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Reading time 3 min.

10th Edition of WatchTime New York Kicks Off With Friday VIP Jubilee

WatchTime's opening Friday festivities are the high note of what has essentially become New York Watch Week. The scene was electric with more brands than ever and celebrating its own decennial, and here are the photos that captured the mood.
© Petro Onysko

You've probably seen the photo recaps and influencer reels: Each year, the full weekend of horological revelry that is WatchTime New York kicks off with a Friday evening VIP cocktail event. The bubbly flows, wrists roll, anglage is inspected, and the who's who of watch collectors and industry personalities mingle the night away. That's how it went down last night, and here's a taste of the pictures that captured the vibe.

© Petro Onysko

Kikuo Ibe, the Father of G-SHOCK

© Petro Onysko

Amid all the happenings of what has essentially become the United States' horological crescendo of the year, Friday night at Gotham Hall is a fulcrum. A dressed-up affair, it sells out quickly despite the higher price of tickets. This year marking the show's tenth anniversary only added to the atmosphere, and one way it was highlighted was with an exclusive anniversary dinner. A select group of collectors joined the likes of Kari Voutilainen, William Massena, Moser's Bertrand Meylan and more for a three-course seated dinner and wine pairing on the magnificent space's mezzanine overlooking the show floor.

Journalist Roberta Naas and Publicist Ana Martins 

© Petro Onysko
© Petro Onysko

Over its decade, WatchTime has grown in prominence as well as size. This year, it featured more brands than ever — upward of forty (44, to be exact) with a number of brands joining the show for the first time: Artisans de Geneve, Artya, Bianchet, Citizen, Fears, Fortis, Konstantin Chaykin, Leica, Ming, Sarpaneva, and Ressence. Brands returning once again after having joined the show in years past include HYT, Oris, and Zenith.

Finnish watchmaker Kari Voutilainen

© Petro Onysko
© Petro Onysko

Even for Friday attendees, there was too much to see and do in just a couple of hours. The show goes on through the weekend with an ever broader range of visitors. There'll be whiskey tastings on Saturday and Sunday, a photo booth, and Glashütte Original is bringing a beer sommelier. In other words, the fun continues.

There are a few spots left for the weekend, October 18th and 19th, and you can still get tickets here.

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