Review of Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, 2016-2017, China

The Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair is a timepiece trade show held annually in Hong Kong. It is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd., and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries Ltd. The fair showcases both Hong Kong and international labels, and also serves a platform for participants to exchange information and market intelligence. The five-day-long trade fair is opened every year in the beginning of September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The HKTDC 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.

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.

Special highlights of the fair include Brand Name Gallery, an attractive setting for fashionable timepieces by top brands, and Pageant of Eternity, designed to highlight the beauty and craftsmanship of watches at the high end of the spectrum.

The watch and clock manufacturers have broadened their scope, launching watches with traditional sensibilities and excellent craftsmanship, increasing the attractiveness of their brands through crossover collaborations, and developing smart watches that employ the latest technologies and capabilities to ride the fast-growing trend for wearable technologies.

Exhibit categories include: Brand Name Gallery (Brand Name Watches & Clocks); Complete Watches & Clocks; Part & Components; Machinery/ Equipment; Packaging; Trade Services.

With impeccable style and luxurious prestige, Salon de TE represents the gold standard of world-renowned brands that carry historic significance, masterful craftsmanship and elite acclaim. As the highlight attraction of the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, Salon de TE takes you on a journey of around 140 of the world’s most sought-after brands and watchmakers, representing the pinnacle of treasured pieces that stand the test of time.

Collecting acclaimed, high-end timepieces that represent the pinnacle of time, the spectacular Salon de TE presents hundreds iconic international brands that define greatness in world horology. Organised in five themed zones, it provides efficient sourcing experience with a view from the top.

World Brand Piazza exhibits treasured timepieces from international brands that represent the pinnacle of haute horology; Renaissance Moment looks back in time with an elegant collection of iconic European timepieces; Chic & Trendy is home to the next wave of must-have styles that will redefine industry trends; Craft Treasure pays tribute to exquisite jewellery design and intricate movements in prestigious watches; Wearable Tech takes a step into the future with next-gen smart watches of tomorrow.

Take a stroll back in time with Renaissance Moment, an exquisite collection of classic, refined watches that represent Europe’s finest traditions in horology. In particular, the Swiss Independent Watchmaking Pavilion is a perennial attraction for timepiece aficionados that features Switzerland’s most prestigious independent watch brands.

The Wearable Tech Zone offer the future of horology, as the age of technology continues to flourish, tomorrow’s watches will do more than telling time. From monitoring healthy lifestyles to charting fitness levels and medical applications, smart watches are already becoming a key part of modern living and their popularity will only increase with time.

The 36th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) stage the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, along with Salon de TE, the premium platform for designer and original brands, during 5-9 September 2017 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, featuring over 810 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions. The fair attracted over 20,000 buyers from around the world, attesting to Hong Kong’s prominent status as a global hub for watch and clock trade.

Salon de TE is a gala of designer watch collections in five themed zones. World Brand Piazza comes to the spotlight with limited editions and rare timepieces from 13 prestigious brands. Last year’s exhibiting brands included Blancpain, BOVET, Breguet, BVLGARI, Chopard, CORUM, DeWitt, FRANCK MULLER, Glashütte Original, H. Moser & Cie, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget and Zenith. Chic & Trendy gathers stylish and trending watch labels including Code (Hungary), Deep Blue (US), Hush Puppies (US), Rhythm (Japan) and Wacocoro (Japan).

Craft Treasure showcases functional mechanical watches as well as jewellery watches that exemplify horological craftsmanship. Renaissance Moment houses classic and elegant brands originated in Europe such as Guy Laroche (France), Lancaster (Italy) and Van Gogh (Netherlands), with the expected return of Swiss Eminence and the Swiss Independent Watchmaking Pavilion bringing the finest Swiss-made watches. Wearable Tech is home to branded smart watches in vogue.

Jacob & Co bring two ultra-prestigious limited edition timepieces. The one-of-a-kind Billionaire Tourbillion Watch is valued at HK$160 million. The luxurious timepiece features a case and strap set with 239 pieces of emerald-cut diamonds weighing, in total, 260 carats, including a three-carat gemstone. The opulent case is made from 18K platinum. The Astronomia Solar Tourbillon Watch, valued at HK$2.8 million, features a 3D model on the dial, simulating the moon’s revolution around the earth. With a 3D celestial panorama where the edge of the dial displays the month, the intricate dial design showcases the brand’s exquisite craftsmanship.

Craft Treasure present high-end functional mechanical watches and jewellery watches. Among them is a mechanical watch by Hong Kong brand H.I.D., a sporty timepiece that mixes heritage design with modern creative ideas and inspired by the vintage design of classic vehicles from the 1960s.

The Chic & Trendy zone gather a variety of trendy and fashionable watches. Hong Kong brand odm present a uniquely designed watch inspired by double moons revolving around Mars, where the traditional hour and minute hands are replaced by two silver balls to simulate their revolutions.

Renaissance Moment present European watches in various styles. Swiss Eminence and Swiss Independent Watchmaking Pavilion (SIWP) return to showcase premium Swiss watches. Wearable Tech showcase a range of smart watches equipped with the latest technology and functionality.

As smart watches have become fashionable in recent years, the HKTDC set up an “OEM Smart Watches” zone at the fair last year to showcase OEM smart watches and parts. Singaporean exhibitor KaHa Pte Ltd will present the PRiSM Slim Smart Series this year. The watches mix the old with the new, keeping the analogue dial with hands while incorporating smart technology and sport functionality. The PRiSM series is an innovative integration of the latest smart technology with the charm of an analogue interface in a single module.

