May 18, 2019

Windup San Francisco 2019

by Michael DiMartini

Over the last three years, MONTA and Everest have tried very hard to meet with our customer base whenever possible. We attend RedBar meetups all over the US, head to Baselworld to display there, plus even do local St. Louis events outside of the traditional watch venue. But one show group, Worn and Wound’s WindUp Watch Fair is truly one of the best ways for us to see our clients face to face.

everest bands at wind up

That face to face interaction is done at two event locations, New York and San Francisco. The New York show is always held in the fall, while the San Francisco show is always held in the spring. Both shows are set up in the same way, but the vibe is totally different at each. The New York one is set in a high traffic, busy but awesome location: Chelsea Market. You see tens of thousands of people in a very high energy environment that can be exhilarating. The San Francisco fair is much more laid back and smaller, but we will still be visited by thousands of clients and watch enthusiasts.

worn and wound wind up

Most recently (April 2019), we displayed at the San Francisco show and loved every minute of it. The show included great brands like Halios Watch, Astor + Banks, Oris, Farer, Oak and Oscar and of course, our sister company MONTA. In total, there were thirty-two brands of watches and straps. As a brand that displays at the show, we look forward to seeing the other watch brand owners as much as seeing the fantastic and eclectic crowd that attends the show. We are also allowed to sell our products at the show, which makes it a fantastic situation for both the watch brand and the watch collector.

wind up worn and wound

Watch collectors and owners want to touch and see what they are buying. Both MONTA and Everest have a huge and social media presence, but we are not in every watch store on the globe. Most of Everest’s sale do come from online still, and MONTA only has one authorized retailer (Brinker’s Jewelers in Evansville Indiana). This unplugged connection to the watch community is needed and genuinely required to truly tell our story. It helps build brand recognition by putting a face to the people who are behind all of these watch brands. Frankly, it is needed to truly complete the connection to these independent watch brands that aim to connect with their customers on a personal basis.

wind up

I will say that it is one of my personal highlights for each year. I look forward to making new friends at the show but also seeing old ones too. I love the interaction and uniqueness of each event plus the time I get to spend with my team. I hope to see you at the 2020 New York show or San Francisco WindUp Watch Fairs!

Here is a list of brands that attended the 2019 San Francisco show: