With a handful of watches in his collection, Pierre has always been intrigued by the mechanics of timepieces and so we made the arrangements with Sugi, founder of Red Army Watches to let Pierre get the first-taste of taking a mechanical watch apart, service the watch and put it back together. Let’s hear about his experience.

Isochrono: Why did you decide to join the watchmaking class conducted by Red Army Watches?

Pierre Png (Pierre): Timing is the key to everything in life!
This was a great opportunity for me to see and get to know the insides of my watches, so I seized it!
Also, my work doesn’t allow me to commit to any long-term or enrichment courses… this class was just for a day and in my opinion, a chance in a life time opportunity.

Isochrono: Have you always been interested in watches previously?

Pierre Png (Pierre): I’m intrigued by the mechanics of timepieces.
I remember my dad’s younger brother giving me my first mechanical watch when I was about eight years old? Unfortunately, that joy was short lived. I cycled around the kampung to celebrate and show off my watch, but hit a bump and fell off, landing on my new watch! The watch cracked and revealed the tiniest of mechanical parts I’ve ever seen!

Isochrono: Tell me about the most important watch that you own.

Pierre: There’re so many to talk about and hard to choose because there’re ALL very important to me… I’m sentimental about it. I love my Dive watches. My Seikos, IWC and recently acquired Xtreme-1 from Azimuth. My first Rolex was a Daytona that Andrea and I bought for each other when we got married. But if I have to choose, it’ll be this crazy journey I underwent to get my first Grand Seiko, the 3180.

Isochrono: Describe how the experience of taking apart a watch movement was for you.
Pierre: Unbelievable! I thought it was going to be a walk in the park. I love watching mechanics stripping and assembling my car during servicing. I’ve had my share of taking apart and putting together weapons I’ve handled in the Army. But this was a whole new world! The parts are even smaller than I last remembered when I was eight! I have newfound respect for the masters and makers of timepieces.

Isochrono: What are your main takeaways from the experience?

Pierre: I have a newfound respect for the people servicing our precious time pieces. I am now more familiar with the parts of my watch and am able to appreciate the movements found in every time piece.

Isochrono: Would you be keen to progress to more difficult watches, or have you decided that you will appreciate watchmaking as an enthusiast instead?

Pierre: I’ll probably stay as a novice enthusiast for the meantime.

Master The Basics Of Watchmaking – Level 1

Syllabus

• Using a timegrapher to determine a watch’s performance, understanding the concepts of rate, amplitude, beat xq and measurement parameters (beats per hour, lift angle, etc)
• Demagnetising a watch and your tools
• Opening up a watch
• Releasing the mainspring tension
• Dismantling the hands, dial and movement progressively
• Understanding how a watch works and troubleshooting issues
• Why each watch part is there and the function it serves
• Cleaning, pegging and inspection of individual components before assembly
• Inspecting and oiling of components during assembly
• Setting the dial and hands
• Regulating the watch using the timegrapher
• Q&A and class summary
  
  Points to note:

No prior experience is needed for this course
Please bring along a USB drive for this course

The appreciation of mechanical watchmaking is best promoted through education and opportunities, and this is what The Watch Academy is all about. More genre of classes shall be available soon at The Watch Academy. Visit the following page to enquire or find out more. Classes are open to the public and even to tourists!

THE WATCH ACADEMY BY RAW

https://www.redarmywatches.com/shop/the-watch-academy/academy

Isochrono: Welcome to Singapore. Can you tell us about this particular visit: what is it about and what’s in store for you here? 

RR: I think it’s really important to meet the people who support us, I come here because its one of the most important markets. Honestly it’s always a pleasure to see how much the people appreciate watches here. And I’m always impressed. I’m impressed by the knowledge and their appreciation of watches.

Isochrono: I remember in an interview, that Michael Tay was one of the key people to encourage you to strike out on your own. Tell us more about that moment, and your very first thought?

