The Promise of the Future: Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TIME, 2024

Even super typhoon Yagi (that caused the fairs to temporarily shut down) couldn’t dampen the pioneering spirit of the 43rd HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and 12th Salon de TIME, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd, and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd. Held at the sprawling Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, the fairs — that took place between 3 and 7 September, 2024 — attracted visitors from over 100 countries and regions.

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The 700 exhibitors from over 15 countries proudly displayed their wares across the nine zones of the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair (held across the expansive halls of the venue’s first level) and Salon de TIME’s five themed zones on the third level of the exhibition centre. The fairs stood out for their holistic approach to the world of watchmaking. The exhibits showcased not just the brands’ latest timepieces but also crucial aspects of horology such as machinery and equipment, packaging and display, and other components and accessories that remain integral to the functioning of watches and clocks. 

Showcasing Unique Creative Touches

Be it the Pageant of Eternity zone of the Watch & Clock Fair that showcased OEM and ODM high-end watches or the Craft Treasure Zone of Salon de TIME, the event emphasised creating a platform that facilitated easy interactions with the exhibiting brands, which showcased their most creative endeavours. At Salon de TIME, Hong Kong-based brand Anpassa especially stood out to us. With a special focus on creating bespoke watches for clients, the brand unveiled a special model with the Kowloon Walled City theme, inspired by the film, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. The watchmaker made expert use of micro-engraving technology and a special diamond knife to carve the walled city outline, and AR technology allows different scenes related to the Walled City to be displayed on the user’s smartphone. Romago, another brand based in Hong Kong, brought out easy smiles owing to the announcement of its special Pokémon-themed collection. Meanwhile, tourbillon-focused brand Memorigin renewed its partnership with movie star Stephen Chow to launch a limited-edition watch whose design is inspired by Chow’s NFT project, Nobody. 

Spotlighting Sustainability and Health

Now more than ever before, watchmakers are training the spotlight on sustainability in terms of materials, packaging, and even mechanisms. In keeping with the trend, both fairs introduced a Green Solutions Suppliers label this year, with 30 exhibitors displaying related products. For instance, German brand Lilienthal Berlin’s booth drew in crowds for a look at an ingenuine watch case made from recycled coffee grounds. The watch has raked in a variety of awards, including the NY Product Design Awards, the Green Product Award, and the iF Design Award. When worn, the watch even smells like coffee!

A large part of the event also focused on smartwatches that can help monitor health in addition to telling time. The Wearable Tech zone — led by the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd — included more than 10 companies that came together to exhibit their entire supply chain for smart wearables. A standout brand in this space was homegrown S52 that launched a smartwatch with a carbon fibre case. Equipped with Huawei's movement system, the model can monitor heart rate and blood oxygen levels as well as track more than 100 different types of sport data.

Focusing on Trends Analyses

In addition to the exhibition, the fairs also included several forums, seminars, and conferences that focused on market trends and analyses. The Hong Kong International Watch Forum particularly stood out for its insightful exchange between representatives from watch associations from France, Japan, Mainland China, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom regarding trade data, industry trends, and sustainable practices in their respective regions. The annual Asian Watch Conference whose theme this year was ‘The Infinite Possibilities with Watches’ was noteworthy as well. It included representatives of regions across the world discussing innovation in smart wearables, and emerging technologies and trends in the fashion watches market.

The fairs were held in the HKTDC EXHIBITION+ hybrid model. The online exhibition will continue to run until 14 September. During the entire exhibition period, exhibitors have been able to match with potential buyers from around the world through the HKTDC Click2Match smart business matching platform, a welcome move that helps democratise the process of trading, sourcing, and buying timepieces.

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