NBA Great Carmelo Anthony On Watches, Collecting, And Life After Basketball | House Of Craft

I must say that when I see all the faces I know now why I didn't retire because how can anybody retire from a passion I don't know our economy and the gender inequality will catch up as a brand we better be prepared for that last time I saw you you were actually talking about watches that belong to your father yeah this is all your fault yeah you guys I said it in the video and in my intro thanks for bringing it up but this is all your fault I didn't care about Watchers until you guys put all these videos gaming the algorithm pretty much yeah that was good I was at Syracuse when this man led the orange the orangeman back then to the national championship this guy was the Beatles in Syracuse New York he was John lenon back then and still is for the record and we're so happy to have you here this is full this is a full circle moment for me as being a fan for for so many years uh but thank you for for coming here no this is this is this is amazing I'm I'm ready to cover my watch over here this I didn't know what type of room I was stepping into the day this is a serious room I see that I see that I see that but it's it's it's an honor to be in front of the a crowd like this and just to sit here and have a good conversation absolutely so so tell us about the the the watch you're wearing so AP Royal Oak offshore yeah AP Royal Oak offshore the volcano yep um I I had it in my in my vault in my sa for years yeah it was just one that today was like we just just wear that it's the day yeah it was just um actually it was a gift it was a gift there was my welcome to New York gift uh from Swiss Beast actually kidding so uh Franc Swiss and uh franois uh AT AP yeah did a great job of inviting me or welcoming me to to New York with the AP so it was special to me I could say that that's a little bit different than how I came to New York I can tell um so how did you how did you first obviously you know when you went into the NBA all of a sudden you were exposed to things you weren't exposed to before but how did watches kind of end your your life well watches watches was always a part of my life um when I got into the NBA and just started traveling and and listening and observing and trying to understand what's happening out here um in the luxury world then time pieces became my love because I started to understand the craftsmanship and and started to Deep dive into what it takes to make just one piece of of of of of the time piece and I started to sep separate the two time pieces from watches and that was my way of really you know showing an appreciation of just you know art Artistry um the craftsmanship being able to go see some of these watch makers um and really having a great appreciation for the amount of time and the work that one person uh puts into the craft so that was that was my my time so when you first joined joined the League what was the first watch that you you really wanted and then bought yourself oh man I think when I when I first got to the league it was like you know diamond watches it was like it was big brightlings with you know flooded brightlings with diamonds and you bolts and like it was you know it was those were the watches at at that point in time until um I bought my first Rolex yeah and when I bought my first Rolex that's when I felt like okay I'm here like this is this feels different like you have a different Aura you have a different swag when you get your your first rolly and put that on your wrist and where'd you get it in Denver I was in Denver uh I think one of the Rolex stores in in Denver Colorado again this was like 2004 yeah um and I I and then I I promised my team at this point in time I said listen we just won you guys just won 18 games the year before if we make the playoffs I get everybody of Rolex and it came down to the last game of the season so we wound up winning the game and making it to the playoffs so I tried to scoot on by like I didn't know like I forgot but I had to deliver 12 Rolexes uh to my to my team but it it was worth it I would say it was worth it it was wor that's amazing and did you did you go back to the same store in Denver for for that I did um I just was like look I I need help I need some help I need I need 12 Rolex 12 Rolexes listen here's the budget yeah and we went from there and if we didn't make the playoffs they was going right back so that's amazing and so how did you first meet you know uh you can just say his first name and everybody knows exactly you're talking about franois yeah right so we did uh actually did uh his last interview ever when he was in office and we did talking watches with Francois last December you know total Legend of of everything right knows everybody how did you first run into franois nap I think this at this time it was just certain people in certain industries um when I when I came to the New York Knicks that you just had to meet and excuse me Fran sis was the guy in the in this watch industry that you just had to meet um and again I have my my welcome to the kind of New York dinner um and Fran sis did you know Swiss beast and Fran sis did a hell of a job job of just putting it you know curating uh what that was going to be uh and at that moment I really was like okay let me let me let me start diving more into uh not just spending money on buying watches but really understanding this watch industry yeah and is the relationship with franois still there or is he it will always be there I I think that's just you know over time you