Table of contents for Issue 3 2025 in CROWN

“The road must eventually lead to the whole world.” – Jack Kerouac, On the Road Born in China, my paternal great-grandfather arrived in Indonesia as a young labourer in the late 19th century, in search of a better life. Years later, he sent two of his four sons, still barely in their teens, back to China to be educated and reconnect with their heritage. That spirit of crossing borders – sometimes out of necessity, sometimes in search of opportunity – has lingered in my family ever since. My late father loved to travel. He worked relentlessly to find opportunities that allowed him to combine his passion with his profession, and I was fortunate to join him on many of those journeys as a child. Although, sadly, there were also periods when…

For years, women were told that watches were either serious tools or sparkling accessories, but that’s no longer the case. Today, a watch can be as versatile as a pair of gold hoop earrings or a diamond tennis bracelet: part jewellery and part essential. The rise of the wrist stack has made mixing metals and textures fashionable, but the real joy is finding a timepiece that looks just as good solo as it does nestled beside your favourite rings or bangles. Think of watches as wardrobe essentials; you wouldn’t wear the same shoes to the office and the beach, so why stop at one? From slim, elegant dials to bolder designs with character, the right timepiece tells the time and frames your style. Balance is key – choose a watch…

Rolex has never been a brand to rest on legacy alone. Just as it continues to innovate in watchmaking, it has steadily deepened its role in sport. With the recent announcement of Rolex becoming the first-ever Title Partner of SailGP, the connection between the brand and sailing enters a new chapter with the Rolex SailGP Championship. A Natural Evolution Rolex’s deep bond with the sea stretches back to the 1950s, through feats of exploration and iconic races like the Rolex Sydney Hobart and Fastnet. Its name is woven into the sport’s greatest regattas and clubs. SailGP, meanwhile, is the vanguard of modern sailing: national teams racing identical F50 foiling catamarans at blistering speeds. The Swiss watch manufacture’s step from Founding Partner and Official Timepiece to Title Partner for the global…

Independent watchmaking has always flourished on audacity. In a landscape largely steered by a handful of giants, it is often the independents who inject character, daring, and ingenuity, keeping enthusiasts captivated and continually inspired in ways that few others can. Cyrus Genève has long embodied this spirit. At Baselworld 2018, it debuted the Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon, the first wristwatch with a tourbillon set vertically at 90° in the centre of the dial. Far from a provocation, Cyrus’ studies suggested this orientation counteracts gravity more effectively in daily wear. Equally distinctive is the golden vertical bridge, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s 1502 design for the unbuilt Golden Horn bridge in Istanbul – validated by a 2019 MIT study. Both anchor and artistic statement, it divides the dial into retrograde jumping hours…

Mido has long flown just under the radar, producing some of the most reliable, well-balanced dive and tool watches in the Swiss mid-tier segment. The Ocean Star line is a perfect example of that understated competence. When it was introduced in 1944, its rugged capability was backed by the Aquadura crown gasket system, which earned the brand its reputation as the “King of Waterproof Watches”. Among its most practical variants – in and out of water – is the Ocean Star Worldtimer, a globetrotter’s ally that has quietly carved out a niche for those seeking no-nonsense worldtime functionality. Its latest iteration, Ref. M026.830.16.030.00, is quite the head-turner with its retro charm inspired by a 1970s model from Mido’s archives. Instead of employing a dedicated GMT hand or the classic 24-hour…

Originally trained as an industrial designer and running his own studio, Armand Billard entered the world of watchmaking in 2015, launching his independent brand, Sartory Billard – Sartory is derived from the Latin word sartor, meaning “to tailor”. Billard founded the studio on a simple vision: to design and create timepieces that capture and express the unique history and personality of their owner. It is this philosophy that has made customisation not just an option, but one of the studio’s defining strengths. Last year, the brand earned a nomination in the highly competitive Tourbillon category of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awards, highlighting its industry recognition. The nominated creation, La Nuit, is a poetic flying tourbillon with a 24-hour complication, powered by the in-house SBTV01 movement. To the…

