Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TE open today

8 September 2021 – The special edition of the 40^th HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and ninth Salon de TE, 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, officially open today, bringing together more than 160 exhibitors. The physical fairs run from 8 to 12 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), while the online version runs until 19 September, providing continued sourcing opportunities through both physical and online formats.

The five-day fairs are open to the general public for the first time, offering visitors the opportunity to appreciate precious timepieces and shop for watches at discounted prices. Organised by the HKTDC, Asia’s premier fashion event CENTRESTAGE runs from 10 to 12 September at the HKCEC, presenting designer brands from around the world. The concurrent fairs create synergies and new business opportunities for participants from both the watch and fashion industries.

World Brand Piazza features exquisite international brands

Showcasing quality watches of different designs, Salon de TE comprises various thematic zones including World Brand Piazza, Craft Treasure, Chic & Trendy and Renaissance Moment. Sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch for the 11^th consecutive year, World Brand Piazza presents 12 renowned international brands, including Blancpain, Breguet, Chopard, CORUM, FRANCK MULLER, Glashütte Original, Jacob & Co, Jaquet Droz, Juvenia, PARMIGIANI FLEURIER, Piaget and SARCAR Genève.

A broad range of timepieces are under the spotlight, including the following:

Masterpieces showcase exquisite micro-engraving skills

• Memorigin highlights the Six Steeds in the Tang Dynasty tourbillon watch, its first manual-winding watch that possesses a central tourbillon with free sprung balances. Each piece involves 260 hours of craftsmanship to showcase the Yangtze River, Yellow River, mountains and 18k galloping gold horses on the 42mm-diameter watch. (Booth: 1D-A20)
• ANPASSA presents its Racing Tourbillon RXD31MCS with an 18k gold micro-engraved golden dragon featured on the tourbillon movement. The titanium case is set with rainbow-coloured gemstones, showcasing the talent of the watchmaker in creating three-dimensional visual art. (Booth: 1D-A17)

Sparkling designs grab attention

• Fouetté presents the Le Petit Prince L'Etoile, which is produced in a limited quantity of just 100 pieces. The watch features 76 pieces of cubic zirconia on the bezel and eight pieces on the L'Etoile dial. It also includes a Le Petit Prince figurine in 925 sterling silver with luminous stars and hands – features that are all highly attractive to fans of the Little Prince. (Booth: 1D-B05)
• The Temporis “My” collection, inspired by the 12 zodiac constellations, has the watch case, bezel and crown set with 350 sparkling stones. The highlight of the piece is the constellation symbol rendered in black sparkling stones that provide a strong contrast to the silvery white background. (Booth: 1D-B07)

Artistic designs on trend

• The MONA LISA, Da Vinci @ Traveling Muzeum Collection Watch was designed by renowned fashion designer Vivienne Tam, and engineered by eminent scientist James Wong. The dial is decorated with 29 pieces of genuine topaz and features a crown set with valuable alexandrite. The watch, which also features a high-quality, shock-tolerant 316 S/S Swiss movement, is available for sale in a limited edition of 1,680 pieces. (Booth: 1D-B01)
• The Roulette Master Skeleton automatic model by Romago has a transparent case back showcasing an open-worked rotor. The watch is water resistant up to 50m. (Booth: 1D-B09)

Classic and trendy must-haves

• The Iza Collection C174RRD from Swiss brand COINWATCH showcases a stainless-steel case with 16 diamonds and a rose gold PVD bezel. The piece also features an interchangeable double-wrap leather strap. (Booth: 1D-A09)
• Empire Watch brings back a classic with a modern twist, featuring a metallic blue colour and a minimalist dial design. This quartz analogue watch is made from stainless steel with a mesh band safety lock, sapphire glass and a Japanese movement. (Booth: 1E-C35)

The Watch & Clock Fair also showcases parts and components. For example, the Japanese watch movement MIYOTA is introducing the Caliber 9029 at the fair, a new calibre that meets the latest trend for slimmer watch designs using its two-hand Premium Automatic movement. Other zones showcase complete watches, clocks, packaging and trade services.

