From Georgetown to Wind Vintage: Eric Wind’s Enduring Pursuit of Time

From his beginnings at Christie’s, where he handled some of the most historically significant timepieces in the world, to building a globally respected brand that champions transparency and education, Wind has carved a niche that bridges connoisseurs and newcomers alike. With a loyal following of collectors, collaborations that continue to surprise, and a vision rooted in passion, Wind is proof that the past — when preserved with care — always finds its way into the future.

In an exclusive conversation with Haute Time, Eric Wind shares his journey, philosophy, and perspective on the ever-evolving world of vintage watches.

Haute Time: You’ve built a career rooted in passion, precision, and authenticity. What first drew you to the world of vintage watches?

Eric Wind: I liked watches since I was young, but I did not know much about them until I inherited my grandfather’s Hamilton Neil wristwatch when I was in college at Georgetown University. The watch was given to my grandfather by my grandmother for their wedding and I inherited it after 60 years of daily wear by my grandfather. It was my first mechanical watch and sparked a real curiosity about learning how these watches “ticked” and about all other brands and forms of vintage watches.

HT: Before founding Wind Vintage, you worked at Christie’s, where you handled some of the most important timepieces in the world. How did that experience shape your perspective on collecting and the market today?

EW:Christie’s was an amazing experience, but also unbelievably hectic – like drinking water from a firehose. I enjoyed meeting so many great collectors, many whom remain clients and close friends to this day. Christie’s really offered no time to do anything except source watches for auction and private sale and sell them, whereas having my own business also allows me to help curate collections for clients and that was one of the primary reasons I wanted to start Wind Vintage.

HT: Wind Vintage has earned a reputation for transparency and integrity — values sometimes missing in the vintage space. How do you maintain that trust in such a competitive market?

EW: Warren Buffett once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” I try to live by those words and our clients know we are always trying our best to be transparent about the watches we are selling. We are constantly hunting for treasure and excited to share our passion and amazing watches with the world.

HT: What trends are you seeing in vintage collecting right now? Are there specific eras, models, or brands you think are being rediscovered or undervalued?

EW: It’s interesting how trends cycle around – I am seeing a lot more interest in 1930s and 1940s chronographs than a few years ago and I am excited about that as I am very passionate about those watches. I am also seeing significant interest in vintage Heuer watches after the last 6-7 years were quiet and soft for vintage Heuer chronographs. I love vintage Heuer chronographs and I believe we are one of the leaders for finding great vintage Heuer watches, so I am excited about this trend. I believe vintage Longines watches remain undervalued, and they are a passion of my colleague Charlie Dunne and me. We feel similar for vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre – both of us love vintage Memovox alarm watches, for instance, and it is hard to find great examples. Charlie and I also love vintage pocket watches, particularly the purity of simple time-only models from a variety of brands including Patek Philippe, Rolex, Longines, and Jaeger-LeCoultre.

HT:Many collectors describe watches as wearable history. What’s one piece in your collection that holds a particularly personal story or connection?

EW:I have a Rolex Submariner reference 5512 that I found in the personal collection of Paul Altieri of Bob’s Watches. I had been looking for the right unpolished Submariner reference 5512 or 5513 for years and while visiting Paul and meeting him for the first time and looking at his collection, I saw an amazing unpolished reference 5512 with a meters-first “Neat Fonts dial” and was floored. Paul was nice enough to let me get it and I am eternally grateful! It’s not just an amazing watch, but a reminder of my friendship with Paul and that fateful afternoon.

HT:The vintage watch world can be intimidating for newcomers. What advice would you give to someone buying their first serious watch?

EW:I always say, “Buy what you know.” It’s important to learn about watches before diving in headfirst if it is a significant purchase. If you learn about them, you will be in a better position to evaluate what you want. I recommend people that are interested in vintage watches watch my talks to the Horological Society of New York (Part 1 from 2019 and Part 2 from 2023) on YouTube and also watch my new video about vintage collection on the Teddy Baldassare platform, then you can dive in and watch my other videos on specific watches, such as the Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytonas, Submariners, GMT-Masters, and Explorers or OMEGA Speedmasters.

HT: The Haute Time Miami Watch Summit brings together collectors, brands, and enthusiasts from around the world. What are your thoughts on the event and its role in shaping the culture of watch collecting today?

EW: I am extremely excited to be participating in the Summit and am excited to see many old friends and make new ones! Watch collectors always enjoy being in the company of other collectors – a lot of passion and knowledge can be shared in this type of environment and kudos to Haute Time for organizing it.

HT: Miami has become a major hub for design, luxury, and craftsmanship. How do you see the city’s influence playing out in the global watch scene?

EW:There is no question that Miami has become of increasing importance to watch companies as the area’s base of clients grows. It is a far more significant city for watches now that it was ten years ago. Wind Vintage is based just a bit north of Miami in Palm Beach, but we are always just a Brightline ride away from being in the heart of Miami and we benefit from our location.

HT:With the resurgence of interest in mechanical timepieces among younger generations, how do you see the future of vintage collecting evolving?

EW:I am optimistic about the continued growth of interest in vintage watches, particularly among young people. Vintage watches are in many ways a much better way to express yourself than more modern common watches that are readily available for purchase on Chrono24 and eBay. I think many people realize that finding an exceptional vintage watch that speaks to you is more difficult than finding just about any “hype watch” and it is more fun to compare vintage watches with other collectors than modern watches where the conversation is over after about one sentence.

HT:Finally, what’s next for Wind Vintage, any exciting collaborations, projects, or discoveries on the horizon?

EW:We always have a lot of irons in the fire from rare vintage watches we are hunting to a variety of collaborations. I am excited we are launching our next Wind Vintage x True North Watch Company watch in the next month and we have a few other watch collaborations coming out in the coming months. We are also excited about our new YouTube channel and the videos we will be releasing in the upcoming months. Our e-mail newsletter is always the best way to hear about us and you can sign up on windvintage.com/newsletter.