How do you feel about being the newest Friend of Montblanc?
I’m so honoured to be one, because I’ve known the brand since young and it’s the representation of luxury for men. And being a Friend of Montblanc is like being a second-degree friend to Wolverine! That’s fun, and I’m looking forward to meeting Hugh Jackman some day. I just visited the new Paragon boutique — the sixth in Singapore — and it’s amazing because it’s the first to have an embossing and engraving service, and I believe in personalisation as well, so it’s awesome to be a part of Montblanc.
So you’re a Montblanc man even before the partnership began.
The first luxury item I ever had was from Montblanc. I got a pen from a relative as a gift, but I didn’t think too much about its monetary value then. It was only later when someone told me it was Montblanc, that I did a bit of research and started to understand them.
What values do you share with Montblanc?
The pioneering spirit. I love exploration and creativity, which are what Montblanc embodies as a brand as well. As an actor, I need to constantly change from one role to another, both on the outside and inside, from the way I speak to the way I look. And Montblanc is the same, especially in recent years where they’re innovating so much on watch movements, and even writing instruments. It’s amazing, and it appeals to everyone; it’s just like my acting work — while you constantly change to surprise people, you keep your core the same. So that’s what Montblanc and myself have in similar. Another is our belief in quality. There’s no point in having quantity without quality; when you have form you need substance, and vice versa. Montblanc has a perfect balance of both.
As a Friend of Montblanc, you’re exposed to the whole universe of the brand, including timepieces.
Honestly I’m pretty new to timepieces, but when I speak to friends from different walks of life, a lot of them tell me about Montblanc. It’s amazing because while they’re creating new watches to fit with the current world demand, they still have their own icons and stamp on things. It makes me look forward to what Montblanc will offer in the next couple of years. I’ve started to appreciate smartwatches as well, and the Summit is one of the sexiest timepieces in the category — sales have proven it to be! [Laughs]
Being an actor and celebrity, you’re used to busy schedules. What does time mean to you?
It means everything to me. Time is a scarcity in life. We’re only given 24 hours a day, how do you maximise it? That’s something to think about: making things work your way, making your days fruitful and productive. Managing time is an art, but once you master it you can do so much more than what others can, and that leads to success. In the film industry, you’re always short of time; you have this amount of daylight to finish your acting work, so you just need to maximise timings.
Anything else you’d like to say to your fans and Montblanc enthusiasts?
This is an exciting synergy between a brand and a personality that’s moving in the same direction. It’s one-plus-one-equals-more-than-two, and I’m looking forward to more collaboration between us. I want to be the person to introduce Montblanc to people, at the same time Montblanc will bring me to a different perspective in life, being a brand with a long history.
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