Heading out to the DC Watch Show

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jkbarnes
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Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by jkbarnes »

I’m heading g out to the DC watch show with my dad. I’m excited to meet Mike France and see some new models in the flesh!

Anyone else going today? We’ll be there by about 11:30, I imagine.
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

@jkbarnes Have fun and post some pics!
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by missF »

Have a great time!
(Take care - your dad might easily be persuaded that you need to buy him a watch :lol: )
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by WileyECoyote »

That should be a fun experience for you & your dad. I will look forward to your sharing your experience & some pictures with the rest of us. Just one of those times in which I wished that we lived in Virginia!

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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by thomcat00 »

Enjoy, it should be a great time.
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by jkbarnes »

What an interesting experience! Right off the bat, let me say I didn’t get any pictures. CW’s table was pretty crowded (and a smaller display than I expected, given they were a lead sponsor!), and I didn’t want to be “that guy” holding up others’ ability to see the watches because I was taking pics.

I also didn’t take pics at other tables because very little caught my fancy. In fact, I found a great many of the various offerings quite ho-hum. I’ve walked away with a far better appreciation for CW’s designs because they reflect a clear and defining vision for each watch and the brand, as opposed to “different for the sake of different” that seemed to be the defining trait of so many of the other brands. For all the talk of watch size trending smaller, I was surprised at the number of monsters on display. There are still a lot of big watches out there!

I was also disappointed to not see Mike France. I suppose it’s unrealistic to think he’d be manning their display all day, both days.

It was fantastic to be able to handle so many watches in the flesh. A few thoughts…
  • The Bel Canto: pics don’t even come close to doing it justice. It was simply stunning. Not for me, though.
  • The Twelve: Gorgeous, just gorgeous! Also, not for me.
  • C60 Pro 300: If I was in the market for a dive watch, this would be it!
  • C63s: No 36mm GMTs, which was a disappointment. That being said, the size of the 39mm GMT was just about perfect. I thought it was 36mm at first. Given my perception of the 39mm, I think the 36mm would look really small.
  • C65 Aquitaine: far nicer in person than I’ve thought of the watch from pics. I was impressed. Same for the Dune.
  • the new Dune GMT: Very nice looking watch, but for the color way.
  • Consort bracelet: lovely, just lovely. It would look fantastic on my C63, but at the price point, it’s a pass for me.
Overall, it was a good experience and a wonderful morning with my dad.
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by welshlad »

@jkbarnes Drew, some very interesting reflections there. Did you manage to meet Mike Pearson, even if Mike France wasn't around?
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by jkbarnes »

welshlad wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 9:21 pm @jkbarnes Drew, some very interesting reflections there. Did you manage to meet Mike Pearson, even if Mike France wasn't around?
No. At the time I was there it just two CW employees, I assume marketing or customer service types. They were incredibly friendly and eager to talk about the watches. Crowds aren’t really my thing, and I tend to shrink away from them. If there hadn’t been so many people, I’d have tried to strike up a conversation and really talk watches with them.

Despite not meeting the Mikes, I’m still glad I went.
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Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by Peteo »

jkbarnes! I was there myself today. Just got home. I'm sorry that I didn't come out of my CW forum hibernation to try and coordinate with you before hand. Maybe next year?

I don't have a lot to add to Drew's CW impressions of the watches except to confirm that so many of the models look way better in the metal than in the press photos. I like Drew, won't be getting a Bel Canto, but there's no doubting it's an incredible thing. And the Dune and Twelve really do look quite good too.

My main observation (other than I should have worn a mask, it was packed!) is that the CW table definitely seemed like the busiest at the event. While most brands always seemed to have at least one person at their table, the CW table always seemed to have a crowd. More evidence that the brand has "arrived", I suppose. I heard a few attendees proclaim "I want to see the Bel Canto" and one "They're not Rolex, but they've gotten really huge." When I finally got to the table, I wanted to tell Mike P. and his colleague that I've been a proud supporter of the brand since 2010 and I've got 4 of your watches and I've bought more than a handful of others, including Forum LEs, yadda yadda, but there really wasn't time. People were shouldering one another to get to the table and real conversation wasn't possible. It's probably silly, but I do feel a sense of pride in having been aware of CW "before they hit it big", kinda like when your favorite indy band hits the charts in high school. :lol:

On the Peteo front, I ended up offloading my Grand Seiko SBGA415 Winter Dial and picking up a Baltimore Watch Company (aka TSAO Baltimore of some Hodinkee Comments infamy https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/alan- ... e-to-watch) Balt Pilot Worldtimer with a meteorite dial. Most people would regard this as an overall downgrade in my collection, but I was not really wearing the GS at all anymore, and I'm happy to have a Worldtimer that has Baltimore on the dial rather than New York. It's a nice little package for $750, and I got a nice canvas and rubber strap along with my bracelet, and the watch came in a 3-watch travel holder instead of a normal single cushion box, which is a nice touch.

Overall, glad I went. Hopefully, I didn't bring back Covid along with my new worldtimer!
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by jkbarnes »

Peteo wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 11:30 pm jkbarnes! I was there myself today. Just got home. I'm sorry that I didn't come out of my CW forum hibernation to try and coordinate with you before hand. Maybe next year?

…It's probably silly, but I do feel a sense of pride in having been aware of CW "before they hit it big", kinda like when your favorite indy band hits the charts in high school. :lol:
Same here! I wanted to say, “You know, I’ve been with the brand since Christopher Ward himself was signing letters sent out with orders. I’m an OG!” :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by ScottinVA »

I’m so bummed I didn’t know about this. I’ve been thinking about flying to one of the Watches and Wonders events but didn’t even know there was a DC event in my back yard (I’m northern VA). I’ve got 8 CW watches and have been with the brand for about 14 years now. Feel like I must have had my head in the sand. Glad you guys had a good time.

I’ll poke around their website, but I want to find out where else CW is at different upcoming events.


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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by OllyW »

ScottinVA wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 12:18 am I’ll poke around their website, but I want to find out where else CW is at different upcoming events.
Have a look in the new The Inside Track forum for news about future events.
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by ajax87 »

I’m glad you got to go, Drew! I wish there was an event in my hometown, but I’d have to drive 2.5 hours to Chicago if I wanted to go. Which I probably will someday.
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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

@jkbarnes @Peteo

Great to hear you could make it gents and thanks for the write-ups and photos. :thumbup: :thumbup:

As @OllyW has written, for our USA members if you follow The Inside Track here on the forum, you'll be able to keep up to date with CW Events and attendance at Watch Fairs in the US. :wink: :wink:

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Re: Heading out to the DC Watch Show

Post by jkbarnes »

Here’s an interesting follow-up observation that just occurred to me. There really is a significant difference between evaluating a watch online through pics & video versus handling it in the flesh. While on paper, the Aquitaine checked a lot of boxes for me, based on pics and videos I was disappointed by it. Handling it in the flesh today, it was a completely different reaction. I really liked it! I was excited for the new 36mm C63 GMT because the 39mm looked to big to me. Seeing and handling the 39mm in the flesh today - perfect size! I think 36mm would be too small.

Just goes to show that there’s a limit to the online only model. I know the 60/60 makes buying a watch risk free, but it doesn’t make the return process from the US hassle free.
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