The Windup Watch Fair is Here! A Full Breakdown of Everything to See and Experience in NYC This Weekend

Now in its eighth year, the Windup Watch Fair has become a fixture of the NYC watch community. Every October, enthusiasts, collectors, and newbies alike gather to shop and talk watches—and this year, there are even more events to participate in! Not only are there over 65 brands to check out at the Fair, we have for the first time in NYC, a full slate of FREE panels and programming. There are also a slew of watch-related parties and events taking place throughout the city this week. We’ve put together a full rundown of special events below, but first, let’s remind everyone of the basics.

As always, the Windup Watch Fair is free and open to the public. We’re able to offer this open access with the support of our presenting partners and, most importantly, our Lead Sponsors. This year’s Lead Sponsors include Christopher Ward, G-SHOCK, Junghans, Oris, and Zodiac. All of these brands will have a significant presence within the Fair, with dynamic booth spaces, gallery installations, and special events.

We’re also beyond excited to be joined by over 60 presenting brands this year, which is double the size of our previous NYC events. The full roster of brands includes:

And as a reminder, the event location and hours are as follows:

The Altman Building – 135 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011
October 21 – 12pm to 6pm
October 22 – 12pm to 6pm
October 23 – 12pm to 5pm

Now, onto a full rundown of the many live events taking place throughout the Fair weekend.

Friday, October 21st

1:30 PM: RedBar Live! Community Through Collecting

Doing the wrist check. Telling the story of your latest find. This panel will explore how the love of watches brings people together, and what the future of staying connected—online or in-person—holds. From RedBar to WindUp, the watch community around the globe is formed from all walks of life, and there are a myriad of ways we explore this passion. Whether we’re creating content or memes, sharing wrist shots, or telling stories, there’s one thing we can all agree on: collecting watches is all about connecting people. Moderated by Kathleen McGivney, Chief Executive Officer at RedBar Group, special guests include:

• Blake Malin, Co-founder and CEO at Worn & Wound
• Sneh Diwan, Founder at Diwan By Design
• Ben Grullon, Co-founder & Co-Host at Wrist Check Podcast
• Lee Candela (aka @brodinkee), Co-Host at Wrist Cheese Podcast

3:30 PM: G-SHOCK Tough Test Demonstration

Have you ever wondered exactly what kind of forces a G-SHOCK is designed to endure? Join us for an impactful, in-person demonstration of just how tough G-SHOCK watches actually are.

4:30 PM: For the Love of Gear (and Watches)

Should watches exist in their own space, or are they in fact just a small part of the broader world of gear? We dig into the crossovers between watches and everyday carry products. Moderated by Kyle Snarr, Head of Partnerships at Worn & Wound, special guests include:

• Ryan Coulter, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at The James Brand
• Jon Gaffney, Brand Marketing at Tornek Rayville
• Kat Shoulders, Media Production Manager and Photographer at Worn & Wound

5:30 PM: Get Connected: G-SHOCK + Bluetooth®

Form meets function meets This year G-SHOCK introduced even more powerful connectivity using G-SHOCK’s new app to sync your smartphone, allowing you to use the dedicated G-SHOCK Connected app to set and check all kinds of functions and data. Join us for an in-depth introduction to the world of Bluetooth®-enabled G-SHOCKs. Demonstrated by G-SHOCK expert Ryan Holland, Retail Sales Training Manager at Casio.

Saturday, October 22nd

1:00 PM: Found Your Niche? Now Find Your Peeps

The world of watches has never been more expansive and diverse. There are so many new brands and enthusiasts rushing to the scene. How do you carve an audience of people who connect with your product, while remaining inclusive to those with different backgrounds and perspectives? Moderated by Blake Buettner, Managing Editor at Worn & Wound special guests include:

• Jason Gong, CEO and Founder at Complecto
• Abingdon Chelsea Mullin, CEO at The Abingdon Co.
• Maxwell Ma, Co-founder at WatchCrunch

2:15 PM: G-SHOCK Tough Test Demonstration

Have you ever wondered exactly what kind of forces a G-SHOCK is designed to endure? Join us for an impactful, in-person demonstration of just how tough G-SHOCK watches actually are.