Birthday Vibes In Singapore, the colours red and white are inseparable from national pride. To mark the republic’s 60th National Day, Bell & Ross has collaborated with Sincere Fine Watches on the BR-05 Sincere White Lum – an exclusive edition where the Singapore flag’s hues take centrestage. It also debuts the first full lume dial in the BR-05 line. Enhanced with Super-LumiNova X2, the entire dial glows brightly at night with a prolonged afterglow for optimal legibility. By day, bold red indexes against a white background create an unmistakable presence. Powered by the BR-CAL.321 automatic movement, the 40mm timepiece blends architectural design with vivid symbolism, underscoring the brand’s enduring ties to one of Asia’s key watch markets. Forging Fearlessly Bold watchmaking has defined Roger Dubuis since its founding, and the…

A common misconception about auctions is that they are only for the ultra-wealthy. In fact, they can be surprisingly accessible. “There is something for everyone – in this sale, we even have a watch with a starting bid of HK$12,000 (around S$2,000), which I’m tempted to bid on myself,” notes Victoria Chang, Head of Communications and Content for Christie’s Asia Pacific. Record-setting results may dominate headlines, but they represent only a small portion of the market. A look through Christie’s catalogues reveals far more attainable prices. With the backing of one of the world’s most established auction houses, buyers can also trust in thorough research and assessments by in-house experts. My first live auction was an eye-opening experience – the thrill of watching two exceptionally rare watches go under the…

Patek Philippe’s commitment to mechanically complex timepieces for women is not new, having produced its first complicated ladies’ watch, the No. 174 603 five-minute repeater, in 1916. This longstanding aspect of the Maison’s practice culminated in the Ladies First Chronograph (Ref. 7071), which debuted the in-house Caliber CH 29-535 PS in 2009. More than just a milestone in women’s horology, it underscored Patek’s belief that female collectors deserve the same technical gravitas as their male counterparts. That through-line extends to this day and frames its 2025 offerings, where complications are presented as a shared pursuit for collectors of every gender, epitomised by the Twenty~4 Perpetual Calendar and sub-40mm models that balance technical substance with wearability. Twenty~4 Perpetual Calendar Refs. 7340/1R-001 & 7340/1R-010 The headliners, the Twenty~4 Perpetual Calendar models, mark…

When Grand Seiko first unveiled its lioninspired sports watches in 2019, the bold case silhouette and angular lines marked a new direction for the brand’s contemporary sports designs. This year, the new Tokyo Lion Tentagraph brings together symbolic design, innovative materials, and, most significantly, Grand Seiko’s first mechanical chronograph movement: the Calibre 9SC5. The case of this new Tentagraph pushes the lion theme further than before. Hairline-finished surfaces extend from lugs to bezel, evoking the untamed beauty of claw marks in metal. For the first time in Grand Seiko’s Sport Collection, the case is rendered in Brilliant Hard Titanium, a proprietary alloy of the brand. Brighter than traditional titanium yet twice as hard as stainless steel, it provides both radiance and resilience. The result is a 43mm case that balances…

Montblanc presented its first timepiece collection in 1997, but it truly stepped up its game in 2006 with the integration of the historic Minerva manufacture into its fold and the launch of the Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph the following year. Like a freshly inked signature, the watch had an unconventional dial layout and flaunted its in-house pedigree. While most chronographs employed hands sweeping over static sub-dials, Montblanc flipped the script with two rotating discs beneath a fixed marker, evoking its namesake’s timekeeping invention. Fast forward to today, the latest Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph (Ref. 132947) brings the collection back to the birthplace of its inspiration, Paris, with several aesthetic updates. The sixth royal watchmaker to the King of France, the enterprising Nicolas Rieussec famously tested his timekeeper on 1 September…

Between the reception and the main building of Chopard’s Meyrin manufacture lies a beautiful Zen garden within the inner courtyard, its serenity enveloping anyone who passes by. It’s a landscape feature from the previous owners that Chopard has carefully nurtured since. We had popped by from the Palexpo, where the Watches and Wonders Geneva fair was taking place, as one of several groups the brand was hosting that day. The busyness of the fair was a great contrast to the peace the Zen garden radiated. The manufacture is a house full of precious objects that await discovery by the casual visitor. In the visitor’s meeting room, a Roy Lichtenstein print hangs nonchalantly in the corner, while a drawer holds exclusive cigars. Rare collectables, from model cars to installations, are thoughtfully…

