David Pike has a secret passion; one he has been quietly cultivating for the past five years. It began in a small antique shop in Surrey, England, where he stumbled across an unusual watch.
'It was a military piece dating from the second world war, and had a real history. Airplane pilots during the war had very big gloves and their watches were made with exceptionally large crowns, so they could easily change the time from one zone to another. For me, that watch triggered a real passion for collecting timepieces based on their history, and today I have between 30 and 35.'
For Mr Pike, and for the growing number of avid collectors around the globe, watches are a true passion.
'Popularity in Asia is growing with the ever-increasing economy and the prosperity that goes along with that,' said Tim Bourne, international co-head of Christie's watch department.
'We have huge numbers of new buyers participating in our auctions, including from mainland China. In terms of the variety of collector, we have people from all walks of life; local people who drive a taxi around town are just as interested and passionate as a very distinguished or wealthy banker or businessman.
'Unlike the rarified and expensive world of Chinese ceramics, for example, our watch auctions give people the opportunity to buy vintage and contemporary pieces at a reasonable price, within the range of most budgets. It gets very addictive when people collect, and it is something readily available here in Hong Kong.'
