As part of the August issue’s celebration of all things home, Men’s Folio shines a spotlight on six Singapore watch brands.
A little-known fact to those outside the industry is that Singapore is amongst the top export markets globally for Swiss-made watches. Granted, Singapore’s land mass and population size are markedly smaller compared to the other markets on the list (except Hong Kong). But if anything, if anything, it is an indicator that Singapore certainly is right up there in terms of horological passion — a passion that is also a source of pride. It comes as no surprise, then, that the city-state was a plethora of local watch brands, some of whom have made a name for themselves on the global stage.
Regardless, they are — collectively — the best of what Singapore offers in horology. While each brand is unique in its own right, all are driven by innovation, creativity, and passion. In essence, they are both a reflection and proud stewards of the island nation’s love for watches.
There are familiar names: OGs like Azimuth Watch Co. and Christopher Long, household brands such as Zelos’ Elshan Tang, and BOLDR Supply Co’s Leon Leong are shoo-ins for this story. That said, the innovation, creativity and pride in the work from names like Arcturus Watches’ Alexander Loh, Feynman Timekeepers’ Lim Yong Keong, and Horizon Watches’ Sugiharto Kusumadi together with Fred Bekher make them wrist-bound pieces of horological art in their own right.
Here is part 1 of 3 featuring Azimuth Watch Co. and Horizon Watches.
Azimuth Watch Co.
Azimuth Land Cruiser, an evolution of the Azimuth SP-1 Landship
Azimuth is one of those trailblazing names that come to mind for those who have ventured knee-deep into Singapore’s watchmaking scene. For the uninitiated, Singapore-founded and Swiss-made Azimuth recently celebrated its 20th anniversary after being founded in 2003 and is credited with some of the most unorthodox and whimsical creations. The brand’s crowning glory — Mr. Roboto — epitomises what the brand is all about though other creations such as the Spaceship and Chrono Gauge BMF have enjoyed time in the limelight too.
Azimuth’s latest creation — the Land Cruiser — is created in the same vein, distinctly Azimuth at first glance with its sci-fi-led appearance. While the Land Cruiser took four years to develop, its blueprint was not designed from scratch as it was based on its predecessor — the World War 1 tank-like SP-1 Landship, unveiled in 2010. Stylistically, the later version spots an all-around sleeker case given its alter ego, a highly classified spacecraft tasked to identify an extraterrestrial threat some 500 light years away. Such is the — at times — farfetched imagination that has enriched Azimuth, making it a sidestep from traditional watchmaking codes. Despite its heft, the watch’s ergonomics are tuned and dialled in — the domed wandering hour on the case top and slanted retrograde minute frame at the 6 o’clock position allows time to be read effectively with minimal fuss.
Given the already imposing real estate the watch takes up, its crown is positioned at the rear end of the case to ensure a clean outline. Earthlings can rest well knowing that 100 pieces of the Land Cruiser are on standby should Earth face an imminent threat.
In conversation with Azimuth Watch Co. founder Christopher Long
When was Azimuth founded, and how has the brand’s growth journey been?
Azimuth was founded in 2003. The journey has been an adventure, albeit a long and arduous one. When we first started, it was driven by pure passion and ignorance. We have this dream to create a watch design that goes against conventional norms, not another me-too product. If you recall — back in the 2000s — watches were generally round, and big watches were getting in trend. That really set the backdrop for us to go a little crazier on watch designs, to break away from round shape, create a bolder statement and explore alternative ways to read time.
While interesting, we quickly realised that the market isn’t ready for such avant-garde design watches, and this market segment was so niche that it probably forms 20 percent of the watch market. Not many people appreciate such unconventional designs nor support the local boys. Financially, it was really challenging. However, we stuck to our guns — creating unique design timepieces that we personally enjoy fiddling with — and fast forward to 2024, we are happy to say that Azimuth is now known for its creative and out-of-the-box design. The market has matured, and the number of collectors who enjoy this genre of watch designs have increased quite greatly.
