Independent watchmaking grows best when it replants its seeds. INDIES.NYC will direct 1% of net proceeds from every watch sold through its platform to a watchmaking school chosen by the artisan behind the piece, starting with the October 15, 2026 salon in Manhattan. No central fund, no committee – each maker decides where the money goes, whether alma mater, local bench, or a school they simply believe in.
It is a small percentage with a clear intent: pair today’s market with tomorrow’s hands. As founder Jon Cruys puts it, “The future of independent horology belongs to today’s students.” Early beneficiaries already include schools in France, Finland and Ireland, with the network growing.
The platform’s operating model mirrors the same trust. INDIES.NYC’s 5% sales commission is voluntary, not mandatory. If a sale comes through the salon, the watchmaker is trusted to contribute the fee. Cruys again: “We would rather build that relationship on reciprocity than obligation.” In a field that prizes independence, this feels mechanically honest.
INDIES.NYC is not a fair selling square meters. It scouts and represents independent talent, curating watchmakers it believes merit greater visibility. Admission is free to collectors and enthusiasts with registration open, and applications are open for artisan-watchmakers at www.indies.nyc.
The next edition – the platform’s largest yet – lands on October 15, 2026 during New York Watch Week, expanding from 10 to 23 independents while keeping the format intentionally intimate: conversations at arm’s length, not behind trade-show vitrines. The full lineup will be revealed on September 15.
Participants, in alphabetical order: Alex Voss, Arturak Maev, Atelier 1776, Atelier Pieters, Bradley Taylor, Delaloye Geneve, Dunselman Watchmaking, Garrick, Holthinrichs Watches, Jean Khatchadourian, Kallinich Claeys, Legare Haute Horlogerie, Manteoi, Marco Tedeschi, Mermont, Reima Koivukoski, Sarpaneva Watches, Statera, Stéphane Pierre, TAOS, Tirello, VonKa & Berna and Zeitwinkel. As is custom at INDIES.NYC, a strap and accessories house joins the benches: Rapport London.
Educators have welcomed the move. From Finland’s Kelloseppäkoulu, principal Hanna Harilainen notes that such support helps remove barriers for aspiring watchmakers and sustains training quality. In Paris, professor and watchmaker Michel Boulanger calls the gesture both symbolic and concrete, a lift to schools and their teaching teams. Ireland’s John McGonigle points to a timely boost as the Irish Center of Watchmaking Excellence takes shape.
Founded in 2024 by Jon Cruys, Marie Ansel, Niu Niu Nie and James Kong, INDIES.NYC stages a biannual salon in New York. Dates ahead: October 15, 2026 – Manhattan. April 22, 2027 – Manhattan. A simple machine, well oiled – sales feed schools, schools feed the craft. That is a cycle worth keeping on the wrist.
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