RR: It’s very funny you know in 2017 when we started to know Michael, he’s one of the guys who tell me I really should. Before that many people already tell me you should start your own watch, and sign by yourself. Because you did it, so you really have to.  I was not totally convinced at that moment. I don’t feel comfortable enough putting my name. I was saying to myself, who are you to put your name on a watch. Doesn’t make sense for me at that moment. 

And yeah, Michael was one of the guys who finally showed me that the most important watchmakers would sign their name on the watch. And I should also do that. Finally I did. It’s a really good choice. It was a really good choice. So I’ll always remember this.

Isochrono: Ok you have said that participating in Only Watch, is part of giving back to the watch world.

RR: I think it’s more of giving back to those that you can support at this time you know. I remember in my life I feel very lucky, because I have everything. I was born in a country that was in a different situation . I was born in 1987, but I left there in 1998. It was tough, many things happened. Whatever the situation, whatever the cost , if I can give back, it’s important to give back. So I’m really happy and proud to participate in this. I have been fortunate. I have been able to live in peace and practice watchmaking.

Isochrono: Can u tell us about the challenges of making ur own brand

RR: One of the major struggles was when I launched, I came with a design that was different, and I came to realise that watchmaking is quiet, not so open I would say. We want things quite traditional; we want to change things a little but not that much; quite conservative.

And I remember this was a struggle. People could not really understand what I was doing with the design. And I had to be very passionate to move on.  I will always remember for the first 3 years, it was catastrophic. It was not like today. Today I feel I learnt something and not only for me. For everyone. U learnt that u can find people that appreciate your watch. At this moment, I’ll tell you when I look back at these watches, I’m not sure if I’ll do the exact same thing today, but it was a good watch 12 years ago!

Isochrono: Briefly tell us about your time with Patek and FP Journe – what specific aspects did you like and apply towards your own watches/ running a company etc?

RR: I think everything. Everything because it was like a parent that educated and grow you . It was my education. You want or not, when you spend some time there doing your apprenticeship, you have some of the branding from them. You can’t say this is not me. I would say a lot of the base, I learned there. For F.P. Journe, I say it’s the same. I have always been respectful of what he did. I was looking with my eyes wide open u know, and I remember when he finally accepted I could work with him, it was very important to me. I went there with big motivation. I don’t want to lose any opportunity there. I’ll grab opportunities. Because I respect him and what he does.

Isochrono: So u have improved upon the RRCC1 and RRCC2 with deadbeat seconds. Tell us about this improvement.

RR:  I really appreciate that people appreciate it. The deadbeat seconds and also our evolution we did in many many steps; like the decorative dial to case. Now we are doing the case in-house, all these are another job u know, which need a lot of attention, lots of work, more work to get it done. I really appreciate that people see our differences.

This watch. I originally intended to do 200 pcs of the first one but in the end, I stopped at 50. Because I feel that I’m not the kind of guy that keeps following something, and just wants to do something that is repeated. I want to challenge myself, and since I started, it was really important to do some other projects. Different calibre. And this is why I want to challenge myself to do this watch, and I think that we can see an evolution. We all learnt something.

Isochrono: How did you convince Jean Pierre Hagman to work with you?
It’s obviously a great collaboration! Are you both inspiring each other to new heights? How has he influenced or affected you, vice versa?

RR: So, I’m very lucky. I didn’t have to do that much. I remember after 3 hours of discussion when he visited me, we spent some time together and he saw and accepted what we wanted to do, so quite quickly he joined. 

In Akrivia, everybody who works there follows the same rule. I want things to follow my dream and my ideas.

Isochrono: So you’re still the principle in the partnership.

Unfortunately yes but then again I think he inspires me. When you look at the case, you can see it’s hand-made and for sure today, we are using the same technique that he uses. So the growth is quite big. The overall DNA of the watch is in a way from him. It is very inspiring.

Isochrono: Looking towards the future – can you reveal what is next for you? As a watchmaker, and your plans for the Atelier . For yourself first.

