Celebrity Life

This buying guide instalment highlights the points to consider when buying decorated watch dials.

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From railway pocket watches to a four-ball pendulum clock from 1965, the more storied these timepieces are, the more invaluable they are.

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Beyond his talents for cooking, Christopher Ho is also an avid collector of watches, whisky and even Pokémon cards. We talk to the rising home chef about his watch-collecting journey and how his family influenced his style.

Christopher Ho is what a lot of people would call a home chef. The rising star in the culinary world is completely self-taught and, like many millennials, learned his chops through YouTube videos. Unlike most people, though, he’s had the chance to hone his skills with some of the most decorated chefs in Hong Kong, collaborating and hosting pop-ups with Eric Raty of two-Michelin-star Arbor and at socialite hangout Sevva.

Ho has also collaborated with Breguet, on the launch of the brand’s third-generation Marine Collection, a partnership he felt personally attached to as he owns a second-generation Marine 5817 that was passed down to him from his grandfather. And this Christmas, he’s already announced his first collaboration, with K11 MUSEA and Artisan Lounge, on the launch of his festive Moutai Banana Bread.

His longest-standing partnership, however, is with French bistronomie Ami/Wood Ear, where he’s the curator and part-owner of the restaurant and bar’s more than 400 bottles of rare and unique bottles, sourced from around the world.

A huge part of Ho’s success comes down to his affable manner, his knack for picking great partnerships and, most importantly, his keen eye for quality and uniqueness, which informs almost everything he does, from collecting whisky to curating his watch collection.

“The concept of uniqueness runs through my watch collection,” he says. “For example, the Rolex 16610 is a standard Submariner from 1994 seen on many wrists, but it’s been engraved with my initials and birth year, while my Datejust 16013 is both a Buckley [with painted Roman numerals] and it’s Tiffany & Co co-branded. As my luxury watch collection slowly becomes more mainstream, it’s defined by watches like these.”

He approached whisky collecting, a hobby he’s harboured since university days in the UK, in much the same way – and it brought him the opportunity to curate for Ami/Wood Ear. “Many of the bottles may not necessarily be expensive, but they can’t be accessed anywhere else in the world, or they’re autographed by bottlers or distillers,” he explains.

Ho jokes that he’s a hoarder, and it’s true that he’s avidly collected things since he was young, starting with Pokémon cards and figurines. Now, his fascination is with watches, sneakers and whiskies. “I was given my first luxury watch on my 18th birthday, but I only began to collect watches from the age of 21,” he says. “I’ve always been fascinated by watches – it’s something about how so many tiny parts can create something so intricate yet govern an intangible concept of time that always intrigued me.”

No doubt coming from a family of collectors has also informed Ho’s tastes. His aunt and uncle are both collectors of new and vintage watches, and his 18th birthday watch, given to him by his father, is an extremely rare model that’s still locked in a safe, unworn.

A family heirloom that he does wear, however, is his Breguet Marine Big Date 5817, which his grandfather passed down to him. “I still remember the story my grandfather told me of why he bought the Breguet 5817,” says Ho. “He was an avid golfer and wanted a rubber- strap watch for his golfing that equally balanced his wrist – not too heavy, not too light. That taught me that beyond all the bells and whistles of watch design, every watch has a purpose – and to this day I keep this lesson in mind when looking at new purchases.”

At a recent photoshoot with Breguet, Ho was drawn to the Tradition 7097, a boutique-exclusive version that comes with an elegant blue guilloche dial. Inspired by founder Abraham-Louis Breguet’s subscription pocket watches, it showcases the intricate movement components on the top of the mainplate, and features a retrograde second hand, much like the one-hand pocket watches of 1796. In true Breguet fashion, each part of the bridges and mainplate is finished to the highest degree, and the gold winding rotor, visible from the back, is finished with the clous de Paris guilloché pattern.

Musing over the watch, Ho describes himself as a cautious collector and tries to accord meaning to each of his watches. “I always make sure that the watch signifies a certain meaning, such as tying it to an important life event,” he explains. “If the watch matches the event well enough, then I’ll proceed to purchase it. Each item is thought through meticulously, meaning I don’t regret any of my purchases. Sometimes I do regret not buying a watch because of this, though!”

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The Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365 pays tribute to Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention of the tourbillon.

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Breguet has long supported Race for Water and the preservation of the seas. Beauty-brand owner Christal Leung has never hit pause in her pursuit to make her products sustainable. She tells us about her business vision and why Breguet is a brand she feels aligned with.

Sometimes the best collaborations happen in the most unexpected ways. Christal Leung, a skincare formulator and the founder of homegrown beauty brands Skin Need and B.Y.O.B, first held a Breguet watch at Prestige’s 40 Under 40 photoshoot, which the young entrepreneur was taking part in. The watch she picked, the Reine de Naples 8918, caught her eye for its striking burgundy colour – “the colour of my wedding bouquet,” Leung says.

