UNDER ONE ROOF

The recent IAMWATCH in Singapore organised by The Hour Glass saw collectors, watchmakers and industry luminaries congregate for the grandest watch party of the year.

- DANIEL GOH

There was a funny anecdote that Michael Tay, Group Managing Director of The Hour Glass, shared at a talk he was giving at IAMWATCH in Singapore. He said, “During the vernissage, a socialite friend of mine attended and told me ‘Michael, there are so many high net-worth individuals here and yet I know none of them!’ and I responded that well, this is how watch enthusiasts are, we usually keep a low profile.” The part about keeping a low profile is exceptionally true because as Editor of a watch magazine, I know it is near impossible to get Malaysian collectors to talk about their watches on a public platform such as this. Privately however that is a different story. This was practically the vibe at the recently concluded IAMWATCH event in Singapore organized by The Hour Glass. Put a bunch of watch nerds in a room and the conversation never stops.

To the uninitiated, IAMWATCH was an intimate 4-day event held at the Singapore EDITION Hotel a few months ago. And in their words “IAMWATCH advocates face-to-face engagements between enthusiasts and collectors with watchmakers and industry luminaries where the primary objective is the shared transmission of passion, knowledge, and stories.” And being there upon the kind invitation of The Hour Glass, I can verify that their claims of watchmakers and industry luminaries are no hoax. Except for massive international events like the now-defunct SIHH and Baselworld and more recently Watches & Wonders, I have never seen so many industry greats in one place.