Wind-Up New York: The Inclusive, Independent Watch Fair

With sky-high price points and the main watch fairs taking place solely in Geneva and Basel, Zach Weiss and Blake Malin decided to create an event in New York for enthusiasts interested in luxury watches with a lower price point. The October 23-25 fair took place in SoHo and included independent watchmakers and sellers like 10:25 Vintage, Analog Shift, Brew, Oris, Mühle Glashütte, Stowa, and Halios. Free and open to the public, Wind-Up also featured a panel discussion on Saturday about the rise of watch culture in the U.S.

“Wind-Up proved that there is an appetite for more affordable and diverse timepieces. We had over 3,000 guests attend the show, from watch collectors to style aficionados who wandered in from the streets in SoHo, attracted by the energy. Watches can be for anyone and that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive,” said Wind-Up’s co-founder Weiss.

“The turnout for Wind-Up far exceeded our expectations and this success says a lot about the independent and up-and-coming watch community- it has the power to draw an audience. Making that kind of connection, the ability to have one-on-one interaction with the people behind each brand in a comfortable and welcoming environment, is key and something unique to our watch fair and our website,” added Malin.