Naturally, when the market expands, more players in this segment come along. The industry has been seeing an increase in new watch brands emerging in the scene, offering interesting timepieces across all price segments. This is something not seen 20 years ago, and it’s a new challenge I believe every brand has to take note of and adapt to. Over the course of over 20 years, we have achieved several milestones, creating one of the most iconic watches of all time — Mr Roboto, back around 2006 and the world’s first anti-clockwise single-hand watch around 2009. Today, we continue to refine our iconic models and continue the line of avant-garde design watches.
How did the brand name come along — and what were the inspirations or points of reference that created the brand identity?
The brand Azimuth is derived from an Arabic root word which means “The Way”. Today it has been used widely among the explorers, the military, the navigators, et cetra to determine the angle of travel with reference to the true north. As we always tell our collectors — when you own an Azimuth watch, you will never lose direction in life.
What is a lesser-known and interesting backstory of the brand you would like to share?
None of the founders came from watchmaking or watch business backgrounds. Passion made us do it. On a more serious note, we get the usual questions from collectors asking us what the acronym BMF stands for on our Mr. Roboto and other Mecha-1 series watches. We always tell them — it means whatever it means to you.
What was the inspiration behind the collection, and what is your favourite feature of the watch?
The Land Cruiser is an evolution of the first model — The Landship, created in 2010. The Landship was the name given to military tanks created during WWI. The ridiculous nature of its form intrigued us, and we decided to create a watch out of it. To complement the watch’s avant-garde design, we decided to create a movement complication with retrograde and regulator minutes.
In 2023, we relaunched the second-generation Landship — the Land Cruiser, which sports a more futuristic design. If you have noticed by now, we are quite inspired by toys and fantasy, and The Land Cruiser is a way we express the child inside us. The fantasy is the Land Cruiser embarks on a highly classified military project to a newly formed planet 500 light years away. This time, it’s a rugged hovercraft with off-road capabilities tasked on an urgent mission to trek challenging terrains in uncharted territories — ranging from rocky landscapes to sandy deserts — to ascertain the characteristics of this newly discovered destructive element that threatens to kill mankind. This machine does not wage war among men but against a much more powerful cosmic force. My favourite feature is the watch’s aesthetics and how well it sits on the wrist. The complication is granted.
The famed Azimuth Mr Roboto
What element (complication, material or lifestyle) did you prioritise when designing the watch?
We have two priorities — design and complications. We gravitate towards unusual designs supported by some complications. For us, making bold designs without executing the traditional Swiss watchmaking craft is neither exciting nor rewarding.
Which of the collections you have released so far is the closest to your heart?
We have created many interesting timepieces over the years, including The Back-In-Time, The Spaceships, Mr. Roboto, and many watches under the automobile theme. But the one that will likely follow me to my grave is Mr. Roboto. He is my good buddy.
Horizon Watches
The Horizon Watches Nemo Ocean
Having captured the imagination of millions, French novelist Jules Verne and his fictional protagonist Captain Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870) and The Mysterious Island (1875) are the inspiration and genesis for Horizon Watches. Aptly named the Horizon Nemo, the dive watch is the third release from the brand and is a direct descendant of Horizon Watches’ maiden collection, the -N-.
Unlike the hulking presence of its predecessor, the Horizon Nemo takes a smaller and svelte form without sacrificing the now signature traits of Horizon Watches — including a two-part case construction, an Integrated Date Display (IDD), a proprietary typeface and tall (0.6mm) hour indices. A meticulousness to detail is another hallmark of the brand, as each of the three traits is subjected to an extensive thought process.
The unique case construction allowed for intricate finishing even in the tightest corners, while the IDD solved the date aperture conundrum on the dial. Aesthetically, the Horizon Nemo Ocean (pictured) features a blue wave-patterned dial reminiscent of the Seven Seas and a matching sapphire bezel insert. Uniquely shaped fishing spear watch hands — propped up in an equally interesting three-stepped raised cone orientation on the dial centre — are further nods to Captain Nemo’s seafaring expeditions.
