Timing is everything

NO PUN intended, but entrepreneur James Quan’s journey into watch collecting is all about timing

Quan, the co-founder of stationery and leather crafts label Bynd Artisan says his interest in watches began only when he joined the workforce.

“When you enter society, you see more and your tastes start to change, and I was also influenced by my peers and seniors,” he says. 

Quan jokes that “watch collectors are the worst people to hang out with, because you will be tempted to want certain watches, and sometimes the prices are not for the faint-hearted”.

The first watch in his collection, which he humbly says “is a small one”, is a Rolex Submariner which he bought in the 1990s, for slightly less than S$10,000. “I considered it expensive back then, but I really loved the oystersteel and yellow gold strap, which was what attracted me to it,” he says. 

Oddly enough, when he began wearing it, he found it didn’t suit him, and he has passed it onto his wife, Winnie Chan, who is also a co-founder of Bynd Artisan. 

Quan even has an amusing story about watch collecting. He once dreamt that a friend was going to buy him a particular watch. “I woke up with a start and immediately called this friend, who coincidentally was just about to purchase this watch. And I told her not to because it wasn’t the one I wanted,” he shares.

His timepieces are kept in Bynd Artisan’s watch boxes. Several of them have blue dials, such as the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deepsea which honours film director James Cameron’s historic dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest place on earth.

Quan says he was into blue dials even before they became popular. “They stand out next to the more conventional black or white dials,” he elaborates.

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While he has a soft spot for Rolex watches because of their investment value, Quan says that most times he collects a particular watch for its design. He has no intention to sell any of his watches.

For example, he appreciates the Panerai Radiomir 1940 Blue Dial Special Edition for its domed glass and its polished steel case.

As for some limited edition watches, he has managed to purchase them because of the right timing.  “It just so happens that the boutique has stock, so there is the window of opportunity to purchase some of these limited edition watches,” says Quan. He adds that it pays to maintain a close relationship with the sales advisors for his preferred brands.

“I buy when I see there is value in the piece. I don’t believe in overpaying for the hype,” he says.

Besides luxury watches, Quan has also amassed a fair collection of Casio G-Shock pieces.

His interest in G-Shock began about 26 years ago, when he bought a Baby-G for Chan, who was then pregnant with their first child. The watch was for Chan to time her contractions.

He soon realised that some Casio pieces are harder to purchase and began collecting them. “I was surprised to learn that Casio watches can be rare and coveted,” he says.

Some limited edition pieces in his Casio collection include the Hender Scheme X G-Shock watch, which is the first G-Shock that comes with an authentic leather band, as well as the gold and silver pieces that were released to mark the line’s 35th anniversary.

Another limited edition piece he owns is the Kashiwa Sato X G-Shock watch. Quan was the first in line when it went on sale. Sato, a well-known creative figure in Japan, designed the watch to have three bands and three bezels, in clear, orange and green, creating 27 different design combinations.

“I love how watch owners can personalise this watch,  the same way that my customers can also do the same for their products,” he says.

Quan’s dream watch is a Patek Philippe Nautilus, considered by collectors as the world’s most desirable steel luxury sports watch. “I like the history and craftsmanship of the watch. It is not too chunky, and it sits nicely on the wrist,” says Quan.

Over the last two decades, he’s come close to getting one, but for one reason or another, he didn’t. The particular model he’s been eyeing is now harder to get because it has been discontinued. But Quan isn’t giving up yet. “The fun part of watch collecting is in the pursuit which all boils down to timing,” he says.