The Bon Vivant: George Tan on watches, Royal Salute and the art of refinement
The noted Omega collector and whisky enthusiast details why the finest things in life need time to be crafted perfectly
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AS ANY WHISKY CONNOISSEUR WILL tell you, you never forget your first sip. The buildup of anticipation, giving way to discovery. The sensations on the nose, on the palate, the mouthfeel, the finish. Do they resonate with your sensibilities? Do they linger in your mind’s eye?
For George Tan, the memory of his first dram of Royal Salute will stay with him forever. More than just the novelty of the experience and the sensory delights, it takes him back to a time and place alive with camaraderie and cheer.
“It was around 2012 or 2013, when I was stationed in Taiwan, that I first experienced the Royal Salute,” recalls the 53-year-old retired army officer. “Taiwan’s drinking culture is very strong. They even have whisky tastings, or whisky-led sessions during their GTGs,” he explains, using the acronym for “get-togethers”, a common shorthand among watch collectors.
His Taiwanese friends introduced him to the Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Signature Blend. “The 21-Year-Old really stood out for me. It was very smooth, you can taste the layers, and it finishes with a bit of spice. Very enjoyable,” he says.
“I’ve also tried some 25- and 28-Year-Olds, but those are rarer. Most of the time, you encounter the 21 (Year-Olds).” Then, there was the bottle – distinguished, iconic, almost ceremonial. “The porcelain design is very beautiful. They come in different colours and country editions.”
From then on, Tan started paying more attention to the brand. He realised that the expressions in Royal Salute’s Core Range tended to have very fruit-forward characteristics – something he thoroughly enjoyed.
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The Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Signature Blend, for example, opens with a heady aroma of pome and citrus fruits, leading into a silky palate of fresh pears and orange marmalade. This then deepens into a spicy medley with a hint of hazelnut, and culminates in a tinge of spice and smoke.
“I introduced it to my wife, and she got into it as well. I’m not usually a fan of blended whiskies, but Royal Salute is one of the few I truly like.”
Bonding over watches and whisky
Tan is quick to draw a distinction. “Do I consider myself a whisky collector? Not really. I buy, and I drink. I don’t buy and wait for prices to go up.”
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Whisky, for Tan, is neither about acquisition nor accumulation. It’s about experience. “I’m not a heavy drinker, but I do enjoy a drink with my friends.”
More often than not, those friends happen to be fellow watch collectors. Notably, Tan is the founder of The Omega Watch Club (TOWC), a private Facebook group with about 5,000 members and another 1,500 followers on Instagram. Tan united the Omega enthusiast community in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, when physical gatherings were no longer possible.
For the club’s fourth anniversary in 2024, Tan organised a whisky pairing dinner for about 60 to 70 members. They booked a whisky bar in Jalan Besar, #WLJK, owned by a former artillery officer.
Just for fun, members began pairing their wristcandies with different whiskies. Softer, more elegant watches went with smoother, less peaty whiskies. Bolder pieces such as the Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200M were paired with something much peatier. “We had five or six whiskies from different producers, paired with food as well. It was a fun event!” Tan shares.
Asked which watch he would pair with the Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Signature Blend, Tan responds with an Omega Constellation from the 1950s, which is known for having a distinct “pie-pan” dial shaped like an upside-down pie pan.
The reasoning is not technical, but intuitive. “Both are refined. Both are classics. They don’t need to shout to be noticed; they just are.” There’s also a historical connection. The Constellation was introduced in 1952, one year shy of when Royal Salute was established.
“In their own fields, they represent the gold standard of their era.”
Reflections of a true-blue collector
It has been 33 years since Tan bought his first Omega. Today, his collection stands at 400-plus strong. “I’m still proud to say that I’m an enthusiast, a passionate collector. I’m not a speculator,” he says.
In the early days, restraint was not part of the equation. “Because of my love for Omega, I collected almost every model – Flightmaster, Railmaster. As long as it was Omega, I liked it. Even the memorabilia, like merchandise and accessories.”
The stories from that period are equal parts devotion and delirium. “I once bought a watch box for US$1,700 – it was specific to a 1956 Melbourne Olympic watch. My wife said I was crazy,” he says, laughing. “The guy I outbid on eBay even offered me an extra US$300 to buy it back, but I said no.”
Why? Because by then, his set was complete. “I had the watch, the box, the warranty, the strap – even the advertisement. For me, that’s a complete story. That’s how hardcore and crazy I was back then. Now… maybe not as hardcore and crazy!”
On another occasion, Tan spent US$700 on a folded instruction paper. Later, he reproduced it – clearly marked as a reprint – and sold copies for S$100 each, recouping his costs. “My wife said, ‘Okay, you made money – I’m happy’.”
The patina of age
Time, as it does, changed things. Tan admits that it’s difficult to stop collecting – “But now I’m more surgical in my selection.”
The days of indiscriminate buying are over. Instead, he now considers condition, provenance, and historical value or storytelling. And vintage pieces tend to catch his eye more so than contemporary editions. “Restraint comes from realising that while a brand produces many beautiful things, not everything belongs in my story,” he muses. “Refinement is more rewarding.”
These days, for a new acquisition to make it to his collection, it must first pass the wife test. “My wife will ask me a chain of questions before I can commit (to a purchase). ‘Do you already have something similar? Do you really need this? How often will you wear it?’” Most of the time, the answers are sobering. “It’s like a cold shower. But that’s a good thing. I just say ‘Okay, thanks dear’.”
Time, it is said, is the most critical ingredient in a Royal Salute whisky. The distillery is celebrated for its extensive maturation process, where each whisky is aged for at least 21 years. That makes Tan’s favourite – the 21-Year-Old Signature Blend – the youngest expression in the brand’s portfolio.
However, Tan’s approach to whisky doesn’t begin with the age statement. “I start with the aroma: Does it appeal to me? It’s the same with watches. First, the dial – the layout, the symmetry. Then you go deeper: The movement, the finishing.
“With whisky, after the aroma comes the palate: The layers, whether you enjoy it. And finally, the finish, how it lingers. With a watch, it’s similar. Once you wear it, how does it feel on the wrist? How does the winding feel? How does the ticking sound? Are they smooth? It’s almost like… caressing a lover!” he says with a laugh.
And while whisky and watches occupy different sensory realms – one is tasted, the other one worn – both demand attention. And both reward patience. Time, in both cases, is not just measured. It is experienced.
Enjoy Royal Salute Responsibly
Photography: Darren Gabriel Leow Video: Daryl Eng Jun Fashion direction: CK Grooming: Sophia Soh, using Dior Beauty Location: Varel Singapore, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
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