Three ladies from the Malaysia Tatler Society List tell us what they look for when it comes to the perfect timepiece.

Society’s It girls Shen-Tel Lee, Gabrielle Tan-Helfman and Lim Ai Chiin are known for their individual style and creative endeavours in their enterprises and careers. However, when it comes to choosing their favourite timepieces to wear on a daily basis, they tend to fall back on sentimental or practical, functional pieces.

Shen-Tel Lee

Shen-Tel Lee.jpg(source)

On practicality versus fashion

“To be totally honest, I have never bought a watch! Yet I cannot live without one on my wrist because I would feel ‘naked’ without it.”

Qualities she looks for in a watch

“I just look for a watch that keeps time well and is low maintenance. I also need one that isn’t too precious. Being a mother of a toddler and a baby, you will never know when you will be attacked by food or paint!”

Shentel Watch.jpg(source)

Her favourite sentimental pieces

“All of my watches are sentimental in one way or other. I have two that mean the world to me. One was my first Cartier wristwatch I received as a child. We were in Paris and the whole theatrics of them measuring my wrist and punching in extra holes so it would grow with me was memorable. Watching them gift wrap it in the iconic red box might have been the whole reason why I became a packaging designer.” 

The second one would be a gold Rolex given to me by my husband on the day we got married. It was the first watch his parents bought him. I still wear it today.”

Lim Ai Chiin

Lim Ai Chiin.jpg(source)

On practicality versus fashion

“I like having a little bit of both. But if the watch is super high maintenance—like if I will need to change the battery too often—then I might think twice about getting the watch.”

Qualities she looks for in a watch

“Simplicity and elegance are the two things I look for. Of course, I also do look for that design edge that makes it different from other watches out there but nothing too OTT for my tastes or that has too much bling. I am not too fussed with other functions. Although I do think the dual function-swapping faces around in Jaeger-LeCoultre watches are pretty clever. 

Ai Watch.jpg(source)

Her favourite sentimental pieces

“My Rolex oyster with a black dial. It was my first timepiece and sort of a coming of age watch; I received it when I was 18 years old.”

Gabrielle Tan-Helfman

GabrielleTan.jpg(source)

On practicality versus fashion

“Give me a practical watch any day. To be honest, I am not much of a watch aficionado so as long as the watch has the basic features of date and time, I am sold.”

Qualities she looks for in a watch

“For me, I want a watch that can last me a lifetime so it needs to be durable. I think I have had five watches until now and they have served me for quite a number of years.”

Gabby Watch.jpg(source)

Her favourite sentimental pieces

“It has to be either my Corum or TAG Heuer timepieces.”

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