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How Industry Fairs Evolved into Places to Meet Horology’s Most Famous Makers

A decade after the first public-facing watch fairs opened in New York, enthusiast events are multiplying across the country, from free microbrand showcases to ultra-exclusive displays of six-figure independent complications.

For decades, the most important watch fairs in the world weren’t really intended for the people who actually wore the watches. They were industry affairs where brands unveiled their newest creations to retailers and press, orders were written and consumers largely watched from the sidelines. But that began changing well before the pandemic, and today, collector-focused watch shows are proliferating across the United States and around the world, reflecting a fundamental shift in watch culture. Collectors don’t just want to read about a watch or see it on Instagram. They want to put it on their wrist, talk to the person who made it and, increasingly, spend time with the community that has grown up around mechanical watches.

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That culture was particularly evident in August at the third annual Watch Week Aspen, where the show wasn’t confined to a convention center. Instead, much of downtown Aspen became the exhibition, and competing brands opened their doors to showcase timepieces in a relaxed way, with 19 makers and retailers........

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