RR: I really want to challenge myself again. Maybe a chronograph. I already thought about everything. It’s already done.

Isochrono: What about Akrivia as a company?

RR: I just want to have more skill in-house. It’s like you are going to cook, and you have more ingredients to experiment with more things, and I want to keep experimenting. So I want to have more tools to be able to make a better watch. 

Isochrono: So, what do you do when you are not working?

RR: I don’t really have a life, you know. The only thing I am doing is watchmaking and sometimes I do some sports. Boxing.

Isochrono: Cool.

RR: Yes it’s really good and fun. I go 2-3 times a week. Got to maintain myself, keep in shape. So that when I come to Singapore I can eat more.

Isochrono: That sure makes sense! Thank you for this interview and hope to see you soon!

Isochrono: Marco, glad to be able to sit down and have a chat. You look really cheery. What’s going on at Singer recently?

Marco Borraccino (Marco): Things are great. Our new watches, the 1969 Chronograph and Timer that has received very good feedback and we were just told that our new Singer 1969 Chrono has been nominated for the GPHG 2023 prize for Chronograph.

Isochrono: Congratulations! That is great news. We wish you success with this year’s entry. Can you tell us more about the 1969 Chronograph and Timer?

Marco: We were already working on a new dimension for Singer’s new watches in 2022, and the plan was to present them in June this year (2023). The 1969 series comes in a 40mm case. So we have been working to squeeze the movement into a smaller case to make the watch appeal to more people.

We also developed a new dial that is heavily vintage-inspired, with domed sapphire glass, an internal fluted ring under the domed sapphire, and an integrated steel bracelet, which is a first for Singer.

Isochrono: Was it challenging to downsize the Agenhor movement into a smaller case?

Marco: When we were working on the Agengraphe AGH-6361 movements for the 43mm watches, we had a peripheral time indicator that was formed by discs, which took quite some space. We wanted to keep the main function and essence of the chronograph right in the middle, where the focus should be.

So this time for a 40mm, we brought all information inside the dial, so for both the timer and chronograph, the time indication happens within the dial. Once we removed the peripheral disc, we can fit the movement into the 40mm case. It took some time. But it is not impossible. We still retained the discs and arrow indicator for telling time for the 1969 Chronograph, although smaller but even more focused and easier to read the time.

Isochrono: We can see that overall, the dial is clean and the window for hour and minute is smaller, which do help in quick view of the current time. So, what other things will you tell our audience about your new watch?

Marco: For the Timer specifically, its the first time we have a traditional time indication with a hour, minute and second hand in the center. Using the traditional way is a novelty for us but we want to try it and see how the market responds, while retaining the design style of Singer.

For the 1969 Chronograph, the Chronograph indication remains in the centre, which is the focus of the primary function as with all our chronographs. The time of day is secondary, but this time with a window on the dial, instead of a peripheral ring time indicator. The overall presentation allows you to have clean and sharp legibility of all information.

For these new models, the new metal bracelet that is designed from scratch is also new to us. You will see a more edgy link shape that contrasts with the smooth silhouette of the case. The links are designed after the ribs you see at the curbs of race tracks. That is where the inspiration came from.

Isochrono: What would you say about the new models compared to the earlier models?

Marco: I say functionality is still at the core of every Singer Reimagined watch. For example, the Chronograph still shows Chronograph hands at the centre while time is secondary. However, i think the new and earlier models can never be comparable side by side because they are designed to be different from the beginning.

So, functionality is what sparks the idea, form will come after that. Form can evolve, and should evolve. This is what happened on the 1969 collection. The Track 1 was meant to make a good first impression, and the 1969 collection is an evolution to cater to a different need, a different market segment. We will keep evolving and new things will be out to surprise the market.

Isochrono: Thank you Marco. I look forward to your new surprise, and I hope Singer will receive the GPHG award this year.

Marco: It was great catching up. Thanks for supporting the brand!

