LOH MAY-HAN

You know a woman is serious about her timepieces when she arrives on set with a Louis Vuitton trunk packed full of watches and an obliging husband in tow.What’s even more impressive is when the trunk is opened to reveal, among other timepieces, two “machines” by independent watch brand, MB&F, and LouisVuitton’s Tambour Horizon that had just dropped a week prior to the shoot. Her husband Adrian informs us that it’s her “favourite toy” of the moment but the watch she wears most is the Chopard Happy Sport. “It’s pretty to look at and it’s fun as well because of the moving diamonds,” she says.“I also have a [Chopard] Happy Fish; I don’t have time to take care of pets so I have moving fish in my watch.” Funloving looks aside, other factors that May-Han looks out for when acquiring a new watch are the patrimony of the timepiece and its brand.“I think the reliability and reputation of the brand have to be a given.What is the heritage of the watch? Is it from a fashion house or an independent watchmaker? And is it something that is really popular now but will come and go, or is it here to stay?”That’s not to say the couple’s collection (comprising “20 to 30-ish” pieces) is built on safe choices.A quick glance at the trunk reveals an unconventional side that would get nods of approvals from horology connoisseurs. “Certain complications fascinate me. Like theVan Cleef & Arpels watch [Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux] that tells a story of two lovers who meet every 12 o’clock; or Minute Repeaters and chiming watches with a sound that is different.That increases the appeal because it makes the watch, or the brand of watch, more unique.” It seems her taste in watches is equally carried through her fashion choices too.“I have found that over the years, certain brands and designers tend to be more my style; like Louis Vuitton,Valentino, Miu Miu… they tend to be more feminine but not boring; I like a little streak of playfulness and eccentricity.”