As I sit marinating in the warm glow of the Vancouver Timepiece show one word keeps coming up over and over again for me: community.
Getting to spend a weekend submersed in watch culture with people as enthusiastic as those that attended this show was nothing short of a privilege.
After attending the 2025 Vancouver timepiece show as a fan. It was an interesting experience to come back as a fan, but also a content creator.
Friday night was the VIP event. Alex was fortunate enough to be there on time as my work schedule didn’t permit me to fly in until later. One thing Alex shared was immediately how warm and welcoming everyone was. Alex generally somebody that’s not going to jump out and do things on his own, so it was a big step for him. And I’m proud of him. Once I arrived, got a glass of wine in my hand was able to meet watcher Rob and his wife Rayne, things really started to kick off. We only had a relatively short time before the VIP event wrapped up, but we got to meet a couple of great people and really set the stage for Saturday.
Saturday morning we were up and as giddy as a couple of kids on their first day of school. Although being our second Vancouver timepiece show the excitement and anticipation had not waned from being to one before. I was equally excited and equally motivated to get there as soon as possible get in there and see the watches on hand.
If we are being completely honest, once we got there Alex and I were actually a little nervous as creators. We had our cameras we had our mics. We knew everything was in working order, but we just weren’t sure how to approach the vendors. The initial feeling as a new podcast or content creator is that you’re a very small fish in a very large pond. Once we shook the nerves and actually started to speak to the vendors it became painfully apparent that this was our misconception, everyone was happy to talk with us. Everyone was happy to share stories about their brands, their watches, their concepts and their overall enthusiasm for watches and horology.
There were so many new vendors we hadn’t seen before and brands like Christopher Ward that we were both very familiar with but we’re excited to see again.
Some of the highlights was getting to meet Sean from 22studio making concrete watch dials and concrete pens really, really interesting concepts and the best quote we got from him was regarding his staircase dials: “Marry time and space.” I believe that is really, what watches are about. Marking time and space in our lives marking important moments in history, our history, our stories.
There were brands like Micromillspec, whom I hadn’t heard of before they went on the Vancouver timepiece show website but could not have been more impressed with the absolute incredible build quality of their watches. Combine that with the awesome representation they had at the show and the stories behind the military units that they’ve work on more than 40 projects for, safe to say they made fans of Alex and myself.
Getting to meet people that had become familiar with us and we familiar with them through the podcast people like Calgary Watch Addict was really great to meet somebody in that setting that was not only a fan of the show but a fan of watches and we really enjoyed meeting him and his son.
A friend I had not seen in more than 25 years made the drive from Kamloops to come to the show and so we could catch up. Again, that sense of community that comes with watches. He even bought himself a fantastic new Venezianico.
Speaking of lighter wallets, I believe our new friend Trucker Rob (we exchanged hats, I think that makes us married in some countries), went home with seven new pieces between him and his Mrs. Pretty impressive haul. I think what’s more impressive is the quality of the vendors that were there to give anyone that many options. From the battleship tough Marathon Watch, the refined elegance of Baltic, the serious fun that is Makoto. A Canadian brand that was a standout for me, that will also lighten my wallet at some point, I’m sure.
Another brand that made a huge impression on me was Gavox. Excellent tool watches, better stories and I implore you to search them out and learn about the brand.
There were fewer vendors there this year than last, which I’m sure for some was disappointing but for Alex and I, it gave a little more room to move around, with a bit more of an intimate feel. My biggest take away will be the new community we’ve become a part of. Moving from watch addict, to watch podcast has been an interesting transition for all of us at Watch You Talkin About but the community has welcomed us with open arm and all we can say is thank you. HUGE shout out to Jason Hutton organizer of the Canadian Time Show series in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. Do yourself a favour and get out to one of these shows. Tix are free in Vancouver and Montreal, so if you don’t like the show, I’ll give you your ticket money right back.
What was the highlight for me? Honestly, hard to say, perhaps a chance meeting and a sneak preview of his upcoming release with Canadian watch making royalty, Bradley Taylor. Such a gracious guy, to show two bums on the street is latest watch the Ardea, with it’s retrograde second hand. Absolute haute horology.
I’d like to really thank Jason Hutton. I can’t say this enough. Thank you for bringing a vibrant and enthusiastic community a place to gather with like minds. Passionate, kind, warm. This has been my experience at the Vancouver Timepiece Show. Alex and I can not wait, to be in Toronto.
By Jordan Clarke, unabashed watch addict and co-host of the Watch You Talkin About Podcast
