THAT’S HAUTE

What’s trending in the world of watches? Our expert and collectors weigh in.

“Luxury sport watches such as the Patek Nautilus and Aquanaut; perpetual calendar wristwatches by Patek from the 1950s to 1980s; and Rolex sport models with any slight variation.” — Daryn Schnipper, chairman of the International Watch Division at Sotheby’s

“Vintage sport watches, especially stainless steel chronographs, and diver watches from the 1950s to 1960s.” — Thomas Perazzi, head of watches at Phillips Asia

“In recent months, we have seen a resurgence in the interest in pocket watches. More people are discovering the incredible value in collecting early timepieces made before the dawn of the wristwatch era.” — John Reardon, international head of watches at Christie’s

“I think it’ll be easier to buy online in future. Traditional houses have started to make headway into online platforms and are beginning to leverage more on social media for their marketing efforts. The social media-savvy generation has come of age.” — Adrian Ng, collector

“The more educated and seasoned watch collector seeks out unique pieces that are good in value, but not necessarily from independent brands, as many are suffering from overpricing. The Gérald Genta watches featuring Mickey, Minnie, Daffy, Donald, etc. have always been popular, but in the immediate past years, have jumped in price.” — Shing Chow Cheng, collector