Swiss watches have been a symbol of quality, style and status in Hong Kong and the mainland for more than a century. A short walk through Hong Kong or Shanghai's major shopping districts is enough to demonstrate the esteem in which these quality timepieces are held.
Marc Djunbushian, manager of Tourbillon HK, knows a thing or two about the industry. However, unlike the ubiquitous high street shops selling Swiss-made watches, Mr Djunbushian deals solely in antique (pre-1965) and fine Swiss watches. Having begun in the business more than 13 years ago in France, Tourbillon HK is now the only provider of these master timepieces in Hong Kong.
'I have always been fond of art, especially antique objects and paintings. Immediately after I left school I felt that these Swiss watches were art. Their moving parts are an art form. Very few people can make a perpetual calendar [showing the day, month and moon phases on the watch face], only the elite factories are able to make them, and perhaps only one or two people in those factories have the ability,' Mr Djunbushian said.
When handling one of these watches it is easy to see, even to the untrained eye, why these pieces are seen as works of art and can be valued at more than HK$1million, and in some cases much more. The Patek Philippe 1526, manufactured in 1943, was the first watch to include a perpetual calendar and is truly a work of art.
'Just like the old saying 'you can tell a lot about people from the shoes they wear', you can also tell a lot about someone by their watch,' Mr Djunbushian said. 'Owners of these antique watches, in a way, speak a secret language to each other. Our customers are educated, successful people for whom buying such works of art comes naturally. They want something unique and will know that when they go to a restaurant that they will be the only person there wearing that watch.'
Since opening an office in Hong Kong a year ago, Mr Djunbushian was surprised to see that all of his customers were local or mainland Chinese. His customers have included the chief executives of two major banks and top lawyers.