Of history, the Swiss, Malaysia, watchmakers, influence and opinion..."bernard cheong" in the past

Articles that pop up from as way back as 2007 to 2011..

From

The New Straits Times

 

 

Dr Bernard Cheong

NST, December 9, 2011

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Every watch has a fascinating story, the official ambassador for Foundation De La Haute Horlogerie tells Aneeta Sundararaj, as he unravels the tales behind some magnificent pieces.

SOME people collect stamps. And some collect coins. Then, there's Dr Bernard Cheong.He collects watches, to the point where he says, "Practising medicine has become something I do in my spare time."

 

 

Born in Kuantan, Pahang, Dr Cheong's parents chose to make Singapore their home when the city state left the Federation of Malaya. "My parents insisted that I go to a good school and enrolled me in ACS (Anglo Chinese School)."

New to the social dynamics at play, he felt totally out of place.

...

It is a limited edition timepiece which has, "a part of Malaysia in it; there is a fossil from an oil palm tree embedded in the design," explains Dr Cheong.

"When such watches were first made, serious collectors didn't see the brilliance in them. I wanted to be instrumental in helping watchmaking companies like this achieve success."

Malaysia, Dr Cheong insists, has a treasure trove of people who are interested in the watchmaking industry. The person who comes easily to his mind is the late Datuk Rolf Schynder. "His love for Asia was reflected in his work."

Dr Cheong then pulls up his right shirt sleeve to reveal the gift from his friend.

...

Dr Cheong is also one of the judges for this year's A Journey Through Time Watch of the Year 2011 award.

Surprisingly, Dr Cheong also gives credit to the Malaysian people.

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Dr Cheong's collection of watches seems to mirror such evolution: his first watch was a Seiko stopwatch. "It cost me about SDG130 (RM316 ). That was a lot of money in the 1970s."

Today, wearing two watches all the time, he does find it difficult to pick a favourite from his vast collection. Eventually, he settles on the "master watch" (a prototype of sorts) given to him by Vianney Halter. Such admiration, it appears, is mutual as Dr Cheong says that Halter thanked him in his acceptance speech when Halter was awarded the title of The Best Watchmaker of the Year 2011.

 

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In the end, Dr Cheong is looking for, "that Wow! factor in any watch.

Starhill Gallery
www.starhillgallery.com, 5 Dec 2009 [cached]

The forum will include highly esteemed watch collector, Dr Bernard Cheong, Maximillian Busser, CEO of MB&F; Malaysia's astronaut, Datuk Sheikh Muszaphar; Prof Massimiliano Landi; watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin and YTL's Chief Environmental Officer, Ruth Yeoh.

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Dato' Sri will lead the group, which will include Dr Bernard Cheong, the very influential watch collector; Maximillian Busser, CEO of MB&F; Malaysia's first astronaut, Datuk Sheikh Muszaphar; Prof Massimiliano Landi; watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin and my Chief Environmental Officer, my daughter Ruth Yeoh.

A Royal finale at Starhill Gallery’s Watch Award 2007 - Community News
www.ytlcommunity.com, 13 Dec 2007 [cached]

 

 

 

 

The Starhill Gallery Active Lifestyle Watch Award 2007, was presented by Dr. Bernard Cheong.Internationally recognized by Tatler, Harper's Bazaar, Chronos Japan, The International Herald Tribune and WatchTime USA, as among the most influential collectors in the world, Dr Bernard Cheong MD, has widely been acknowledged as instrumental in defining the new era of watchmakers as artists versus artisans through his championing of the independent watchmakers.

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Our world renowned watch critic and avid watch expert and collector, Dr Bernard Cheong said of these fine works of art, "Today, we do not buy a watch just to tell the time anymore as you can tell time easily from your mobile phones.

 

 

I continue to have a good time, well spent...creating an industry that would allow many who are now priced out of luxury homes and cars, to play and to aspire.

Watch collecting has not even begun!

I think we are seeing about 1% of its growth....and when China hits the market...a 20% rise will shake the world.

Forget titanium/steel and alloys...gold and platinum will be great again.

Please...even if you HATE Rolex, and even if you happen to be a woman. The PLATINUM 303gram Rolex Day Date

This is ONE watch which will not make you take any risks financially.

Platinum is RARE.

The ore for this watch alone MAY be the VOLUME of 7 football fields.

Almost ALL platinum mined for the last 200 years will never even fill half a container truck.

YES. Platinum is just almost the equivalent of diamonds..pink diamonds.

At Basel, 2010..I loved THIS original and "expensive" ARTYA wristwatch cheeky look at high end watch snobs

People who pay crazy money for watches which are often LESSER or worse than THIS original FIRST piece made by Yvann Arpa.
That said, I was VERY happy that over 3,000 europeans, with their often parody on the bougeous and silly...poked fun at them...paid $5,000 sgd for various editions of this watch.

Now after 2 years, and much wear...I have grown to see more and more of the humour behind making Artya.

Not all will agree.

But I would say that paying $800,000 sgd for a Vacheron Repeater is more silly...than buying this watch.

At least the Artya is intentionally poking fun at Vacheron and many silly priced under designed and boastful watches.

Cheers to a sense of humour...and to making fun of folks who show off...I am equally guilty.

Watchmaking has evolved into art.

Artya is often a Damien, Miro or Warhol.
Not all of their works are beautiful...but they have some form of intent and purpose.

I am very very happy to see this.

But first...some eye releif!!!
I love great swimwear!!!

For a look at CAR OWNERSHIP in Singapore versus watches..

The few reasons to own a car is status.

Besides all the usual others.
A Richard Mille is a status symbol.
An MB&F is another.

In my tiny island home, these things are the same prices.
So after 10 to 13 yeras of owning these...

http://bernardcheong.com/general/toyota-rav4-3-door-2000-estima-2002-porsche-991-2012-versus-richard-mille-tourbillon-02-2002/

 

 

 

Youth, the SONY RX1 depth of field in full f2.0

A gathering of classmates..all of us..born 1958!!!

Can you imagine?

And the last picture, the guy with white hair, is younger than the guy with black.

The one of 10 gold MB&F 4 machines...you will NOT regret it.

Hell.

At this price level, I was not able to stomach any non precious metal.

What the heck....it is MUCH MORE of a watch and MUCH MUCH MORE of precious art than before.

Good fortune, I believe is for all the 10 owners!

Toyota MRS we owned in 2002

I loved this car.
Drove it, and was the first person in Singapore to ask Borneo Motors to bring in the 1st version of the Toyota MR2 T bar when it was launched in the 1980s.

This I owned for 10 years.
The T bar MR2.

The MRS I crashed falling asleep at the wheel in 2003.