OMBAS 2026 Brings 600 Dealers from 30 Countries to Miami Beach Convention Center

Pick up an inherited brooch and you're holding a small archive: the hallmarks, the settings, the cut of the stones all tell a story that most of us don't quite know how to read. Starting tomorrow, March 26, the Original Miami Beach Antique Show gives collectors five days to close that gap. For over 60 years, OMBAS has been a destination event for attendees hunting unique, one-of-a-kind signed and unsigned pieces, drawing over 600 renowned dealers from across the globe.

The show, running March 26 through 30 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, provides attendees the opportunity to discover antique, vintage, and estate jewelry, timepieces, accessories, art, furniture, and home décor. The range across the floor spans Victorian mourning pieces to Art Deco platinum settings to contemporary furniture, meaning the show rewards both the specialist and the curious generalist equally. Exhibition Halls A through C, between the East and West Lobbies, are where all of the antiques action unfolds, along with a newer section of modern and contemporary art, coveted designer brands including Cartier, Chanel, Rolex, and Hermès, and an educational area with daily programming.

The show runs Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with Monday, March 30 closing at 4 p.m.

The programming lineup is where OMBAS distinguishes itself most sharply from a standard dealer floor. On opening day at 1:00 p.m., the session "Is it Authentic?" puts practical authentication tools in attendees' hands. Ioannis Alexandris, author, historian, and U.S. Antique Show dealer from Gemolithos, shares insight and wisdom he has garnered over decades of experience identifying authentic antique, vintage, and estate jewelry. Following his presentation, Alexandris will answer questions from the audience and sign his latest book, "Antique Jewelry 1800-1939, Appreciating the Dreams." The nearly 300-page volume is intended to enlighten readers about the different artistic styles of this period, explaining the influences that shaped them as well as the materials and processes used to craft these pieces. That same opening afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., Andrea Lucille Pooler leads "The Legacy in Your Jewelry Box," a session focused on how to evaluate, document, and manage inherited or personal jewelry collections, with an emphasis on making informed decisions while preserving both value and meaning.

Curious about the value of your art, antiques, jewelry, watches, or accessories? On Saturday, March 28, all ticket holders can receive one complimentary valuation from one of Bonhams' expert appraisers, in the Ocean Drive Ballroom A from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on a first-come, first-served basis. Show Manager Andrea Canady of U.S. Antique Shows noted that "our knowledgeable dealers travel the globe to source the best in antique, vintage, and estate pieces to present to collectors and enthusiasts, and they are always passionate about sharing their expertise."

On the watch side, an expert panel of watch dealers, collectors, and curators, moderated by Tony Traina, will dissect today's vintage watch market. Whether you are looking for your first vintage Cartier or a museum-grade Patek Philippe, panelists Tania Edwards of Collectability, Morgan Cardet of Matthew Bain, and Mike Nouveau, Vintage Watch Specialist, will break down how the pros navigate the aisles of OMBAS and beyond.

Consumer tickets purchased at the door are $50. Advance tickets are available online through March 25, 2026 for $30 per person; onsite, the cost rises to $50 per person. GMCVB readers can access advance tickets at no charge by entering the discount code PARTNERGMCVB at checkout. Members of the jewelry and watch trade may be eligible for complimentary access with proof of required credentials. One admission ticket covers all five days of the show.

The Miami Beach Convention Center encompasses 500,000 square feet of exhibit space. Venue hours throughout the event are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and if the shopping proves fatiguing, a full cash bar is available for the duration of the show. For parking, valet runs $30 per vehicle and self-parking is $20; the antique show's entrance is closest to the Miami Beach Botanical Garden side of the convention center, which is worth factoring in when choosing where to leave the car.

In a market where provenance claims are easy to make and hard to verify, a show that embeds authentication sessions directly into the exhibition floor is doing something more useful than curation: it is building the literacy that protects buyers long after they leave Miami Beach.