We continue our discussion with Dr. Cheong on his personal approach to horology.

1. To what lengths have you gone to obtain what you want? Anecdotes.

I have to SAVE to buy. By no means am I able to acquire with whim or plain carefree spending.

I compartmentalize my budget VERY strictly for watches. I do not use any money from my expenses for an automobile, house, travel or any part of my family’s other interests.

The most painful thing I had to do, was to give up ENTIRELY on my High End Audio collection and to stop purchasing expensive European two seater sportscars, of which I had quite a few over the last 10 years. In fact, I now have just 3 Toyotas of different configurations for my family. I do admit that I do own and drive a Porsche 911 (most of the time), which I bought new last year, but I am not a typical wealthy guy.

The Audio collection/hobby proved singularly the most expensive. Easily over the price of a brand new Mercedes SL coupe…horrors…and it had no returns upon liquidation.

2. Where or how do you purchase your watches?

I purchase almost ALL my watches from The Hour Glass, Sincere and Cortina. Authorised retail.

Why? To have access to information, good pieces, and so on…it is very important to build deep and broad relations with the major retailers.

3. How is the collection maintained?

Meticulously. In the best way possible. These are works of art to me.

Then again, they MUST be worn and shown to as many people as possible, that is the responsibility of any major collector of art. It is a terrible crime against the spirit of humanity to hide good art and not share it.

Also..the watches must be ENJOYED as if it were a fine wine, to be taken and savored and to have it flow into the veins and the blood. ONLY then, can one feel the emotions of the possession of a work of an artist; that’s why I avoid reviewing or commenting on watches that I don’t own.

I don’t believe in “test drive” analysis of watches, they are not cars and don’t react or perform, but they affect the emotions and the perception of whether one has spent away money, or has utilised it for benefit of the soul.

4. Who else in the family appreciates this?

My wife Dolly knows more, and is probably technically more knowledgeable than I am. She is probably recognized by IWC, Ulysse Nardin, Breguet, Dufour and Vianney Halter as a serious watch connoisseur.

5. Do you collect for the love of the beauty of a piece, or for the investment purposes?

I see my collection today as an active way of archiving important artifacts of human spirit and ingenuity. So…I buy the piece to preserve the labor and the history of the living standards of the time, locked inside them.

This can be seen not always by “beauty”…but by knowledge of how and by whom it was created.  And very important, in what year…2008 to 2010 were financial crisis years…the watches bought then show the effect.

I do buy for investment…but as I buy for labor, then these are all naturally very good investments. But for 99% of consumers, this is NOT a reality!

6. What is the strangest item in your collection and why?

The strangest item is the Bulova Accutron watch that is regulated by the sound of an electromagnetic tuning fork. It was in the 60s the most accurate timing device made by man, till the advent of the quartz watch.

The ONLY item that is close to it today, is the Devon Tread 1, which I also bought.

You can see Part 1 here.