For us, based in Dubai, Miami isn’t exactly around the corner. But we wouldn’t miss this show for anything. The Original Miami Beach Antique Show (OMBAS) is probably the most important show in the U.S., and maybe in the world, where the global community of vintage watch dealers, enthusiasts and collectors comes together to share their passion at this very iconic location.
This year’s edition was particularly special for us because it was our first time attending as exhibitors. It’s a big milestone in our journey to strengthen our presence in the U.S., which has quickly become one of our key markets.
Here are some highlights from the show and a glimpse into what happened during our week in Miami - Spoiler: it was fun.
OMBAS: The Ultimate Treasure Hunt in Miami
The Original Miami Beach Antique Show is probably the largest antique shows in the world, held every January at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, FL.
The show features hundreds of dealers—primarily from the U.S.—showcasing a wide range of antiques and collectible objects, going from jewelry and art to precious stones and, of course, vintage watches.
OMBAS really feels like a treasure hunt—if you’ve got a sharp eye, you can find some amazing and underrated collectibles, including plenty of watches.
We found this awesome and rare Rolex Bubbleback, double signed Serpico Y Laino, on the first day of the show.
It’s one of the biggest events of the year for the U.S. vintage watch scene, where dealers, collectors, and enthusiasts come together to explore, trade, and share some incredible timepieces in a fun, five-day adventure.
We have been going to OMBAS as visitors for over eight years, and along the way, we have built great relationships with so many dealers and collectors—people we now call friends.
This year, thanks to our friend Adam from Menta Watches, we had the opportunity to participate as exhibitors for the first time.
Adam wanted to share the booth with his very good friends, so he invited us another four friends and dealers, allowing them to share their watches at the same booth. It was a smart way to pool resources for communication, organization, and promotion.
We have known Adam for many years, and we consider him a friend as well as a colleague. When he extended this opportunity, we got it immediately.
The Booth: Can We Say The Busiest of The Whole Convention Centre?
We shared the booth with five incredible dealers and friends: Menta Watches, the Davidoff Brothers, Mike Nouveau and Maman Luxury Collection.
Each of us had our own showcase, displaying the highlights of our collections, with a unique focus that represented our specialties. For example, the Davidoff Brothers focused on rare Omega Speedmasters, Mike Nouveau’s spotlight was on vintage Cartier pieces, and we pulled out some exceptional Rolex Day-Dates and Datejusts from our collection.
It was amazing to see friends bringing their Day-Dates to share with us, knowing how much we love and focus on this iconic model.
The selection was diverse yet perfectly curated, appealing to collectors with a wide range of tastes.
We arrived in Miami on the night of the 7th, with the 8th being the official setup day.
This day is not only about preparing the booths but also offers dealers a chance to browse around and potentially be the first to spot standout pieces.
Another incredibly rare watch that we bought at the show and we didn’t get the chance to bring back to Dubai, as it got sold the next day. A Rolex Datejust ref.16000 featuring an uber rare Burl Wood dial with silver print.
Unfortunately, most of the watch booths were still in the middle of setup throughout the day, so there wasn’t much to explore until late in the evening, apart from some larger antiques that had already been placed earlier in the morning.
The doors officially opened on the morning of the 9th, and within just a few hours, it was clear that sharing a large booth was a brilliant decision.
Across the five showcases, we displayed over 350 pieces, drawing in visitors eager to purchase, take pictures, or simply stop by to say hello.
Do you remember our friend Marc Gebauer from Germany? We worked together on this special watch collaboration, the Purple Dragon watch, and it’s always great to have him around.
Some more watches from our booth.. do you see the Momentum blue?
We went into the show with high expectations, but the reality far exceeded them. We were overwhelmed with people interested in our watches and we sold quite few of them, but what really stood out was how many people recognized us—not just at the event, but even outside of it.
Another cool find: Rolex Submarinier ref.1680 in raw condition, untouched case and bracelet, original insert and flawless MK5 dial under the scratched up plexi. We brought it back to Dubai, but it got sold in just few days.
Whether at the hotel, in restaurants, or even walking around the city, people approached us to share their enthusiasm. Some stopped by the booth to tell us they follow us, to congratulate us on our watch selection, or to express their appreciation for the videos we post online.
Being halfway across the world from home and having our efforts recognized in such a personal way was deeply rewarding. Moments like these remind us why we love what we do.
Miami Beyond the Booth
Nothing to say—Miami at this time of year is simply amazing. The weather was perfect, and the city was buzzing with life.
Despite the long show hours, the energy remained high, and we enjoyed unwinding with friends over dinners, sharing our common passion for watches, and catching up after the show.
One of the culinary highlights of the trip was Chateau ZZ’s, a high-end Mexican restaurant where the food quality was exceptional. We had an unforgettable dinner there with our friends Kirill of Lunar Oyster, Richard of Archiwatch, and Alex Gouverneyre.
Staying close to the beach also gave us the chance to squeeze in some sport before dinner.
The highlight of the week outside the show, however, was the Lunar Oyster x Menta Watches x Davidoff Brothers GTG at Walt Grace Vintage.
Everything about the event was spectacular: the venue, the food and drinks, the people and the overall organization, of course.
Adam, the Davidoff Brothers and Kirill spent quite some time, and money, to make this one of the nicest vintage watch gathering we have been to.
Thought we were well fed with a gazillion types of cheeses and other culinaries, we joined some friends to do a dinner at Carbone, which we think is one of our favorite spots in Miami.
Walt Grace Vintage is a dream location for music and car lovers, and, in general, for people who loves vintage. The walls are lined with vintage and new guitars for sale, and as you browse, you’re surrounded by an incredible collection of vintage Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches.
It was great to walk among the cars, talk watches with friends, and enjoy the amazing buffet.
One particularly unique activity was the live art session: an artist was painting watches on the spot. You could hand him your watch, and he’d create a custom painting of it right in front of you—a truly special experience.
The highlight of the GTG was, of course, the raffle. Everyone got a ticket when they arrived, and at 9 PM, we started drawing numbers and handing out prizes to the lucky winners.
We were proud to sponsor the second prize, offering one of the last remaining pieces of our WMT x Momentum Mirage watch. This watch, created in partnership with WMT, represents our dream Day-Date configuration.
The first prize was a Raymond Weil Millésime, a stunning watch with a sleek grey sector dial. This watch had even won the “Challenge” category at the 2023 GPHG awards—a generous and exciting prize.
The Highlights: Exceptional Finds at OMBAS
The show is massive, with more than five hundred exhibitors. Showcasing highlights from everyone was nearly impossible, especially since it was challenging to even step away from our booth due to the constant influx of people coming and going.
We managed to snap a few pictures of some cool watches that were closer to us, primarily those belonging to our friends with whom we shared the booth.
Patek Philippe 3598 Tropical Purple Dial retailed by Howes - Courtesy of Maman Luxury Collection
Rolex Daytona 6269 - Courtesy of Menta Watches
Virgil I. Grissom very own Omega Speedster BA 145.022 - courtesy of the Davidoff Brothers
Cartier Critallor with Bahrain Logo - Courtesy of Mike Nouveau
Rolex 1675 Mark 0 full set - Courtesy of Menta Watches
A pair of Vacheron Constantin 222 with diamonds, mid size 46503 and Jumbo 44518 - Courtesy of The Davidoff Brothers
One of our personal star of the show - Rolex 6332 with Enamel Dial - Courtesy of Momentum
