Ruediger Albers of Wempe and Roberta Naas in the New York store. October 2025
Forty years is a long time to spend inside one industry—and an even longer time to remain curious, and still learning, about it. Standing in a room filled with so many familiar faces during New York’s recent Watch Week at a party that celebrated my 40 years as a watch journalist, I was struck less by the milestone itself than by the realization that I have never stopped feeling blessed to be in this industry.
Ana Martins and Roberta Naas at Wempe New York.
I didn’t set out to write about watches. I set out to be a journalist. The fact that those ambitions found their home in the watch and jewelry world has shaped my life in ways I could never have predicted: the craftsmanship I’ve witnessed, the access I’ve earned, the trust I’ve worked hard to protect and the friendships that have flourished.
Norman Miller, Roberta Naas, Stephen Walsh at the 40-year celebration party at Wempe New York.
Over the decades, the industry has changed dramatically—but the importance of honest storytelling, of asking questions, of caring deeply about what we put into the world, has not. I am proud to be the first woman watch editor in America and to have pioneered the way in a man’s world for decades of women to follow.
The evening at Wempe was not a looking back as much as a gathering of energy. My thanks go to Rüdiger Albers and the Wempe team for hosting with such generosity, to the Fondation Haute Horlogerie for sharing the moment (their 20 years), to Norman Miller who introduced me with humor and wit, and to my longtime friend Ana Martins, whose belief and persistence brought it all together. Most of all, thank you to everyone who showed up—friends, colleagues, editors who have given me space to share my point of view and brands have trusted me with their secrets time and again.
at the 40-year celebration for Roberta Naas at Wempe Jewelers New York 2025.
If anything, the night felt like fuel: a reminder to keep writing stories that count, to keep my voice engaged, and to continue supporting this industry with integrity, clarity, and optimism. The work, very happily, continue – on a bit of a different level. But more about that later in the year. Thank you for making 2025 so special.
(Most photos below credited Onysko Productions)