She was instantly attracted to the oval-shaped bezel and the waythe Breguet numerals follow the contours of the case almost quirkily. The Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial, and the pavé diamonds add a touch of glamour to this exquisite watch. “Although I spend days in the laboratory and on the production line, in evenings and business meetings, I always love an accessory that elevates the elegance of my style,” says Leung.

She spends most of her time in the lab in T-shirts, sweatshirts and sweatpants that she can move around in with a lab coat on top. Comfort is key, but she’s also driven by classic style and, more importantly, looks for independent labels and brands with interesting stories that resonate with her own values, especially in ethical sourcing and sustainability.

“I believe in quality over quantity, not only as a personal preference but also as a responsible consumer,” she says. “When it comes to selecting watches and jewellery, I value exquisite craftsmanship and classic design that stand the test of time and continue to be standout pieces as I wear them time and again.“

I also gravitate towards pieces with heritage and stories, or designs that embody certain values and meaning, so I’m not surprised to find myself drawn to the Breguet Reine de Naples collection, after knowing it’s inspired by Caroline, the Queen of Naples,” she adds. The appreciation is mutual. The Breguet team were equally fascinated by Leung’s story, and the ways in which she’s restructured her mother’s business, as well as built her own, around notions of true sustainability.“

Years ago, when I joined my mother’s beauty company,I immediately eliminated the use of ingredients associated with animal products and testing, regardless of how popular placental-extract serum was, because it was simply unethical,” says Leung.In her own lines, she also sticks with vegan products, and has made massive inroads to reduce packaging waste, from eliminating laminated plastic boxes and shrink wraps, and reducing plastic packaging by 45 percent, to using recycled plastic.

Leung was raised with a strong notion that anything she dedicated herself to she must leave better than what it was, adding that “even though it’s not entirely our own fault, the moment of revelation rests on our time, and we have to make the right decision and act accordingly.”

Breguet, similarly, has always made a point of supporting its partners in their preservation endeavours. The Race for Water, in which Breguet is the main partner, is a Swiss project that contributes to marine research while proving to the world that there are already concrete solutions to ocean preservation. Breguet timekeepers have played a pivotal role in maritime navigation since the 19th century, and it’s now of utmost importance that the brand continues playinga part in preserving our oceans for the future.

Race for Water’s vessel Odyssey, which is powered by the sun, wind and water and carries 22 scientists, is currently on its second world tour. So far, it’s visited 18 countries, where its crew have shared its findings and solutions on ocean pollution with politicians, NGOs and the public.“

We’re inseparable from our environment, with our quality and stability of life dependent upon its resources and climate stability,” says Leung. “The human journey on Earth started off being adaptive to the environment to exploiting its vast resources … until climate change hit and we see species going extinct, and natural catastrophes occurring more frequently and more unpredictably. It’s time we learn to adaptto nature again, as what we thought we can rely on is at great risk.

Find out more here

PHOTOGRAPHER KAUZRAMBLER

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The limited run of the contemporary Breguet Type XXI 3815 is primed to be a successful testbed for a potential regular production version.

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Christine Hau is a co-founder of the Hong Kong-based architecture and design practice Lead8, which in just seven years has rocketed from start-up to the ranks of the world's leading firms. She tells us about its remarkable success and her own contribution towards it.

For an architectural firm founded just seven years ago to vault into the ranks of the world’s largest practices seems an achievement so remarkable that it’s frankly unbelievable. Yet that’s exactly the feat that Lead8 – a Hong Kong-based architecture, urban-masterplanning, interior-design, graphics and branding company that set up shop in a modest Quarry Bay studio in 2014 and now has offices in Shenzhen, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and London – has managed to pull off.

Not only does it currently rank in 53rd place among the globe’s leading architectural firms – with major projects ongoing in the Greater Bay Area as well as further afield, and a team of more than 250 in five locations around the world – but Lead8 also walked away with five 2021-22 Asia-Pacific Property Awards for its large-scale projects in Shenzhen, Nanjing and Chengdu, as well as a pair of Gold Stevie Awards recognising business excellence. Although continually engaged in the visionary exercise of re-imagining urban and interior living for a future that seems especially challenging, surely such an astonishing degree of success must have been beyond the wildest dreams of the company’s founding partners?

“When we set up Lead8, we’d already worked alongside each other for many years, and we shared a passion for creativity and excellence in design,” says Christine Hau, one of Lead8’s co-founders and executive directors who form the company’s global leadership team in Hong Kong. “We all wanted to bring about change, introduce new ideas to the industry and give back to our cities and communities through resilient, meaningful and impactful design. Setting up Lead8 gave us the platform to do that, so this has been a natural progression for us.”