First launched in 2018, Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Free Wheel series amazed collectors with its bridge-less double barrels, gear trains, and flying tourbillon. The latest Maillechort edition swaps stone dials for German silver (maillechort), prized for its silvery warmth and patina. The organic alloy contrasts beautifully with the watch’s futuristic theatrics. Commanding attention with its 45mm white gold case and sapphire “ultra-glass box” that reveals the mesmerising floating architecture from every angle, the Blast Free Wheel Maillechort features a grained dial plate that sets the stage for highlights such as the double barrel with seven-day power reserve and the award-winning Ulysse Anchor Constant Escapement. Limited to 50 pieces and paired with a velvet-textured blue rubber strap, it captivates with pared-down aesthetics and ingenious mechanics.…

Bangkok may have been deep in monsoon season, but the city’s energy was undimmed. Against the glittering backdrop of the historic Chao Phraya River, Mido staged the world premiere of the Multifort TV Chronograph at the Four Seasons Hotel. More than 150 guests, including watch media, KOLs, and a constellation of Thai celebrities, gathered to witness the debut as August drew to a close. The launch itself, aptly titled the “Prime Time Event”, unfolded as a spectacle. Guests enjoyed a live performance presented in the style of a TV show, followed by a countdown and product premiere film. A dedicated ‘Expertise Lounge’ provided guests with the opportunity to handle the watches, explore the finishing, and even examine the movement up close under the guidance of a watchmaker. Heritage, Reimagined Mido’s…

In recent years, the watchmaking world has undergone a subtle yet significant shift toward more petite sizes. Collectors and enthusiasts are placing greater value on balanced proportions and wrist comfort in response to the era of oversized timepieces that dominated the previous decade. Market data and observations indicate a rise in releases under 40 mm across both sports and dress categories, as brands seek to cater to a wider range of preferences. Slimmer dimensions are also reviving the allure of classic designs and bringing a vintage sensibility to the modern stage. This trend is reflected in the five models we will explore here: Patek Philippe Cubitus, IWC Ingenieur Automatic, Cartier Baignoire, Tudor Black Bay 54, and Tissot PRX. PATEK PHILIPPE CUBITUS First introduced in October 2024, the Cubitus is an…

Blancpain has never allowed the Fifty Fathoms to stand still. Since the collection’s rebirth in 2003 for its 50th anniversary, the watch that defined modern dive timing has been continually refined and reimagined. The Fifty Fathoms’ origin story is well rehearsed – the first professional-grade diver in 1953, a blueprint that set the template for every serious dive watch that followed. Fast forward to 2023, and its 70th anniversary was marked with fresh milestones and limited editions, but what remains striking is how youthful the Fifty Fathoms still feels. Two decades of technical evolutions and aesthetic reinterpretations have kept it not just relevant, but at the cutting edge of tool watchmaking. From Gombessa to Tech In July, Blancpain added the Fifty Fathoms Tech to its permanent line-up. The name first…

Luminox has been supplying the US military with field watches for 36 years, ever since Barry Cohen founded the brand in 1989. From the outset, these watches were engineered to military specifications: lightweight, robust, waterproof, precise, and, above all, readable in any condition – on land, at sea, in the air, or even in space. That DNA has defined Luminox ever since. Luminox owes much of its resilience to Carbonox, a proprietary material that is both lightweight and ultra-strong, making its watches nearly indestructible yet comfortable to wear. Powered by Swiss quartz movements – and occasionally mechanical calibres – these timepieces combine accuracy with durability. A hallmark feature is tritium technology: self-powered borosilicate gas tubes that glow continuously for up to 25 years, ensuring perfect legibility in darkness. Trusted by…

Few parts of a watch speak as directly to the wearer as the dial – the canvas on which time itself is read. To be invited behind the doors of Franck Muller’s dial manufactory was, therefore, not only a bonus but also a glimpse into the very heart of its watchmaking philosophy. What I discovered was a world where age-old artistry meets modern precision, and where the smallest details – invisible to most – become defining signatures of the brand. As much as we often talk about the mechanics of a timepiece – let’s face it – first impressions count as much as what goes on beneath the surface. It’s how human perception works, and there’s nothing complicated about it. Few watch brands maintain their own dial factory, and it…