kind of just grow and he you know he's growing he's here and he's there but overall it's just certain people that you know no matter what you will always be in sync with with every time you see that person yeah and for for a while you I think you were working with IWC for a little bit as well yeah I was working I went to IWC because I just I fell in love with the brand a long time ago yeah um and and you know my peers we we we were young and they like why what you when IWC for what's IWC there's no diamonds in this one buddy yeah so it was you know that was my way of kind of like when when not following the trends and when guys were going certain ways I was really going into again the time piece kind of era of of of of understanding what was happening so I went to IWC I just I fell in love with the brand um they big Pilots was something that I I was always a fan of and then they did the uh the Muhammad Ali Edition yeah uh so that was the big pilot so because of that with my you know my love for ali um I had to you know step up with with IWC I was actually at that event believe it or not the the you yes you were I was there that was a while back but IWC is is a brand uh that you know really is has a lot of love in in the greater kind of world but isn't one that is on the Forefront right like now it's AP it's Rolex it's patch it's all those why why do you think that is with with IWC one thing about that I think uh IWC is it's very nostalgic it's very consistent so when the when the trends go up and down and they fall and they come back and they they they go into that cycle somebody like IWC is always very consistent across the board so they don't they don't go with the trends it's it's for me it's like I feel very nostalgic when I have a an IWC and I feel like I'm like separated from the pack of of everybody else and what you go into a room and what everybody else will have with neighbor yeah and who who in the league is is really into Watchers like who who is the watch guy in the music world it's Jay-Z and John Mayor right like we all know Jay-Z and John Mayor are big into it who is it in in the league I think everybody kind of have their like they're Lane when it comes to uh just luxury things right whether it's wine watches whatever it may be I think everybody has their Lane uh I mean when you making 50 million a year and 60 million a year you everybody is a watch collector at at that point so you can go buy whatever watch that that you want um so I I for me it was just more like I always wanted to curate kind of what was in in my in my watch case yeah and so what what's exciting you these days man I just saw um actually right before I came in I just saw I don't know if I'm supposed to say this she probably be mad at me but it's okay I just saw this vason Constantine watch that just hit like this the store like at this very moment when I was walking in here I didn't even have a chance to get the name of it like she was just on FaceTime and she was showing me and it I was like I got to go I got to go D is in there he waiting on me but I'll call you back after this to see the to see the video but I you know that that was one that I was really like oh you you you caught my my attention with that so you're that into it so you're getting calls from salespeople when when new stuff comes in and I I try to uh manage my relationships you know I I try to you know keep a keep keep a a network going with with with people that's in those specific indust Industries because I'm I'm a student too like I still like to learn about it I still like to see what people wear I still it's it's a conversational piece right like too like you what you drinking what's in your glass and it's the same type of energy when it comes to watches and time pieces yeah and what is it about watches that that you think I mean beyond the cost right like that's obvious like there's expensive stuff everywhere beyond the cost what is it about watches that makes you so excited to BU it by so many other players excited by it is it the mechanics is it the the culture around it is it the videos is it what what is it exactly I think for different people there different reasons uh for some people it could be the culture for some people it could be TR friends for some people it couldn't be the mechanics um it it it it varies depending on who you really asking for me it's it's what what a Time piece and a watch do for me it it says something without me even saying anything right it it it already sets the tone of kind of your aura where you at what you're doing um I I cannot even talk to you or speak to you and I can look at your wrist and understand what type of energy that you actually have depending on the time piece that's on your wrist so that's the way that that's that's how I observe uh the industry but it's it it it's the accessory that you that you need yeah you know it's the one accessory that I think everybody needs yeah I I feel bad when I don't wear a watch me too and I sometimes I just like I don't want to wear a watch and then I get out like D I feel a little light over here yeah but it's um yeah you you you have to have a watch yeah and so so you're wearing the the offshore today I'm just curious what else is in the in the constant rotation of your collection like what are you going to wear tomorrow well I wear the same watch every single day I I wear my uh my gold uh rose gold uh Rolex with the green di I'm sorry I I wear that every single day yeah and what is it about that watch that that you love so much it's simple it's easy uh again it's