WatchTime New York 2026 Sets Attendance Records in Its 11th Year
Three days at the heart of American watch collecting
WatchTime New York returned to Gotham Hall from October 16 to 18 for its largest edition yet, welcoming a record 3,000 attendees and 48 exhibiting brands over three days. From a sold-out Friday evening to a weekend of hands-on watch discoveries and lively panel discussions, the 11th annual event brought collectors together with the watchmakers, designers, and executives behind some of their favorite watches.
An anchor of New York Watch Week, this year’s show offered plenty of reasons to spend time on the floor. First-time exhibitors joined longtime participants beneath Gotham Hall’s domed ceiling, while new releases gave visitors the opportunity to discover watches making their public debut and speak directly with the people who created them.
Cocktails and conversation on the exhibition floor during Friday’s sold-out opening night.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
“The record attendance this year confirms what we have known all along: that the US market is thriving and demonstrates a continually growing appetite for watch collecting,” said Sara Orlando, WatchTime Publisher. “In our 11th year, we are thrilled to count on the continued support of the global watch collector community, and as the market continues to expand, WatchTime New York will continue to evolve to meet that demand.”
A Sold-Out Opening Night
Actor, collector, and watchmaker Aldis Hodge moderated Saturday’s “Why We Collect” panel.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
Jefferson’s Bourbon tastings added another discovery to the weekend’s offerings.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
Friday’s opening-night cocktail party welcomed a record 625 guests, including actors and watch collectors Aldis Hodge and Fred Savage. Throughout the evening, collectors moved between exhibition tables, tried on watches, and caught up over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
Among the familiar faces were MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, Chopard’s Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, and Urwerk co-founder Martin Frei. Also in attendance were Armin Strom’s Claude Greisler and Serge Michel, Bell & Ross co-founder Carlos Rosillo, H. Moser & Cie.’s Bertrand Meylan, Parmigiani Fleurier’s Guido Terreni, Oris’s Rolf Studer, and Moritz Grossmann founder Christine Hutter, among many others.
A group wrist shot captures the variety of watches collectors brought to the show.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
Wempe marked the occasion with a special Golden Hour cocktail, while an exclusive, separately ticketed collector dinner brought guests to the mezzanine for a three-course meal sponsored by U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management.
New Faces and New Watches
Guests get a closer look at the watches on display at Gerald Charles.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
This year’s exhibition brought together 48 brands, with nine making their WatchTime New York debut: Jacob & Co., Kollokium, Kudoke, Gérald Genta, Daniel Roth, Singer, Ferdinand Berthoud, Schwarz Etienne, and Keris.
They joined a broad returning lineup spanning established watchmaking houses and independent makers, giving visitors the chance to explore very different approaches to watchmaking within a single room.
A loupe offers a closer look at the finer details of mechanical watchmaking.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
New releases were an obvious draw throughout the weekend. Ressence, Bell & Ross, MB&F, Urwerk, Oris, Frederique Constant, Ming, Massena LAB, Fortis, and many others unveiled or showcased recent creations. For collectors, the appeal extended beyond seeing a watch in a display case, being able to put it on the wrist, examine its details, and ask questions across the table.
Between visits to the exhibitors, guests enjoyed complimentary Chandon wine and spritz cocktails, Jefferson’s Bourbon tastings, and Jean Rousseau’s “Tailor Your Watch” strap bar in the Lounge.
Conversations About Collecting
Actor and collector Ryan Reynolds joined Saturday’s “Why We Collect” panel, sharing stories about his life and passion for watches.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
Collectors gathered on the mezzanine floor for a weekend panel discussion.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
Saturday began with “Why We Collect: The Many Paths of Watch Collecting,” bringing actor and collector Ryan Reynolds together with MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser for a discussion moderated by actor, collector, and watchmaker Aldis Hodge. Before a packed room, the three shared stories about their lives, their grails, and the personal experiences behind their interest in watches.
On Sunday, attention turned to another much-discussed corner of the market with “Neo-Vintage Is Hot. Why—and Where Is It Headed?” Collector Jeffrey Kingston moderated a conversation featuring Paul Boutros, Andrea Casalegno, Tim Green, and Steven Rostovsky, exploring the interest in neo-vintage watches and where the category might go next.
Guests explored leathers, colors, and finishes at Jean Rousseau’s “Tailor Your Watch” strap bar.
WatchTime Magazine / Petro Onysko
“We attribute our success to the enthusiasm and curiosity of the American collector, to whom we are extremely devoted,” said Minda Larsen, WatchTime Event Director.
That curiosity was evident throughout the weekend, from the opening-night crowds to the final conversations on Sunday afternoon. Eleven years in, WatchTime New York continues to bring collectors closer to the watches they love—and to the people making them.
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