Watches in the Wild (Heaven for Microbrands: A Windup Watch Fair Emergency Edition Part 1, Volume 33)

This is the thirty third in a semi-regular digest of cool watches I happened to see this week.

Past posts in this series have been hashtagged to #watchesinthewild.

As always, my general policy is that I never ask for wrist shots (because approaching strangers and distant acquaintances to talk about watches is already weird enough) so all pictures below are sourced from the internet. People are mostly cool, I try not to annoy them.

https://youtu.be/NOGEyBeoBGM 

Ah my people!  Watch nerds one and all.  This is a Windup Watch Fair Special Edition, which I attended on an idyllic Friday afternoon.  My deepest apologies to all the Crunchers that I couldn't make the drinks at Perry's (you have no idea how much I would rather do that than hustle back to my office to interview a job candidate) but I hope you guys have a fantastic time at Windup.  I sure did.

This will read more as show notes than an actually coherent narrative.

I dragged my cousin to meet @TimeToDesign at Jack Mason given their shared Texas heritage and awkwardly fiddle with the GMT that has taken the microbrand world by storm.  Love the cushion style case, love the 24 click bezel, love the story about how you folks just happened to be the right people at the right time for the new Miyota 9015.  I had a conversation with a person on the floor about how they were convinced Jack Mason was a mall watch brand but they were so blown away by the GMT they were going to try and get one in the next shipment.  Peter, you guys nailed it.

I also met Katlen Schmidt (formerly of Tenn and Two and currently a marketer for Norqain).  She's a lovely person, genuinely enthusiastic about Norqain and a fantastic brand ambassador.  She also complimented my watch unsolicited, so she's basically a saint and I will tolerate no dissent in this matter. More seriously, I'm probably going to own a Norqain some day but I'm not sure that I've found the one for me yet (though their new chronos are very fun).

Finally, I met Markus Wälchi, marketing director at Formex. Formex always surprises me with its excellent engineering solutions to enduring watch problems.  For example, their deployment clasp for straps is micro adjustable.  How cool is that?  I went in wanting to take a look at the Reef and Reef GMT.  Great watches but I don't know how I feel about those odd Nautilus style wings on the case.  But the Essence 39/43?  That wears an absolute dream.  @HotWatchChick69 really wants me to buy one of these so he can borrow it.  I might do it.

Other thoughts:

I thought the Christopher Ward Twelve integrated bracelet was a fabulously constructed watch but with a dial that I'd compare to a dinner placemat.   I think they might have done better with a slightly more elegant style.

The Alpina Alpiner Extreme was deeply disappointing on bracelet.  I'd tried it on before on rubber and found it a bit big but competent.  But that bracelet, man, felt both sharp and tinny.  Not a fan.

Monta is one of both watches that I really enjoy in concept and execution but leaves a little cold on wrist.  It's very Rolex in that way.  I don't think there's a discernable flaw in their designs but maybe I like flawed watches.

I want to love the Fortis Cosmonaut but I find their designs a bit flat and their proportions monstrous.

Farer is very much so a "I like everything about you except the design of the watch" brand.  I tried the Stanhope, the new GMTs, and the moonphases.  All of them were superbly made and not to my taste.

Zodiac is always a fun fling but none of their watches appeal long term......except that Olympos in gold.  I had to think about that one for a moment.

At Oris, everyone went Gaga over the Kermit and I thought it was mostly okay.  I think I like the weird parts of Oris, like the Holstein edition.  It's a double pusher world timer that's entirely too small for my wrist and I love it.

Vero makes me want to aspire to being a muscular outdoorsman in the PNW with interests in micro breweries.

The Nodus Sector GMT was a super attractive watch with a great bracelet to add on.  On paper, absolutely brilliant.  On wrist, maybe just a little taller than I anticipated.  Not a real critique, that's just how it felt to me.

Serica has absolutely lovely looking watches.  I think the GMT, in particular, is absolutely killer and that bracelet is beautifully engineered.

Nivada chronos are beautiful, historic and maybe just a touch cockeyed.

The Baltic Tricompax might be favorite watch of the show.  They did a fantastic job with the very vintage feeling bracelet and it hugs the wrist beautifully.  More brands should do the polished outers and brushed inner bracelet.

Oh, you want actual watch spotting on actual people? 

Go on to part 2.