a statement you know when you when you when you see that watch he's like okay all right yeah got the green face okay I get it um but yeah it's just it's it's it sets a tone and it tells the story without you having to say anything yeah and so you got a call from Vashon right before you came in here yeah what what other brands are kind of on your radar I mean I'm I I I love I still love IWC yeah like I still love IWC I mean I'm always love AP um have you done patch yet so I have um my Nautilus um I have I have a what's 5980 Nautilus um but yeah those are like you know you don't want to wear those every day you know those those make you feel like Superman when you put them pck Philip born um yeah but those are you know those are those are still the actual Brands if I had to wear one brand every single day probably would be p f yeah yeah that that that's a fair for sure um so what exactly do you look for you know in in things like do do you look at the investment in watches or is it more just for for fun for you no I actually was I was yes to answer your question yes but I was in the car looking at my watches and you know what's going on cuz I haven't checked them out in a long time and I'm like okay let me go over here and see I'm going into a watch Community right now let me just see what's happening in the watch World Y and I went back to you know kind of my black book and just seeing and yeah we doing okay you're doing okay we're doing okay what um what is it about the idea of of watches is so kind of it look to me obviously very special but I think to to most people in this room I mean it really I was telling a story earlier that I got a call from the watchmaker this watch before my son was born like literally right before do you have any watches that mean something to you that like that like are really really personal that you can share oh man I mean this was this was special because it was a the type of gift and why the behind it yeah um you know Welcome to New York it it was a gift um my uh my LeBron James otmar yeah uh is is is a special gift from him no kidding uh so that was you know that that that was special I mean as far as like what they mean like those probably was the only two that Muhammad Ali IWC means means a lot to me I was able to get number seven of the collection so it was a beautiful thing that I was able to get that um yeah so LeBron gave you LeBron AP I mean he better had I mean I mean what we talking about I mean you know if I had if I had one if I designed it wi you was getting the first one that's just how how I am but I I received it yes I received it are you it wasn't number seven yeah are you in touch with LeBron often these days yeah yeah yeah we communicate yeah it's uh it's it's Again full circle moment for me seeing being on stage with you because it was such a a meaningful moment for me when I was at Syracuse seeing you do what you do um so I know we have a lot of fans in the audience here so I want to kick it out to the audience to ask any question you want of Carmelo Anthony H got one over there hey Carmelo thank you uh again I think a lot of us in here with especially modern day watches the size of a watch is is an important question in you obviously being a large guy uh all the brands that you've rattled off so far IWC and and AP pad Etc known for the larger millimeters is there a certain size that you will know hey I'm not going to wear anything under 40 millim because it just doesn't look right on my wrist versus 42 43 millim being sort of the the norm no I think it just depends on like where I'm going uh I mean it's it's I have a very I have a a square you know rectangle small you know uh Constantine that I have you know suit you know kind of suit uh watch but yeah it just depends and that's that's that's like super tiny right you put that on especially on my wrist is like you can't even it looks like a rubber band on my wrist but the the fact that the fact that the matters you know it really depends on what I'm doing and where I'm going um the size of the watch you know that's that's more like you know if I'm going really dressing up and you know stepping out and going to a Gallow or an event like that's more of of of that type of vibe um but yeah I mean it's it depends it varies um first of all I just want to say I was nine when you got drafted uh growing up in Detroit and I really thought we were about to get you and uh I I still haven't forgave the franchise for that but um yeah we forget Keon's coming up on hopefully almost being in the league uh have you thought about what watch you want to get him is he into it you know have you started to think about some of that what what his first watch would be for me it would be something that he can like really keep and cherish and like have value to it I mean and hopefully God's willing he will be able to go out there and buy his own watches but the watch that I'm going to get you you may not be able to wear this every single day because I want you to keep that in the in the safe and only bring that out if you have to not when you have to if you have to uh but yeah it'll be something very thoughtful uh something that's very curated in a sense of you know looking at it at from a from a big picture and like what this what this time piece really means thanks so much car you mentioned earlier that when everyone's making 50 million a year everyone can be a watch collector I'm sort of related to that I'm curious how difficult is it for you to not buy things you're interested in that's a hell of a question that's a great