How Cortina Watch Celebrated Its 50th Anniversary In Pictures

Homegrown timepiece retailer Cortina Watch has grabbed the headlines this year with its 50th anniversary celebrations, culminating in a gala dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore on 19 November.

While many know of its first outlet at Colombo Court in 1972, few know that Cortina’s flagship store at Raffles City Singapore was the first ever boutique opened in the iconic shopping mall.

Cortina Watch's first flagship retail outlet at Raffles City Singapore — Cortina Watch was the first outlet to open at the new Raffles City Singapore back then in 1986.

Photo: Raffles City Singapore.

The boutique is still standing today. It is also the oldest standing Cortina Watch outlet in the region. “It is amazing when I’m looking through the archive to realise Cortina Watch has such a long-standing friendship with Raffles City and how Raffles City has marked a significant development for Cortina Watch’s future expansion,” says Lena Wong, Cortina Watch’s marketing manager.

Today, Cortina Watch, which is listed on the Singapore Exchange, has over 40 boutiques in the region, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia. Despite its growth over the decades, including the acquisition of another local timepiece retailer Sincere Fine Watches in 2021, Cortina Watch has never forgotten its roots. Incredibly, Sunny Lau, the senior boutique manager and one of the first few employees is still with the company.

“I started with Cortina Watch in 1972 and witnessed our growth from a humble store in Colombo Court to an international corporation. It was definitely not a bed of roses all the way, but as we grew from strength to strength together, I was rewarded with the most wonderful experiences, and I would not have traded them with anything else,” says Lau.