Passion and mystery – two ingredients that account for the success of one of the most active watch clubs in Europe. We invite you to read this interview with Dragoș Popescu, founder of the Bucharest Watch Club.

How was Bucharest Watch Club born?

Bucharest Watch Club is the result of our desire to share our passion for the universe of watches. When it comes to passion, it is perhaps natural for enthusiasts to try to meet other people with whom they can relate and who make them feel they belong to the same world. In my opinion, the first steps that led to the creation of the Club were natural and based on personal development. I have long had a passion for this world, and the idea of having a watch collection came up when I was a child. Throughout the years, the desire to learn and explore as much as possible gave rise to another collection: the collection of magazines dedicated to the world of watchmaking. I feel this was the next step in my journey, which allowed me to broaden my horizons and become more aware of my personal tastes. At the same time, it was thanks to these magazines that I first came into contact with other watch enthusiasts, with whom I began to communicate.

I remember arriving at work one day with a copy of Lifetime magazine, and while I was leafing through it, two of my colleagues came up to me to talk about watches. I discovered that they were also fascinated by this world, and we formed the first mini-group dedicated to discussing watches.  With the evolution of technology and because we spend more and more time online, Instagram has become the right link between the content on the world of watchmaking and the communities of enthusiasts. For me, the main benefit and the next step in my personal development was that, using this platform, I was able to interact much more with other collectors around the world. This gave me access to various perspectives and the opportunity to learn from experienced enthusiasts.

Finding Romanian collectors on Instagram was a challenge in itself, but eventually the inevitable happened and so I began communicating with them. The enthusiasm and the human component gave me the necessary motivation to try to meet them in person and so began the first series of meetings, where I first met each member individually. Somehow I feel very lucky, because I have met great people along the way, including the Club’s co-founder – a very experienced collector. It was only when I talked to him about getting to know the others that I actually realised that it was time for all of us to get together as a club. This is how Bucharest Watch Club came into being!

What do you have in common?

The fact that we share a passion for watches. We are a diverse group, we have different ways of collecting, but we all appreciate the “journey” and the excitement of choosing our next watch. The chemistry of our group also lies in the fact that we constantly study the world of watchmaking and share our experiences. The club meetings feel more like reunions of friends who enjoy seeing each other again.

what are the rules of this “watchmaking fraternity”? DOs and DON’Ts.

DOs As it is a hobby that brings us joy, we want to create a positive environment based on respect for the others. Members are expected to attend monthly meetings, where they are encouraged to be open to discussions and differing opinions. We value related activities such as photography and Instagram accounts dedicated exclusively to watches, where posts focus on this topic. At the end of the day, this whole experience should be fun!

DON’Ts We strongly believe that discretion is a key element in the whole evolution of the Club and we want all members to identify with this idea. Club meetings are about seeing and trying on watches, so we want members to be very careful with each other’s collections when the opportunity presents itself. We want to avoid using the Club as a channel for personal promotion.

How many members do you currently have? What is the maximum number considered?

At the moment, Bucharest Watch Club has 23 members. From the very beginning, we did not have a maximum number of members in mind, as everything came naturally. After we created a core, the rest of the members joined the club on the basis of recommendations, after an interview.

What sets you apart from other watch clubs?

I think our greatest strength is the ability to combine the two worlds: an online presence and offline meetings. Human interaction is very important when it comes to building long-lasting relationships. Another one of our strengths is that we have been able to establish real connections with the main retail players in the local market, such as Orologeria Galt, Kultho or Albini Prassa. We are grateful for all their support and for the opportunities they have offered our Club along the way.

What are your plans?

We are always open to new enthusiasts who can identify with the values of the Club. We want to grow naturally and in an unforced manner, as we have done so far. We try to support and promote local entrepreneurs who are connected to this world and we are open to collaborations. We like to be creative when it comes to combining the world of watches with other fields. All in all, we want this whole experience to be associated with the joy of being part of this club.

How do you make time for club meetings?

Although we have a well-planned agenda for the whole year, which allows us to organise ourselves in a timely manner, I think our greatest motivation comes from the desire for human interaction and the sharing of emotions. These are powerful incentives for club members.

If you were to vote for a top 5 of the past year’s releases, what would they be?

Most of our Club members liked the following releases:

MB&F HM11 ARCHITECT

Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription

Patek Philippe Calatrava 6007G series

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional White Dial