Malaysia’s growing watch collecting community will have the opportunity to view watches shortlisted for this year’s Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Awards at Pavilion KL.
An obsession for exquisite watches grows as more are learning to appreciate the intricacy and complexity of watches
IN this digital age, it may seem that watches could well become obsolete because it is easy to check the time with your mobile phone.
On the other hand, watches to some - particularly watch collectors, are more than mere instruments that measure seconds, minutes and hours. They are also a portal into craftsmanship, history, luxury, art, and a symbol of personal accomplishments.
A mechanical movement
“We have many groups of collectors in Malaysia that have been collecting for many years,” says SK Teh, the general manager of The Hour Glass – a specialist watch retailer, known for their curated selection of the world’s best brands.
These horological aficionados, he adds, began building their collections in the 1980s, partly due to the resurgence of the Swiss watch industry.
This revival that Teh is referring to was a byproduct of the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s which saw a boom of quartz watches. Powered by batteries, these watches ran on an electronic or electro-mechanical basis, offering a higher accuracy of time at a lower cost.
Teh says The Hour Glass wants more people to appreciate the craftsmanship and artistry that goes into watchmaking.
As quartz watches surged in popularity and were dominated by Japanese and Hong Kong watchmakers, the traditional Swiss watchmaking industry started to dwindle.
In an attempt to save the industry, Swiss banks turned to Nicolas Hayek – a business consultant, who proposed merging ASUAG and SSIH – two giants of the Swiss watch industry, into a single entity.
The union resulted in the Swatch Group, which started to produce quartz watches at a much lower price, without compromising on the quality of its Swiss craftsmanship.
Swatch watches – quartz timepieces crafted with only half the number of components found in traditional Swiss watches, featured a lightweight, sleek design, and a striking array of vibrant colours, which quickly captured the market's attention.
The emergence of Swatch watches, coupled with the success of Jean-Claude Biver, who bought over Switzerland’s oldest watch company Blancpain to revive traditional, handmade mechanical Swiss watches, put the Swiss back in business.
Horological enchantment
“When someone gets into watches, it is primarily about the mechanisms behind it. The idea that something so small yet so complicated could fit onto your wrist, is intriguing,” says Teh, a collector himself.
The art of making a watch – especially Swiss watches, as Teh explains is a time-honoured tradition that involves artistry, skill, patience and precision.
Swiss watches, for example, consist of anywhere between 180 and 400 parts, and collectors are fascinated by how these miniature components are meticulously crafted, assembled, and made to look aesthetically pleasing.
As time passes, says Teh, a collectors' passion extends beyond the mechanical engineering of the watches.
The Sarpaneva’s Näkki – inspired by Nordic mythology, is hand-painted with luminous paint and is a nominee at this year’s GPHG Awards in the Artistic Craft category.
“Collectors often get together, talk about their newly acquired pieces, why they buy a certain watch or what piqued their interest about it. It’s not just about how it is made, or the work that goes into it – but to a large extent they try to understand the inspiration behind a particular watch,” adds Teh.
While seasoned collectors pass down their treasured timepieces as heirlooms to their children, there is also a growing number of younger Malaysian watch enthusiasts entering the community.
Many of them, notes Teh, seek to reconnect with an era before everything went digital, appreciating the intricate beauty that goes into these watches.
“It’s not just a motherboard that tells you time, it’s something that ticks and chimes to give you a precise timing,” he explains.
Timeless value
For The Hour Glass, watches possess timeless value. Teh likens watches to art – it grows in value, and no two pieces are the same.
Many luxury watches are handmade, and with the time and craftsmanship invested, add to its appeal for collectors.
“The value enhances when it becomes more difficult to make. Because it requires the final touches of a craftsperson, these watches cannot be mass produced,” says Teh, who adds that watches that are rare are very much sought after, and often difficult to acquire.
Ulysse Nardin’s Freak One features modern horological art and cutting-edge mechanical expertise. The watch, carried exclusively at The Hour Glass, is nominated in the Iconic category at the 2023 GPHG Awards.
While stalwarts like The Hour Glass expected things to take a turn for the worse during the pandemic, the watch industry saw the opposite.
Many people, with ample free time, sought new hobbies and investment opportunities.
“There was a lot of liquidity in the market, and I do believe during that period, many – be it avid watch collectors or newbies, recognised the value of watches,” says Teh, crediting watch experts who conducted talks during the pandemic and sparking this growing interest in timepieces, even in investors.
The time has come
If there is one event that watch collectors eagerly anticipate, it is the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Awards, often regarded as the "Oscars" of the watch industry. It is set to take place in Geneva on Nov 9.
Started as a non-profit platform to promote Swiss watches on a global scale, GPHG has been honouring the creme de la creme of the Swiss watch industry since 2001.
This year, the GPHG will be making a stop in Kuala Lumpur – the only city in South-East Asia to be included in the organisation’s travelling exhibition.
Taking place from Oct 5 to 8 at Pavilion KL, the exhibition will feature the shortlisted watches which will be vying for the top awards, including Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix (Best in Show) distinction.
The Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Awards exhibition, which will feature 84 watches in 14 categories, will take place in Pavilion KL from Oct 5 to 8.
Local watch enthusiasts will have the opportunity to view 84 of the finest contemporary watches, categorised into 14 different groups, including mechanical exceptions, sports watches, and chronographs, among others.
“I’m proud to say we have been given the opportunity to host this prestigious event as it puts KL and Malaysia on the map for watch collectors all over the world,” says Teh.
This event is especially significant for The Hour Glass, who has been the go-to for collectors for over 40 years. The company’s motto – advancing watch culture, is one that Teh and his team take very seriously.
Throughout the decades, The Hour Glass has supported various collector groups through a slew of regional events and has a network of 55 boutiques across eight countries including Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
“We see ourselves as the bridge between collectors, watchmakers and watch brands, and we want more people to learn and appreciate the value, work and artistry that goes into making watches,” Teh says.
