It was clear this wasn’t going to be a run-of-the-mill car show or copy/paste watch fair the moment I saw the line of attendees wrapping around the industrial-style building on the morning of November 7. Once past security and with a “VVIP” badge dangling from my neck, I could see brightly colored race cars glistening in the Florida sun and parked under an arch with the word “Nürburgring.”
At the inaugural Time to Drive Fest in Miami, held November 6 to 8, vintage and rare cars were on display in the parking lot of Mana Wynwood Convention Center, as well as on the show floor in sections designated by brand or style. On the watch side, booths were occupied by brands such as Zenith, Chopard, Biver, and Ulysse Nardin, and retailer Provident Jewelry exhibited watches from MB&F, Urwerk, and Arnold & Son.
Photo: Barbara Palumbo
“Time to Drive started as a series of curated driving and horological experiences for collectors in Europe and Japan,” Perri Dash, a co-founder, said. “We wanted to bring that spirit to the States, and we looked at the big Swiss trade shows as a model, but it had to feel like us. Alongside our love of cars and watches, we wanted culture at the center, so it had to be a festival.”
There was no shortage of culture present both inside and outside of the event. Outdoor food trucks offered a variety of flavorful options from across the Miami area, there were several members of the CP Time (Cultured Perspective) watch collector group milling about among Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Ferraris, and the Spanish-language discussion “Marcando el Tiempo, Construyendo un Legado” (Marking Time, Building a Legacy) included Carlos Marcelin, founder of CRM Jewelers in Miami. And not everyone in attendance was from Miami, or even the United States. Jacopo Corvo of the independent watch retailer GMT Italia (Great Masters of Time) flew all the way from Milan to attend.
Time to Drive was founded by music producer and record executive Lex Borrero and Wrist Check Pod creator and watch collector Perri Dash. The idea came about after Borrero appeared on Dash’s podcast. The two formed an immediate friendship that revolved around their appreciation of watches and cars, ultimately leading to the first Time to Drive experience in 2025. Borrero’s 0260 brand joined forces with Super Niche (Dash’s company) as well as the Miami Watch Club and, over the last two years, curated collector driving trips through Germany and into Switzerland, across Japan, and a trip that started in France and ended in the Bavarian region of Germany. Each trip involved stops in watchmaking cities and experiences visiting maisons and manufacturers.
Miami Watch Club played a key role in putting the event together, and main sponsors included watch and jewelry retailer Provident Jewelry. Supporting partners also included the classic car auction house Gooding Christie’s as well as Centerpiece insurance.
Photo: Barbara Palumbo
The three-day festival started on November 6 with the Driver’s Seat Experience track day for VIP ticket-holders. The Concours Club in the Miami suburb of Opa-locka played host to the evening event, which kicked off the weekend. Events on November 7 and 8 moved to Mana Wynwood Convention Center, which saw more than 6,500 attendees walk through the gates to view watches showcased by 50 brands. More than 200 rare and collectible automobiles were on display, including a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, a Koenigsegg Jesko, a 1973 Porsche Carrera RS 2.7, and a 1983 Mercedes-Benz 300 GD “Ivan Lendl.”
“The response was incredible,” said Nick Linca, a partner at Provident Jewelry, which had a multi-brand booth. “Visitors having the opportunity to experience brands like MB&F, Arnold & Son, Urwerk, Dominique Renaud, Renaud Tixier, and Beauregard up close created genuine excitement and truly meaningful conversations with both seasoned collectors and enthusiasts discovering these pieces for the first time.”
Photo: Barbara Palumbo
Photo: Barbara Palumbo
Photo: Barbara Palumbo
V.J. Geronimo, Oris’s CEO of the Americas, was a speaker as well as an exhibitor and said: “Time to Drive was able to blend so many different elements into one cohesive, well-produced event. I think it will set a new standard for watch enthusiast events.”
Discussions and panels were an important part of Time to Drive Fest with speakers from both the automotive and watch communities taking center stage. Panelists from the automotive side included Indy 500 champion Alexander Rossi and race car drivers Scott Dixon, Patrick Long, and Felipe Nasr. Another panel focused on the various watch collecting groups that have popped up across the country with speakers such as Gotham Watch Club founder Chris Salih and CP Time co-founder Albert Coombs. All in, 22 live panels, podcasts, and cultural sessions took place on multiple stages during the three days of Time to Drive Fest. But the festival wasn’t just a space to experience luxury and vintage cars or try on a six-figure timepiece. It was also a selling event.
Photo: Barbara Palumbo
“Watch and car sales together topped $20 million USD over the weekend,” Dash said. “The response was incredible, from the public and from the brands. It was a cultural event, but also a real retail moment.”
Linca added, “What made Time to Drive so unique was its ability to bring together a highly curated group of individuals who share a passion for exceptional cars, rare timepieces, and unique experiences. It wasn’t just about showcasing incredible pieces but creating an environment where like-minded enthusiasts could connect in a meaningful way.”
Organizers are keeping specifics very close to the chest, but reps from a few of the watch brands in attendance said there were absolutely transactions made, mostly through the exhibiting retailers, such as Provident, The 1916 Company, and Exquisite Timepieces.
Discussions are already taking place about a potential return of the event in 2027.
