What is something most people don’t know about you?
While I appreciate the finer details of luxury, I also find real peace in simple moments, such as listening to music while reading or enjoying a quiet meal and a drink alone. It’s a reminder that sometimes stillness and simplicity are the most luxurious things in life.
How has your taste evolved over time?
In my early years, I was drawn to the loudest things, the most recognisable brands, and obvious status symbols. Over time, my taste shifted from aesthetics to intrinsics. Rather than how something looks to others, I now care more about provenance, the story of the maker, and how I feel when I use it.
What makes luxury different from discernment?
Luxury is often defined by price and external signals. Discernment is about the “why” and the ability to recognise qualities that may be overlooked by the majority. You can purchase luxury, but you must develop discernment.
“I’m enamoured by its fruity and complex taste, and it is easy to drink at any time—a rarity in whiskies.”
Rao, on the Royal Salute 24 Year Old Cognac Cask Finish
What attracts you to watches and whisky these days?
In a world of digital and disposable products, both represent permanence. A mechanical watch is a piece of analogue engineering that doesn’t need updating. Whisky is essentially bottled time, an archive of place, wood, and climate from decades ago. The two provide tangible links to the past that digital assets cannot replicate.
Tell us about the watch you’re wearing.
I was looking to add a Panerai to my collection when the Panerai Radiomir 8 Days Ceramica caught my eye because of its legacy and ceramic and titanium case construction. As a lifelong Star Wars fan, it also resonates with my darker side.
What’s the most memorable conversation you’ve ever had because of a watch or a glass of whisky?
I remember sitting in a quiet bar in St James, London, mid-afternoon, with a well-known 21-year-old whisky on the rocks. I was wearing my 2008 Chopard Mille Miglia, and someone recognised it. We didn’t talk about specs or price; instead, we discussed history and philosophy.
What legacy would you like to leave behind?
My goal is to leave behind a legacy of intentionality. Rather than just consuming things, I want to be remembered as someone who lived a life with purpose. Through my work or what I pass on personally, I want to reflect my respect for craftsmanship, and the belief that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.
Enjoy Royal Salute responsibly.
Photography Mun Kong
Art Direction Ed Harland
Grooming Sarah Tan, using MAC and Goldwell
Photography assistant Melvin Leong