Events, lucky draws and attractive shopping offers for public visitors

Various public activities are being held during the fairs including watch parades, “Watch X Fashion” parades and product launches, with the participation of local celebrities such as Cheung Tat-ming, Nelson Cheung, Derek Wong, Lilian Kan and Chan Wing-luk. Lucky draws will be organised during the fairs with prizes such as a tourbillon watch valued at HK$28,000, a one-carat moissanite diamond ring, jewellery pieces, fashion items and more. Visitors can also participate in Smart Bidding to bid for watches starting at 10% of the original price, including a tourbillon watch valued at HK$47,000. Visitors can download electronic coupons (https://bit.ly/2W7eWU7) to enjoy discounts of up to 40% when buying watches at the fairs. In addition, key opinion leaders are conducting livestreaming shows during the fairs to introduce selected watches at the onsite studio.

A watch craftsmanship workshop with the theme “Reminisce and Inherit: Locally-Made Tourbillion Demonstration” (12 September) will feature local watchmakers introducing Hong Kong-made tourbillons and demonstrating aspects of the manufacturing process. Visitors can take this chance to get a deeper understanding of the art of watchmaking.

Industry experts offer valuable insights on market prospects and trends

Industry participants should not miss a series of forums and seminars that provide first-hand market information and insights into the latest business trends. A seminar titled “Global Luxury Watch Investment and Market Outlook in Mainland China” (10 September) will invite John Ng, Horologer of Montres S.A. and known as the only Asian disciple of master horologer Philippe Dufour, Ho Sai-chu, Chairman of Chih Lo Lou Art Promotion (Non-Profit Making) Ltd, and watch experts and consultants from renowned auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips to share insights into global and Mainland Chinese luxury watch investment, the role of the younger generation in the watch industry and the watch industry outlook in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong International Watch Forum, broadcast online on 6 September, featured sharings by representatives of watch associations from Mainland China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and Switzerland. In addition to the latest market insights, participants discussed the future direction for development in the global watch manufacturing sector. Video playback is available for viewing on the fair website. Under the theme “Redesigning the Future of Luxury Watches”, the Asian Watch Conference (9 September) will invite a representative from iClick Interactive to share her views on online and offline marketing strategies for luxury watch brands in the mainland, while Dayton Industrial’s representative will offer insights into the latest developments of the watch industry. Louis Chan, Principal Economist (Global Research) from HKTDC Research, will share future markets insights for the watch industry.

Click2Match enables business matching

The HKTDC has mobilised its network of 50 offices worldwide to invite overseas buyers to connect and maintain contact with exhibitors through video conferencing. The AI-powered online business matching platform Click2Match helps to bring exhibitors together with the most suitable buyers. Participants can also take advantage of functions such as a meeting planner, live chat and e-business card exchange, helping them to overcome barriers and build business connections around the world.

Design competition to promote local creativity

To nurture budding local designers, the HKTDC joined together with the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd to organise the 38^th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Competition. The theme of the Open Group was “Minimalism” and the winning design, “SPACE BAR” by Tam Kwok-tung, presents an empty transparent container in which the hands are hidden under the wheels. The student group’s theme was “Live Fully” and the first prize went to Yip Tsz-yan from the Hong Kong Design Institute for her “Insight” design, which took inspiration from the optical arts. The winning and finalist entries from the competition are on display at Hall 1D Concourse during the fair, showcasing the best of Hong Kong’s creativity to buyers and the public.

Websites:

Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair: hkwatchfair.hktdc.com

Salon de TE: hkwatchfair.hktdc.com/te

Media enquiries

Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Janet Chan                           Tel: (852) 2584 4369                                   Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org

Angel Tang                            Tel: (852) 2584 4544                                   Email: angel.hc.tang@hktdc.org

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.