Watches of Switzerland celebrates its 60th anniversary with the 60 Revolutions exhibition and limited edition capsule with eight renowned watch brands.
It is rare to come across a homegrown watch retailer celebrating more than 50 years of existence, let alone continued success. In doing so, one would have to navigate through some of the most brutal economic crises; adding an ever-evolving retail landscape compounds the difficulty manifold. Watches of Switzerland is one of those names to have emerged from the winds of change, though not totally unscathed, to write itself into the annals of Singapore’s watch retailing scene as it celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
The first Watches of Switzerland boutique in John Little Arcade. Image courtesy of Watches of Switzerland.
The journey began on 20 February 1964, 17 months before Singapore’s independence, when founder and managing director Patrick See registered the trademark Watches of Switzerland Pte Ltd. Singapore’s iconic John Little Arcade was home to Watches of Switzerland’s maiden boutique, opening that same year in June before Favre-Leuba Watch Co. Pte Ltd. acquired the company in late May 1965. From its humble beginnings, the retailer began its expansion, first regionally into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in January 1968 and a second Singapore boutique in May 1970 at Liat Towers. Watches of Switzerland would change hands again as Jay Gee Group completed its takeover with a paid-up capital of SGD$2 million in 1978.
By then, Watches of Switzerland had already established its name in the watch industry, hosting Singapore’s first-ever Patek Philippe exhibition that coincided with its third boutique opening at DBS Building Towers (present-day OUE Downtown). Three other boutiques would later join the ranks, beginning with Paragon (2000), VivoCity (2006), Tampines Mall (2009) and NEX (2021).
The newest Watches of Switzerland multi-brand boutique at Jewel Changi opened in January 2023.
A new chapter for Watches of Switzerland beckoned when The Hour Glass acquired it from Jay Gee Melwani Group for SGD$13.3 million in 2014. The move breathed new life into Watches of Switzerland as a refreshed logo blending a pair of watch hands with the Swiss flag revitalised the retailer under the stewardship of The Hour Glass. “Reflecting on how Watches of Switzerland started from a humble store at Raffles Place to becoming one of the leading watch retailers in the APAC region 60 years later is truly gratifying. Even before the acquisition by The Hour Glass, we recognised its unwavering dedication to excellence and innovation, aligning perfectly with our core values of expertise, craftsmanship, and placing our clients’ needs first,” says Norman Ho, Group General Manager of The Hour Glass.
Strategic moves cemented Watches of Switzerland’s sky-high ambitions within the next decade. Expansions into New Zealand, Malaysia, and Vietnam are further bolstered by exclusive retailing rights secured for renowned watch brands NOMOS Glashütte, Junghans, Sinn, Frederique Constant, Louis Erard, and DOXA in Singapore. As the storied retailer celebrates its 60th anniversary, it has done so with the thematic 60 Revolutions Exhibition held earlier in June as a nod to its 60 orbits around the sun.
18 sets of the Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Le Régulateur Tourbillon and Smile-Day Grey are exclusive to Watches of Switzerland.
In honour of the milestone celebrations, Watches of Switzerland unveiled the Le Diptyque Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein alongside seven other watch brands as part of the 60 Revolutions limited edition capsule to commemorate its commitment to excellence and the deep appreciation for the art of watchmaking. The Louis Erard Alain Silberstein collaboration blossomed in 2019, culminating with the highly sought-after Le Triptyque trilogy set in black. This Watches of Switzerland iteration takes a lighter approach, mirroring the fresh hues of the 60 Revolutions artwork, with a stahlgrau, German for steel grey, dial. The shade lends a lighter and cooler monochromatic look to the watch, complementing the greyish hues of the titanium case. Just so that you should know, Louis Erard opted for differing titanium grades, Grade 2 titanium (microblasted) and Grade 5 titanium (polished), with contrasting treatments to pair with the grey nylon hook-and-loop strap fastener system.
The completed triptych with the Le Régulateur from 2021.
On the dial side is where Silberstein’s interior-architect-turned-watch-designer touch shines. His signature primary colour and quirky-shaped watch hands take centre stage with the red triangular, blue arrow-like and yellow squiggly hand, respectively, indicating both watches’ hours, minutes and seconds. The Le Régulateur Tourbillon is undoubtedly the hero of the set, with its tourbillon humming proudly in the bottom half aperture and its watch hands set in a regulator format. That does not discount the fun that the Smile-Day Grey brings, with seven emojis rotating through a small aperture to bring a smile to your face.
The two watches are sold as a set, with only 18 sets made available to commemorate Watches of Switzerland’s 60th anniversary. If there were not enough incentive to jump on this release, those who picked up the Le Régulateur in a similar grey dial in December 2021 would be thrilled to learn that adding these two pieces forms the Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein holy triptych trinity. As the company embarks on its next chapter, this 60th anniversary honours its storied past and sets the stage for continued growth and global influence. Through this celebration, Watches of Switzerland reminds us that just like the steady movement of Silberstein’s quirky watch’s hands, progress is perpetual.
Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up with our September 2024 issue.