For four days, watchmakers, industry heavyweights, and watch collectors alike are invited to geek out over their collective love for horology. Organised by The Hour Glass, IAMWATCH2024 will take place from October 17 to 20 at The Singapore Edition. The programme, designed for the Pan-Asian watch-collecting community, consists of get-togethers, lectures, masterclasses, and conversations that foster face-to-face interactions within a casual and relaxed setting.
“We are pleased to welcome the watch community to IAMWATCH 2024,” says Michael Tay, Group Managing Director of The Hour Glass. “The IAMWATCH 2024 platform is not just about showcasing artisanal watchmaking, it’s an opportunity for meaningful engagement and discourse. “
“We have curated a series of get-togethers, insightful lectures by writer David Rooney on the evolution of timekeeping and designer Lee Yuen-Rapati on watch typography; masterclasses by Jean-Claude Biver, and Maximilian Büsser, and conversations with watchmakers, designers, and tastemakers. IAMWATCH 2024 will be an unparalleled opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts to explore today’s horological landscape,” Tay adds.
On Friday (October 18), the public can look forward to two masterclasses on watchmaking entrepreneurship by MB&F Founder and Creative Director Maximilian Büsser, as well as industry luminary Jean-Claude Biver.
Other highlights include get-togethers with the CEO of Girard-Perregaux and the Managing Director of Ulysse Nardin, as well as a film screening of ‘Keeper of Time’, which tells the stories of four artisanal watchmakers, Philippe Dufour, Roger W. Smith, François-Paul Journe, and Büsser. Attendees can also hear David Rooney, author of About Time, speak on Amsterdam’s first stock exchange clock, modern financial timekeeping, and the link between time and commerce.
The next day (October 19), check out part two of Rooney’s talk and join Alexandre Ghotbi, Firmin Li, Michael Tay, and Tiffany To as they discuss the emergence of artisanal watchmaking, the shifting landscape, and the logic behind their collecting preferences.
Before the day ends, don’t miss out on hearing Alain Silberstein, Franc Vila, Manuel Emch, and Raul Pages share life lessons in watch entrepreneurship. Plus, follow Gaël Petermann, Jean Arnault, Rémy Cools, and Theo Auffret as they discuss the importance of ambition in realising one’s vision.
On the final day (October 20), Rooney will discuss timekeepers’ role in extending our horizons, from medieval automata to modern space clocks, and their impact on our survival. Listen closely as Aurel Bacs, Jean-Claude Biver, Sam Hines, and Wei Koh explore the changing state of the watch market in 2024 and beyond, as well as the shifts we might expect in brick-and-mortar retailing, e-commerce, and auction house activities.
Looking to the future, Jean Arnault, Matthieu Haverlan, Manuel Emch, and Wei Koh ponder the future of the watch industry from 2025 to 2035. Here’s some food for thought: How will the business landscape shift within the next decade, and what will be the key external opportunities and threats faced by the industry?
Click here for more details on the programme. IAMWATCH 2024 opens by-invitation with a private view on October 17. Admission is free and open to the public from October 18 to 20. Pre-register for the event here.
