From spearheading the e-commerce and retail arm of Hypebeast Limited to co-founding luxury watch platform Wristcheck, Sean Wong takes us through his timekeeping journey

Rolex Submariner “Hulk” 116610LV

My wife and I were both given this watch by her parents when we got married in 2012. It was the first luxury watch I had the pleasure of owning and it was the one that got me down the horology rabbit hole. Immediately after receiving this watch, I read every article I could find and watched every video I could find on it. Being an avid tennis player and golfer growing up, Rolex was always a brand that I was well aware of, given their extensive sponsorship of the biggest tournaments and players in these two sports. But actually owning one of their pieces and wearing it every day gave me a new level of understanding of what makes Rolex so special.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver 15706AU

After getting into watches the year before, I started to pay attention to the wrists of everyone around me – friends, family as well as celebrities and athletes I admired. And not long after, the one brand that came to the forefront of my life (and continues till today) was Audemars Piguet. At the time, they sponsored my favourite golfer Rory McIlroy, who won four major championships during that time, always wearing an AP Royal Oak Offshore. In addition, I was lucky to meet Shawn Yue, a good friend of mine now, who was also a big fan of AP during that time. Hence, given their influence on me, I decided to part with a substantial chunk of my bank account balance to buy my first AP, the Royal Oak Offshore Diver in Forged Carbon. For me, the quality and craftsmanship of the watch was just another level, not to mention how striking it looked with the black and yellow combination. I wore the watch every day for six years straight, and love it dearly to this day.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT 26589IO

During the six years of wearing my AP ROO Diver every day, I started to notice just how “cool” the Royal Oak Concepts were. Who doesn’t love a line of watches in which a brand like AP pours all of their latest R&D into? I noticed the watch on global superstars like Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, as well as celebrated watch geeks like Nigo and John Mayer. But the two models that really pushed me over the edge were the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie (RD#1) and the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer, created in conjunction with Michael Schumacher, both released in 2015. Hence, after saving up for six years, I was incredibly lucky to have been allocated a Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT, a technical marvel that is just next-level to wear and look at. To me, it is the perfect Royal Oak Concept, finished in Sandblasted Titanium and a watch that I believe only a brand like AP can make.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 26609TI

This watch will forever be special to me because it was Austen [Chu]’s limited edition with AP. Never in a million years did I think I would be given the chance to own this watch, but more importantly, without this watch, I might never have gotten to meet Austen and become friends with him, which ultimately led us to start Wristcheck together. The eight years that I had spent working at Hypebeast equipped me with the ability to understand just how rare a project like this was and made me appreciate Austen’s special relationship with AP, as well as the daringness and unwavering passion he had to serve the younger generation of aspiring watch collectors. As for the watch itself, it is definitely a beauty, with monochrome vibes. Finished in full titanium and a QP, it wears perfectly on the wrist. Adding the fact that my friend had a hand in designing this watch and it makes it one of the top six in my collection.

Patek Philippe Grand Complications Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P-001

Grand Complications Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P-001 to me, Patek Philippe makes some of the most beautiful watches in the world, especially their Grand Complications. And when I took a deep dive into their history, I realized just how significant the Perpetual Calendar Chronograph was to the brand. And while Patek Philippe had ended production of the 5970 before I got into watches, it was a piece that was incredibly beautiful to me, not to mention the significance of the lineage dating back to the 2499 and 3970. Hence, when I was given the chance to acquire a 5270P (in a beautiful Salmon dial, no less), I jumped at the opportunity. In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful modern Pateks, and a coveted piece in my watch collection.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin “50th Anniversary” 16202PT

In 2022, AP celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak, an incredible celebration of the model line-up that redefined the luxury sports watch segment, dating back to the original 5402 from 1972. Over the past decade in watch collecting, the Royal Oak “Jumbo” has always had a special place in my heart (and I’m sure that’s the case for many other collectors), not only for its historical significance but also because it’s the OG Royal Oak, a line of watches that I just love so much. Hence, to have been allocated a “Jumbo” for the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak literally floored me. And, not just any “Jumbo”, but one that had the incredible Smoked Green dial and also finished in platinum. For all the reasons above, it has been an absolute honour to have this watch in my collection.

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