Technical Specifications:

We met and spoke to Mr. Antoine Pin, Managing Director of Bulgari Watch Division at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix in Geneva to understand the root of the inspirations behind the new Octo Finissimo watches.

Isochrono: This year’s entry by Bulgari for Only Watch is something very special. It’s made of marble. Can you share with us where this inspiration stems from and would it ever be available for people to buy without going to the auctions?

Antoine Pin (Antoine): I think there is a lot of reasoning in our creativity, but this creativity is grounded. It is grounded in the sense that we define a very clear playing field for creativity. The playing field is rigorously researched and continuously calibrated, so that creativity can express itself at its best. This creativity in that sense is necessarily related to the essence of Bulgari – our origin as an Italian jeweller. 

We keep asking ourselves questions; what is our added value to the watch industry? What do we bring that does not exist? So we bring in our own regions as a company rooted in Italian philosophy; a company that pays the same level of attention to both aesthetics and functionality. Obviously as an Italian brand, we connect with the materials historically linked to Italy and marble is a very important aspect of that. 

And so, for years, there has been this idea to explore the use of materials, and as a jeweller, we’ve always been very innovative in that arena. We were the first brand to bring aluminium into the world of watches, one of the very first brands to do so. We were one of the very first jewellers to bring steel into jewellery works or to introduce china into jewellery as well. So we explore the world of materials and finishing. Bringing Finissimo and marble together was a proposition that is considered the epitome of Bulgari watch.

It’s probably six years ago when Fabrizio (Buonomassa) was in contact with the marble company that proposed to do this kind of work. It was extremely complex – super complex. Marble is a fragile stone, and actually if you look at the product, it’s not perfect. You can never cut it perfectly. There will always be bits of fragments that will come out while you are working on the piece.

That’s life. And that’s the nature of the material. Because of its complexity, we didn’t want to launch the product as such. Conversely, the beauty of Only Watch is in the fact that, it’s only one watch. So it gives you the opportunity to propose a masterpiece; to propose something that you cannot produce in large quantities. And that’s what we decided to do. And that somewhat answers your second question. No, it will not be available on the market, except in this auction, for the very reason that it’s such a complex watch to produce, and we cannot afford to offer it to the market openly.

Isochrono: There is just something about the marble watch that draws you in. It just looks “unclean”, “unfinished” and “complex”, yet very captivating. It has a natural draw to make one spend more time looking at it than usual.

Antoine: We like the roughness of it. We like the roughness of marble. And also because we accept it. It’s part of it. It’s an interestingly part of the product and beauty is not about perfection. There’s something more. There’s a soul and this watch has a soul. It bears the soul of Italianity. It bears the soul of Bulgari as a watchmaker today.

And it gets the respect for what it bears more than the fact that there could be some rough finishings on certain parts of the marble. It’s okay. It doesn’t change the nature of the product and the beauty of the concept, and the beauty of realizing this product. It is very beautiful and it bears the soul of Italian marble craft. 

Isochrono: Now to the second question. The main release for Bulgari for Geneva Watch Days are a pair of Octo Finissimo in a new material, CarbonGold. So can you share with us what led to the application of CarbonGold on the Octo Finissimo?

Antoine: We love playing ping pong with our past and history. So at this year’s Geneva Watch Days, we’re introducing our first publication dedicated to Bulgari watches, because we’ve been making watches for more than 100 years, which probably is not something that people would know about Bulgari. But we’ve been making watches for a long time.

In 1993, we developed a watch which was much more affordable. It was a Bulgari’s Bulgari watch – the Cold Carbon Gold. It has gold plating parts and the case was made of a composite of carbon and resin. The concept of Carbon Gold somewhat receives a short and simple highlight for Bulgari at that point. Since then, we’ve made many, many products in black with gold indexes. We explored the contrast of gold and black. Why? Because matte black and light gold and rose gold creates a contrast that is beautiful. It’s even more so with the carbon case because the surface of carbon, which is uneven, contrasts even more against the polished elements in rose gold. 

