The Altman Building, built at the turn of the 20th century by Benjamin Altman to serve the logistical needs of his growing business, stands proud on W 18th St in Manhattan. This year, for the first time, the Altman Building played host to the Windup Watch Fair, put on by Worn & Wound. This year, for the first time, I attended. This was my first watch industry event since the pandemic and my first since formally launching Ghost & Crown Trading Co.

My excitement for Windup Watch Fair has been building steadily for weeks. This would be a chance to put faces to names and meet people who had previously only been a signature line on an email or an Instagram handle, as well as to get hands-on with watches I might not otherwise get the chance to see. Ultimately, it’s a great reminder that while this hobby is centered around beautiful, shiny, inanimate objects, the people make it special.

An impressive list of brands was in attendance, from big-name classics like Oris, Bulova, Zodiac, and G-Shock to young microbrand auteurs like anOrdain, Paulin, Minase, Baltic, Brew, Circula, and many others. Even resurrected brands like Nivada and Fears, personal favorites of mine, made a showing. I’m a proud owner of pieces from a number of the brands that were represented at Windup, and

Seeing the joy as a microbrand designer shows off their latest release is inspiring. The passion, ingenuity, and perseverance that goes into these watches are easy to overlook, so it was wonderful to have such a tangible showcase for them. Between G-Shock drop test demos and keynote presentations on sustainability in manufacturing as well as sneak peeks at new dials and designs, I was privileged to spend time with some of the brands and the pieces they brought.

Below are some of the standout watches and brand showings that really made the day for me.

William Wood

Founder Jonny Garret was on hand to provide real heart and warmth behind the company he founded to honor his grandfather, firefighter William Wood. The company’s watches are a timeless collection of beautifully designed and manufactured timepieces that wonderfully incorporate upcycled materials from UK firefighters, including hoses and protective gear for straps, and even fragments of a vintage helmet (the basis for their logo design) into the crowns. They have a special edition Jubilee watch to commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign, an automatic chronograph in bronze and royal purple that has to be seen to be believed. They also brought their new Fearless range of field watches, a line that is simultaneously understated and bold, and I was grateful to get some hands-on time with the watches as well as a chance to chat with the owners of a company with such a unique vision and personality. Stay tuned for more William Wood content!

Long Island Watch

The Long Island Watch team, and founder Mark, in particular, have a well-deserved reputation in the microbrand watch world for friendliness and accessibility. They were on hand with their vast and growing in-house Islander line of watches, but what was even better than the watches was getting to chat and joke with them.

Oris

It’s no surprise that Oris would bring the heat to Windup as one of the key sponsors, but seeing the dazzling array of watches was still impressive. They are one of the forerunners for bringing fun back into the watch space, as well as being a thought leader in sustainability. From their recycled ocean waste dials to the billion oyster project Aquis to their sustainable leather straps, no one does it quite like Oris.

Fears

One of Britain’s oldest watch brands is back with a vengeance. Fears brought a small but impactful portfolio of pieces, including their new upsized Brunswick 40mm line-up in blue, pale pink, and silver. One piece stood out above all, however: like William Wood, Fears recently released a Jubilee edition to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee year of 2022. The purple sunburst dial and matching purple strap are decadent in the best possible way and the whole watch is beautifully finished. With the passing of the world’s longest-serving monarch, Fears cut the production short, meaning that this highly desirable piece will be even rarer. If there was one piece at the show that I know I’ll always regret leaving on the table, it’s this one.

Studio Underd0g

No strangers to fun colorways and off-beat design choices, Studio Underdog nevertheless topped themselves with a watch that has already made the rounds on social media because of its cool backstory. A young girl sent in a drawing of their hand-winding Bicompax in an imaginative and seasonally appropriate “pumpkin” colorway. True to their playful nature, Studio Underd0g actually went and made two of the watches! The first of the “Piece 2-nique” run was given to the young fan, while the second is being auctioned off to support Mary’s Meals, a charitable organization focused on ensuring schoolchildren have meals.

The Abingdon Co.

I’m not a fan of the unnecessary gendering of watches into “men’s” and “women’s” watches, but it’s a rare treat to see a microbrand geared primarily at female watch collectors, and certainly worth noting. Abingdon was on hand with their large and diverse collection of tool watches in a range of sizes and colorways, featuring useful and innovative features (including a ruler on one of the strap backs that continues along the caseback!). Their watches are available in both quartz and mechanical options, and I would be proud to wear any one of their designs - especially that aggressive black and pink.

Vortic

Vortic always makes a strong showing, at least as far as online media is concerned. Their painstaking and loving restoration of old watches and new movements into rugged, modern timepieces is nothing short of amazing, but their watches are usually sold as soon as they are available. What made their presence at Windup a rare treat was the sheer number of pieces they had on display, works of art all of them.

Minase

Akita, Japan-based Minase brought their A-game with a selection of gorgeous hand-lacquered dials. Their true artisanal approach to dial-making is perfectly counterbalanced with their modern, almost brash designs, from angular lugs and indices to sapphire case windows.

G-Shock

Leaning into their brand reputation for ruggedness and reliability, G-Shock subjected watches to repeated “tough tests” over the course of the show and proved just why they are the name in affordable, rugged watches for everyday use. Possibly one of the best gateways for neophytes to get into the watch world, it was no surprise they were front and center, greeting guests and attendees.

At the end of the day, feet sore and a smile plastered on my face, I couldn’t be happier I made the trip. I detailed only a handful of the great brands I spoke to here, but there were so many more equally deserving of a spotlight, from anOrdain and Paulin to Baltic, Haim, Formex, Christopher Ward, Zodiac, Bulova, Circula, Tornek-Rayville, and Nivada. The watches on display were dazzling, and if I could have, I probably would have bought at least one from every single brand in attendance. As I said before, though, it was the people that made it such an occasion, from the proud brand owners to the fellow enthusiasts and members of the Instagram #Watchfam. This may have been my first watch industry event, but it certainly won’t be my last.

Reflections on Windup Watch Fair, NYC 2022