The Ultimate American Watch Weekend: Windup and Watchtime Kick Off

The great American watch weekend is live – Windup Watch Fair and Watchtime kick off today and go through Sunday. As I sit a few blocks away from either event, waiting for the doors to open, I’m taking mental note of the brands and watches I’m most excited to see. 

Part of the beauty of this weekend is the differences between Windup and Watchtime. The former hosts largely independent, smaller brands whose products fall well below the $5,000 mark. Conversely, Watchtime hosts the likes of Breguet, Chopard, and Laurent Ferrier: high-end powerhouses of Swiss horology.

Of course, I will be writing more in-depth content with in-person pictures once I attend both events, and if you’d like to stay up to date, be sure to follow us on Instagram @everestbands. But for now, while we wait for the starting gun, here are a few watches from either event that I’m very excited to get my paws on.

Windup Watch Fair

Spinnaker x seconde/seconde Fleuss 40 Automatic

For the second edition of Spinnaker’s collaboration with French creative seconde/seconde, they bring back the “Fifty Phantoms” ghost motif with the Fleuss 40 Automatic. Available in two configurations–one similar to the original with the ghost dial, the other taking inspiration from the “No-Rad” Blancpains and featuring ghosts on the bezel. Get it? Ghost Bezel? This watch hasn’t been released yet, but if they have a stock for Windup, I might be walking away with one.

The watch itself looks like a Fifty Fathoms with an onion crown. It has a Japanese (I’m assuming Seiko) movement and 150 meters of water resistance.

Image Source: Worn & Wound

Zodiac Ref 691

Zodiac’s modern Ref. 691 is a vintage remake of the SeaWolf’s precursor, the reference 691. At 36mm, the watch wears true to its inspiration, and even features the unsigned (Sea Wolf, that is) dial of the original.

In typical Zodiac fashion, the watch features a Swiss-made (STP 1-21M) movement and an ample water resistance of 200 meters. I love vintage-inspired divers, and from the pictures, this one looks like a winner. I’m excited to get my hands on it and see how it wears.

Watchtime

MB&F (M.A.D.Editions) M.A.D.1S

I’m excited to see any and all creations that MB&F has displayed; it’s always a treat to see the Legacy Machines and Horological Machines in person. Although it’s on the lower end of the price/watchmaking spectrum, I’m excited to see the new M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1S. As the followup to the original M.A.D.1, the M.A.D.1S brings the free-spinning top-mounted-rotor marvel to a much thinner package: 15mm down from 18.8mm. I’m mostly excited to see how the watch wears–I remember trying on the original M.A.D.1 last year and, while falling in love with it, giggling a bit at its heft.

Blancpain Bathyscaphe Ceramic Complete Calendar

Image Source: Teddy Baldassarre

I wrote about this watch in My Favorite Watches of 2024 So Far, and I don’t think I could explain it any better than I already have:

“In 2019, Blancpain put a complete calendar movement in their modern Bathyscaphe, combining the spirit of the brand’s mid-century diving history and the watchmaking of its 1980s revival (the ‘Six Masterpieces’ era). Now in 2024, the Bathyscaphe Complete Calendar is available in full black ceramic, bracelet included. Just to be clear – this is a ceramic dive watch with 300 meters of water resistance . . . and a whimsical little moonphase aperture. How could you not love it?”

Final Thoughts

I’ve been looking forward to this weekend since I attended last year. The combination of Windup, with its casual environment chock full of interesting microbrands, and Watchtime, with its more buttoned-up largely-Swiss selection, covers all the bases of what a watch nerd might love. Stay tuned over the next week or so for in-depth coverage of each event.