Hong Kong Watch Fair 2012
Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair 2012 –
The Chinese watches : innovation and tourbillon
Hong Kong Fair is a must in the world of watch exhibition with its 700 exhibitors, whose 80% are Chinese. With their tourbillons, and their complications, Chinese manufacturers are working on authentic watchmaking concepts.
The “Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair” which closed on September the9th, 2012, hosted 17,561 visitors : a 4.5% increase of visitors compared to 2011. This rendez vous of watch technology, design and performance, recorded an increase of 2% of the foreign visitors including more of them coming from Iran (32%), Mainland China (17%) and Russia (+17%). We noticed that the number of buyers from Europe or United States, meanwhile, declined slightly. In total, 720 exhibitors (from 12 countries and regions) appeared satisfied with the results of the exhibition in the context of global economic slowdown plaguing today.
While most manufacturers presented casual watches, an emerging tendancy appears with silicone. Of course, silicone cases and bracelets are really comfortable to wear, but this material gives the opportunity to launch colorfull watches collections. Among all the exhibitors, some brands have reserved surprises during the fair.
This year, the trends are moving towards integrated GPS watches ideal for outdoor sports, traditional chronographs with alarm, date and time, and all black style. But some factories in China, like their older sisters from Swizeland, improved in the art of complication as Memorigin or Longio. Since 1993 the Hong Kong brand Memorigin designs in the Chinese taste and spirit crafted flying tourbillons. Skeleton, ultra-precise components, tri-dimensional perpective, have no secrets for Memorigin. Their typically oriental sculptures associated with manufacturing quality suits to the Asian market, and of course their prices are reasonnable compared to the major Swiss brands. Longio, another Chinese brand, also excels in the art of making tourbillons and other complications. Well known in the Asian market, the chinese manufacturers intend their products mainly to their domestic market which offers a huge development for their brands. “The Chinese Timekeeper” a Chinese brand launched by a French creator made a real buzz in Hong Kong fair. Its collection of automatic steel watches is a mix of chinese and european cultures. The rigorous lines of the case inspired by the Chinese architecture are highlighted by the beauty of imperial jade on the screen. Only realised on small series, it insists on the Chinese identity of the brand and the quality of its manufactured watches. The inventors also had their place on the Hong Kong watch fair, as Burg for instance. This atypical Dutch brand launched a wristwatch phone. Made of dynamic colors and original concept, it combines watchmaking skills and high-tech development in three collections inventive and playful.
Hong Kong, second largest exporter of watches in terms of value, is essential in the global market, with its Chinese brands especially made for the Asian market.
