[VIDEO] Watch Stories: Eric Wind of Christie’s Watch Department

Eric Wind has worn many hats over the years: biofuel industry vet turned Hodinkee contributor, now the VP, Senior Specialist at Christie’s. What stayed consistent through all these career changes? Vintage watches.

Eric’s a good friend of ours, and we’ve interviewed him before, but when we got the chance to dig into his vintage timepieces and learn about some of his other passions, we jumped at the chance. So where did that lead us? First, Eric shredded the drums and got us kicked out of Guitar Center, and then we did what any golfer in NYC does—headed to Chelsea Piers. All the while, we talked watches (surprise, surprise) and learned some of the stories and specs behind the pieces in his collection.

Among the vintage gems are names like Longines, Lucien Piccard, and Gallet, along with one modern Reverso. And among the stories are people like Jeff Stein, who helped Eric buy his first Heuer, and his grandfather, whose vintage Hamilton was the watch that sparked his interest in vintage timepieces.

The Watches

This Heuer Chronograph from the early 1940s actually isn’t that first Heuer, but it’s his favorite example. Two-tone silver dial, big sub-registers—what’s not to love?

Eric’s keen love of political history and vintage watches comes together in this particular Vulcain Cricket. The Cricket in particular holds a special interest for him, given its close association with current and past US Presidents.

 

Clearly, Eric knows his older pieces well. And he’s very passionate about keeping things original—he learned that lesson after seeing his first Heuer watch get overpolished during a service. His advice when it comes to buying vintage? Get “the best example of something no matter what your price point,” and don’t try to stretch your budget for a watch in poor condition. That’s some solid wisdom, folks.

 

Want to see more of Eric Wind’s vintage watches? Watch the video on Youtube here, or check it out above.