So, as we thought about how in 1993 we created the concept but didn’t push it to the limit, this time we’re making the Octo Finissimo with the case and bracelet in carbon and gold elements. The bridges of the movement itself are made of rose gold, And the oscillating way here is in platinum, but rose gold-plated platinum, to give you this full gold impression that you see also on the indexes and the crown. So we exploited the concept of carbon gold to the extreme limits.

Isochrono: This is your legacy. Can we put it this way?

Antoine: No, no, no. You can’t say it this way because that wouldn’t be true. I’m just part of the history. I’m smaller than the history of Octo Finissimo, which is a 10-year-old product and it’s still very new, but we’re building our history day after day. It’s a journey. I hope we are all contributing to building a very long story, and I hope that the story will be much bigger than any individual that is part of it. The journey long and I hope it’s really seen as a collective adventure.

Isochrono: Let’s talk about the market. What is your view regarding the recent softening of the market for both new and pre-owned watches?

Antoine: I think we have to put some perspective on the softening. It happens. Markets experience ups and downs. You see it in every market, from stock markets to real estate and everything else.
To put things in perspective, the Swiss exports have grown by 10% till date. So even if the market slows down, it is still in a very positive shape, especially when the economy is growing by 2% to 3% worldwide. So if the exports are growing by 10%, it’s much more than how the economy is performing. And this is after two years of extreme growth as well. 

So yes, there is a slowdown that we hear about on the secondary market, which is probably more of a normalization than a slowdown. It’s basically the adjustment of demand and supply. The industry was suffering a huge shortage, especially in the high-end watch sector. As you know, some brands were mentioning it very openly, and we could see some stores empty. Now we see those stores filling up progressively, and somehow clients are getting the watches they were looking for. So there is a rebalancing between the demand and the supply. Also, looking at these moments from a global economical perspective, we need to factor in interest rates, inflation etc. So that’s life. It’s a moment in the cycle.

Isochrono: Thank you for sharing your insights. Here is our last question. Can you comment on how well the Octo Finissimo line has been accepted by the market as told through the sales of this collection through the years? 

Antoine: I’m going to mention one competitor. Audemars Piguet celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak last year with the message:” From Iconoclast to Icons”, and I think you need to be an iconoclast to become an icon. You need to first surprise and create careful reactions, probably sometimes even negative sentiments, in front of innovation. And that’s the moment when you are an iconoclast. When people start to adapt and adopt the difference, the iconoclast becomes an icon. What was different became distinctive. Differences scare. Distinction elevates. And that’s what we were facing with Octo Finissimo. 

At first, it was different. It was interesting from the very first day. We had very positive feedback, but still, different, because it was totally opposite to the big bulky watches of the 2000s and 2010s. So it was very much challenging the paradigm at the time. But then we went step by step, year after year to continuously push this dimension of very slim watches – very elegant watches with the square-shaped structure; complex design with 110 facets and very monochromatic. People got used to it. 

Their first reaction was “Hmm. Interesting, but Bulgari is a jeweller, not a watchmaker”. Today, it’s becoming a watch that people want to have – must have. It’s a watch of collectors. We are meeting and gathering Bulgari Octo Finissimo collectors today. So, it has been a long journey over a short period of time. 10 years is really short in the watch industry; in the history of watches. I mean, we are talking about models like Santos that is more than 100 years old. The Serpenti is 70 years old. The BB watch is going to be 50 years old. So models with distinctive designs are taking time to become icons. We are in the process, and I’m very, very happy about that. 

Isochrono: We’ve come to the end of the interview. Well, thank you very much for having us here.

Antoine: Thank you for coming here and visiting us. And I hope you enjoy the stay in Geneva.

So what is the Moritz Grossmann Tremblage?

Well, it’s essentially a watch with the time and small seconds from the Benu-Heritage collection, with the main difference being the fantastic amount of hand-engraving on the dial.

