Time will tell: Ladies love larger watches, says The Hour Glass

SINGAPORE — When it comes to timepieces, Singapore’s market is “highly sophisticated and mature”, said Wong Mei Ling, managing director of The Hour Glass Limited, adding that there has been a shift in tastes, particularly for women. (The Hour Glass is one of Singapore’s top luxury watch retailers.)

“Singaporeans are independent, savvy shoppers and it is actually hard to define men’s and women’s timepieces these days, as ladies are also going for bigger-sized watches which look bold and stylish. Women in Singapore started being attracted to bigger-sized cases in the last decade or so,” said Wong. “It is quite a common sight today to spot women (with) larger-sized (watches). This is probably shaped by our local preference for high-performance luxury sports watches. The ratio of sales for women versus men for a few brands defies their global trend here.”

Wong said Hublot is one such brand that has successfully reached out to women in Singapore. “Hublot makes bold statements for ladies by launching large-sized timepieces with a feminine twist, which stays true to their Art Of Fusion philosophy. Imagine a men’s size — say 41mm diameter, set in diamonds and fitted with an exotic leather strap — you get the idea.”

But just what sort of watches are today’s buyers looking for? Wong pointed out that the high-performance luxury sports category is still a leader in the market. “Timepieces

that are innovative and made from new materials tend to stand out,” she said. “For example, Magic Gold, a unique alloy created by Hublot, is a fusion material between gold and ceramic. The end result is a scratch-resistant gold.”

On the whole, she said, there is no distinct difference between what men and women look for in timepieces, “with the exception of high complication which is mainly sought after by men”. “Today, both women and men are attracted to high jewellery,” Wong added. “We don’t necessarily use gender to define our merchandising strategy, but rather curate a collection based on the strength of the models.” Christopher Toh