GET IN THE RING

Collecting watches is all about taking the long view while having fun along the way. Might this be the perfect time to get into it, or dive even deeper? The editors of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand discuss

- WORDS ASHOK SOMAN, DANIEL GOH AND RUCKDEE CHOTJINDA

The word ineluctable is perfectly suited to the passion for watches. While the watch collector and the watchmaker are very different animals, they have this in common: it is always about the next watch. Whatever watch you have on your wrist today, or that you spend hours studying with a loupe, the next watch is already skirting the edge of your conscious desires. You might think that there is a perfect watch that will finally cool your ardour, but then again, perfection does not exist. In the end, it is the chase that matters to us all and thus, most of us probably greeted the news of watch markets cooling with a shrug. Perhaps there was no reaction at all, although if you are an independent watchmaker, you might smile wryly as you consider how best to finish all the watches you have promised so you can start on that next watch.

This contrasts strongly with the prevailing sentiment of the last few years, since before the pandemic, where collectors found themselves worried — frightened even. What is the point of a chase when everything that is worth lusting after is simply unavailable...or maybe a better word is unattainable. Well, the good news is that in 2025, the situation has changed. If you believe the general press, then watch brands are scrambling to address precipitously steep drops in demand. We all know a collector who, after being ghosted by his dealer for years, suddenly found himself with multiple invitations to buy all the pieces he expressed an interest in. Unfortunately for the dealer - or dealers - in question, this collector has moved on — some itches disappear if you leave them alone long enough.