The final line-up of collectors’ meetings and talks at WATCHPRO Salon can be revealed today, featuring Speedy Tuesday founder Robert-Jan Broer, Redbar co-founder Kathleen McGivney, A Collected Man CEO Silas Walton and Scottish Watches podcast supremo Dave Sharp.
The aim of the talks, which take place on Saturday, November 12, is to stimulate free-flowing conversations between watch lovers (and whiskey lovers), rather than sessions in which to be spoken at by inapproachable experts.
They take place a floor above the main exhibition floor where 50 brands and partners are presenting their latest watches and accessories.
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WATCHPRO Salon talks
Robert-Jan Broer Talks about the Speedy Tuesday Community
Saturday, November 12, midday
Fratello founder Robert-Jan Broer talks about the Speedy Tuesday community and how it all came about.
Speedy Tuesday started in 2012, and resulted in a large community consisting of Speedmaster enthusiasts and collectors. Instagram played a huge role, as the #SpeedyTuesday hashtag helped to make the circle of Speedmaster collectors more visible and easier to reach out to each other. In 2017, for the 5th anniversary of Speedy Tuesday, we did a collaboration on the Speedmaster Professional “Speedy Tuesday” watch, consisting of 2012 pieces, that sold out in just a few hours.
In 2018, the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday “Ultraman” was another collaboration, that sold out in 1.5 hours.
Every year Fratello and Omega host several Speedy Tuesday Events, all over the globe, to bring Speedmaster enthusiasts together and make sure there are interesting topics (and people) on the panel talks.
We had NASA and ESA astronauts on stage, as well as Apollo astronaut Charlie Duke, talking about the role of the Speedmaster in space and sharing anecdotes with the guests.
From 12-1pm on Saturday, RJ will talk about how Speedy Tuesday started by accident (more or less) and grew out to be what it is today. The role of Omega and Fratello will be clarified, as well as how it was to work together with such a large brand on designing a watch.
After the talk, there’s time to meet up with (Speedmaster) enthusiasts in a private room at the event where you can all share the passion you have for the Speedmaster watch.
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Michael Clerizo hosts panel on watch brands doing good
Saturday, November 12, 1pm
In a world suffering the aftermath of a pandemic, seemingly constant climate change upheavals, ravaged by inflation and other economic woes and treated to the spectacle of a brutal war in newspapers and TV news programs can watch brands do any good?
Or, as some would say, the sole purpose of any enterprise is to turn a profit. Any claims to ‘doing good’ amount to nothing more than pie-in-sky virtue signaling.
And, if watch brands can do good, what exactly is the nature of that beneficial activity? Is it about sustainability or charity or education or all three?
If watch brands do engage in ‘doing good’ why do they do so and who are they trying to convince about their activities? How do they communicate what they are doing?
To discuss the topic is Isra Shah, Director of Marketing at Oris; Jonny Garrett, Founder of William Wood, Ian Elliot, Co-Founder of Elliot Brown & Martin Klocke, Founder of Sherpa.
The discussion is moderated by watch writer Michael Clerizo.
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RedBar talks collecting
2pm, Saturday, November 12
RedBar, which originated in a New York boozer, has become the biggest watch collectors’ club in the world with over 8,500 members and 80 chapters established in major cities in dozens of countries, including the UK.
Meetings of the club are notoriously informal, where a shared passion for watches — rather than an encyclopedic knowledge of horology — is the only requirement. Egalitarianism is key, so people turning up with a watch roll full of sub-£500 Seikos are just as welcome as connoisseurs handcuffed to a one-off Voutilainen.
Redbar co-founder Kathleen McGivney will host a fireside chat with a panel of collectors, sharing their stories and why they watches so much.
Kathleen will be joined by Dave Sharp of Scottish Watches, Hamish Robertson, Founder of The Watch Collectors Club, and instragammer & influencer Tom Exton, aka TGE.
After the talk, RedBar will be hosting their first global London meet up in a private room at the event where you can relax and share notes on your favourite timepieces with fellow enthusiasts.
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Contemporary watch design
3pm, Saturday, November 12
Silas Walton, founder and managing director of A Collected Man, will chair a panel discussion with two iconic contemporary designers – Mo Coppoletta and Johnny Dowell.
Mo Coppoletta is a London-based tattoo artist with strong links to the watch world through collaborative pieces for the likes of Romain Jerome, Montblanc and Bulgari, for whom he designed an Octo Finissimo with a dial combining the art of tattooing with the art of mechanics.
He has now launched a design agency with renowned watchmaker Luca Soprana.
Contemporary Artist Johnny Dowell, also known as Johnny King Nerd is master engraver who worked through the ranks of world renowned gunmaker, James Purdey & Sons.
Since then he has gone by the Artist name of King Nerd and has designed/engraved in collaboration for watch brands, motorcycle & car, alcohol & audio companies. His coin art is owned by the likes of Elton John, Paul Smith, Tyson Fury to many others.
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Whiskey and Watches
4pm, Saturday, November 12
We will be taking you on a fun, interactive and informal whisky and watches pairing with a few interesting pieces from Grand Seiko paired with a selection of Japanese whisky’s, before we head to the motherland and finish off with a Scotch whisky or two with Scotland based anOrdain.
This will be hosted by Dave Sharp from Scottish Watches and Marco Marangoni, The Londoner’s whisky connoisseur.
And yes, you do get to try them all!
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WATCHPRO Salon 2022 exhibitors and partners
WATCHPRO Salon is a showcase of prestige watchmakers where collectors, brands, retailers and press meet in 5-star luxury.
Back for a second time after a sensational debut in 2021, the two-day event takes place from November 11 to 12 at The Londoner, one of the capital’s most spectacular 5-star hotels on London’s Leicester Square.
Exhibitors & Partners at WATCHPRO Salon 2022:
