The 43rd Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd., and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd., has announced its results, spotlighting the creativity and technical skill of emerging designers in the field. The competition, which ran alongside the 45th Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and the 14th Salon de TIME, concluded its physical exhibitions on 5 September, attracting over 17,000 trade buyers from 115 countries and regions.
The competition aims to elevate design standards and encourage innovative ideas within the Hong Kong watch and clock industry. This year's edition featured two categories: the Open Group, themed 'Transcending Time,' and the Student Group, themed 'Contours of the Breeze.' The Open Group challenged participants to translate sensory experiences—such as visual, auditory, and tactile—into design elements that break through the boundaries of time. The Student Group invited full-time students to capture the movement and flow of wind, reflecting life's limitless possibilities.
With 130 entries received, a judging panel composed of eight industry representatives and celebrity guest judge Joey Thye selected the winners. In the Open Group, the Champion was awarded to Chan Pak Hei and Yang Tianxu for their design 'Tectonic Indeterminacy,' sponsored by Golden Hawk Manufactory Ltd. Inspired by the organic geometry of pebbles, the design uses angular facets to transform the dial into a tangible representation of time, integrating the crown seamlessly into the watch body. The First Runner-up, 'Channel' by Wong Ting Bong, incorporated a VU meter scale and pointer, commonly used in audio equipment, to visualize the relationship between time and sound. Pang Sze Ngawho won Second Runner-up for 'Moment of Stillness,' featuring mountain ranges outlined in gold wire with enamel rivers and a relief swallow as a messenger of time.
In the Student Group, Yip Yuen Sze, Christine from the Hong Kong Design Institute took the Champion title with 'Traces of Storm,' a watch face resembling cyclone patterns from satellite cloud images, with lightning-bolt-shaped hands symbolizing courage and new beginnings. Tam Hei Yiu from Pope Paul VI College earned First Runner-up for 'Running through the breeze,' where the hour, minute, and second hands are designed as a girl, a tree, and a windmill, depicting a girl running across a field. Lo Hoi Pui from the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong received Second Runner-up for 'Carpe Diem,' inspired by dandelion seeds and featuring a weathervane-inspired central hand.
The competition also presented the Made-to-Sell Award, recognizing a Student Group entry with commercial potential. This year, the award went to Yip Yuen Sze, Christine for 'Traces of Storm.' The winning design will be put into production by the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd. and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd., and will be launched through the HKTDC's Design Gallery.
The results underscore the competition's role in nurturing talent and driving innovation in Hong Kong's watch and clock industry. The winning designs were showcased at the fair, and photos are available for download at https://bit.ly/4x7XPNn. For more information about the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, visit hkwatchfair.hktdc.com, and for Salon de TIME, visit https://www.hktdc.com/event/te/en.
