If you live in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area and are looking for some real, live interaction with your fellow watch enthusiasts, I recommend you check out these folks and maybe meet up for one of their regular get-togethers. I’ve attended these myself and have always received a warm welcome, good company, and the chance to check out some remarkable collections.
Watchingtonians – A free, friendly, inclusive, local club for all mechanical watch enthusiasts in the DC area. Regardless of what watches you like, or how many watches you have, you’re welcome to join us. Regular monthly meetups take place on Saturdays or Sundays at 11 AM.
DMV Watch Club – Founded in 2022, the DMV Watch Club is a passionate group of watch enthusiasts in the Greater Washington, D.C. area (D.C., Maryland, Virginia). It is comprised of enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds who come together around their shared love for timepieces. The club strives to create an environment where all are welcome, from those with a passing interest in watches to seasoned collectors. To foster deeper connections among members and create a stronger community, the DMV Watch Club hosts monthly meetups and has an active community forum Discord server.
NOVA Watches and Coffee – NOVA Watches & Coffee is a group for watch collectors and enthusiasts to get together for casual watch talk over a cup of coffee. Just like “Cars & Coffee”, this will be a recurring meetup every other Sunday morning at various local coffee shops and parks in the NoVA area. All are welcome, from serious collectors to newcomers interested in learning more about watches and watchmaking.
If you are not local, or if you want to expand your virtual connections as well, I’d recommend the following online communities as well.
League of Microbrands Facebook Group – A space to share and discuss the microbrand market as founders and consumers. This group is about small independent watch brands (“microbrands”) that began life on, are currently on, or are about to be on any crowdfunded platform, or that are deemed non-mainstream in the world of horology.
Microbrand Watches Facebook Group – This group is dedicated exclusively to microbrand watches. We welcome your pictures, articles, and posts about timepieces made by a microbrand.
