Salon de Montreal: A Premier Watch Fair in Montreal
For the first time ever, Salon de Montreal hosted an international Watch Fair in Montreal on September 27 and 28 2019 at the enchanting Saint-James Club. This unique event allowed the public to meet the creators of the most prestigious watch brands from all over the world, in addition to discovering exclusive high-end watch models. LUXE was one of the fair’s partners, alongside the prestigious Swiss watch magazine Europa Star.
It is by noticing the scant watch culture in Canada and Quebec that Simion Matei, a businessman passionate about watches, had the idea of organizing a watch fair in Montreal. “Mechanical watch fans like me must quench their passion by browsing American or European websites, because there is nothing here,” says the founder.
On top of being a first of its kind, the Salon de Montreal allowed consumers to come into direct contact with watchmakers, a rare privilege in this type of event. Watch enthusiasts and curious minds had the chance to try on and even purchase luxury watches from a dozen independent Swiss, German and Canadian brands, including Maurice Lacroix, Dwiss and Bremont. In addition, José Cermeño, a new Montreal brand, launched his collection at the event.
Above all, the public discovered Beauregard, an extremely popular brand in Europe in the high-end watch industry, whose creator, Alexandre Beauregard, is a Montrealer. “This artist collaborates with world-renown jewelers. His watches sell for $250,000 all over Europe, yet he is totally unknown here. Incidentally, his studio is in Montreal! I hope that this show was an opportunity for people to discover him in Quebec, because it is such an honor to have local talent shine internationally.”
Simion Matei adds that mechanical watches have no utilitarian function since they are much less precise than quartz or electronic watches. “The purpose of such an event is to show the human genius behind these objects. Each watch has a case that houses over 1,220 pieces assembled in 6 cm2. They are true works of art. Just as we admire a painting by Monet more for its beauty than accuracy, these watches are appreciated for their artistic value and the richness they bring to our culture,” he concludes.
Text: Diane Stehle