The fair also features the Pageant of Eternity zone to showcase high-end complete watches, as well as zones such as Complete Watches, Clocks, Machinery & Equipment, Packaging, Parts & Components and Trade Services, providing a one-stop sourcing platform for buyers.

The Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair showcases a diverse range of watches and clocks as well as accessories. Pageant for Eternity is a prime location for outstanding complete watches. OEM Smart Watches, which made its debut to wide industry support last year, returns this year to cater for the growing demand of smart watches worldwide. Other product zones include Complete Watches, Clocks, Machinery & Equipment, Packaging, Parts & Components and Trade Services.

To encourage creative exchange in local watch and clock design, the HKTDC joins hands again with Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd. and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd to organise the annual Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition.

A rich programme of watch parades, seminars, buyer forums and various networking events was held during the fair to bring industry players the latest market insights and facilitate business exchange. In particular, representatives of major watch associations around the world gather and discuss challenges and opportunities in watch manufacturing at the Hong Kong International Watch Forum (5 September), while speakers from watch brands and the wearable technology sector was invited to explore smart movement in time at the Asian Watch Conference (6 September). There will also be a seminar to provide an update on the ordinance concerning the use of the Swiss-made label.

The 35th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair
The 35th HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair held from 6 to 10 September 2016 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fair feature more than 800 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions, making it the world’s largest marketplace of its kind.

To match market demand, Salon de TE comprises five thematic zones, showcasing a range of premium watch brands and unique designs. Salon de TE this year feature nearly 150 international brands in the following zones: World Brand Piazza, Renaissance Moment, Chic & Trendy, Craft Treasure and Wearable Tech.

Chic & Trendy gathers a wide range of stylish wrist watches. Craft Treasure showcases high-end functional mechanical watches and jewellery watches. Renaissance Moment presents classic European watches in various styles, including the Swiss Eminence pavilion showcasing six top-quality Swiss brands and the Swiss Independent Watchmaking pavilion showcasing seven Swiss independent watchmakers’ collections. Wearable Tech features watches that combine new technology and stylish design.

The dedicated Pageant of Eternity zone is a delight for connoisseurs of complete watches. The stunning Butterfly Love Flower watch is presented by EB Brand Limited here. Its dial shows a butterfly dancing around a flower to the mechanical rhythm. The rose gold-plated case coupled with mother-of-pearl dial rounds it up with a splendid finish.

The World Brand Piazza gathers masterpieces from 13 renowned international brands, including Blancpain, BOVET, Breguet, BVLGARI, Chopard, CORUM, DeWitt, FRANCK MULLER, Glashütte Original, H Moser & Cie, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget and Zenith. Valued at HK$1.91 million, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Cordonnet Duetto features a double-dial design with a single movement driving both dials on the front and the back to show time, with lapis lazuli set on one side and mother-of-pearl on the other.

Piagetshowcase the world’s slimmest Altiplano jewellery watch, valued at HK$1.4 million. Set with 259 pieces of round diamond and 11 black sapphires, with a three-millimetre movement, the piece reflects exquisite craftsmanship(Booth no.: 3E-WBP); Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Cordonnet Duetto, featuring a double-dial design with a single movement driving both front and back dials to show time, valued at HK$1.9 million. (around US$245000) (Booth no.: 3E-WBP);

Boegli’s Grand Opera series musical watches are equipped with a musical module and mechanical movement, capable of producing 17 notes to play classical musical pieces. Only 99 pieces are available for this limited edition watch. (Booth no.: 3E-D44); Kronsegler’s da Vinci automatic mechanical watch KS 745 combines art with function by featuring a rotating 24-dial of Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man with the figure’s head indicating the current time. (Booth No.: 3D-B43);

Memorigin’s Marco Fu watch series is themed around snooker with three black diamonds set at the 1, 4 and 7 dial markers, representing snooker player Mr Fu’s 147-point scoring record. (Booth No.: 3E-E18); AKTEO’s finance-themed watch Wall Street 42, in which the hour hand shows the Wall Street Journal, the minute hand a US bank note, and the second hand a 999.9 gold bar. (Booth No.: 3D-A38); FIYTA’s 3D Time, which emphasises 3D art, was awarded the Red Dot Academy Awards in industrial design in 2014. (Booth No.: 3E-E37).

Renaissance Moment present European watches in various styles. The Swiss brand Boegli showcase its Grand Opera series Boegli musical watches, which are equipped with a musical module and mechanical movement capable of producing 17 notes. With buttons to control the music, each watch in the series can play classical music by Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven. Only 99 pieces are available for this limited edition watch.

Craft Treasure showcase high-end functional mechanical watches and jewellery watches. Among them is Memorigin’s Marco Fu watch series. To celebrate Hong Kong snooker champion Marco Fu, three black diamonds are set at the 1, 4 and 7 dial markers, representing Mr Fu’s 147-point scoring record. The Chic & Trendy zone gather a variety of trendy and fashionable watches. The French brand AKTEO showcase a finance-themed watch, in which the hour hand shows the Wall Street Journal, the minute hand a US bank note, and the second hand a 999.9 gold bar.

Other zones in the fair include Clocks, Machinery & Equipment, Packaging, Parts & Components and Trade Services. At the Packaging zone, the “Paul Design Illusion L” series by Boda Industrial Limited – a stackable watch winder set – comes to the spotlight. The top and middle compartments contain respective control panels to wind 16 and 8 watches individually. Equipped with fingerprint and inductive locks as well as spy glass, the winder set is perfectly designed to keep valuables safe.

This year, the new “OEM Smart Watches” zone debut at the fair. Featured items include Montrichard (HK) Ltd’s smart watch Chronologia, which is capable of dual-time display and alarm, and can be connected to a smart phone to display lost-phone notification, SMS and fitness tips.

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.