For those of you who know me well, you will know my top three favourite things in the world: fine whisky, fine conversation, and my fine wife Tai Tai. But I have other hobbies too, of course. Collecting vintage cars when I can, growing my vintage wine collection, and pouncing on new investment opportunities whenever possible.
But what a lot of you dear readers likely don’t know is that I’m a bit of a watch geek.
Whether it is your classic Rolex or the iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch from Omega (styled like the watches worn by astronauts on Apollo 11 during the first moon landing), I have long harboured a fascination for the world of horology.
So when I heard that legendary Swiss watchmakers Swatch and Omega were collaborating on a new collection called Bioceramic MoonSwatch, rest assured my interest was piqued. And when I saw they were going to sell it for under $300 a watch versus at least about $6,000 for Omega’s original Moonwatch, I knew I had to get myself a set.
With Hong Kong still in the midst of tackling Covid, my solution was to ask a friend in Singapore to buy the watch for me.
This chap was incredible. He camped outside of the main store from 5.30am the day before the watch’s worldwide release over the weekend.
He wasn’t alone though. By the time the shop opened, hundreds of people were in the queue. Just how eager they were was reflected in the fact that some people in the crowd apparently got unruly, a fight broke out (in Singapore, of all places), and it turned out to be a rather chaotic experience.
All this despite the fact that the MoonSwatch isn't a limited edition and will be made available more widely soon.
The result? My friend managed to get his hands on one watch — a yellow one — and managed to leave the shop unscathed. I’ll be drinking to his efforts, and my new watch, later today!