Keeping It Together

Friends and family tell us about their shared pursuits

The mechanical timepiece is undeniably one of humanity’s greatest achievements of engineering, and not a small feat in the grand scheme of history. So, it’s no surprise that many watch enthusiasts develop a real passion for wearing these technological marvels on the wrist, with the hundreds of tiny components that seamlessly work together packaged in one beautiful case. But the drive behind the passion makes it different for every collector, and the main force for Dato’ Sri Jeffrey Raymond is joy and happiness.

A spark shows up in Dato’ Sri Jeffrey’s eyes when he speaks about his watch collection, and it’s evident to see that the joy he seeks out when choosing which timepiece to buy and wear is something tangible to him. He firmly denies labelling himself a watch collector and, instead, thinks of his collection as a way to own things that simply make him happy.

“I won’t use the word watch collecting because that is the wrong word to use. To me, watch collectors are people who collect ancient watches (with historical value), but all I want is a watch that makes me happy.” Dato’ Sri Jeffrey’s love affair with watches started at the age of 14, when his mother bought him a Timex watch, the first he ever owned. “I’m not sure why she decided to buy me that watch because it was quite expensive for us at the time. I don’t know whether she saw the joy, the excitement in my face when I got it, but I was utterly fascinated with it and I wouldn’t take it off. That’s where it all started.”