Windup San Francisco 2025 Recap
Christopher Ward went Loco, the line to get in was long (as usual), and three days of horology later, I still hadn't had enough.
Let’s be clear: I’m a Windup fan. It’s a bit like my very own Stateside Watches and Wonders or Geneva Watch Week—minus the awesome overseas travel, beautiful Swiss mountains, and excellent transit system.
Hmm? Oh. Right. Windup.
Windup SF is now held at the fantastic Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason, and it’s a perfect venue. Bright, airy, with loads of parking (except on Sundays, when there’s a farmer’s market), and enough room for people to walk around without getting pushed and shoved.
I was there all three days—though I ducked out early Saturday to catch up on sleep after staying up until 5:30 a.m. Why? Stick around. I’ll show you.
The line to get in Saturday morning stretched down the waterfront. Just another sign the watch world is alive and well—and I’m incredibly glad for that.
Inside, most booths were packed and some, like Christopher Ward (one of the Lead sponsors), had a crowd four or five people deep.
People
These days, Windup is just as much about the people as it is the watches. Here are some of the folks I always love running into.
I make it a point to come early—during press hours—to say hi to the CW crew. Will, Mike, Olivia, and Patrick (clockwise from top-left) are some of my favorite people in the watch world.
Fair disclosure: the picture of Will Brackfield (top-left) is from last year. I had a card corruption and my pic of him from the show was on the bad card.
The Brew Watches table was busy, and I had to duck and weave to get a shot of founder Jonathan Ferrer.
Bespoke Watch Projects, from my home base in the Bay Area (specifically Oakland), also drew a solid crowd. Founder John Beck McConnico has been at just about every Windup I’ve attended since 2022.
This year, Bay Area watch retail mainstay Topper Jewelers co-sponsored two tables: Doxa and Fears. Both brands have long-standing relationships with the shop. Rob Caplan, one of Topper’s owners, played host—strategically perched between the two tables and able to bounce back and forth with ease.
Side note: If you’re not following Topper, you should. Their Pre-Owned Select section regularly features indie and microbrand watches you won’t find elsewhere.
It wasn’t my first time meeting Nicola Callegaro, co-founder of echo/neutra, but it was the first time we got to talk at length. I may or may not have bought a particular tank-esque timepiece...
It’s always a pleasure seeing Marc from Long Island Watch. I first met him at Windup New York about three years ago. Since then, I’ve run into him at every Windup I’ve attended.
Nathan from Trafford Watches might be the person I’ve seen most at these shows—this is my fourth watch show in six months, and he’s been at all of them.
And last—but absolutely, positively not least—my guys from Formex. Co-founders Raphael and Markus have been fixtures at the show for as long as I can remember. Markus, based in the Bay Area, shows up at most local events. Raphael, based in Biel, is a rarer sight this side of the Atlantic, so it’s always great when he makes the trip.
Watches
Let’s not kid ourselves: the star of the show was the Christopher Ward C12 Loco. The first production batch of 750 (not a limited edition—just the initial release) sold out in days. The next drop is expected this fall. I was lucky enough to take one home and shoot it overnight. That’s why I was up until 5:30 a.m. and completely loopy the next day.
I spent way too much time ogling this watch—and even more time digging through couch cushions for spare change. It’s a remarkable piece, more proof of CW’s growing watchmaking chops.
Of course, there were plenty of other watches worth noting:
The echo/neutra Rivanera caught my eye. Indies and micros are getting bolder—not just with movements, but with case shapes and dial design too.
The Rosenbusch Horizon in Urban Blue, made in Germany, changes character depending on the light. Indoors vs. sunlight? Totally different vibes—and I’m into it.
Lōcī Watch Company (a newcomer to Windup, I think) is based right here in California. Their Pacific Coast Highway series includes thoughtful little touches—like the Monterey Bay dial with embossed waves and diving-board-style indices.
Nalla Neeram showed a Swiss-made chronograph, the Kaalam Minutes Timer that really stood out. It features minute markers in twin tracks around the dial, making it fast and intuitive to read the time and chrono. More of this, please!![DSCF0517]
And finally, a watch I’d previously bought but picked up at the show: the Formex Essence with a blue agate dial. I snapped a shot a few days after the show when the sunlight hit it just right.
Takeaways and Final Words
Windup—and shows like it—aren’t just a place to see the newest models from a few dozen brands. They’re also where you meet the people behind those brands. And when you talk to those folks, you learn some interesting things.
Take these with a grain of salt—I haven’t verified them—but here’s what I heard:
Tariffs are hitting brands. One company got slapped with a $300 tariff on a $100 watch strap. But if the strap was attached to a watch? No additional tariff. It was classified as part of the Swiss watch and exempt from the higher rate.
Customs delays are real. One watchmaker waited 45 days for imported straps to clear U.S. customs. So if something is late, have a little patience—not everything is within the watchmaker’s control.
Movement sourcing is getting tricky. Three different people mentioned longer lead times from Sellita. It’s not customs or tariffs—just demand. That’s opening doors for movement makers like La Joux-Perret and Soprod, who are more willing to work on decoration and customization. Sellita, unless you’re ordering in high volume or going for élaboré-grade, just isn’t always as flexible.
I love learning about stuff like this. It’s why I write this newsletter. Mechanical watches are an art form and talking to watchmakers at Windup lets me talk to the artists themselves.
Events like this remind me that in a world moving faster and getting more digital by the minute, there’s still real magic in mechanical craft—and in face-to-face conversations.
Here’s to the makers, the collectors, and everyone who keeps the love of horology ticking.
It’s 22:47 US Pacific Time, 01:47 US Eastern Time. Signing off...