TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
The world of watch collecting catches up with ‘modding’ trend
Not simply collecting, watch collectors can explore their hobby through modding.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Individualized collectible: Ryco Haryanto sports an Orient watch with a customized dial that pays homage to the Rolex Day-Date with an onyx dial. (Personal Collection/Courtesy of Ryco Haryanto) (Personal Collection/Coutesy of Ryco Haryanto)
Not simply collecting, watch collectors can explore their hobby through ‘modding’.
For collectors, watches often stand as a representation of the times they hold most dear in life - a step up the ladder in their success story, a memento symbolizing loved ones, or a specific moment they want to cherish for as long as possible. For others however, they are investments. This is especially true in the past few years, when the price of watches has drastically increased.
During the pandemic, as of July 2020, sales of watches globally increased by 7.6 percent, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FHS) reported.
“I am a watch collector, but I’m currently a bit tired of the game. I’ve had problems with getting hold of several rare watches. Only a handful of people have in their possession the most coveted watches and then they resell them. For example, for a Rolex steel watch, you can buy at Rp 150 million [$10,461.49] retail price, with a resale price of Rp 500 million,” Benny, a watch enthusiast and notable critic on Instagram, who does not want to use his real name, said.
Recently, the popularity of watch “modding” (modifying) in Indonesia has increased. The most popular model to modify is the Seiko SKX007 mainly because the watch itself is affordable compared with Swiss watches, which are generally considered the best in the world. When it comes to modding watches, people can customize the dial, bezel, even the hour and second hands. People can also combine parts of different watches into one piece.
Modifying a Swiss watch, however, is not impossible. Bamford Watch Department, an England-based watch company founded by George Bamford, is an example. It is known for customizing brands like Tag Heuer, Zenith and others. Once looked down upon, Bamford has secured a position as a collaborating partner of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s (LVMH) watchmaking division.