question it's it's actually it's actually easier for me now because I can really kind of streamline and like be intentional on on the things that I really want in the things that I I want to spend my my resources on right and and I think now I'm all about something with meaning and something it has to mean something to me whether it's a watch whether it's an art piece whether whatever it may be it's it has to mean something to me at at this point um but yeah it's I'm I'm very intentional at at this point in my life so whatever it may be it's it's going to be intentional how you doing thank you for coming I want to ask how do you go about picking what time piece you will add to your collection is there a scheme is there a Rhyme or Reason like how does that come together to be like this is going indefinitely in my collection oh man Man collections is when you talk about collections those are real pieces right like it's I mean I have watches that you know just it's part of the crew right and then I and then I have a collection that I that I actually collect you know IWC skeleton like these are like items that I actually collect so it it again it has to be very intentional on me stepping out there and purchasing something that or identifying something that that I I want and part of this ecosystem and not just going to purchase something just just because so it has to feel a part of this ecosystem and have I have to be in that um what you know whatever energy in at that moment that I'm in I have to feel it I have to have that connection with that time piece so I mean honestly I haven't even I haven't bought the time piece and watch in probably five years wow right but it was just like because I haven't really been connected to nothing that's that's really out there so when I get that call today it's like holy like oh okay you talking to me now but you know I've seen some other ones over you know over the past couple months that you know I'm eyeing and looking at um but again I also look at markets I also look at Trends and see what's happening who's falling who's Rising who's staying the same who's consistent um who's who's getting better right who's who's being Innovative and creative so I I I know I'm sounding like very tedious it's a very tedious moment uh in in in time when I'm trying to pick the next piece to go in my collection it stands the reason most of the people in this room are watch collectors as you know people that tend to collect one thing they tend to collect other things and so there are other categories where where you're a connoisseur whether it's art wine cigars right just curious to know if there's an ethos or a philosophy that informs your approach to collecting more holistically irrespective of the category yes uh it's to me it's a mindset right it's it's when and doubt stay mellow right it's at at the end of the day and that's my Mantra right and it goes across all genres and all categories whether it's watches whether it's cigars whether it's wine you know whether it's cars whatever it is I like to enjoy the luxury things of life right it it's it's it's just something about craftsmanship that I that that I actually enjoy um it's it's not a that's not an arrogant statement that's just I I love certain I love elevated things I love craftsmanship I love to see you know small details and in in in watches and in bags and in cars and cigars and in wine and everything so those worlds all Collide they all come together anyway you can you can do one and have all of them there at the same time we can be in here talking about watches upstairs drinking wine talking about art artist in the background fashion like everything is curated so if I'm going to be in that space if I'm already kind of in that space and been in that space then i' rather keep staying in that space where I could curate these moments and you know curate times like this we have real conversations and we kind of formulate communities and build communities and have conversation and dialogue that's where I'm at right now so if if if the watch is that the young man is talking about what what am I eyeing if it doesn't fit into that ecosystem then it's just it's not worth it uh nonat related question is that okay of course okay so you've been hugely successful Syracuse the NBA the Olympics I'm a big fan of a school a college basketball school that has gotten close but no cigar Gonzaga and we've wanted for years to get over the home you've obviously gotten over the home throughout stages of your career to you what is that missing element or that extra element that has helped you get from almost there to over the top and how would you define that well I got to call my Z yeah I don't have no there's no hard filler to the zags other than let's let's get to another conference like let's let's let's figure that out first um but as far as like being able to tap into something to to get you to that next level I think somebody like Gonzaga has always been knocking at the door they've been there they we see them every year we see them tournament time we see them you know preseason tournaments and we just they out west right and I think they get the short end of the stick they get uh bad seating when the tournament time come uh it's a lot of things that goes wrong for the for Gonzaga being at there in the in all the way out there out west in that location with that being said we talk about Trends we talk about ups and downs we talk about uh who's here today and going going tomorrow Gonzaga that IWC I'm talking about they always consistent across the