Downtown Budapest’s Wesselényi Street is slowly filling up with a fascinating collection of independent stores proffering unique wares: in addition to a cool sock-and-shoe store, the boutique and café selling wooden trinkets, and the flagship location of Hungary’s top hip-hop brand, another instant classic recently joined the lineup. 10:10 (ten minutes after ten o’clock) offers a wide range of refurbished antique watches – some smaller, some larger, some older, and some newer, including battery-powered and manually wound timepieces alike.
Like most shops dealing with antique items, 10:10 started with a passionately acquired personal collection. After years of developing expertise, the owners decided that they didn’t want to collect and refurbish watches just for themselves, and started to sell their historic timepieces online. Once there was enough demand and a place to move into, they created a showroom within an established brand’s shop. This is how 10:10 was born, in conjunction with ZUNStore.
It’s nice that Wesselényi Street is evolving in this regard too, and it isn’t just pubs that multiply in the heart of District VII. The owners told us that instead of competing with each other, the smaller shops maintain good relationships – and even friendships – with each other, and follow each other’s work and products. Cargomoda, Vinyl & Wood, and BP Shop all have very different profiles, but they share a youthful attitude and style. Let’s face it, it always feels better to buy the products of experts who work for passion and not just for profit. We learned that the older craftsmen of Wesselényi Street are open-minded, as well: both the longtime upholsterer and shoemaker are pleased that the street has become significant again.
In addition to KOMONO watches and sunglasses, ZUNStore now has Nixon and Daniel Wellington watches available, as well as products by Hungarian designers, such as notebooks, phone cases, wallets, and even Pinetime clothing.
The watches of 10:10 are mainly from between the ’40s and the ’70s, and the collection is diverse both in terms of brands and their places of origin. Many models arrived for renovation or as a “donation” from Germany, since branded, high-value watches weren’t widely available in Hungary during the Soviet era. The store has Doxa and Longines watches, as well as beautiful models from Omega or KANO. They work with multiple watchmakers; some models take a lot of work to refurbish, while some are easier to repair because they were already in good condition. The inventory changes rapidly, which we can follow online. But then again, it’s much more personal to visit the shop in person and browse around the store, or even ask a few questions about the antique timepieces.
There are some watchs with old engravings on the backs, and some with Cyrillic letters, but the store also had models with messages engraved inside them, from one watchmaker to the other. Each watch has a unique history, providing connections between the past and the wearer’s future.
10:10 Antique Watches
Address: Budapest 1077, Wesselényi utca 19
Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 10am - 8pm; Saturday – Sunday, 10am - 6pm
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