New to the idea of Asian watchmakers?
Here is a quick guide to get you going.
CHINA
Atelier Wen
Founded by two Frenchmen, Robin Tellendier and Wilfred Buiron, who are still in their 20s, Atelier Wen’s purpose is to showcase the true artisanal beauty and construction quality that existed in China’s mechanical watch industry but was inaccessible to buyers who only ever associated the country with inexpensive pieces.
Wen, which means “culture” in Mandarin, looks to China’s rich artistic heritage for inspiration. This is best expressed in the use of porcelain for its dials, the embossed figure of Chinese mythological bird Kunpeng on the caseback, and a distinctly Oriental approach to design.
Memorigin
William Shum established Memorigin for the best of reasons. Swiss tourbillons were simply too expensive so he decided he would make his own, at a lesser cost, and create a brand out of it too. Relying on his father’s interest and acumen in watchmaking—senior Shum was a heavy investor in movement manufacturers already—this finance and economics major sought to fuse Eastern and Western designs in his all-tourbillon watches, establishing a DNA that consisted of Swiss precision and Chinese characteristics. Memorigin’s watches are often created in collaboration with Hong Kong’s storied collecting community, with Shum expressing a desire to make the brand more bespoke than mass.
Celadon
Although born in Singapore, Celadon founder Benjamin Chee only discovered his drive for fine watchmaking in China. The London-educated, urbane entrepreneur was enthralled by the
quiet elegance and delicate grace of Chinese culture, and made it his mission to build a luxury brand of global renown.
Some of Celadon’s most notable pieces incorporate cloisonné dials made by master enamel artisan Xiong Songtao, the inspiration taken from both western and eastern art. The watches are powered by a manually wound movement created and extensively decorated by master movement maker Lin Yong Hua.
Chee also founded his eponymous flagship brand Benjamin Chee HH (BCHH) in 2019 as his ultimate expression of contemporary haute horlogerie. BCHH received a GPHG nomination in 2022 in the mechanical clock category for Celestial Infinity.
JAPAN
Naoya Hida
If Naoya Hida watches give off distinct FP Journe (FPJ) vibes, it is because both founders spent some time there. It was established in Tokyo by Naoya Hida, who served as the Japanese representative for the venerable indie watchmaker for several decades. He was later joined by Kusoke Fujita, a WOSTEP-certified watchmaker and a firstclass watch repair technician who was also with FPJ.
Since its founding in 2018, its design language has remained constant: flawless craftsmanship, reworked movements from an exceptional base, and the delightful charm of vintage dress watches.
Credor
This Seiko-owned brand name comes from the word créte d’or, which in French means “the gold crest”, alluding to its predilection for precious metals. Although Credor also now utilises steel, its commitment to showcasing the art of talented master craftsmen who uphold the values of Japanese aesthetics remains firmly in place.
Created in 1974 by the Japanese for the Japanese, Credor is dedicated to interpretations of Japanese culture in classic case dimensions and profiles.
Hajime Asaoka
A one-man force, Hajime Asaoka founded his eponymous brand in 2005 and proved his mettle by releasing a tourbillon a few years later. The brand operates out of Tokyo and produces an impressive range of pieces, which is notable considering the founder does most of the work himself.
It is for this reason that Hajime Asaoka watches take time to deliver but the wait and price (in the region of US$40,000) are well worth it.
MALAYSIA
Ming
This homegrown watch brand was founded by six enthusiasts under the leadership of multi-hyphenate Ming Thein. Together, the Ming team draws from over 80 years of collecting experience, ranging from vintage to avant-garde; from quality affordables to six-figure commissioned independent pieces.
While its headquarters and quality control centre are based in Malaysia, Ming relies on the strength of Swiss partners Manufacture Schwarz-Etienne, Agenhor and Jean Rousseau for its watches’ internal operations and straps.
Ming’s watches have made the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève nominee list multiple times, with its 17.06 Copper taking home the Horological Revelation prize in 2019.
SINGAPORE
Advisor Watch Company
Advisor is popular for its designs that draw inspiration from horological history and give a unique contemporary twist to classic designs. Founded by Andy Siow in 2016, Advisor’s hallmarks are large cushion-case dress watches with super-high double-domed sapphire crystals and California dials with a brushed antique wood grain effect.
Despite their relative affordability, the watches boast impressive build quality, premium materials, and most importantly, reliable Swiss and Japanese movements.
Azimuth
It’s hard to ignore the forefather of Singapore’s watch scene Azimuth, not just for its pioneering status, but also for its unapologetically avantgarde approach to design. Founded by Christopher Long and Alvin Lye, Azimuth’s watches are produced in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and have over the years garnered global appeal for their daring aesthetics and obvious disdain for conventional time-telling methods.
One of Azimuth’s notable collections is the Mecha BMF series, which showcases a mechanical “engine” inspired by military aircraft, and features intricate details such as propellers, gauges, and other aviation elements.
Another iconic collection, the SP-1 Mecanique features a unique jumping hour display with a minute hand that is said to resemble “a space shuttle hurtling across the universe”.
SOUTH KOREA
Studio Minhoon Yoo
The obssession with everything South Korea now extends to its watches. Industrial art graduate and Busan native Minhoon Yoo was struck by the effortless elegance of Philippe Dufour’s Simplicity watch and realised his love for haute horlogerie. It was also the perfect canvas for his artistic approach to manufacturing and engineering.
At the forefront of the growing South Korean independent watchmaking scene, Yoo’s designs are clean and sleek, with an emphasis on quality materials. His studio was established two years ago, and after a successful debut model, he hopes to incorporate more Korean elements when it comes to watch no. 2.