THIERRY DUBOIS
CHAIRMAN OF LUOXO
When did you begin collecting watches?
My grandfather, who was a watchmaker just as my father was, gave me one of his beloved watches on his 80th birthday and asked me to take care of it always. He was the one who triggered my interest in watches. My father carried on teaching me about watch brands and the industry as a whole. I was hooked.
What’s the rarest piece in your collection?
It’s difficult to pick one as they all have a unique story. One I particularly like is a Rolex 6238 from the 1960s. It’s a 36mm chronograph with a Rolex 722 calibre (Valjoux 72 calibre base) with a 48-hour power reserve. A vintage watch expert told me that only about 2,000 were ever made. It’s the pre-daytona model.
Are there watches in your collection you’ve never worn?
I wear all my watches and this is important to me. Watches are alive when you wear them and they’re meant to be worn. It’s a bit like art. All the art I have is on my walls and I don’t keep any of it in boxes or storage, accumulating dust. It’s part of my daily routine to choose which watch I’m going to wear that day. It depends on my mood, on my clothes, who I’m going to meet that day or what I’m going to do.
Do you have a favourite watch, because of its intrinsic or sentimental value?
I have a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116506.78596, which was a 20th-anniversary gift from my wife. It’s in a 40mm platinum case and runs on a Rolex 4130 calibre.
What makes you covet a watch?
I buy the watches I love and can afford. It’s always the same – it comes from the heart and then the wallet. There are many watches I love but can’t afford. I then just spend time reading (and dreaming) about them.
Do you follow other watch collectors?
I enjoy talking to other collectors so much I set up a watch enthusiasts’ club in Hong Kong earlier this year. It’s a purely personal investment, with no influence whatsoever from any watch brand. It’s absolutely fantastic, as we’re creating a tight-knit community of watch enthusiasts who talk very freely about their passion. There are many people in our community I really envy – I often think to myself, “When I grow up, I’d like to have his/her watch collection!”