The 35th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition results were announced on 29 Aug at the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair press conference. The winning entries showcase Hong Kong designers’ creativity and artistic talent. They also reveal new talents for the industry and pioneer fresh watch and clock trends. The winning and final entries will be exhibited at the 37th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair to demonstrate local designers’ capabilities to international buyers.
The annual competition was hosted by The HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair 2018 Organising Committee, co-organised by the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd, with an aim to enhance the design quality of Hong Kong watches and clocks, and to promote the development of the watch industry in Hong Kong.
The competition was divided into the Open Group and Student Group, with the theme of “Innovative Craftsman” and “Colourful World” respectively, encouraging local designers to bring their limitless imagination into play to create unique watch designs. About 100 entries were received. A panel of nine judges from various sectors selected winning entries after multiple discussions.
Open Group: Time and Space Breakthrough
Three awards were presented in the Open Group. The design by Lee Sheung-wah, entitled “Time Capturer”, was named champion. His piece was modelled on the look of a classic camera with both the shutter and lens incorporated to pay tribute to the art of traditional photography. The design concept highlights the preciousness of time and reminds people to seize the day and cherish every moment.
First runner-up went to the “SAGRADA” design by Wong Ting-bong. This piece was inspired by the colourful stained glass of La Sagrada Familia, a great feat of architecture in Barcelona listed as a World Heritage Site. The design combines ingenious glass craftsmanship and watch movement mechanism creation, successfully blending traditional watchmaking techniques with art.
“Space” by designer Lee Cheuk-chung was named second runner-up. The designer skillfully applied hemisphere glass to greatly increase the design capacity of the dial. The dial is made with 3D metal printing. The unique case design moulds the watch into a UFO shape, matching the design theme “Space”.
Student Group: Unique World of Colour
To cultivate new talents in watch and clock design, the competition’s Student Group welcomes students from Hong Kong institutions. Lam Yuet-wan, from the School of Higher and Professional Education, was the group’s champion this year. Her piece “Aurora” displays a unique mix of colour with the use of four coloured pyroxene crystals and bridges, which represent the different colours that appear when the height of the Sun and magnetic field lines of the sky alter. The hemispherical glass creates the feel of overlooking the earth from midair and displays a colorful world on the user’s wrist.
The first runner-up went to Szeto Yuk-yu from the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong. Her design “Axis” expresses the interface of day and night with layers, the golden design on the dial shines like stars in the night sky. The semi-circle symbolizes the sun and when there is light, it reflects different colors.
Hattie Chan, also from the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, was named second runner-up. Her entry, “Merge”, was inspired by the three primary colours, representing different races and ideologies. As time goes by, the hands overlap and form different shapes and colours. This acts as a reminder to embrace and accept the cultures and voices of different people around us and that this unity creates unexpected results.
Local Creative Forces in Full Bloom
The three winners of the Open Group will attend a five-day study course in Japan, sponsored by the Hong Kong Japan Business Co-operation Committee. All winning and final entries will also be exhibited next week at the 37th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair in Hall 1B concourse to showcase these local designs to industry players.
Organised by the HKTDC, the 37th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and the sixth Salon de TE will be held from 4-8 Sept at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), gathering 830 exhibitors from 25 countries and regions.
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