BY Alessandro Commisso & Hannah Bell
At Horlogerie Victoria on Victoria Avenue, the air is filled with the soft murmur of conversations, punctuated by the quiet ticking of dozens of quartz and mechanical watches, each one telling its own story.
The space feels almost like a time capsule. The bright lighting casts a glow on the polished dials and gleaming metal bands, as visitors carefully examine and debate every detail of the watches on display.
Montreal, once a small blip on the global watch radar, is now home to a tight-knit group of enthusiasts who are passionate about sharing their love for watches.
Three watch enthusiasts discussing and admiring timepieces at Horlogerie Victoria. Photo by Alessandro Commisso.
For David Vigliotti, the founder of the Montreal Watch Club on Facebook, this community represents a deeper connection to people he may not have otherwise met.
“You know how many people I’ve become friends with purely because of watches?” says Vigliotti. “Here’s the weird thing about it, I’m sure many of us would not get along if we hung out and said all of our opinions and all our viewpoints on everything. The one thing we all get along with are watches. Everything is cast aside except for our mutual love for these tiny things on our wrist that tell time.”
David Vigliotti’s vintage Elgin pocket watch from 1908. Photo by David Vigliotti.
David’s watch journey really started in May 2018 when he launched the Montreal Watch Club, an inclusive space for watch enthusiasts to come together, discuss, buy, sell, and, most importantly, foster a sense of community. His goal was simple but profound: to spread the passion for watches around Montreal and create a welcoming environment for all.
“To see these watches is amazing, you learn so much that you couldn’t have before. To see these pieces on people’s wrists, it’s amazing,” he says. “Most people aren’t into watches, most people are normal, we’re the weirdos.”
Though the group remains a small but vocal one, it’s grown significantly since its inception, now housing over 1,300 members. Vigliotti has seen firsthand the importance of creating an accessible and supportive environment for collectors of all backgrounds.
Montreal has been a hub of watchmaking for centuries, but what does the business look like today? We speak with a veteran shop owner and amateur watch repairman to learn about the changing industry. Video by Hannah Bell.
“I decided to have our first big group meet-up to see the faces of the members in the group,” says Vigliotti. “We had a big one in Parc-Maisonneuve the first summer of the COVID pandemic and some people came with two to three boxes filled with Grand Seiko, Zenith, Rolex and Omega.”
Doug Morrison, 50, is a passionate amateur watchmaker who specializes in vintage watches. Morrison has spent nearly a decade tinkering with, fixing, and modding watches, developing an intimate understanding of both vintage and modern timepieces.
“To be a watchmaker, you really have to dig in and be super focused to find what the problems are,” says Morrison. “That, for me, is priceless. I’m not thinking of anything else, my shitty day at work is behind me, I’m not thinking about paying this bill – there’s nothing in my head, just the way the movement’s ticking and what could be wrong with it.”
Morrison’s deep appreciation for vintage watches is rooted in the craftsmanship and ingenuity of their time.
A collection of vintage Omega Seamasters that are on display at Horlogerie Victoria. Photo by Alessandro Commisso.
“Modern watchmaking is mostly done by machines, but if you’re going vintage, like 1920s, 1930s, or 1940s, many of the parts were made by hand,” he explains. “Some of the vintage watches, the watchmaker would sit there with a block of metal and he would draw the shape of the part and file it down, drill the holes and get everything to fit together. It’s totally two different worlds.”
Morrison’s passion for reviving these vintage and modern pieces alike has made him a valuable figure within the Montreal watch community. He’s become a jack-of-all-trades helping friends, dealers, and family members with cheap watch repairs.
“From the Facebook group, my name got out,” Morrison says. “People started asking me if I could fix stuff. Started off with some small stuff, changing bracelets and batteries, resetting hands, and it’s gone from that to strip down servicing and with that comes the knowledge I’m constantly looking out for watches and watch parts.”
Leon Kehyeyan is the director of retail operations at Montreal-based company Maison Monaco. He says the role of authorized dealers is crucial in maintaining both brand integrity and customer relationships.
“The approach has to come top down,” emphasises Kehyeyan. “We’re so passionate about what we do that for us, it would be a sin to not execute at the highest possible level.”
Maison Monaco has built a reputation for providing access to some of the world’s most prestigious watch brands like Omega, Zenith, Oris, Tag Heuer, Tissot, and IWC. Kehyeyan believes this responsibility extends far beyond selling timepieces or other luxury goods.
As an authorized dealer, Kehyeyan is acutely aware of the importance of maintaining trust with both clients and brands.
“You have to be ethical. When you have a brand, you want to be a good representative of the brand,” he explains. “You do not discount the brand, you do not do anything that tarnishes the image of the brand.”
Yet, Kehyeyan also understands that not all collectors share the same passion for watches as others.
“Some people collect watches like an asset class. How can I store my value into something that is outside of cash? I don’t consider those people to be watch enthusiasts,” he explains. “In my eyes, they’re just investors. But people who are in it for the pure passion of the watch and the industry, those are the people I get along with the most because it’s not about money, it’s not about status, it’s about, ‘hey man, did you see this cool thing that this brand did?’”
In Kehyeyan’s view, the love of watches transcends price and prestige.
“It could be a $100,000 watch, and then you pull out a $100 Timex and you could still have a badass conversation with that person.”
A vintage gold-filled Bulova dress from the 1950s next to a Tissot ‘Aerospace’ from the late 90s. Photo by Alessandro Commisso.
While local enthusiasts are more active than ever, the sales numbers tell a different story.
Recent reports from the Moet Hennessy Louis Vitton SE (LVMH) Watch Group indicate that watch sales and prices have been on the decline.
In March 2020, WatchCharts.ca reported that market index values for LVMH watches were trading at $10,395 USD on the secondary market. By March 2022, prices had surged to a peak of $11,802 USD. However, prices dropped to $9,916 USD by February 2025.
The infographic above depicts the rise and fall of Moet Hennessy Louis Vitton SE (LVMH) sale from March 2020 to February 2025. Infographic by Alessandro Commisso.
According to Robert Soroka, a marketing and business professor at Concordia University, the answer may lie in consumer psychology and the deeper, more emotional connection people have with their own watches.
“Sometimes in this product category, [watches] become more valuable in the eye of the beholder,” says Soroka. “In consumer psychology, the term we use is sacred. There’s more to the brand than the image, it might become an heirloom, it might have been given to me as a gift. It takes on its own persona.”
Soroka highlights how emotional and personal connections to products often elevates their value. Watch consumers are choosing products not only for their quality, but also for their history and legacy.
“Stock prices reflect the value of the business, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the value of the product,” says Soroka. “The fact that I bought a Rolex 20 years ago is not going to help the stock value of Rolex as a company, but the product itself will maintain significant value.”
Despite the apparent decline in watch sales at the corporate level, the Montreal community’s enthusiasm shows no sign of waning. Whether it’s through social media, local meet-ups, or personal connections, the love for watches continues to flourish.
“Everyone knows how much I love watches, all my friends, my girlfriend, anyone who knows me,” says Vigliotti. “Here’s the ironic part, you would think I’d be on time for things but I’m not.”
