Watch Week Aspen 2026
Watch Week Aspen concluded its biggest edition yet, welcoming more than 300 attendees across four days and its largest-ever roster of 19 participating watch brands, retailers, and industry partners.
Watch Week Aspen concluded its biggest edition yet on Sunday, August 16, welcoming more than 300 attendees across four days and its largest-ever roster of 19 participating watch brands, retailers, and industry partners. Now in its third year, the festival has quickly emerged as one of the United States’ leading luxury watch events, distinguished on the international watch calendar by a decentralized, citywide format that turns downtown Aspen into the venue and an open-access model that makes most programming free and open to the public.
Held August 13–16, the third annual event transformed the city’s boutiques, galleries, hospitality venues, and public spaces into a decentralized network of indoor-outdoor timepiece experiences, with 40 distinct events offered for Watch Week Aspen 2026. Co-founded by Oliver Smith Jeweler, Watch Week Aspen unites local retailers, brand boutiques, and international watch brands to present an eclectic itinerary with something for everyone. The 2026 schedule of events included cocktail parties and collector gatherings, educational programming, artisan demonstrations, ice cream socials, sporting events, and product unveilings, each unfolding over four days at venues throughout downtown Aspen.
"In just three years, we've gone from an ambitious idea to one of the United States' most important annual collector events. This was our most ambitious edition yet, and seeing hundreds of collectors, enthusiasts, brands, and industry leaders come together across Aspen was incredibly rewarding.
What matters most is the sense of connection the weekend creates, whether someone is discovering a new watchmaker, meeting the people behind a favorite brand, or simply sharing their passion with fellow collectors."
Elizabeth Smith Hrubala
Co-Founder, Watch Week Aspen
Managing Director, Oliver Smith Jeweler
Opening Night
Social programming remained central to the weekend, beginning with the Golden Hour Welcome Party, presented by Blancpain and Betteridge at Casterline | Goodman Gallery and hosted with Blancpain North America President Leonardo Laviola.
Watches from Watch Week
Throughout the weekend, collectors explored an exceptional range of timepieces from participating brands, with opportunities to discover new releases, rare pieces, and distinctive examples of watchmaking up close.
Watch Week in Motion
The weekend brought horology into Aspen’s streets and outdoor spaces with the first-ever Watch Week Aspen 3K Run, hosted by NORQAIN and led by U.S. Brand President Emmanuel Bütler, and attended by Olympian skier Alex Ferreira, followed later by the brand’s “Enjoy Life” ice cream truck activation.
Gerald Charles hosted three days of its collector lounge at Oliver Smith Jeweler before taking guests to the courts for a morning of tennis and pickleball, while Analog:Shift and Betteridge debuted VintageFest, inviting collectors to showcase favorite vintage pieces and connect around a shared appreciation for historic watches.
Collectors Gather in Aspen
SYYNCH gathered collectors for its “State of the Market” cocktails and conversation; Avi & Co. welcomed guests for an evening of watches, cocktails, and canapés; and the weekend culminated with the ticketed Watch Week Aspen Collector’s Dinner at W Aspen, where WatchTime Magazine joined guests for watch trivia and a friendly collector competition.
Conversations in Watchmaking
Independent horology and collector education played a prominent role throughout the weekend. L. Leroy CEO Hugo Lesizza presented the Maison’s latest creations alongside a tasting from Accendo Estate, while Moritz Grossmann Founder and CEO Christine Hutter met collectors for an afternoon devoted to German watchmaking.
Oliver Smith Jeweler also hosted “In Conversation: The Independent Revolution,” bringing together Hutter, George Reid, Oliver Smith Jeweler Director of Fine Timepieces, and Mirko Bertolucci, CEO of Cyrus Watches, joined Sara Orlando for a WatchTime-moderated discussion on the growth and collectability of independent brands.
M.S. Rau rounded out the educational program with a four-part series exploring rare complications, unconventional design, fine watchmaking, and standout vintage and pre-owned pieces.
Following its record-setting third year, Watch Week Aspen continues to build momentum as a distinctly American destination on the international watch calendar, pairing direct access to the global watch community with Aspen’s singular Rocky Mountain setting.