3:00 PM: Shepherding Heritage Brands Presented by Zodiac

As the saying goes, everything old is new again. What are the responsibilities of helming a historically important brand? How do you respect the past while evolving for the future? Our expert panel unpacks the role of a brand shepherd in a company rich with heritage. Moderated by Zach Kazan, Editor at Worn & Wound, special guests include:

• Michael Pearson, International Brand Director at Zodiac Watches
• Don Cochrane, Chairman at The Vertex Watch Company
• R.T. Custer, Co-Founder and CEO at Vortic Watch Co.

4:30 PM: Attainable Sustainability featuring Rolf Studer, Co-CEO of Oris

The concept of sustainability is wide and far-reaching. Ideally, all new products are produced in sustainable ways, but what’s the reality of that timeline and what are attainable solutions brands can implement now? Watch editor Barbara Palumbo sits down with Rolf Studer, Co-CEO of Oris to discuss how to realistically achieve attainable sustainability today.

5:30 PM: Get Connected: G-SHOCK + Bluetooth®

Form meets function meets This year G-SHOCK introduced even more powerful connectivity using G-SHOCK’s new app to sync your smartphone, allowing you to use the dedicated G-SHOCK Connected app to set and check all kinds of functions and data. Join us for an in-depth introduction to the worldof  Bluetooth®-enabled G-SHOCKs. Demonstrated by G-SHOCK expert Ryan Holland, Retail Sales Training Manager at Casio.

Sunday, October 23rd

2:00 PM: The New British Invasion Presented by Christopher Ward

This year, Windup NYC is host to the largest gathering of British watch brands ever assembled in the United States. How has the British watch industry managed such immense growth over the last few years? What can other countries learn from this movement? Moderated by Blake Buettner, Managing Editor at Worn & Wound special guests include:

• Mike France, Co-founder and CEO at Christopher Ward
• Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, Managing Director at Fears
• Jonny Garrett, Founder & CEO at William Wood Watches
• Richard Benc, Founder at Studio Underd0g

3:30 PM: G-SHOCK Tough Test Demonstration

Have you ever wondered exactly what kind of forces a G-SHOCK is designed to endure? Join us for an impactful, in-person demonstration of just how tough G-SHOCK watches actually are.

4:00 PM: Get Connected: G-SHOCK + Bluetooth®

Form meets function meets This year G-SHOCK introduced even more powerful connectivity using G-SHOCK’s new app to sync your smartphone, allowing you to use the dedicated G-SHOCK Connected app to set and check all kinds of functions and data. Join us for an in-depth introduction to the world of Bluetooth®-enabled G-SHOCKs. Demonstrated by G-SHOCK expert Ryan Holland, Retail Sales Training Manager at Casio.

In addition to all this amazing free programming, here’s a quick hit list of other NYC-based watch events this week!

WatchTime New York – WatchTime New York is a three-day event taking place at Gotham Hall from Friday, October 21st to Sunday, October 23rd. 32 brands are confirmed to exhibit and they will host a series of panels and discussions on Saturday and Sunday that cover a wide range of topics including the state of industry, how to engage a new generation of collectors, and what it means to be an indie brand today.

For more information about the entire show schedule, participating brands, panels, activations, and to tickets, head on over to WatchTime New York and be sure to use code WANDW10 for $10 off Saturday and Sunday tickets!

RedBar Global Meetup – RedBar is excited to welcome members from around the world back to NYC for our first in-person Global Meetup since 2019. Over the course of three days, RedBar members will spend time with exclusive private tours of flagship boutiques, first looks at new watch releases, RedBar-only classes at the Horological Society of New York, and our favorite activity – hanging out with other collectors, chatting about watches over drinks. They’ll cap off activities with a panel at the Windup Watch Fair called RedBar Live! Community Through Collecting, which will also be broadcast on Instagram Live as a virtual event for RedBar members who can’t attend in person. RedBar would like to thank their sponsors, Breitling, Zodiac, Blancpain, Breguet, Bremont, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, WAX Insurance, Analog Shift, and The Glenrothes. Stay tuned to @redbarcrew throughout the week for all the action!