On 30 and 31 May 2026, Schaefer & Companions had the pleasure of participating in the AuroChronos Festival in Warsaw, one of the leading European events dedicated to independent watch brands and contemporary watchmaking.
Held at the ADN Conference Center within Browary Warszawskie, AuroChronos 2026 brought together more than 65 independent watch brands from Poland and around the world. For two days, the Polish capital became a meeting place for watchmakers, designers, collectors, journalists and enthusiasts united by a genuine interest in craftsmanship, mechanical watches and original design.
For Schaefer & Companions, the festival offered a valuable opportunity to unveil our latest collections, present our artistic approach to watchmaking and exchange directly with an international community of authentic watch enthusiasts.
Unveiling Our Latest Watch Collections in Warsaw
At AuroChronos 2026, we were pleased to reveal the latest creations from Schaefer & Companions.
Visitors were able to discover our sculptural watch cases, mechanical movements and handmade artisanal dials in person. These new collections continue the creative direction of the Maison, bringing together expressive contemporary design, traditional artistic techniques and mechanical watchmaking.
Each Schaefer & Companions watch begins with a strong architectural form.
Around this structure, artisans introduce texture, colour, depth and emotion through techniques such as micro-painting, engraving, enamelling and straw marquetry. The mechanical movement gives life to the creation, while the dial gives it a unique identity.
A watch may first be discovered through an image, but its true character appears when it is held, observed under changing light and placed on the wrist.
AuroChronos allowed collectors to experience these details directly.
An International Celebration of Independent Watchmaking
AuroChronos is dedicated to independent watch brands, creators and the culture surrounding contemporary watchmaking. Its purpose is not simply to place watches in display cases, but to create direct encounters between the people who design them and those who appreciate them.
This spirit closely reflects the philosophy of Schaefer & Companions.
Independent watchmaking gives creators the freedom to explore unusual shapes, collaborate with specialised artisans and develop collections guided by a clear artistic vision rather than by conventional expectations.
It also creates a more personal relationship with collectors.
At AuroChronos, visitors could speak directly with participating brands, discover their design philosophies, try on their watches and understand the stories behind individual creations.
These conversations gave the festival its authentic character.
Meeting Collectors and Genuine Watch Enthusiasts
The most meaningful part of our presence in Warsaw was meeting collectors and true watch enthusiasts.
We were pleased to exchange with people who approached watchmaking with knowledge, curiosity and sincerity. Some visitors were experienced collectors searching for original independent creations. Others were encountering métiers d’art watches or sculptural case design for the first time.
Every discussion offered a new perspective.
We spoke about case architecture, dimensions, finishing techniques, automatic movements and the different processes involved in creating a handmade dial.
We also discussed the emotional dimension of collecting: why a particular design resonates, how a watch becomes connected to a personal memory and what makes an independent creation feel different from a conventional production piece.
These exchanges are essential to our work.
They allow us to explain the intentions behind each collection, but they also allow us to listen. The reactions, questions and personal preferences shared by collectors contribute to the continuing evolution of Schaefer & Companions.
Experiencing Artisanal Watch Dials in Person
Our handmade dials naturally became a central point of conversation throughout the festival.
The work of an artisan cannot always be fully understood through a photograph. Minute variations in texture, the depth of engraved surfaces, the movement of light across enamel or the precision of a micro-painted detail are revealed gradually.
At AuroChronos, visitors were able to observe these elements closely.
They could see how traditional artistic techniques become part of a contemporary mechanical watch and how each dial retains the visible trace of the person who created it.
This human dimension is fundamental to Schaefer & Companions.
The objective is not to remove every irregularity through industrial repetition. It is to preserve the sensitivity, patience and individuality that emerge from work performed by hand.
Each artisanal dial therefore becomes more than decoration.
It becomes the face and emotional centre of the watch.
A Dialogue Between Art, Design and Mechanics
Schaefer & Companions approaches watchmaking as a dialogue between several disciplines.
The case provides architecture.
The movement provides rhythm.
The artisan provides expression.
None of these elements exists independently. Their combination creates a watch that can be appreciated as a mechanical object, a sculptural design and a miniature work of art.
Presenting our latest collections at AuroChronos gave us the opportunity to explain this approach directly.
Visitors could examine how the geometry of the case frames the dial, how delicate polished and brushed finishes reveal its volumes and how mechanical construction supports the overall artistic composition.
These details are often subtle, but they define the personality of the finished watch.
Discovering the Diversity of Contemporary Watchmaking
AuroChronos also allowed us to discover and exchange with other independent watch brands.
With more than 65 exhibitors participating in the 2026 edition, the festival demonstrated the diversity of contemporary independent watchmaking. Different brands presented their own interpretations of mechanics, craftsmanship, design and storytelling.
Some focused on technical innovation.
Others explored traditional forms, unconventional displays, artistic dials or new materials.
This variety is one of the strengths of independent watchmaking. There is no single correct expression of time. Each creator can develop a distinct language and each collector can search for a watch that genuinely corresponds to their own sensibility.
Events such as AuroChronos make this diversity accessible.
They transform watchmaking from a distant industry into a direct and human experience.
A Meaningful European Watchmaking Encounter
The 2026 edition marked a new stage for AuroChronos, with the festival moving to a larger venue at the ADN Conference Center in Browary Warszawskie.
Located at 56 Grzybowska Street in central Warsaw, the venue offered greater exhibition space, improved visibility for participating brands and a more comfortable environment for visitors. The organisers described Browary Warszawskie as a place shaped by industrial history, renewal and contemporary creativity—values closely connected to the world of independent watchmaking.
This setting gave the festival both an international and a personal atmosphere.
Despite the scale of the event, conversations remained direct. Collectors could take time to explore each brand, ask detailed questions and build genuine connections with the people behind the watches.
For Schaefer & Companions, this balance between international visibility and human proximity made AuroChronos particularly valuable.
Thank You, Warsaw
We would like to thank the AuroChronos organisers for welcoming Schaefer & Companions to the 2026 festival.
We also extend our sincere thanks to every collector, journalist, creator and watch enthusiast who visited us during the event.
Thank you for taking the time to examine our watches.
Thank you for asking thoughtful questions about our movements, case designs and handmade dials.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, preferences and passion for independent watchmaking.
AuroChronos Warsaw 2026 gave us the opportunity to unveil our latest collections, but its lasting value lies in the encounters that surrounded them.
A watch is designed in an atelier.
It is shaped by mechanics and craftsmanship.
But it truly comes alive when it creates a connection.
We returned from Warsaw grateful for every conversation and inspired by a community that continues to support independent, artistic and authentic watchmaking.
Independent watchmaking is created through freedom, shaped by the human hand and sustained through meaningful encounters.
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