Inside This Week’s Full Set:
We sit down with Walid Benla—founder of Time-Telling Magazine and a rising voice in African horology—to trace a journey from childhood Seikos to shoebox grails in Granada. From Darija monologues to global reach, Walid is reshaping who gets seen, heard, and celebrated in the watch world. This is representation with rhythm—and legacy in motion.
The Story Beneath the Dial
Some journeys begin with a bang. Others tick quietly in the background until the right moment brings them to life. For Walid Benla—writer, curator, founder of Time-Telling Magazine—horology wasn’t just a passion. It was a legacy waiting to be claimed.
“In every room at my grandfather’s house,” he recalls, “there was something telling time. Not just clocks or watches—but gestures, rituals, respect.” It wasn’t until years later, when a Swatch fell from his wrist and he cracked open the case with a kitchen knife, that he glimpsed the deeper world within. “The second I saw those gears moving, it was over. Comics were out. Horology books were in.”
From Fixing to Frontlining
Fast-forward to 2022: certifications in hand, Benla was already known among friends as the guy to talk to about watches. But when a friend encouraged him to record a casual monologue in Moroccan Darija, something shifted. “It was 20 minutes of me just talking about taste, history, mechanics. No script. No polish.” That clip became a spark—and then a wildfire.
Now, Benla hosts two podcasts a week, leads content for Time-Telling Magazine, and is deep in the trenches of authorship. “It’s chaos,” he admits with a laugh. “But the community is the engine. They remind me why I show up.”
Africa’s First Horology Magazine
Launched in early 2024, Time-Telling was Morocco’s first horology podcast. But it wasn’t enough. “I’m a writer first,” Benla says. “I learned this world through deep reads—not reels.” That instinct birthed Time-Telling Magazine, a multilingual, digital-first publication that quickly found global traction.
Today, it holds another title: Africa’s first horology magazine. “Saying that still gives me chills,” Benla reflects. “It’s proof that we were never absent. We were just waiting for a platform.”
Voice, Visibility, and the Value of Showing Up
Representation isn’t a footnote in Time-Telling—it’s the foundation. “There’s this myth that African or Arab collectors don’t exist. But we do. We always have.” For Benla, visibility is more than inclusion—it’s reflection. “A Swedish collector sees a Swede on a panel and feels seen. Why should it be different for us?”
Emotion vs. Engineering
For some, watches are about movements and measurements. For others, it’s mood and meaning. For Benla, it’s both. “I’m a tech nerd, but typography gets me emotional. A 2499 is perfection—but show me a Khanjar dial, and I’m gone.”
It’s the tension between precision and poetry that keeps him fascinated. “The best pieces are layered. They hold secrets under the cuff.”
Reading the Industry's Pulse
So where is horology headed? According to Benla, the old guard is losing its grip—and that’s not a bad thing. “Microbrands are stealing the spotlight. Furlan Marri. URWERK. They’re challenging the elitism with creativity.”
Not everything’s worth celebrating. “The ‘geezer watch’ meme? Exhausting. This isn’t fast fashion—it’s heritage. Treat it with some respect.”
Granada, Grails, and Serendipity
Every collector has a story that reads like fiction. For Benla, it happened in Granada. “I walked into an herb shop with a handwritten note about vintage goods. At the bottom of a shoebox: a strapless Universal Genève Polerouter Date. My grail.”
He paid well over asking—still far below market—and left with history in his pocket. “I later sold it to a dear friend. It still lives on his wrist. Still gleaming.”

If Collaboration Called
Ask Benla about dream collaborations and the answer comes fast: Universal Genève. “It would be a love letter to the Tri-Compax. 38mm, Breguet numerals, Feuille hands. Hand-wound Cal. 481 with a column wheel and vertical clutch.”
No loud logos. Just the Time-Telling “T” tucked quietly into the crown. “Clean. Respectful. Personal.”

Stories That Outlast the Watch
We’re living in the era of overload. Archive reissues. Homages on homages. So what separates the fleeting from the forever?
“Storytelling,” Benla says without missing a beat. “It turns steel and sapphire into legend.” Think ‘You never actually own a Patek…’ — a line that still reverberates. “It’s not about product. It’s about purpose.”
What Comes Next?
Print. Legacy. Expansion.
“The Beginner’s Compass,” Benla’s first book, is now in pre-order. “It’s for the curious. A visual guide to understanding horology without the snobbery.” The second is already underway—this time for the purists. “Theory, history, psychology. No fluff.”
And yes, more collaborations. “That’s what gets me out of bed right now,” he says. “We’re not just telling time. We’re telling stories.”
Where to find Walid Benla:
For those looking to follow Walid’s latest finds and insights, check out:
Follow Walid Benla on Instagram @walid.benla
Explore Time-Telling Magazine at timetellingmagazine.com
Photography courtesy of Walid Benla / Time-Telling Magazine