board like every year they going to they're going to be there no matter Who's hotter who's not they always going to be very consistent so with that hopefully one day it'll happen but you have to stay consistent you have to continue to put the work in you can't uh have that type of mentality or we just getting there and you know on to the next it's like n we're going to continue to build this and see what happens but good luck to you guys this year I from here any any compation you like I like the the triple turbon I'm I'm a triple turbon guy uh normal I know that's like that's like dreams though that's like I just love the complication I don't have a triple a triple turb but I just love you know the mechanics with when it comes to that um I also like um you know uh single turbon like it's I just think there's there's so much else you can do when it just one turbon in there um but yeah if I if I had to to say would be definitely uh a Turon watch for sure I tried did you yeah I did quick story uh so when I when I first came to New York and I was you know into into the watch market and like I'm going around I'm having conversation at this time Rashard Mill is like you know it's like one here it's like you know a couple people had him so I go to him and I say listen let's do a deal I I'll wear the watch into the arena I'll wear it on the bench working out I'll wear it warming up but after you know during the game I'll take it off and sit it on the table so you can get we can get all the publicity that we really want and at this point in time uh they're like no you just we need you to wear this we need you to wear to watch in the game and the league doesn't allow that and the league doesn't allow that so fast forward to now I just saw that they signed a basketball play or some like that so you know so sometimes you can't you know you got to be ahead of the game and you know the moral of the story is you know to keep your vision no matter what right when even when somebody else doesn't see it you got to keep going uh non-at related question as well um one of my favorite moments from the Olympics was watching you on the sideline supporting Team USA um could you sort of describe what it was like being in Paris in that Arena especially for the final um against France well I I felt the same way that I mean we all was watching the Olympic I felt the same way that you guys felt as a fan because I didn't have to compete I didn't have to study I didn't have to look at a scout report I didn't like I didn't have to do none of that so I can just be a fan of the sport a fan of the skill and and the talent but also be a fan of guys that I've played on the same team with I've won gold medals with competed competed against 17 18 Seasons like I get a chance to that's my way of showing appreciation as a fan um because for so long you can't you can't be a fan like you you got to be a closet fan like you got you can't you got to cheer for guys you know in in your own house and you can't it's it's not accepted um so when you keep that and you got to compete against these guys in my case almost two decades now I can just exhale and just be a fan and enjoy stuff Kerry for what he really does and Katie for what he really does and LeBron for who he really is like I can appreciate that and and and accept that now and as a fan and they see that they they feel that you know it's the same it's the same sentiment for them to see see me on the sideline as a fan knowing that I've been in those Wars with them before and in those type of situations they it's a it's a it's a mutual sentiment that we have so I'll I'll ask one final question what what does life look like for you after basketball do you have any idea or or what are you thinking yeah yeah it's a lot um right now I'm actually trying to organize uh my business structure yeah um my business strategy I have a wine company um vend in 7even for State um you know this year this fall we'll be launching six wines this year out out of this state um based out of France based out of shatan Pop um I have a cigar line coming out but like a very cure rated you know cigar line that's that's that's coming out um I'm in private Equity I'm raising funds uh I'm investing raising kids yeah you know it's it's fun though it's you know to be on this side of it um and it's not something that I just started to do so I think that's why it was easy for me to transition to this side of it and and and be that fan in Paris because it's this has been kind of structured and strategized for the past six to seven years so now now that I'm out I can really just act upon all of those things things that all of those seeds that that that I planted yeah amazing well so we all we all we got production companies too we got film coming out and TV series coming out over the next 12 months so do you really yeah what's what's it about if you can share my partners that kill me partners that kill me that's the part of the game I don't like cuz I want like I want to I want to engage I want to share but yeah we have some uh creative s uh Productions films we we have a a slew of uh projects that's coming out Sports um history um real true stories about overcoming adversity and you know whether it's individuals whether it's places um conversation um but yeah I'm I'm just working I say I'm building U I'm enjoying what I'm doing I'm enjoying building um my vision U and my team enjoys building it with me too CU they understand what's what we actually really trying to do it's amazing guys thank you so much Anthony you appreciate it thank you