Style Edit: When Mirror singers helped open Hong Kong’s Tudor exhibition – local A-listers turned out to celebrate the Swiss watchmaker’s long history of adventurous ambassadors

Dec 1 , 2023

Mirror members Jer Lau and Stanley Yau at the opening of the Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking at Hong Kong Maritime Museum. Photo: Handout

For nearly a century, Tudor has brought an unparalleled combination of smart, elegantly restrained style and military-grade precision to the business of luxury watchmaking, attracting legions of fans with much-loved, classic models like the Black Bay and the Pelagos. Since 2021, though, there have been even more reasons for Tudor devotees to get excited about the company’s technical achievements and its dedication to absolute quality.

Tudor Black Bays on display at the Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking

It was that year that the brand unveiled the new Tudor Manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland, after three years under construction. The four-storey, 59,000 sq ft facility is connected to the neighbouring Kenissi Manufacture, which Tudor set up in 2016 to create its own movements. The new facility allows the brand to bring its movement production entirely in-house, allowing it to exert full control over quality.

A Tudor watchmaker hosted brief classes on watch assembly for attendees of the Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking

As Hong Kong has long been recognised by watchmakers as a place filled with knowledgeable collectors and fans of fine horology, it makes sense that those people were recently given the chance to gain a unique insight into Tudor’s world. That came on November 11-19 in the form of a peek inside the new manufacture, all without having to fly anywhere, at the “Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking”, held at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum.

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Visitors got to put themselves in the shoes of the Tudor Pro Cycling Team at the Pro Cycling area of the Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking

Like the new manufacture, the exhibition was decorated in Tudor’s trademark colours – a classy combination of red, white, black and grey – and showcased the characteristic stylish minimalism of the brand’s aesthetic. Inside, visitors were able to find out for themselves all about the new manufacture and the technical secrets that make Tudor watches so special. They were also able to immerse themselves in the world of watchmaking first-hand, thanks to a series of interactive workshops that showed just what goes into making timepieces that conform to the most exacting standards of certification.

Singers Cath Wong (left) and Mischa Ip (right) at the Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking

The exhibition was also a chance to showcase the latest in Tudor’s long line of illustrious ambassadors. For decades, in line with its daring credentials and rugged reputation, the brand has associated itself with adventurers who push boundaries. The latest to join this select group – which includes the likes of David Beckham, Jay Chou and the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team – was Swiss professional road cycling legend Fabian Cancellara. Together, he and Tudor have formed the Tudor Pro Cycling Team, which battled it out in the UCI Europe Tour under Cancellara’s inspiring leadership. Visitors to the exhibition had a chance to sample the spirit of this pioneering team, thanks to a virtual biking challenge in the Pro Cycling area.

“Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking”

The opening of the exhibition was marked with a ceremony that featured local celebrities including two members of Hong Kong’s favourite boy band Mirror, Jer Lau and Stanley Yau, as well as Mischa Ip and Cath Wong, who kicked off the exhibition in high-energy style. The event was also graced by a performance from local band Zpecial.

Style Edit

‘Tudor Manufacture Exhibition: A New Era of Watchmaking’ spotlit the brand’s ambassadors like David Beckham, Jay Chou, the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team and Swiss road cyclist Fabian Cancellara
The opening at Hong Kong Maritime Museum welcomed special guests Jer Lau and Stanley Yau of Mirror, plus Mischa Ip and Cath Wong, and a performance from local band Zpecial