At Lead8, Hau oversees the company’s business, financial, legal and operational sides, as well as leading its marketing, communications, branding and social responsibility activities. Born in Britain and one of the eldest daughters of constantly travelling parents from Hong Kong, her businessman father expected she’d work as his apprentice until an interest in design spurred her to study in that area, later combining it with management.

“You can put on a nice dress or jacket and it’s individual,” says the effervescent and engaging Hau, in an accent that bears no discernible traces of her Scottish birthplace, “but I feel building design – architecture and interiors – is for everyone. I’m captivated by the beauty of forms and details in buildings and cities, so I studied subjects that united my passion for design with my affinity for business – with business providing the means of turning creative visions into reality.”

After completing university, she began her career in the UK, and eventually made the decision to head to Hong Kong. It wasn’t simply a matter of having strong family ties here; she also felt this was a place where she could take her career to a new level and possibly a new direction. “This is a fast-paced place and an international hub, where there are opportunities both here in Asia as well as connections with the West.”

In any case, Hau was already accustomed to an international way of life. “We moved around and travelled a lot,” she says, “so my childhood was quite adventurous and exciting – a mix of cultures and experiences – which is partly why I’ve always believed we should explore opportunities as we go along.

“Learning isn’t just about formal education and books. Experience is also very important in life, which is how I’ve brought up my children. It also probably explains why I’ve persistently changed course in life, grasping opportunities to study and change direction.”

After spending time at other international design practices, where she gained further experience in areas such as finance, corporate law and governance, strategy and operations, Hau took the plunge and joined a group of architects and designers she’d worked closely with to found Lead8. The team moved into its first studio in Shipyard Lane, literally around the corner from the much-expanded premises on King’s Road that the company occupies now. “The move into this new studio was a defining moment for us,” she says. “It marked a step in our evolution from start-up to international design brand and set the scene for our next chapter.”

While the company’s meteoric growth is beyond impressive, it must surely have something to do with the sheer physical scale and breathtakingly imaginative reach of many of its projects, in which every detail – from the macro to the micro – is considered, and natural elements and the latest technologies both form integral parts. Yet for all the size and scope, Hau insists that much of Lead8’s work is underpinned by “design that understands people – and the urge to push the boundaries to deliver destinations and experiences unlike any other” in their respective locations.

Typifying this approach is the vast Hubei Coordination Urban Renewal Scheme in Shenzhen, due for completion in 2024, which conserves and protects a historic 500-year-old village, yet does so in the context of a dazzling and forward-looking 21st-century urban development. Another major undertaking in the Greater Bay Area is New World’s 11 SKIES at Chek Lap Kok, which will be Hong Kong’s largest hub for retail, dining and entertainment, in a development adjoining the airport terminals, along with grade-A office towers, immersive educational experiences and even an indoor/outdoor karting track.

For sheer imaginative bravura, however, it’s hard to beat HarbourLoop, a Lead8 social-responsibility case study that proposes a 23km-long walkway and cycle track encircling Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, with two elegant infrastructure additions linking the two sides and a series of community, culture and commuter hubs along the way. “We did it to show the possibilities of urban design thinking for Hong Kong – a zero-carbon network that unites both sides of the harbour,” says Hau. “As a design firm, we’re in the fortunate position of driving and sparking conversations about the future, which is what influences change.”

As for her own role within the firm, Hau says she uses design thinking to inform the way she oversees Lead8’s business, financial, legal and operational activities. “It offers me and my team the opportunity to manage and build a design firm differently, and to help our team of designers do what they do best – which is to create designs that are positively giving back to our communities. We create the platforms on which our global team and operations can function, and we nurture, support and empower our teams – we’re passionate about our people.”

Asked about her experiences as a female in her industry, Hau says she believes that “when it comes to work, women have traditionally been conscious of their gender, but this is changing – and I see the younger generation of women and men active in this shift. But I’ve always had strong female leaders in the industry to look up to and my own experience has been that gender hasn’t limited my opportunities.

“No matter what your gender is, leadership is about more than just being a boss. It’s inspiring, motivating and empowering those around you. Just as design inherently gives back to the cities and communities it touches, at Lead8 we have a deep commitment to the next generations through mentoring and learning opportunities, and we’re equally dedicated to supporting causes that help to build a brighter world.”

And if you were wondering how – with eight projects nearing completion in the next year and several more about to kick off – this working mother manages to find equilibrium between office and home, Hau says there’s always a connection between work and life. “I’m fortunate to have a supportive circle of family and friends, which helps ease the pressure in challenging times. In any case, instead of separating, I prefer to balance these parts of my life, as I’m passionate about Lead8 and the firm we’ve created. Each day is different – and I don’t count the hours at work, but the results we’ve achieved.”

