The Hong Kong watch industry has taken a few good turns since the days when its international fame rested on the abundance of fake Rolexes sold here.
Today, watch brands from Hong Kong are a success even in Switzerland. This month, a fashionable online store in probably the toughest market for timepieces in the world proudly announced: 'Finally - Hong Kong cult watches by o.d.m. available at Snowboard.ch.'
Even though the bigger chunk of the local watch and clock industry still consists of production for established brands elsewhere, the number of successful homegrown labels is rising fast. Six years ago, the newly established Brand Name Gallery sported a mere eight domestic names. Today, that number is close to 100.
While European timepieces excel in their artistic designs, Hong Kong brands have to marry the sales aspect with artistic elements in their development.
'European brands can afford to spend handsomely to develop a watch just to advocate an elegant lifestyle or to strive for functional precision, but the competitive edge of our [Hong Kong] watch designs are their flexibility in price and their value-for-money quality,' said Matthew Leung, winner of this year's Hong Kong Watch and Clock Design Competition.
When it comes to watch design in Hong Kong, creativity takes top priority.
