Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: ↑Wed Oct 26, 2022 8:54 am
Compared to photos of other CW events I've seen in the past, it didn't look terribly busy. Were you there at a quiet moment or is it just careful camera work?
Were there any watches, which you'd not seen before, that impressed you?
Guy
Guy --
We arrived at the end of lunch on the final day, and it did happen to be particularly quiet while I was chatting with Mike and Declan and others from the CW team. But within a half hour or so it had become quite busy. The following shots give a sense of it, although it was honestly even busier than they indicate.
I was there with my lovely wife and 18-year-old son, who were "putting up" with husband and dad's desire to spend a few minutes at the show. So I didn't have quite as much time to linger as I would have otherwise. ; ) But while there, here were a few of the brands I had a chance to look at -- other than CW, obviously.
- Echo/Neutra: Just learned about this brand, and I did like it. Their design has some resonances with the CW aesthetic, I think, and they looked solid. Affordable, too.
- Oak & Oscar: This Chicago-based brand was right next to CW, and since I'm originally from Chicago, I've followed them for a while. I don't have any of their watches, but the Olmsted 38 was nice to see in person. Again, comparisons could be made with the Sealander, but it's a bit more of a field watch aesthetic with a sandwich dial. A bit more expensive, too. But I do like that range.
- We did stop by the Studio Underd0g booth, and those were obviously fun and whimsical. I'm not sure I'll ever get one, but I do really like what Richard Benc has done to create a more light-hearted and less serious approach to watches and watch design. I also heard him speak a bit at the British Invasion panel. Very impressive.
- My favorite may have been the Vertex M100A. I did have a chance to chat briefly with Don Cochrane, the grandson (?) of the original founder, and it was good to meet him. I do love the story of that brand. He had an original Vertex Dirty Dozen at the booth, which was really cool to see. The M100A is a beautiful, solidly built watch, and I've been looking to add a small seconds watch if I ever find the right one. If any of you follow the Mad Watch Collector, you'll know that just last week he posted a video about his wife's reactions to his main collection, and stated clearly that his Vertex M100 manual wind (limited edition, I believe) is his favorite. Nice timing for Vertex. These are a bit pricier, though -- not sure if the premium is worth it, and wondering if any of the rest of you have one or have thoughts about that?
Anyway, that's the quick summary. Again, I would have loved to linger longer, but it really was good to be at the show and connect with the CW team. Hopefully I can make it to a future show, too.
Best,
Tim
