Time in New York: Dubai Watch Week Takes Horology Forum to America

Dubai Watch Week occurs in its namesake city every two years. But back in 2018, Hind Seddiqi — Director General of Dubai Watch Week — and her team made the decision to take the show on the road. Or at least, part of it. That year, Horology Forum brought its panels to London, thus beginning the traveling edition of an event that has become one of the most popular watch education fairs in the world.

Not Just a Watch Event

In 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, Horology Forum went virtual, keeping watch education alive and well by inviting speakers to be on panels via the web. In 2021, Dubai Watch Week happened in-person in Dubai, but COVID restrictions were still in place and masks were required for those in attendance. This year, however, Horology Forum (edition 8) was back in its full, unmasked, hug-and-handshake glory and the city selected was none other than the one that never sleeps… New York.

“We felt that New York was the city that had young collectors coming up; young people who are interested in horology and in watches, and the energy of the city is similar to Dubai,” stated Hind Seddiqi when asked why she and her team decided to hold the event in the Big Apple. But as we’ve come to expect from the Dubai Watch Week team, this wasn’t just about location, it was also about what they could do with a venue that would give Horology Forum an authentic feel — and one that paid tribute to the city in which the two-day event was being held.

Said Hind, “We knew we didn’t want to be in an auditorium. We didn’t want to be in a closed space. We wanted to be somewhere where people could walk past and think, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ We wanted to be in a space that would make people feel curious. We wanted the city talking about it.” And talk, they certainly did. According to Hind, the space — several ground-level rooms with massive windows used for pop-up events in the heart of New York’s Meatpacking District — was under contract for about a month. The windows were covered in Horology Forum stickers that made folks walking by ask questions. “We actually had several people sign up to attend the event just because they saw the space beforehand,” said Hind. “This was our goal, and the reaction to it was really great.”

Panels in full flight at the New York edition of Dubai Watch Week

But the New York vibe didn’t end with just the space, itself. A pop-up eatery called “SandWatch” served classic New York foods and snacks to attendees and members the press, and the room where the masterclasses were held also contained a mock New York subway car complete with a timeline of previous Horology Forum editions. No detail was overlooked in making this as much of a Dubai Watch Week event as it was a New York event.

Panels, Masterclasses and Debates

As with all Horology Forums that came before, there was no shortage of panels that included some of the biggest and most recognizable names in horology and luxury. Friday the 23rd was a day just for members of the press. There was a tour of the facility which was then followed by a panel discussion that included Hind Seddiqi, Tirath Kamdar with eBay, horologist and actor Aldis Hodge, and Content Manager for Seddiqi Holding, Sarah Bahman (who also served as the panel’s moderator).

International experts and media from around the world descended on the Horology Forum

Saturday the 24th offered the “Made in America” panel moderated by Cara Barrett and including the likes of Eric Wind of Wind Vintage, Brandon Little with Shinola, and once again, Aldis Hodge. The panelists delved into early American watchmaking and why they felt it would be hard to replicate the highs of once-successful American brands such as Hamilton in America today. They also discussed why watchmakers like RGM and J.N. Shapiro are so important to a potential rebirth of the “Made in America” movement.

Meanwhile, the masterclasses offered a watch photography class hosted by Atom Moore (which occurred on both Saturday and Sunday), a watch clinic hosted by Zenith (also happening both days), and a presentation on watch collection hosted by Christie’s.

Hands on masterclasses
Wrist shots were obligatory

But what was new to Horology Forum this time around was a debate concept labeled as “ClickClock.” This also took place on both days with the first of the two titled “Do a Double Take,” and pitting Fiona Krüger against Tim Mosso from Watchbox to argue whether it’s a smart move for a brand to “keep it in the family” or if it would be better for them to look to outside help. The second debate which occurred on Sunday saw the likes of Bertrand Meylan (H. Moser & Hautlence) go toe-to-toe against Jon Ferrer of Brew Watches. The debate was titled “Do or Do Not Resuscitate?” — the two battled about whether it was smarter to revive an older brand that had died out or start afresh with something brand new. Both debates, I am proud to say, were moderated by Yours Truly, and all four debaters brought their A-game to their respective podiums.

There was a panel that discussed the luxury market and how luxury is defined today, as well as another delving deep into the world of NFT’s and crypto. All in all, there was something for everyone, and that was proven by the number of watch enthusiasts attending, not just from New York but from all over the United States. I spoke to two guys who’d flown in from Texas because they’d been following the Dubai Watch Week Instagram for years and really wanted to see what it was all about.

At the end of the day, there are two greatest things about any event held by Dubai Watch Week. Firstly, the events are inclusive. They do not judge anyone or exclude anyone. If you wear a Timex, you’re welcome. If you don’t even own a watch but want to learn about watches, you are also welcome. Secondly, the events are always free. FREE. As in, their sole purpose is to continue to educate people about the beauty of watchmaking and the stories behind the watches, and they don’t want people to have to pay for that knowledge. This is the most remarkable aspect of Horology Forum to me: it is likely the most genuine and honest watch event happening in the world today. And for the sake of the watchmaking world, I truly hope we never see the end of it.

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