Until recently, most watch-possessing people owned just one or two: a classic timekeeper for work or formal occasions and perhaps something sporty for downtime. It was only in the 1980s, with the proliferation of affordable digital and quartz watches, when consumers began thinking of timepieces like any other style accessory—a product to be purchased in multiple shapes, sizes and colours.
In the 1990s, virtually every major designer label began appearing on watch dials. The thing was, for the most part, that’s all those brands really did—casually stamp their logo onto an inexpensive quartz watch and charge a premium for the branding. While their aesthetics might’ve been acceptable, the quality that distinguished the garments these designers had built their names on frequently wasn’t present.
Many fashion houses continue to simply cash in, licensing…
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Tatler Hong Kong (Digital) - 1 Issue, October 2020