Sands of Time

Mervin Ling shares his passion for timepieces from his first Rolex to the watches that led to his founding a collector's club-and the stories they tell 

- Amrita Katara

Mervin Ling’s journey through the realm of horology is marked by passion and a keen eye for timeless classics. Not content to merely collect, Ling has channelled his love for timepieces into the creation of the FP Journe Collector’s Club (FPJCC) in Hong Kong, which began a little over a year ago. “FP Journe has set the standard for creativity and timekeeping precision in modern watchmaking,” says Ling. “His innovations honour classic design and rise to the challenge of making something exceptional that spoke to me.” Now, his passion is set to expand its reach even further, with the club preparing to extend its footprint to Japan.

Ling’s vision for FPJCC is rooted in his belief that sharing is a joyful act. He envisions a platform where members from across the globe can showcase their FP Journe pieces and enjoy the experience of trying on each other’s watches, thus creating a unique sense of community. His philosophy is that: “Watch collecting is a journey and not a destination”. Membership to the club offers collectors a rare opportunity to try on the exclusive watches before joining the waiting list to buy one of their own. Ling takes pride in the fact that FPJCC has already guided several members on their unique watch-collecting journeys.

Unlike many collectors who focus on the thrill of the hunt or the desire to own it all, Ling’s love is steadier, and based on finding pleasure in wearing his watches daily. For him, a “true collector” is one who chooses a theme or establishes a philosophy—such as stone dials, or limited-edition Swatches—for the pieces they buy.