Review of 2012 Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, China

The 31st HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, the largest event of its kind in the world, last from 5-9 September 2012. This year’s fair showcases more than 720 exhibitors from 12 countries and regions, welcomes 73 buying missions representing more than 3,000 buyers from 64 countries and regions.

The world’s largest watch-and-clock show, gathers leading brands and industry players from around the world for a five-day timepiece journey. As the world”s largest timepiece event, It is a huge assembly of both long-established legendary brands and new brands with great novelty. The main categories exhibited at the show include branded Timepieces, clocks, packaging, trade services, complete watches, machinery & equipment, parts & components, etc.

The Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair proved itself year after year to be an effective business platform for the global timepiece industry. As the world’s largest event of its kind, brings together major industry players around the globe to showcase their latest and most remarkable designs. Exhibit categories include: Brand Name Gallery (Brand Name Watches & Clocks); Complete Watches & Clocks; Part & Components; Machinery/ Equipment; Packaging; Trade Services.

Co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries Ltd, the Watch & Clock Fair gathers exhibitors, buyers and industry experts from around the world for five days of networking, intelligence sharing and deal making.

Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair represents the ultimate one-stop sourcing platform with great efficiency and a range of services. From complete watches to components, timeless works of art to luxury packaging, the world’s largest event of its kind is an incomparable journey into the heart of global horology.

To reach the world’s large luxury market, the fair’s World Brand Piazza showcases rare timepieces from some of the world’s most renowned watchmakers, including A. Lange & Söhne、Audemars Piguet、Blancpain、Breguet、Chopard、Franck Muller、IWC、Jaeger-LeCoultre、Panerai、Piaget、Roger Dubuis and Ulysse Nardin. The Piazza is sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch.

A pageant of time in every era, the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair presents the past, present and future of horology, including the latest and greatest tech and smart watches. The fair display exquisite finished timepieces, parts, accessories, packaging and everything else needed to deliver a satisfying, efficient and premier sourcing experience. Beyond the latest and greatest in European watchmaking, opportunities for sourcing are in every corner of the fairgrounds.

Exhibitors are taking full advantage of the trade fair to pitch new watch designs and timepiece technologies to the market. Special Zones include the Small-order Zone and Pageant of Eternity. The Small-Order Zone caters primarily to the sourcing needs of small and medium-sized enterprises, while Pageant of Eternity is dedicated to premium complete watches. Other major exhibit categories are complete watches, clocks, machinery & equipment, packaging, parts & components and trade services.

In Brand Name Gallery is the most valued World Brand Piazza, where limited-edition and rare timepieces are on display. Pageant of Eternity consists of deluxe booths and also custom-built stands by major industry players such as SMB SAS, Renley, Comtech and Crystal.

This year, the show features group pavilions from the Chinese mainland and Chinese Taiwan, along with special zones for brand-name timepieces.

The popular Brand Name Gallery (BNG) once again presents licensed and original branded watches, as well as fine fashion labels and designer collections. The Gallery gather about 120 brands.

The USA brand, Hush Puppies Timepieces launches its 10th anniversary watch at the 2012 fair. Conforming to the original Hush Puppies casual style, the model features typical Hush Puppies leather material and bears the “10th Anniversary” stamp. The dial shows only the numeral ‘10’ to celebrate the anniversary event.

Hong Kong’s first tourbillon watch brand, Memorigin, is cooperating with the famous designer Kan Tai Keung to introduce Kan’s 70th Birthday Series at the last day BNG Public Day. Memorigin will also invite a professional watchmaker to demonstrate how this feat of watchmaking, ie the tourbillon, counters the effects of gravity to improve accuracy.

Peter Tanisman SA, a brand from Switzerland, introduces its CARROUSEL collection, a perfect watch for the modern women. This Carrousel watch was nominated for the “Watch of the Year 2011” Trophy organized by the Swiss magazine “Montres Passion”.

Temporis, a famous Hong Kong brand, is introducing its new Le Bonheur collection, a simple yet stylish design with a romantic French feel. It will also host a solo watch parade with Ms Myolie Wu, spokesperson and famous artist, presenting the runway show.

On the other hand, the Chinese Timekeeper beautifully exemplifies the Chinese culture in the Chinese Timekeeper three hands automatic with jade. With strong appeal to both the hearts and minds of collectors of Chinese objets d’art, the watch’s design with 10 pieces of jade offers a rare visual treat to all viewers.

Zerone, another Hong Kong brand name, has invited 6 designers or artists from Hong Kong and Japan to have the “5+1 crossover” collection, which included Mr. Jan Lamb (DJ/ Artists), SK8THING (Graphic Designer), Hiroaki Masuda (Shoe Designer), Michiharu Shimoda (Graphic Designer/ Musician), Motoki Mizoguchi (Graphic Designer) and TORU EYE (Shop Director of “Title”), to show their innovative design.

As one of the Hong Kong brand name, CLICK Watches have ingeniously re-appropriated these ‘retro-tonics’ into an entirely new way to show digital watch functions. Keypad watch is a new product of CLICK from a concept of calculator, number pad and digital locker. It’s totally different from the conventional watch as seen in the display.

NUMLOCK watches’ Color-Psycho collection is according to color psychological definitions, means wearing of certain selected colors will bring encouraging & constructive implications and soothing the soul. The collection was selected as “for Tokyo Designers Week during 2009 & 2011.

In response to the growing market demand for suppliers of goods in small quantities, the “Small-Order Zone” was set up this year specifically to showcase products meant for ordering in small quantities of 50-1,000 pieces. This is to be set up in the Watch & Clock Fair to provide business discussion opportunities to sellers and buyers alike.

The fair will present a variety of special activities, including cocktail receptions, conferences, product launch events, watch parades, lucky draws and seminars. In the Asian Watch Conference, speakers are among the top experts in their fields with the keynote speaker always an industry figure associated with some iconic watch design. Topics range from design to marketing to technology.

“The True Value of Prestigious Watchmaking,” a Prince Jewelry-sponsored seminar featuring Philip Ng, founder of Watch Report magazine. Representatives from global watch associations discuss the state of the industry, 5 September, at the Hong Kong International Watch Forum. And the Asian Watch Conference, 6 September, offer the insights of Shang Jiangguang, Vice President and General Manager, Zhuhai Rossini Watch Industry Ltd.

Another important networking and information opportunity is the Hong Kong International Watch Forum, in which office bearers of watch industry associations from around the globe gather to share industry and market intelligence. Seminars will also be introduced this year to highlight the BRICS markets as well as to analyse the latest market updates.

The 29th Watch and Clock Design Competition is a highlight of the fair. It continues to power the growth of new talent for the watch and clock industry giving exposure and encouragement to new designers. This year’s topic for the open group is “Initial Dream” while the student group will work with a “Love Vision” theme. Winning pieces was displayed during the fair.

The Open Group champion was Team 1 Design Limited’s “Navigator I.” The piece features separate dials for hour and minute display, as well as a crown that can be turned to change time zones. The dial and strap of the watch feature grooves representing ripples, while blue crystal bearings symbolising water drops beneath the hour, minute and second hands roll in the grooves on the watch face.

HKTDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room.