We first met Garrin Fraze in the fall of 2016. He was a high school student with a passion for watches, and he introduced himself to us in our Sundance Square store. It’s not everyday that a teenager tells you how passionate they are about watches and watchmaking – we were totally intrigued!
He completed a paid internship during the summer of 2017, and we invited him back this summer as a paid employee. Garrin has so many talents: watchmaking, poetry, video, and scuba diving. We truly appreciate his exceptional creativity and his efforts in creating our YouTube channel.
This fall, Garrin is headed to Paris Junior College in Paris, Texas, to study watchmaking. However, we plan to keep him on retainer to continue designing, shooting and creating our YouTube videos.
We would love for you to get to know Garrin, so here’s a brief Q&A with this bright mind …
Q. Where does your passion for watches come from?
When I was 10 years old, my grandfather showed me his pocket watch collection, and I fell in love. He gave me an old Waltham from his collection and I remember taking off the caseback to look at the movement. There was something about the artistry used to finish the movement, and it spoke to me. The movement combined with the mechanical side was what did it for me. One day it stopped working and I decided that someday, I was going to fix it. The watchmaker inside me was born.
Q. What do you enjoy about working at Haltom’s? No pressure on this answer.
There are several reasons I love working at Haltom’s. The people top the list. Everyone I work with is so fun to be around, and my days are full of smiles. Second, I get to be surrounded by two of my passions: horology and videography. Finally, I get to look at Pateks every day. I have to be careful not to drool on the display case. I don’t think Jack [Miller] would be too happy about that. I’ve learned to keep my drool to myself.
Q. Do you have a favorite watch? A dream watch?
I love vintage watches. There’s something about the charm of them, and I love wearing a little pieces of history on my wrist. My absolute thrill-of-a-lifetime dream watch is the Patek Philippe 2499 in Platinum. They only made two. One belonged to Eric Clapton, and the other is owned by Patek and on display at their museum.
Q. What is your goal for the Haltom’s YouTube channel?
I like the idea of communicating with people in a new way. This might be a new audience that we can educate about the craftsmanship of watches and fine jewelry. In my opinion, an informed customer will be happier with their purchase, and more satisfied knowing they have made a wonderful addition to their collection.
My goal is to try and upload four videos per month. We will have an LA Likes segment, Employee Picks, and if possible, a segment devoted to watches. Please subscribe to our channel so you can keep up with our new video installments. I would also love to hear any feedback or ideas you might have for the channel, so feel free to send your thoughts our way. *End*
Thank you Garrin, and thank you for all your hard work! Click here if you’d like to go to the Haltom’s Jewelers YouTube channel.
And if you’d like to see Garrin’s work, here is a link to his video with John about the Rolex Air King.
