About Us

Master of Time was founded in the mid-1980s by Dimitrie and Rita, at a time when interest in vintage mechanical watches was beginning to gain popularity in the United States. From the beginning, the business was guided by the conviction that every watch tells its own story, one that is revealed through its technical merits, aesthetic qualities, and historical significance.

As a master watchmaker, Dimitrie became known for his exceptional diagnostic abilities, technical ingenuity, and museum-grade restoration work. These qualities earned him significant recognition, including coverage of his work in The New York Times. His wife, Rita, brought a different but equally important perspective. Her early work as a curator fostered a lasting appreciation for historical context. Combined, their different strengths shaped the standards on which Master of Time was built.

Growing up within that environment, Daniela broadened the foundation established by her parents. While completing a degree in International Marketing in Manhattan, she began working for some of New York’s earliest specialty watch galleries before continuing her career as a watch specialist with two leading international auction houses. There, she developed expertise in authentication, historical research, cataloguing, valuation, provenance, and market analysis while working alongside many of the industry’s respected experts. Her fluency in German, French, and Romanian further broadened her international reach.

The years spent alongside the watchmaker’s bench together with decades immersed in the ever-evolving watch market continue to guide every aspect of our work.

Today, we operate exclusively by private appointment, giving us the freedom to meet clients in settings conducive to thoughtful conversation. Without the confines of a traditional showroom, we can focus more freely on addressing each inquiry, request, or consideration with undivided attention.

What began with a watchmaker’s technical eye and a curator’s appreciation for history continues through Daniela’s experience and perspective. The result is a way of working that remains personal, independent, and attentive to the details that give each watch its meaning.