The 43rd Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition has announced its winners, showcasing the creative talents of emerging designers and injecting innovative momentum into the watch and clock industry. The competition, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Limited, and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Limited, concluded its physical exhibitions on 5 September, attracting over 17,000 trade buyers from 115 countries and regions.
Since its inception, the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition has aimed to raise the design standards and quality of Hong Kong watches and clocks, encourage innovative and creative ideas, enrich the fair's content, and promote sales of Hong Kong-made timepieces in both local and overseas markets. This year's competition featured an Open Group and a Student Group, with the themes 'Transcending Time' and 'Contours of the Breeze' respectively. The theme 'Transcending Time' invited participants to translate sensory languages such as visual, auditory, and tactile experiences into design elements, creating an abstract, transcendent realm that breaks through the boundaries of time. Under the theme 'Contours of the Breeze', participants were encouraged to capture the movement and flow of wind through watch design, reflecting the limitless possibilities encountered in life's journey.
The competition received an enthusiastic response, attracting 130 entries. The judging panel comprised eight representatives from the watch and clock industry, together with celebrity guest judge Joey Thye, who jointly selected the Champion, First Runner-up, Second Runner-up, and Merit Award winners in both categories.
The Champion of the Open Group, 'Tectonic Indeterminacy', was designed by Chan Pak Hei and Yang Tianxu and sponsored by Golden Hawk Manufactory Ltd. Inspired by the organic geometric form of pebbles, the design was shaped through a rigorous process of subtraction. Angled geometric facets were carved from a solid form, transforming the dial into a tangible representation of time, while a sculpted void seamlessly integrates the crown into the watch body. Through pure spatial and geometric manipulation, the timepiece transcends the conventional function of timekeeping, turning reading time into an experience rich in spatial depth and tactile tension.
The First Runner-up, 'Channel', was designed by Wong Ting Bong and sponsored by Youngs Watch Company Limited and Po Fai Precision Company Limited. The dial incorporates the scale and pointer of a VU meter, commonly used in audio equipment to indicate volume levels, transforming the abstract concepts of time and sound into visible physical traces. The Second Runner-up was Pang Sze Ngawho designed the 'Moment of Stillness' depicting mountain ranges and outlined in gold wire, with enamel forming rivers and peaks, while a relief swallow weaves through the landscape as a messenger of time.
In the Student Group, the Champion, 'Traces of Storm', was designed by Yip Yuen Sze, Christine of the Hong Kong Design Institute. The watch face features patterns resembling cyclones seen in satellite cloud images, while the hands are shaped like lightning bolts. The design symbolizes the idea that true limitless possibilities begin with the courage to gather storm clouds, unleash lightning, and break new ground. The First Runner-up went to Tam Hei Yiu of Pope Paul VI College for 'Running through the breeze', where the hour, minute, and second hands take the forms of a girl, a tree, and a windmill, respectively. As the hands move, the girl appears to run across a grassy field, conveying the message of continuously striving towards one's goals in life. The Second Runner-up was 'Carpe Diem', designed by Lo Hoi Pui of the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, drawing inspiration from the feathery seeds of a dandelion, with the central hand modeled on a weathervane.
This year, the Made-to-Sell Award was once again presented to recognize a Student Group entry with strong commercial potential. Judged by a panel of eight watch manufacturers, the award went to Yip Yuen Sze, Christine, the Student Group Champion from the Hong Kong Design Institute, for her winning design 'Traces of Storm'. The Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd. and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd. will bring the design into production, after which it will be launched to the market through the HKTDC's Design Gallery.
The results underscore the importance of nurturing design talent in Hong Kong's watch and clock industry. By providing a platform for creativity and innovation, the competition not only enriches the annual fair but also supports the development of new products that can appeal to both local and international markets. The winning designs demonstrate a fusion of craftsmanship and creativity, pushing the boundaries of traditional timekeeping and offering fresh perspectives on how watches can be both functional and artistic. For more information about the competition and the related events, visit the Salon de TIME website.