The Horizon Nemo Ocean is accompanied by a brick/block-type stainless steel bracelet featuring Horizon’s ingenious MicroSliders length adjustment system. The concept involves adding an adjustable link at each end of the bracelet. This link can be extended by pressing and sliding a spring-loaded bar attached to it, allowing for adjustments in either half or full length.
In conversation with Horizon Watches Co-Founder Sugiharto Kusumadi
The Horizon Watches Nemo Kelp
When was Horizon founded, and how has the brand’s growth journey been?
Horizon Watches was founded in 2021 and resulted from my collaboration with Ukrainian watch designer Fred Bekher. You could say that fate brought Fred and I together. Fred has designed watches for many brands and has always had a longtime dream of having his watch brand. When we got together, we soon found that we shared not only a passion for well-designed, quality timepieces with elements of surprise but also a strong work ethic. These are just some factors that resulted in a solid partnership between Fred and me. Fred designs, and I support marketing and fulfilment. That said, communication has been two-way since day one; we seek each other’s opinions before we decide on major issues.
Today, Horizon Watches has launched three collections. With these collections, the brand has established a strong signature style with the following traits — two-part case construction, Integrated Date Display (IDD) and 0.6mm tall markers with a proprietary font. With three successful Kickstarter campaigns under its belt and combined with positive reviews from collectors and media alike, Horizon Watches has garnered a strong following globally. Generally, people are surprised by the level of detail and high-quality finishing for the price that we charge.
Fred and I started the Horizon Owners Club on Facebook to unite the community that’s supported Horizon Watches and continues to do so. An interesting point to highlight is that the name Integrated Date Display (IDD) — referencing how the date display is always part of the dial design — came about thanks to input from the community.
How did the brand name come along — and what were the inspirations or points of reference that created the brand identity?
As mentioned, Horizon Watches is the culmination of Fred’s longtime dream of having his watch brand. The Horizon name represents his ideology of testing the limits regarding ideas, finishing, and details.
The brand’s designs draw inspiration from legends and adventures of the past with a strong eye for design detail. Jules Verne’s works — such as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea — have been childhood favourites and remain so for Fred and me.
What is a lesser-known and interesting backstory of the brand you would like to share?
Fred hasn’t met any of his clients in person, which is a testament to how much trust they put in him. The same applies to Horizon partners. On another note, it’s heart-warming to see that the brand’s popularity and Jules Verne-inspired collections have transcended different cultures and nationalities, with collectors residing in more than 30 countries. We are also in discussion with several local establishments regarding potential collaborations.
The Horizon Watches Nemo Coral
What was the inspiration behind the Horizon Nemo, and what is your favourite feature of the watch?
For the Horizon Nemo, Fred and I imagined a slimmer version of the first collection. The movement has been upgraded to Swiss, and we have introduced an uber-cool, newly designed stainless steel bracelet with a unique micro-adjustment system called the Micro Sliders on the butterfly deployant buckle. The bracelet is definitely my favourite feature.
What element (complication, material or lifestyle) did you prioritise when designing the Horizon Nemo?
Fred focused on reducing the overall dimensions while retaining the 200m water resistance. He managed to keep the height below 12mm (with the crystal) and designed the fitted bracelet that accentuates the overall sporty feel of the Horizon Nemo. The features known as the brand’s signature style (2-part case construction, Integrated Date Display and tall markers with proprietary font) were retained.
Lastly, he expanded the dial variants to nine, including one special project for an overseas enthusiast group and one for our retail partners.
Which of the collections you have released so far is the closest to your heart?
For me, it’s always the next one. Fred is full of ideas and he has built up a considerable design bank; we just need to plan the collections carefully so these will still be consistent with the brand’s overall storyline.
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our August 2024 issue.
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