The 2024 Minutes and Hours Watches Roadshow was held at the Ao5 Art Gallery in N. Austin, Texas.
This was my first Watch “convention” with over 60 watch brands from all the world showcasing their latest in horological tastiness for watch nerds like me! Big shout out to Rich Park and his gang of super-enthusiastic volunteers giving out great swag and numerous door prize opportunities. And, mostly, thanks to the watch vendors that traveled far and wide to showcase their exceptional timepieces. A bigger shoutout to the AO5 Gallery that acted as our host, melding fine art with watches! A good time was had by all!
Below is the list of the watch vendors maybe in order of either their watches really interested me or mostly the people behind the watches. I am just going to provide their website link with a quick comment or two:
SEL – This dudes watch absolutely blew me away! I bought a visor just to remind me I need to budget for one of these watches in 2025!!- TSIKOLIA – If anyone thinks my creative brain is OUT THERE, Zviad’s creative universe is on par as this generations Cartier based in Georgia (EU). Zviad was the only watch vendor I did a video interview I will be working on.
- 5280 Watch Co – Rich and Amy are producing bespoke hand-engraved Guilloché Vitreous Enamel dials that are absolutely stunning!
- Richard Harvey Watch Co – Matthew is driving a Veteran-owned small business with some amazing cases and dials and hands…LOVE HIS stuff but more that he is a US Veteran passionate about his watches!
- Farr & Swit – So funny I remotely was familiar with the brand and happened to run into Adam before the show at the bakery…he was meeting a non-watcher but quickly gave him some of my swag and then we reconnected later. This dude has got some energy, some great ideas and I love business owners that embrace change and don’t fight it. This was my show pickup!!
- KNOPF New York – I almost breezed by these guys booth…their first release has a very overt art deco vibe…cool but a little too much for me…but, I got talking to to both Dad and Son ( Larry & Gage) and saw how Larry was wearing the Apex Smoke and it is very unique, classy and I was very interested. I got home and ordered one…hahahah
- NOMADIC Watches – Yea, the young dude brings his custom watches all the way from Belfast, Ireland…cool design and quality but drool at the casebacks!
- Duckworth Prestex – Another great example where maybe this is not my style of watch but speaking to the owner who took a direct flight from London to Austin and setup his own booth single-handedly…madd respect.
The Edward Christopher booth was crazy non-stop, and I took a bunch of photos, but not my vibe. Hamilton was nice to look at, but not my vibe. RADO, Trafford and the Cincinnati Watch Company were nice to see in person. GEO Watches from Puerto Rico has some fun stuff and a very cool young guy doing his deal.
