An Asian persuasion

WITH Hong Kong maintaining its stronghold as the number one importer of Swiss luxury watches, it was unsurprising to see many brands pulling out all stops to make sure they left an impression with Asian collectors. Hence, it was common to see watches such as Baume and Mercier's popular Promesse being given a make-over in red - considered a lucky colour in this part of the world.

To make things even more auspicious, these Asia-only exclusives are given very limited runs of anywhere from eight to 88, or at most 188, pieces. Another common sight was the use of dragon motifs in watch designs. The mythical creature is a symbol of power in Asia because of its association with emperors from ancient Chinese history.

From engraving it on the dial to using it as part of the decoration of the timepiece's movement, dragons were a hit at Watches & Wonders this year, as their presence added extra majesty to the various timepieces they adorned.