Magazine

14 Watch Brands Take on New York: French Watchmaking at Wind Up  

From October 16 to 18, 2026, French watchmaking will take center stage in New York at Wind Up, one of the leading US events dedicated to independent watchmaking and watch enthusiasts. For this new edition, 14 French brands will come together in Manhattan: Awake, Baltic, Beaubleu, Briston, Buci, Depancel, Jacques Bianchi, March LA.B, MAT Watches, Pequignet, Serica, Voxel, Wolbrook and Yema.

French Watchmaking Takes Center Stage in New York

After several stops across the United States, Wind Up returns to New York from October 16 to 18, 2026, at Center415 on Fifth Avenue, in the heart of Manhattan. The 2026 edition will bring together more than 160 international brands, making New York a major meeting point for the global watchmaking community.

Against this international backdrop, the presence of 14 French watch brands offers another opportunity to showcase the richness of French watchmaking: creativity, design, heritage, mechanical innovation and métiers d’art come together within a single selection.

This diversity is reflected in the products presented by the French brands, ranging from tool watches to automotive-inspired creations, contemporary designs and pieces that bring together watchmaking and decorative arts.

Wind Up is also an opportunity for brands to connect directly with watch enthusiasts. For American collectors and enthusiasts, the fair provides an opportunity to meet the founders and teams behind the brands and discover their worlds beyond their collections.

French Brands, 14 Watchmaking Worlds 

Awake

Among the participating brands, Awake will showcase its new Sơn Mài – Guilloché Main collection, which brings together traditional hand guilloché and the ancient Vietnamese art of Sơn Mài lacquer for the first time in watchmaking. Created between Italy and Vietnam, the dials reflect a dialogue between different cultures and savoir-faire, embodying an international vision of watchmaking craftsmanship.

Baltic

Baltic, the independent Paris-based brand, will present several new releases, including the Aquascaphe GMT MK-II, Heures du Monde, Scalegraph and Aquascaphe MK2 Date. The brand continues to develop its aesthetic inspired by the 1940s to 1960s, combined with contemporary constructions and an approach designed for watch enthusiasts around the world. 

Beaubleu

At Beaubleu, the spotlight will be on La Pièce, created in collaboration with the Monnaie de Paris. The timepiece combines the brand’s distinctive aesthetic language with historic coin-striking techniques developed in the heart of Paris. The dials are sculpted directly into the metal through striking, creating distinctive reliefs and plays of light.

Briston

Briston will showcase its new Clubmaster Legend Diver, combining an acetate case, sapphire bezel and Japanese Miyota 8315 automatic movement. Founded in 2013, the French brand embraces a “British Sport Chic” universe, notably defined by its distinctive use of cellulose acetate. 

Buci

With its second collection, Nouvelle, Buci continues to explore the relationship between literature and watchmaking. Inspired by the literary short story, the collection translates the passage of time through the small moments of everyday life. Equipped with a Sellita hand-wound mechanical movement, the watch incorporates several signature elements of the brand’s universe, including its textured dial, calligraphic numerals and book-shaped presentation box.  

Depancel

The automotive world will also be represented by Depancel, a brand founded in 2018 whose watches and chronographs draw inspiration from mechanical aesthetics and the history of motorsport. Models on display will include the Autosport, Série-R 01 and Allure Mono Eye. The watches are designed and assembled at the brand’s workshop in Besançon, the historic birthplace of French watchmaking.

March LA.B

At March LA.B, the AM2 XS Mécanique reflects the brand’s approach with its 32 mm case, “pied de poule” guilloché dial and La Joux-Perret hand-wound mechanical movement. Founded between Biarritz and Los Angeles, the brand has always embraced an identity shaped by multiple territories and cultures.  

Pequignet

Pequignet, the French manufacture based in Morteau, will present the Royale Paris Chrono, the Manufacture’s first chronograph. This contemporary sports model is powered by the Calibre Initial® Chronograph, the fifth movement developed by the brand. The Manufacture designs and produces its watches and movements at its workshops in the Jura region.

Serica

Founded in 2019, Serica champions mechanical watchmaking that combines robustness, technical performance and a distinctive aesthetic. In New York, the brand will present the 7505, a 35 mm tool watch designed for slimmer wrists, as well as the 5330, a new iteration of its diving watch featuring a completely redesigned dial. 

Voxel

Voxel represents a contemporary approach born from the meeting of French creativity and Swiss watchmaking expertise. Its creative direction is based in Lyon, while development, manufacturing and assembly take place in Switzerland. The brand will present the Meridion VX01-E Black, its first creation, featuring an in-house mechanical complication enabling a jumping 12/24-hour display. 

Yema

Finally, Yema will showcase several creations, including the Navygraf Meteorite CMM.10, Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition and Wristmaster Slim Small Seconds CMM29 Camo. Founded in France in 1948, the brand has been developing, manufacturing and assembling its watches at its Morteau workshops since the early 2020s, notably around its CMM.10 and CMM.20 manufacture calibres.

Jacques Bianchi, MAT Watches and Wolbrook complete this French selection, further contributing to the diversity of watchmaking signatures represented in New York. 

An International Showcase for French Creativity 

Through brands with very different identities and profiles, this collective presence in New York showcases the many facets of French creativity: design, heritage, mechanical innovation, decorative arts, French manufacturing, and inspiration drawn from automotive culture, travel and literature.

Wind Up Watch Fair New York
October 16–18, 2026
Center415 – 415 Fifth Avenue, New York
Free admission, open to the public.