The tiny ski town of Colorado comes alive in the summer, and now watch enthusiasts can get in on the off-season action

Watch Weeks are becoming increasingly popular all around the world, from Madison Avenue in Manhattan to Dubai. The Horology Forum, an offshoot of Dubai Watch Week, also travels around the globe with a bi-annual event. This August, Aspen Colorado will host its inaugural Watch Week.

The prerequisite for a city, town, or neighbourhood pulling off a watch week is a concentration of watch boutiques, and Aspen most certainly meets the description. As of this writing, not all watch brands with Aspen locations have signed up to participate officially in the event, though organisers feel confident that more will join in as momentum builds around this first-time event. As one strolls the tiny ski town, there’s no reason to assume one wouldn’t be able to hit every watch shop, regardless.

The Oliver Smith Aspen Boutique. Photo by Oliver Smith

What the officially participating brands are offering, however, are curated events and activities that will draw watch enthusiasts into the scene. Bremont is taking folks out for some paddle boarding, while Parmigiani Fleurier will host a welcoming cocktail reception, and Panerai will showcase new releases during the week. Other activities will include panel discussion about the pre-owned watch market and a vodka party, both hosted by Oliver Smith Jeweler, which operates out of Aspen and has organised Watch Week Aspen.

A. Lange & Sönhe boutique in Aspen, Colorado. Photo by A. Lange & Sönhe

For those who may feel reluctant heading out to Aspen when there’s no snow, the town offers luxury accommodations and dining year round, not to Aspen when a bevy of outdoor activities from hiking to rafting to cruising uphill in ATVs. For those feeling less adventurous, the shopping alone is a reason to show up and stroll the streets of the manageable little city in the Rockies.

Aspen’s historic Hotel Jerome combines Western decor with luxury food and accommodations. Photo by Hotel Jerome

The Hotel Jerome is an especially fine piece of Western history, not to mention the drinking establishment frequented by radical Rolling Stone journalist and book author Hunter S. Thompson during Aspen’s more, shall we say, alternative years when Thompson attempted to take over the local government. Times have most certainly mellowed in Aspen, and you’ll readily find an exceptional timepiece or just about anything you’d like from the world’s top luxury brands around every corner.

Watch Week Aspen runs from 8 to 11 August 2024. For more information, visit watchweekaspen.com.

This story was first published on Robb Report USA. Featured photo by IWC, Parmigiani Fleurier, Lange and Aspen Colorado