Watch collections were once dominated by Swiss legacy houses such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. But today, with the growing desire for exclusivity, collectors are turning to brands that are more personal and less predictable. Billy Tse, aka @billiosophy, for example, has a deep affinity for German watches and independent brands. He shares his standouts, featuring unique movement designs, special dial materials and top-notch finishing
A. Lange & Söhne
1815 Up/Down
The 1815 up/down is extra special to me since it’s my first Lange and marks the beginning of my Lange journey. I was first attracted by its symmetrical dial design, with the two sub-dials at 4 (small seconds) and 8 (power reserve indicator). Then, when I flipped it over and saw the caseback, I knew I was not leaving without it.
A. Lange & Söhne
Lange 1 “25th Anniversary”
The lange 1 “25th Anniversary” is another very meaningful timepiece to me as it’s my first limited edition and my first purchase at the boutique. Its iconic dial design is what fascinated me the most and when Lange adds the extra elements to it, such as the blue hands, the hunter back and the engraved balance cock, who can say no to this beauty?
A. Lange & Söhne
Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen”
Speaking of iconic watches, I cannot go without mentioning the Zeitwerk, an extremely readable design that pays homage to the five-minute clock at the Dresden opera house. When Lange decided to equip a Zeitwerk with a “Lumen” dial, its most renowned dial design, and a Honeygold case, its most renowned case material, a grail was born.
Nomos Glashütte
Lambda 175 Stainless Steel/White
German watches are not only about Lange; Nomos is also a force not to be ignored. Launched in 2013, the Lambda is like a statement watch that tells the world Nomos is not only about colours and designs. Unlike other Nomos models, we can find a sunbeampattern- finished 3/4 plate, gold chatons and an engraved balance cock on its in-house-designed movement. What more can you ask for at this price?
C by Romain Gauthier
Titanium Edition Four
The c by romain gauthier is probably one of my most worn watches. It feels feather-light on the wrist and looks subtle enough that I’m comfortable wearing it anywhere I go. The DLC coating on the titanium bezel gives the watch a shining black finish that we don’t rarely see. Its titanium movement is also a piece of art to say the least.
Laurent Ferrier
Classic Moon Blue
The final watch of my choice is one that I do not own – the Classic Moon by Laurent Ferrier. Featuring an elegantly designed annual calendar complication and a gorgeous-looking moonphase display, it is one of the most beautiful timepieces I have seen. The movement finishing is topnotch with all edges excellently chamfered and polished.
Also see: Federico Tan’s favourite watches
