About T1NKER
28 years on the wrist. Still not regulated.
I'm T1NKER, the collector, tinkerer, and voice behind Regul8d Caffein8d, a watch content brand built for people who actually wear their watches.
Based in Brooklyn, NY, I've been collecting and wearing timepieces for 28 years. Along the way I picked up movement work, watch restoration, and franken builds, the kind of hands-on experience that only comes from being genuinely obsessed with how these things tick.
T1NKER is what happens when that obsession meets a camera. No hype. No gatekeeping. Just honest takes on vintage watches, mechanical watch collecting, homage watches, watch regulation, and the real financial and emotional cost of this hobby.
On Instagram I post Reels and carousels covering everything from budget watch picks to full bench teardowns. On Substack I go deeper: buying guides, collecting philosophy, and the stuff the algorithm won't let me say in 30 seconds.
What I cover
- Vintage watch collecting and identification
- Mechanical watch regulation and movement work
- Homage watches and honest alternatives to luxury timepieces
- Watch bench work and franken builds
- Budget collecting and value-driven recommendations
- The culture and community of watch collecting