Parties, Panels, and Pizza! All the Events During Windup Chicago 2024

This time next week we will be recovering from another exciting Chicago Windup Watch Fair full of great memories from our third annual trip to the Windy City. With over 60 brands showcasing the latest and greatest in watch releases from around the globe, we’d understand if you have already put together your plan of brands to visit during your time at Venue West. Update those plans because the Windup Lineup of Panels and events just dropped! As a reminder for those unfamiliar with Windup Chicago 2024, here are the key details for this free and open to the public event.

Venue West – 221 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60612
Friday, July 12: 12PM – 6PM
Saturday, July 13: 12PM – 6PM
Sunday, July 14: 12PM – 5PM
Free and open to the public
Free parking available across the street from the venue

As always, we work closely with our editorial team and our Lead Sponsors to craft engaging panels for audiences to get even deeper looks into the wonderful world of watches. We always make sure to include a bit of time for Q&A as well. Beyond panels, be sure to stay around the venue for meetups, happy hours, and extra surprises to come throughout the weekend. Take a look below at the schedule and be sure to join Worn & Wound+, our free Slack community to get the latest and greatest Windup news over the weekend. 

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Chicago Windup Watch Fair Opening Reception
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
*MUST RSVP TO ATTEND*

To celebrate Windup’s return to the Windy City, we’ve teamed up with CD Peacock, Illinois’ first business since 1837. The team at CD Peacock has offered to host us at their brand new 20,000-square-foot flagship store, the CD Peacock Mansion. Enjoy drinks, snacks, and a live conversation with members of the Worn & Wound team and Steven Holtzman of CD Peacock about the influence of independent watchmaking on the modern watch market. Join us from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm CT to officially kick off the Windup Watch Fair. Space is limited and registration is on a first come, first served basis. Click here to RSVP.

Friday, July 12, 2024

3:00 PM in the Worn & Wound Editorial Lounge
Rewriting the Design Language of Watches
There are several tried-and-true watch designs that companies—new and old—draw from. This classic design language relies on very small alterations and nuances over time. The belief often is, do what sells. This panel will discuss the risks and rewards of rewriting the design language that we know so well. Moderated by our own Zach Kazan hear from Jonathan Ferrer, Designer & Founder at Brew, Bradley Price, Owner at Autodromo, and Zach Weiss, Co-founder at Worn & Wound.

4:30 PM in the Worn & Wound Editorial Lounge
Intriguing On-Ramps into the World of Watches
Abingdon Mullin, CEO at Abingdon, and Marc Frankel, Owner at Islander, are entrepreneurs who have each carved unique businesses within the watch industry. In their own ways, their companies have opened the world of watches to nontraditional consumers and enthusiasts. We unpack their personal on-ramps into the world of watches and how each of them in their own way are creating original on-ramps for more and more budding collectors. Zach Kazan will moderate the conversation with opportunities for questions from the audience at the end. 

5:30 PM at The Watch Gang Bar
Watch Gang x Bruichladdich Happy Hour
Join our official Bar Sponsor, Watch Gang, with our official Scotch Sponsor, Bruichladdich, around the Bar at 5:30 pm CT to close out the first day. Come for the specialty cocktail crafted in a partnership between these two enthusiast brands, stay and meet other enthusiasts who share your belief that the first day is always the best day at Windup. 

Saturday, July 13, 2024

1:00 PM in the Worn & Wound Editorial Lounge
The Future of the Sports Watch with Alpina
We’ll dig into the history of Alpina in general, the history of the sport watches generally, Alpina’s most successful sport watches to date… and most importantly, what kinds of technology, materials, and innovations, blended with heritage, is Alpina leveraging to create the future of the sport watch. Our own Kyle Snarr will host an intimate conversation with Oliver van Lanschot Hubrect, Brand Director at Alpina. 

5:00 PM @ The Watch Gang Bar
Studio Underd0g Pizza Party
Chicago Pizza is more divisive than a 4 o’clock date window and Studio Underd0g has proudly cannon-balled into pizza controversy this year with their Pizza Party Watches. Yes, one has pineapple on it. After a full day around the Fair, join Studio Underd0g and outdoor pizza oven company Ooni to eat fresh-baked pizza and pick up your “hand-delivered” Pizza Party watches. You’ll have to come to learn what style of pizza will be served.  

Sunday, July 14, 2024

1:00 PM in the Worn & Wound Editorial Lounge
The Grey NATO x Worn & Wound Podcast LIVE!
For the third year in a row, The Grey Nato Podcast joins forces with the Worn & Wound Podcast for a live recording. Jason Heaton and James Stacey of The Gray NATO will team up with Zach Kazan and Zach Weiss of Worn & Wound and review some of the latest news breaking in the world of watches and discuss some of the standout watches from the Chicago Windup Watch Fair. Bring your questions for these extremely passionate enthusiasts voices. Selfies will be considered on a case by case basis.

That’s the kit and caboodle of Windup Chicago this year. With 17 brands appearing for their first time at Windup Chicago, 6 for their first time at any Windup, and even more new releases appearing in the metal for the first time (be sure to see Lead Sponsor Oris Great Barrier Reef IV which released today), even the most traveled enthusiast will find something new to experience. Be sure to take advantage of Chicago’s ample public transportation (1 block from the Ashland Stop on the Pink and Green Line) or the free, guarded parking lot across the street from the venue. As always, be sure to get the latest Windup info by joining our private, free Slack community Worn & Wound+. You can also join our email subscribers, or follow us on Instagram.