WatchTime New York Celebrates 10 Years!

Just over ten years ago, on a business trip to Chicago, former WatchTime Editor-in-Chief, Joe Thompson and now Publisher, Sara Orlando and I were having lunch at a hotel restaurant. The topic: the future of events at WatchTime Magazine. With the sudden rise of watch boutiques around the country, watch brands were less interested in multi-brand events, and more interested in seeing an ROI in their own spaces.

We knew, however, that the collector community was looking for something a bit different. In our collective experience, collectors enjoyed events for three main reasons:

• community
• experience
• interaction

Over the years we had learned that collectors want to engage with their fellow watch collector friends, and love meeting new friends in the community. Collectors love to see and try on something new or different. And perhaps most importantly, collectors want to have fun. This often (but not always) involved larger, multi-brand events spanning a few days.

For years, we had heard from the brands that American audiences weren’t ready for a big watch show. Some brands even believed Americans didn’t have a culture of watch collecting, weren’t as mature as European audiences and Americans did not (typically) pass along their grandfather’s Vacheron Constantin. We just weren’t there yet, at least, that is what we were being told in sales meeting with the Swiss brands.

Over the years, I had attended large watch events across Europe: Salon QP in London, Vienna Time and of course, Baselworld. The meetings with the Swiss brands gave me pause. Was the US ready for a weekend, multi-brand event? Would Americans come out on a Saturday in lieu of football games and family time?

Joe Thompson thought they would. In fact, he was adamant.

He claimed we had to do it. We had to do it first, and we had to do in New York. Call it “WatchTime New York,” he said. And we did.

Year one was truly a, “build it and they will come” moment. Sara and I planned the show from the ground up, from the carpet to the marketing, if selling events was difficult before, imagine selling a show that had never existed before! We couldn’t answer basic questions, such as how many collectors would attend and would the brands sell any watches. We just didn’t know.

My goal for year one was clear: Create a uniquely American watch event. Make it fun. Make it accessible to everyone.

We persevered and WatchTime Magazine and its small but mighty team took on an enormous risk. Year one opened in 2015 with 18 exhibiting brands.

Ten years later, WatchTime New York is welcoming 44 brands and is considered one of the biggest and most important watch shows in the world.

“Thanks to a careful selection of brands and the best audience a publication can hope for, WatchTime New York has not only set the benchmark in the industry regarding collectors' events, but it now also serves as a global launch platform for new releases. In short: it's the leading B2C event in the watch industry's leading market, bringing together the world's best brands and the most passionate collectors,” Roger Ruegger, WatchTime Editor-in-Chief.

WatchTime New York has become a part of the horological calendar in that watch brands plan new releases around the show, often debuting them at the event. This year five brands will be launching new watches at the event.

“Having a stand at WatchTime New York every year is a given for us at RGM. This show attracts exactly the kind of passionate watch enthusiasts we love to connect with—both from across the country and around the world. From the incredible atmosphere to the mix of brands—large and small—it’s truly an amazing event. For us, it’s the most important date on the calendar,” says Roland G. Murphy Founder & Watchmaker, RGM Watch Co.

The event is not just for New Yorkers, either. It has become a destination for collectors around the country and the world. Last year, guests traveled from 33 stated and 9 countries to attend. Approximately 35% of the attending guests came from out of the tri-state area.

“WTNY has delivered a much-needed horological experience not only on the East Coast but for the entire country as collectors fly in from all over. So much so that Watchtime has spearheaded what is now called NY Watch Week, a full-blown celebration of watchmaking with activations from many brands throughout the city with multiple collectors gathering. This is the place to be in North America if you are a collector, like watches or simply want to discover this fascinating world” – Jean Marc Bories, representative for MB&F and Armin Strom.

My focus had always been to keep the show uniquely American, in aiming to understand the American collector and what he or she wants to see. I remember a collector wandering around the event and standing in front of the MB&F booth. He was on the phone with his friend. “Bill, I think you should come down here,” he said, “they’ve got some watches that look like robots, and I have no idea what they are, but they are amazing.”  I later learned his friend jumped in a taxi and joined him.

I overheard another group of collectors strolling through the show and commenting on the exhibiting brands. “What’s Czapek?” one said to the other. “No idea he said, but let’s go check them out!” These conversations were years ago, and now both brands are well-known amongst collectors, but it demonstrated perfectly the enthusiasm for and eagerness to learn and engage in the watch world. American audiences make me proud and continue to do so. Here’s to the future of watch collecting in the US and beyond. We are very happy to have played a part in the exciting, ever-changing horological world.

For tickets to the 10th anniversary of WatchTime New York, please visit www.watchtimeevents.com.