Dr Bernard Cheong

Dr Bernard Cheong shows us how watch collecting can serve as a learning tool and where to start if you've been toying with the idea of starting a collection of your own.

In the world of watches, Dr Bernard Cheong is a highly respected individual in the industry.

Cheong was appointed the first collector and non-watchmaking industry ambassador for the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie in 2011, a foundation in Geneva, Switzerland to promote and develop fine watchmaking internationally.

Many watchmakers have lauded him for his influence in changing the field. It is said that his insights and feedback as a collector has proven to be invaluable for brands to progress and push for change.

Upon conversing with him, it is clear that his philosophy and approach to watch collecting is not that complicated as one would think. Ultimately it all boils down to experience and a passion to learn, as he relates below.


Treat watch collecting as a journey, not a destination

“People always ask me, what do you know that I don’t when it comes to watches? What can you share? The truth is I know nothing! I can’t put a watch together if you took it apart but wristwatches have taught me a lot about what kind of person I am. It taught me about what I like. Wristwatches are more than luxury goods to own and to hold; it teaches you something about yourself and what is important to you.

 

Go window shopping and learn from it

“The difference between the good and the great watches is something you can learn from visiting different shops, like the ones in Starhill Gallery. You should go to shops that sell really expensive watches, you will learn a lot.

“You can only learn by spending time there and developing friendships with people who serve you at the watch shops. I learnt that most of them enjoy investing time teaching you if you are willing to learn. I should know because I started collecting watches at the age of 15 when I really had no money to buy watches. Even at the stage in my youth when I had no money to buy pieces, I learned a few things from visiting shops and speaking to the people there. That’s where you start.”


Buy watches like how you would buy art

“In watchmaking, the best advice I can give you is to think of it as how you would when buying art. Advertising is a tool that most brands utilise to sell, so this is where self-education and self-knowledge comes in. Watches behave like wine and art, there is a time when it is ripe in the market. There is a time when the market is ready to be sold. There is no expiry date, I can keep it until it reaches my buy-in price and I can enjoy wearing it everyday. I can wait for the world to appreciate what it is and command a good asking price.

 

Limited productions and limited editions are good bets for the first-timers

“Actually, limited productions and limited editions are different—very different. Most big brands make limited editions of timepieces but they are not limited production watches. Watches with limited productions are often from passionate and niche watchmakers and they require lots of work therefore they are more expensive to purchase. They both are easy to sell but the methods vary, of course.”

 

Lastly, enjoy the learning curve

“Personally, I think you are less likely to learn something if you sell a brand everyone knows. I can sell a Rolex or a Patek Philippe within one day as there is always a demand for it. I put one up on a website on sale and it’s gone before I know it. Selling branded watches is easy but all I learnt from it was supply and demand, economics. By selling niche watchmakers like MB&F or Greubel Forsey, I learnt a lot about how people appreciate things.”

 

 

We recommend: