist. What is most beautiful about this watch is its details for me, and they are not eye-catching. At first glance, it is an ordinary watch and only as a user can you see the beauty and uniqueness of this design.

Chroneo: Karol, thank you for this interview and we wish you many more watchmaking discoveries.