Created to celebrate the 13th anniversary of Moritz Grossman, this is a watch that has been decorated with a lavish amount of attention, and using an old engraving technique called “tremblage”, which comes from the French word “tremblant” which means “to tremble”.

It’s exactly how you might imagine it to be – the engraver had to set one corner of the burin into the metal and constantly move it back and forth, from right to left, from one corner to the other, to create the uneven surface on the dial. The end result is a dial that seems to sparkle when moving it in the light.

For the engraver, the main difficulty is in making sure that the resultant texture is evenly done. So while there is some amount of looseness in how the pattern is made, the amount of force that is used has to be consistent throughout.

And yet that’s not even the most impressive part about the dial. The parts of the dial that you see, all the numerals of the hours, the edge of the circular small seconds subdial and even the historic “M. Grossmann” logo from 1875 are not mounted appliqués. Instead they have been raised from the blank German silver dial by removing the surrounding material like relief sculpture, and then given a flat polish that contrasts well with the rough background.

This additional layer of hand work that needs to be done, which when combined with the “tremblage” engraving after that, then coupled with the heat treated to a brown-violet hue hands does in sum, make an end result that will appeal to those who appreciate a fair amount of craftsmanship in their watches.

This attitude extends as well to the manually wound calibre 100.1 seen through the glass case back, which is of a pillar structure, and with components made out of German silver that are all elaborately hand finished to the level, some say, of their more well known Glashütte based neighbour.

There are two case variations of this watch, one in 18K rose gold with dark brown alligator strap (SGD$76,900) and the other in stainless steel with dark blue alligator strap (SGD$56,300), and it is, as far as I’ve been told, not limited per se, but limited by production. That “tremblage” engraving does take time after all.

Technical Specifications

Oscillator: Shock-resistant Grossmann balance with 4 inertia screws and 2 poising screws, Nivarox 1 balance spring with No. 80 Breguet terminal curve, Gustav Gerstenberger geometry
Balance Diameter: 14.2 mm, frequency: 18,000 semioscillations/hour
Power reserve: 42 hours when fully wound
Functions: Hours and minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop second, Grossmann manual winder with pusher
Operating elements: Crown in 750/000 gold/stainless steel to wind the watch and set the time, pusher in 750/000 gold/stainless steel to start the movement
Case dimensions: Diameter: 41.0 mm, height: 11.35 mm
Movement dimensions: Diameter: 36.4 mm, height: 5.0 mm
Case: Three-part, precious metal/stainless steel
Dial: German silver, tremblage
Hands: Manually crafted, steel, annealed to a brown-violet or blue hue
Crystal/display back Sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on one side
Strap: Hand-stitched alligator leather with prong buckle in
precious metal/stainless steel
Special features: Dial tremblage, Grossmann balance; hand setting override and start of movement with lateral pusher; space-saving modified Glashütte stopwork with backlash; adjustment with Grossmann micrometer screw on cantilevered balance cock; movement with 2/3 plate and pillars made of untreated German silver; 2/3 plate, balance cock and escape-wheel cock hand engraved; grained train bridge; 3-band snailing on the
ratchet wheel; raised gold chatons with pan-head screws; separately removable clutch winding mechanism; stop seconds for hand setting

It was only about a month ago that we announced a collaboration with Singapore independent watch retailer “Watch Wonderland” with a chance for 4 lucky winners to learn how to make their own leather strap.

Win a seat at The Leather Academy – and make your own watch strap

Well, yesterday was the day that the winners attended the workshop. Follow along on the process and explanation of what was taught, and maybe sign up for your own strap making experience with Watch Wonderland. (click here for link)

Looks like we have to be more careful nowadays with thieves apparently starting to recognise watches that were previously under the radar. Though I’m keen to actually know how this theft was done and how the watch got snatched.

Though the article mentions that some victims are punched, I’m curious to know in this instance if the clasp gave way, or if the thief already knew how to undo it, and basically just pulled off the watch in one swift motion.

