Inside America’s Biggest Watch Fair: Windup New York Turns 10

This past weekend I attended Windup Watch Fair New York 2025—the largest edition of America’s largest watch fair. It also marked Windup’s tenth anniversary. With more than 150 brands spread across an expanded three-hall footprint, this year felt like the most complete version of Windup yet and a reminder of why this event continues to grow.

A Bigger Fair with a Bigger Footprint

Windup New York has grown every year in terms of brand count, but this year also grew in square footage. The additional hall changed the experience in a real way. Last year’s crowds were, at times, dense enough to make simple things—like walking from booth to booth—very difficult. This year, even at its most crowded, the flow worked. The space made sense. You could make a full lap, double back, and actually spend time at booths instead of fighting through a bottleneck of backpacks.

The mix of exhibitors reflected how much the fair has evolved in ten years. Independents like Lorier, Fears, and Baltic still set the vibe that makes Windup Windup, but larger names like G-SHOCK, Bulova, and new-this-year Bremont gave the event broader reach. Windup started as a microbrand show; it’s now a snapshot of the modern watch market. It’s still free, still open to the public, and still centered on hands-on access.

Panels That Added Real Value

Windup’s panels remain one of its strongest elements. They’re open to anyone and feature some prominent industry figures. Davide Cerrato’s talk on Bremont’s rebrand was a good example. He walked through what it means to reshape a brand without erasing its identity—appealing to hardcore collectors, newcomers, and younger audiences alike. It was a candid conversation with industrial designer (and buddy of mine) Sam Amis.

Bremont CEO Davide Cerrato's Own Terra Nova Jumping Hour

Kikuo Ibe’s G-SHOCK session was the other standout. Hearing him describe how dropping a family heirloom inspired the original G-SHOCK concept hits differently when you’re in the room with him. The fair’s panels work because they don’t feel like press events—they feel like part of the community, with people genuinely curious about how ideas become products.

Spending Time at the Arken Booth

One of my personal highlights was visiting the Arken booth. This was the first year the U.K.-based independent showed at Windup, and my first time seeing its watches in person. The Alterum, Arken’s most recognizable model, is a 12-hour dual time with day and night indicators and a six o’clock date subdial, controlled by a screw-down pusher at four. The case is hardened Grade 2 titanium with a distinct integrated design, and the dial has a fine texture that gives the watch an organic, almost living feel on the wrist.

The Alterum often gets compared to the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Everest Limited Edition. I get the functional similarities, but comparing an £600 watch to a six-figure Vacheron feels like a stretch. The Alterum stands on its own—40mm in diameter, 13mm thick, and 46mm lug-to-lug—but it wears smaller, closer to 38 or 39, thanks to its case geometry. The teardrop hour indices and symmetrical day/night indicators make for a distinct silhouette recognizable as an Arken even from a distance. Every batch sells out within minutes, and after trying it on, I understand why.

Images courtesy of Arken Watch

I also spoke with Kenneth Lam, the man behind Arken, about the brand’s direction and how the fair was going. On his wrist was the latest “Speakeasy” edition of the Alterum—an event-only release he doesn’t allow to be photographed. In a world where brands blast every new watch across social media before the first customer ever sees it, I liked the decision to keep something offline and let the watch do the talking at the table.

Working the Monta Booth

This year I also spent time working the Monta booth. Everest and Monta share ownership, so I attended with a Monta sponsor badge and split time between the booth and the floor. Even just a few hours behind the table completely changed how I saw the fair.

People came up for all kinds of reasons. Some were longtime Monta fans who had never seen the watches in person. Others already owned one and wanted to check out the new Triumph V2. Some had never heard of the brand at all and were curious enough to stop. And a few came with specific, pointed, and sometimes blunt critiques. You hear a lot of feedback, and some of it repeats. After a while, you start to notice which points really matter to people and which ones are just personal quirks.

Working the booth isn’t easy. You’re standing all day, answering the same questions in slightly different ways. You’re talking to enthusiasts, retailers, YouTubers, watchmakers, and first-time buyers—often at the same time. You’re also quietly watching the trays, making sure nothing disappears. It’s a mix of retail, education, and crowd control—but it’s rewarding. You see the entire range of enthusiasm up close, and it gives you a clearer sense of what Windup means to people beyond the media coverage.

Why Windup Works

Windup’s tenth year proved that scaling doesn’t have to mean losing identity. The added hall made it easier to navigate, the panels added real depth, and the range of exhibitors reflected where the hobby is now—incredibly varied. It’s still an approachable fair where you can walk in off Fifth Avenue, talk directly to a founder, and handle a watch you’ve only seen online.

What stood out most to me wasn’t a single product, but the mix of people. You had collectors who flew in from out of state, newcomers buying their first mechanical watch, families looking for a Sunday activity, and brand owners sharing their creations and receiving feedback. For all its growth, Windup still feels grounded in what makes this hobby special: real interaction, shared interest, and access that doesn’t depend on credentials.

If you go next year, wear a watch you’re comfortable taking off twenty times. Bring a bag to hold your free swag (and maybe a new watch). And if you have something to say—good or bad—say it. The right people are listening.