Greetings. Wei Koh, your intrepid reporter here. And what I have to say is that watches have exploded in popularity beyond the wildest imagination of even our most stalwart industry veterans. To quote the legendary Jean-Claude Biver, “In my almost 50 years in the industry, I’ve never seen a market like this!”
So, why is it that our once-niche, slightly nerdy underground hobby has become the hottest method of self-expression for rappers, sports personalities, Instagrammers, movie stars and hedge funders the world over? More than that, why is it that every person with a few shekels of disposable income now wants to become a watch collector? What’s behind the stratospheric surge in popularity for Rolexes of any kind, anything Audemars Piguet with an octagonal bezel, any sports Patek, and pretty much all Richard Milles? and limited edition watches charting appreciation that outperforms most other asset categories? Case in point: our Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin Limited Edition sold for 20,000 dollars above (including premium) its retail price a few weeks after it was launched. How was my friend Robert-Jan Broer of Fratello Watches able to sell 50 green dial Czapek Antarctique watches at 20,000 dollars a pop in less than 39 minutes? Just what the hell is going on here? Are we amid some crazed bubble and will it all burst into flames?
