Photo by Chris Antzoulis - New Novelties from H. Moser, Nomos, Ulysse Nardin, and Norqain

This past weekend marked the inaugural Bucherer Watch Week, held at the ever-so-glamorous Bucherer Time Machine on 5th Avenue and 57th Street in Manhattan. The event was hosted by none other than Andrew Morgan, a man who might not be packing a whip or fedora, but still knows his way around a treasure—or, at the very least, a perfectly finished tourbillon.

Photo by Chris Antzoulis - Andrew Morgan moderating a panel at BWW

Andrew is kind of like Indiana Jones if he traded temples for timepieces—less jungle grit, more tailored wit. He’s not dangling from cliffs, but he is uncovering hidden gems in the luxury watch world and casually redefining how people learn about watches. If the old guard made watches seem like something kept in a museum, Andrew’s the one who added the espresso bar and got people actually excited to visit.

A Different Kind of Watch Show

I wasn’t sure what to expect walking in. Having lived in New York, I knew the store well—but was this going to be a full-blown convention? A new product showcase? A horological TED Talk? Who could say. What I did know was that a bunch of friends would be there, and that’s usually reason enough.

Photo by Chris Antzoulis - with James Brittain-McVey, Charlotte Morgan, and Andrew Morgan

Turns out, it was more chill hangout than hype-fueled expo. A few days of laid-back panel discussions, espresso-fueled browsing, and brands casually showing off their latest releases (most of which had just debuted at Watches & Wonders).

The Bucherer Time Machine spans three floors of wristwatch temptation. Between panels, you could wander, try things on, and accidentally convince yourself that your next watch should cost the same as your last vacation. Free coffee and alcohol were flowing, depending on your energy levels—or your willingness to make impulsive financial decisions in public.

More Panels Than an Alan Moore Comic

Panels kicked off at noon, with a new one nearly every hour. What surprised me most? The spotlight on independent and under-the-radar brands. The lineup wasn’t just prestige names; it was full of genuinely interesting voices from the watch community.

A few personal highlights:

Norqain, presented by Ben from Ben’s Watches, dove into their bold new Wild One pieces and explained how they’ve made a name for themselves—fast.
Girard Perregaux, with Andrew Morgan hosting, leaned into their “quiet luxury” rep, showing off movements and models that prove you don’t need to collect ten watches just to buy the one you really want.
Ulysse Nardin came in light—literally. Romain arrived with helium balloons to show off the Diver Air, the brand’s featherweight, tech-savvy dive watch. I tried it on. It floats. It also kind of rules. And wonderfully moderated by James Brittain-McVey, who asked the right questions to reveal what makes UN such an IT brand.
Studio Underd0g x H. Moser was the panel to beat. Hosted by WatchMissGMT, the crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder and onto the staircase just to hear Richard (SU) and Claudio (Moser) talk shop and share passion. Even more fun: spotting collectors in five-figure watches proudly rocking a Studio Underd0g on the other wrist. That’s the vibe.

NYC Is a Special City for Watches

Maybe I’m biased, but New York has that weird magic where high-end collecting still feels approachable. This was my first time truly stepping into the NYC collector community, and honestly? It was as warm and weirdly friendly as a neighborhood bar, just with more gold cases and open casebacks.

People were swapping watches left and right. I had someone with an MB&F try on my Möels + Co. 528. well-worn Black Bay 58 Bronze, and someone even handed me their independently made piece unique, just to try on my BB58 Bronze, as they hadn’t seen one with the level of patina mine had after three years of wear.

Despite the city's size, the vibe was intimate, unpretentious, and deeply watch-nerdy in the best way. All the enthusiasts on hand were gracious and excited to share their space with a little freelance watch writer bumping into everyone with his stupid huge backpack and ginormous camera.

What the Future Holds for Bucherer Watch Week

Sure, I’ve got notes—mainly about spatial flow during the panels, since separating the crowd from the casual browsers was a bit chaotic. But overall? It was a cozy, well-curated, well-attended debut. It didn’t feel like an industry cash grab. It felt like brands passionate about watchmaking were making space for enthusiasts who care about their watches.

And if this becomes a yearly tradition? Count me in.