The AHCI in Hong Kong

Earlier this month, the celebrated Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) exhibited for the first time at the annual Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair (HKW&CF). At this year’s show, the thirty-eighth such exhibit, the AHCI made an exploratory appearance with six members and one candidate. Members Vincent Calabrese, Robert Bray and David Candaux were personally present to meet prospective buyers and for interviews with the press.

The exhibiting artisan members were Robert Bray, Vincent Calabrese, David Candaux, Sebastian Naeschke, Lin Yong-Hua and Zehua Tan.

“The organizers were excellent at the show and worked very hard to help the AHCI and its individual exhibitors,” said Bray. “They organized tours of VIPs, buyers and journalists and gave us the opportunity to present the AHCI as a group.”

Comparative costs are always a factor, and despite flying halfway around the world to come to the Hong Kong fair, Bray says that the costs, including the flights, were similar to those incurred to exhibit at Basel.

“We have made good contacts from buyers in India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Russia, Azerbaijan and of course the U.K.,” he added.

According to the organizer’s final review, the exhibition exposure at the show amounted to 18,000 buyers from 104 countries and regions.

The AHCI stand was similar in concept to that used at Baselworld and carried the special banner "At the AHCI you can touch the watchmaker who makes your watch."

Exhibitors had individual exhibition space within the group stand and, similar to Baselworld, there were always visitors moving through.

The HKW&CF is the biggest timepiece exhibitor in the world today and sits right at the heart of the emerging Asian markets. Below you’ll find information about a few of the timepieces exhibited at the event by AHCI members.

Bob Bray

Bob Bray FBHI (Sinclair Harding clocks) is addressing buyers from Indonesia. The HKW&CF regularly conducts groups of buyers, journalists and VIPs around the fair. The general open plan of the AHCI stand is similar to that adopted for Baselworld and is conducive to such visits.

The AHCI in Hong Kong

Vincent Calabrese (blue shirt) co-founded the AHCI in 1985 and is seen here being interviewed by Francesco Patti from L'Orologio magazine in Milan. Buyers know him for his creation of that most iconic of mechanisms - Corum’s Golden Bridge - or for his extraordinary flying tourbillon or even for his Spatial Watches.

Mattheus Naeschke

This most elegant precision long case clock of Mattheus Naeschke Clocks runs for one year. It features a hand-engraved chapter ring of solid sterling silver, flame-blued hands, dead-beat “Naeschke” escapement with round ruby pallets, compensation pendulum beating 1¼ seconds, 12 precision ball bearings and 6 ruby bearings.

Three Train Rhodium on Walnut Base

From Bob Bray of Sinclair Harding Clocks is this three-train skeleton clock with three mainsprings each operating through its respective fusee and chain to give virtually constant torque to the wheel train. The going train is controlled by a half-second deadbeat escapement and an lnvar pendulum rod assembly. This gives the piece a high standard of timekeeping, which with the seconds dial produces additional movement adding to an already fascinating spectacle.

Sun & Moon

The Sun and Moon clock from Bob Bray of Sinclair Harding Clocks displays a panorama of the sky that changes daily. Sunshine and clouds are visible during daylight hours and the moon rises and sets every night. Over twenty-nine and a half days the moon goes through its phase, waxing and waning in the most realistic manner. The whole clock sits on a base of highly figured walnut or rosewood on a black polished base. The movement can be finished in either rhodium or gold.

John-Mikaël Flaux

John-Mikaël Flaux exhibited the Time Fury P18, a mechanical clock combined with the aesthetics of automotive technology. The wheels turn, causing the Time Fury to roll at a speed of 13.2 mm / h (31 cm per day). The time is read at the back of the car by floating numbers on a graduated sector. The time can be set directly by the back wheels and the winding is done with a little crank into the left exhaust. A discreet transparent pedestal allows it to lift and immobilize the rear wheels.

Vincent Calabrese, Kronos

Vincent Calabrese exhibited his very beautiful Kronos. Designed in collaboration with Japanese painter, Shinji Himeno, its dial features an allegoric micro-painting depicting Kronos, the Greek god of time, personifying the ceaseless flow of time. Mechanically, the progression of hours (the Wandering Hours display) is a Calabrese complication. The dial, as it makes one complete rotation every hour, emphasizes the circularity and motion integrated in its design.

David Candaux

David Candaux exhibited his 1740 The First 8 watch featuring a 30-degree inclined flying tourbillon running on ceramic ball bearings. The dial and movement are inclined (wheels and bridges). The plates and bridges are made from untreated titanium. The decoration is “côtes du Solliat”, a new form of stripe devised by Candaux. The case has a sleek asymmetric design with a secret retractable crown located at 6 o’clock.

Sea turtle

Lin Yong Hua (LYH) was born in 1973 in Shenzhen, China. At age eighteen he was employed in watch production, and gained valuable experience in calendar, minute repeater and tourbillion complications. In 2016, he dedicated himself to independent watch making. This Sea Turtle was one of two watches he exhibited.

Zehua Tan’s Melody

Zehua Tan has more than fifty years’ working experience in watchmaking and restoring, much of it spent repairing antique watches and clocks. But in more recent years he has focussed on watchmaking. He has designed four different watch movements and invented a new Di-axial escapement. He strives to improve performance by bringing innovation to horological technology.