Now in its ninth year, and second in Chicago, the Windup Watch Fair is quickly becoming a fixture of the Chicago watch community. This weekend, enthusiasts, collectors, and newbies alike will gather to shop and talk watches—and this year, there are even more events to participate in! Not only are there over 60 brands to check out at the Fair, as well as a full slate of FREE panels and programming. Read through the full rundown of special events below, but first, let’s remind everyone of the basics.

As always, the Windup Watch Fair is free and open to the public. We’re able to offer this open access with the support of our presenting partners and, most importantly, our Lead Sponsors. This year’s Lead Sponsors include Citizen, Fortis, G-SHOCK, Oris, and Zodiac. All of these brands will have a significant presence within the Fair, with dynamic booth spaces and special events. Throughout the days, attendees can expect the latest watch releases, a live auction, a full cash bar, dedicated lounge spaces, outdoor space, as well as an on-site watchmaker to adjust and swap straps for your newest or favorite collection pieces.

We’re beyond excited to be joined by over 60 presenting brands this year. The full roster of brands includes:

And as a reminder, the event location and hours are as follows:

Venue West – 221 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60612

Friday, July 14: 12PM – 6PM
Saturday, July 15: 12PM – 6PM
Sunday, July 16: 12PM – 5PM
Free and open to the public

Now, onto a full rundown of the many live events taking place throughout the Fair weekend.

Friday, July 14

2:00 PM: LIVE! Time on Screen : Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood!
In celebration of the release of the reimagined Citizen Promaster Tsuno Chrono 50th Anniversary Edition, we dig into Quentin Tarantino’s critically acclaimed ninth film, Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood. Zach Kazan, Editor at Worn & Wound and host of the Time On Screen podcast, is joined by Neall Brick, Director of Merchandising at Citizen Watch America, and Kyle Snarr, Head of Partnerships at Worn & Wound, to tackle this other famous reimagining. 

3:30 PM: We Love The 90s
The 90s! You remember the 90s. Or maybe you don’t? Either way, you’re probably aware of the cultural touchstones of the era. Jurassic Park. The Discman. Dial-up internet. It was a complicated, but innocent time, and the watches of the era reflect that. For many of us, the watches of the 90s are the very first watches we had a real connection to, way before social media could even hint that we might actually be watch enthusiasts. In this conversation with Worn & Wound editors and guests (some of whom can actually remember the decade), we’ll discuss the watch era that shaped and molded us, whether we realize it or not.

Saturday, July 15

3:00 PM: Building Ingenuity Into Your Design Process with Fortis
Companies regularly talk about innovation, but very few delve into ingenuity. What’s the difference between those two concepts and how can a product company ensure that ingenuity is part of its creative process? Blake Buettner, Managing Editor at Worn & Wound, talks to Jupp Philipp, Owner at Fortis, Jim Wirth, Founder/CEO at GiantMouse, and Raphael Granito, CEO at Formex Watch SA, about when ingenuity strikes and how it can be capitalized on.

4:30 PM: The Future of Enthusiast Communities
V.J. Geronimo, CEO-The Americas at Oris, hosts a conversation about where watch enthusiast communities are today and, more importantly, where they are going. He will speak with Blake Malin, Co-founder & CEO at Worn & Wound, Jason Gong, Founder at Complecto, and Kathleen McGivney, CEO at RedBar, about how brands can best support enthusiasts and how to create products that this particular audience segment will get behind.

Sunday, July 16

12:30 PM: Zodiac Live eBay Auction
Join us for the very first time an eBay auction is being streamed in front of a live studio audience. Michael Pearson, Global Brand Director at Zodiac Watches, and Ricardo Simé, Shop Manager at Worn & Wound, together have compiled a selection of brand new editions, such as the stunning new White Ceramic Super Wolf and a handful of a few remaining recent Zodiac special editions. And finally, they will also be auctioning off one more extremely sought-after watch: the legendary Zodiac x Worn & Wound Super Sea Wolf Limited Edition, a.k.a. The “Saved By The Bell” watch. 

2:00 PM The Worn & Wound Podcast LIVE: Special Crossover Episode with The Grey NATO
The hosts of The Worn & Wound Podcast Blake Buettner, Managing Editor at Worn & Wound, and Kat Shoulders, Media Production Manager at W0rn & Wound, are joined by none other than Jason Heaton and James Stacey, cohosts of The Grey NATO podcast. Together they will get into topics such as : adventure, travel, diving, driving, gear… and most certainly watches.

We are so excited to bring the Windup Watch Fair to Chicago for a second year! Everyone at Worn & Wound is talking about the amazing brands and you amazing people together in Chicago for another Windup Watch Fair. As always, get the most up-to-date information about event details, giveaways, and other surprises by following @windupwatchfair on Instagram or joining our email community at windupwatchfair.com. 

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