This year marked the tenth anniversary of the Windup Watch Fair, held annually in October on New York’s Fifth Avenue. In recent years, the wild success and high crowd turnout necessitated the launch of additional locations throughout the country – Chicago was the first to be added to the growing list, and enthusiasts in San Francisco were able to enjoy the show on their home turf beginning last year. The addition of an event in Dallas this March rounded out the series to four locations, providing convenient options for hobbyists in many parts of the country.
I’ve been collecting watches for half a decade, and working as an industry journalist for two years. However, as many Coloradans can likely attest, watch fairs like Windup are few and far between in the Centennial State. In the context of history, this phenomenon makes a lot of sense: the east coast had the buying power and the center of mass to make the New York market a priority. But my living nearly 2,000 miles away from NYC can make getting there especially tricky. I’ve wanted to attend Windup for years, and was finally able to work out the logistics to make it happen this fall, with very little sense of what to expect.
As a certified New York newbie (this was only my second ever visit to the Big Apple), I was surprised at the level of scale at which everything in the city operated – Windup included. I walked about a mile from my hotel in Midtown to Center415, taking in the sights and sounds of Manhattan and trying to commit them all to memory. When I rounded the corner to Fifth Avenue, I stopped in shock at the sight of the line wrapped around the block with excited fair-goers. A man saw me staring and asked gruffly,
“You here for that watch thing?”
I answered that I was.
“Do you know if the watches are any good though?”
I told him they were, but the hobby is too broad for me to determine what good means for him, specifically. We parted ways and I left him on the corner debating if his curiosity outweighed his impatience (I passed him in the crowd hours later, so you’ll be happy to know that it did).
With more than 140 brands in attendance this year, I’m confident that visitors of all backgrounds and preferences were able to find something that piqued their interest. The four halls, split across two stories, were abuzz with the chatter of patrons and brand representatives. Watches and merchandise covered the tables and ebbs and flows in the crowd kept a sort of natural rhythm. If there was a significant wait at one brand’s table, it was easy to make a mental note to return while you went to visit another. Bars on both levels – one with alcoholic drinks and one with espresso (thanks, Brew!) – kept visitors refreshed.
Those who wanted to take short breaks from booth-hopping could attend one of the multiple panel sessions that ran throughout the weekend. Most of these provided an opportunity for brand representatives to highlight their history, design, and goals for the future. One panel brought together myself and two fellow Worn & Wound contributors to discuss our experiences in the industry and how they’ve shaped our experiences as collectors. It was a great opportunity to think back on my time so far in this hobby.
One of the hallmarks of the Windup Watch Fairs are their high levels of accessibility. Watch collecting, like any hobby, can have barriers to entry that may preclude participation in certain spaces. The luxury sector specifically can raise those entry points even higher, and it can feel intimidating to know how to gain access to the fascinating but oftentimes cost-prohibitive world of horology. The folks at the Windup shows do an excellent job of ensuring all parts of the experience are inclusive and fun for all. New brands and old are stationed side-by-side and every representative I spoke with was kind and attentive.
Famously, there is no cost associated for visitors to enter and there are no VIP lists one must be on in order to interact with those at the show. Anyone with a desire to learn more about watches – and the patience to queue at some of the tables for a bit – is able to share an equal (time)piece of the pie. It was wonderful to meet with so many fellow watch enthusiasts free of pretense and simply passionate about the innovation and community that make horology great. I was able to try on many of the “to be considered” pieces on my list from brands not currently offered in Colorado (or locations in the U.S. in general). Some notable favorites were a Baltic Hermetique from the Summer collection, the Christopher Ward x Worn & Wound C12 Brooklynite, or the New York Edition Metric Chrono from Brew. But seeing funky case shapes, dial textures, or complications from independent brands that were new to me reminded me that we’re living in an unprecedented and exciting era of watchmaking.
If I had to pick a single highlight to walk away with this year for my first Windup, it was getting to finally meet some of the people I’ve been connected with for years now through social media and watch journalism, and feeling like we were old friends. I’m convinced that watch collecting is so much more fun when you’re able to share your enthusiasm with others who understand your same quirky way of thinking. Standing in a packed bar my last night in Manhattan getting to laugh and connect with some of the Oris crew and other industry folks, reminded me that I’m fortunate to tell stories with and about watches – and that I’m part of a very large community spread all over the world.
My trip ended with a drive to Bristol, Connecticut and a short but meaningful visit to the American Clock & Watch Museum. It felt poignant to bring things to a close on a historical note. Windup felt fresh and exciting, with innovation and forward-thinking at the core of many brands’ new releases. The museum helped remind me that all of that progress is made possible by understanding the centuries of experimentation and persistence that shaped the industry in the first place. Caught between the quiet weight of history and the energy of what’s next, I felt a sense of knowing my experiences with the Windup Watch Fair – and with the fellow enthusiasts who make this space great – have only just begun.
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