PHOTOGRAPHY KINWAI CHEUNG
STYLING TASHA LING
MAKE-UP KAREN YIU @MAKEUPBEES
HAIR GLOOMY KWOK @MAKEUPBEES
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT STEPHEN CHENG

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Breguet’s update to the Marine Chronograph 5527 is subtle yet lends it weight.

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From sea-inspired colourways to quartz-powered timepieces and more, here are ten of our favourite new watches to wear this September.

Richard Mille

For a purported “racing machine on the wrist”, Richard Mille’s latest novelty, the RM 07-01 Coloured Ceramics, is unusually playful. Although the ladies’ capsule boasts the hi-tech materials and construction methods you’d expect from the Maison — you’ll have fun telling friends the skeletonised movement is in micro-blasted grade 5 titanium, while the front and back bezels are made from Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal — the Pastel Blue, Pastel Pink and Pastel Lavendar colour schemes, and the “part-botanical, part-sunburst and part-Art Deco” dials are delightfully whimsical. This late summer stunner comes in a limited run of 50 pieces each.

Breguet

Breguet’s feminine Reine de Naples 8938 comes in two new versions. Especially flamboyant is this model in rose gold, with 3 carats of diamonds on the snow-set dial, bezel, lug and crown, an offset hours chapter in mother-of-pearl and self-winding rotor in — what else? — platinum.

Baume & Mercier

Inspired by the Côte d’Azur and first created in the early 1970s, Baume & Mercier’s Riviera has been re-interpreted for 2021 in radiant greens, a darker hue for men (in a 42mm case and automatic movement) and a lighter shade for women (in a more petite 36mm size with quartz calibre). Both feature a satin-finished wave pattern dial, as well as easily interchangeable rubber straps that match just about any summery mood.

Harry Winston

Harry Winston’s Emerald ladies’ watch collection has been enlivened by four new models, each in a vibrant colour: turquoise, orange, champagne or, shown here, violet. Each quartz-powered timepiece comes in a white-gold case set with 53 diamonds and all feature a coloured dial and matching cabochons in mother-of-pearl, set with a further 20 diamonds. A matching satin double-tour strap completes the ensemble.

Hublot

Although a 42mm case is on the large side, we can still see the ladies queueing up to get their hands on Hublot’s Big Bang Unico Summer. No, it’s not in ceramic as you might have suspected but anodised aluminium, which is not only lightweight but also gives a gorgeously metallic glint to a shade that’s said to be inspired by the colours of a Pacific lagoon. As just 200 are being made — and are available only at eboutique@hublot.com — if you want this seasonal stunner on your wrist you’d better move fast.

Bell & Ross x Patrouille de France

Earlier this year we brought you news of the tie-up between Bell & Ross and the Patrouille de France display team of the French air and space force. Well, here’s the first fruit of the collaboration, in the form of the new BR 03-94 chronograph, which bears the squadron insignia on its handsome blue dial. Available in just 500 pieces, the watch is powered by an ETA-based automatic calibre, though interestingly the team’s pilots will receive an otherwise identical quartz edition.

Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer’s Aquaracer has been a default dive watch choice for some four decades. The latest 43mm professional 300 iteration brings the watch bang up to date with new materials — including grade 2 titanium and ceramic rotating bezels — dial colours and ergonomic features.

Bovet 1822 x Rolls-Royce

Until now, the ultra-exclusive British car-maker Rolls-Royce has resisted collaborations with watch brands, but its recently announced tie-up with Bovet 1822 could hardly be more logical. The first result is a pair of astounding his-and-hers tourbillon timepieces, which are designed either to be worn on the wrist or slotted into a dashboard housing on the one-off Rolls-Royce Boat Tail — one for the owner and the other for his wife.

Bremont

Cool and relatively understated for what is, after all, a 43mm watch, the new MB Savanna is the latest offspring of Bremont’s long-term association with aircraft-ejection-seat manufacturer Martin-Baker. Designed to withstand the extreme G-forces generated when ejecting, the Savanna is a classic pilot’s watch featuring twin crowns, an internally rotating bezel, a black and yellow loop device on the central second's hand and a desert-inspired sand colour for both dial and case.

Breitling x Triumph

With Breitling wrapping up its partnership with Bentley after almost 20 years, the Swiss watch brand is striking up a relationship with another British automotive brand — and this time it’s moving from four wheels to two. In a tie-up that’s described by both parties as “long-term” Breitling will now be working closely with motorcycle manufacturer Triumph, whose products will feature prominently in the watch brand’s showrooms — and doubtless vice versa. Although the two sides have nothing concrete to show quite yet, both say they’re working hard on cross-branded watches and bikes, with first reveals scheduled for early next year.

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