Travelling watch forum props up key collector markets

Debuting in Hong Kong this month is Dubai Watch Week’s Horology Forum, a biennial event of talks, panels and education. Known as HF. 10, and taking place on October 22-24 at Christie’s new Asia-Pacific headquarters in the Henderson building, the event also features a rich programme of masterclasses. Like Dubai Watch Week itself — a biennial fair in the United Arab Emirates — the event is free and open to the public.

The Horology Forum is a travelling concept that alternates with the main Dubai Watch Week, and has previously been held in London, New York and, during Covid lockdowns, online. HF. 10 marks its 10th edition.

Hind Seddiqi, director-general of Dubai Watch Week, says the forum is ultimately about attracting people to the following year’s Dubai Watch Week in the UAE, a key moment in the watchmaking calendar. Held in November, the Dubai event is increasingly seen by industry insiders and, especially, collectors as a must-attend gathering.

“Horology Forum is a kind of glimpse of what Dubai Watch Week is,” says Seddiqi. “In every city we go to, we try to activate the local community — watch clubs, watchmakers and craftsman who can be involved in the industry.”

HF. 10 will include panels on Asian watchmaking and a “starter pack” on how to build a watch brand, with all talks live-streamed. These are complemented by various masterclasses, most of which are watchmaking-themed — such as painting lume on watch hands or creating automatons. There are also non-watchmaking workshops, including one on Chinese calligraphy. “You get to do something and leave with an item that you’ve created,” says Seddiqi. “It’s a nice experience.”

Selecting the host city for the forum is based on several factors, she says, including input from partners (Dubai Watch Week is organised by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, a major watch retailer in the region, representing more than 80 watch and jewellery brands in more than 50 boutiques in the UAE). The organisers track which markets are interested in Dubai Watch Week — who is viewing its content and website. “We go where the community is, and somewhere we feel we can add value,” says Seddiqi.

Wei Koh, founder of watch magazine Revolution, has been attending Dubai Watch Week since 2021. “I find it admirable that the Seddiqis have decided to internationalise their event in this wonderfully interactive and fun way,” he says. “The fact that they are going to places like New York and Hong Kong shows that they go to the most dynamic and important cities in the world.”

Zoë Abelson — a New York-based watch dealer who previously worked in Hong Kong for pre-owned retailer WatchBox, now known as The 1916 Company — is not surprised that Hong Kong is the host city. It has developed a “close-knit watch-collecting culture” in recent years, she says. “Hong Kong has one of the biggest, strongest watch collector communities,” she points out. “The money there definitely helps, in that people can have insane collections.

“Hong Kong has such a large saturation of watch collectors [and] where you have the most access to watches. It’s part of the culture. You walk down the main streets in Central and there’s watch boutiques on each side . . . You can’t escape it. Watches are everywhere.” 

Hong Kong has one of the strongest watch collector communities. The money there definitely helps

Abelson will be attending HF. 10 as a panellist, and this marks her first Dubai Watch Week event. She says her collector clients increasingly praise the fair for its new and exciting elements. “It seems like there’s something for everyone,” she says.

“It’s a very community-building event, which a lot of other watch events are not. They’re more about selling, selling, selling.” Unlike industry events such as Watches and Wonders, no watches are on sale at either Dubai Watch Week or the Horology Forum.

Hong Kong remains a key market for the industry. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, China and Hong Kong represent the top two markets for Swiss watch exports after the US, their performance reflecting the industry’s overall health. However, in the first half of 2024, Swiss watch exports to China and Hong Kong declined 21.6 and 19.9 per cent respectively — contributing to a 3.2 per cent drop in global sales, compared with the same period last year.

Singapore-based collector Sumei Shum, who favours mainly independent brands, went to the last edition of Dubai Watch Week, followed by Watches and Wonders in Geneva in April. This month, she plans to attend HF. 10 to meet fellow enthusiasts and pick up a watch while she’s in town.

Shum is a fan of the biennial Horology Forum concept. “People have short memories for every two years,” she says. “It’s always good to refresh and renew, and keep people interested.” Shum adds that Dubai Watch Week increasingly feels like a fair aimed at collectors, and one that has grown by word of mouth. “Media and journalists can write and speak about the event, but it’s slightly different when a collector talks about it,” she says. “The experience comes across differently.”

In the end, it’s about creating a community and sharing a passion. “You never know who you meet in watch events like this,” says Shum. “I could meet fellow Singaporeans, instead of a more international community of collectors. I’m not expecting anything and am just going to play by ear — to see who I can meet and hopefully have a relaxed time.”