The Richard Mille RM51-02 Diamond Twister Tourbillon was launched back in 2015, and the dial itself has 270 precious stones set in gold. It definitely is a head-turning piece on the wrist.

Well, its 2019 this year, meaning that 50 years have passed since the El Primero was introduced as the world’s first integrated automatic chronograph movement in 1969. With an immense list of technical features that have made it a staple in the Zenith line-up for many years, it has been the backbone of Zenith’s success and resurgence recently.

If you’re in Singapore, do come down to Orchard Road to the brand’s immersive and massive pop-up exhibition titled “A Star Through Time” at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. Open to the public from today till the 1st of September 2019, the exhibition will showcase with the story behind the El Primero, the world’s first automatic chronograph movement.

See plenty of significant historical models and even a mock up of the attic in which Charles Vermot hid the machines and plans of the El Primero movement during the onset of the quartz age, when the company wanted to throw out all the equipment for mechanical movement production. Defying the orders of his bosses and believing that such a move was the wrong thing, he secretly stored all the equipment for the production of the El Primero movement in a hidden attic of the manufacture building. His foresight would be rewarded in 1984 when the company wanted to restart mechanical movement production. Because of this one act of defiance, Vermot became a hero, by allowing the El Primero to be produced again.

Event Details:

“A Star Through Time” by Zenith
Location: Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.
Open to the public from today till the 1st of September 2019,

With Asia as a whole being an important market for luxury watches, it does seem to make sense for a regional watch fair to exist. Yet, while there have been a few watch fairs in different countries in the region, none have existed with any degree of longevity.

Perhaps the retail presence of watch brands is already so strong that it is unnecessary, or perhaps such a format works better in one-off situations. Whatever the case might be, it is always a joy to attend one since these give collectors a way to see watches up close without having to go to Baselworld and/or SIHH, but more importantly to come together to enjoy fine watches as a community.

Now, there is a new option for us in Asia, that will be launched next month in September. The inaugural edition of the Bangkok Independent Watchmaking Exhibition will be held from the 4-8th of September at Gaysorn Village in the heart of Bangkok and it is special for being the first time that a watch fair of its type will be held in Thailand.

The list of brands participating in the inaugural edition bodes certainly bodes well for a long-term future, with quite a few well regarded names that one might see at Les Ateliers in Baselworld or the Carré des Horlogers at SIHH.

The brands include: Alchemists, Atelier De Monaco, Christophe Claret, Czapek, HYT, Kerbedanz, Kudoke, Ludovic Ballouard, Manufacture Royale, Matthias Nascheke, Paul Design, Romain Gauthier, Schwarz Etienne, Speake Marin and Strom.

Jimmy Tay, organiser of the fair is a well-regarded name in Asia, having worked in the watch industry in various capacities for almost his entire life. Over lunch with an associated linked to the Thai Royal Family, the idea of having an exclusive event in Bangkok, like the watch fairs in Switzerland was discussed, and it was quickly determined that all the right ingredients for a successful one were in place. Jimmy himself was excited to be able to be the first to do this remarking, “We not only want to help independent brands to grow and be exposed to the Thai market, we also want to encourage regional watch collectors to gather here in Bangkok to bring closer ties with the watchmakers with collectors and collectors-to-be as a circle of friends.”

In conjunction with the event, eight watch brands will be offering eight unique pieces for that will be auctioned by Christie’s for charity using the regal symbol of the elephant and emblems of the golden kingdom.

The auction will raise funds for the “Kamlangjai Project”, an initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati that reaches out to female and pregnant inmates, providing assistance and occupational training, as well as fostering reintegration into society.

It promises to be an exciting event and ISOCHRONO will travel to Bangkok next month to tell you all about it. Better yet, come join in the fun in Bangkok since it’s only a short flight away from anywhere in the region.
Bangkok Independent Watch Exhibition

Event details
Date: 4th to 8th September
Opening Hours: 11am to 7pm
Address: Gaysorn Village, 999 Phloen Chit Rd, Khwaeng Lumphini, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand