A veritable haven of fine watchmaking, the standalone Singapore boutique houses a gallery, lounge, and private salons
The Hour Glass has opened its first standalone Patek Philippe boutique in Singapore, at Takashimaya Shopping Centre on Orchard Road. The journey to the milestone opening, however, predates the shop by decades. The Tay family, who runs The Hour Glass, and the Stern family, who owns Patek Philippe, have worked together since the late 1960s.
“There are things you inherit and things you build; this boutique is both,” says Michael Tay, group managing director of The Hour Glass.
A watch gallery greets visitors at the entrance, its showcases lined in raspberry-red velvet drawn from the fabric used in Geneva’s Patek Philippe Salons. A waiting lounge separates the gallery from the sales rooms, which range from open to fully private depending on the occasion. At the back of the boutique are private salons and a dining room reserved for appointments and small events.
Two commissioned works anchor the interior. In the bar area, a large-format piece reinterprets Reference 1675M, the “Farquhar Collection” dome table clock made for Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence. In the private sales room, a sculpted wood wall composition abstracts Malay, Chinese, Tamil, and English letters into a single form.
A two-week exhibition in the Takashimaya Atrium runs alongside the opening, from 25 August to 6 September 2026. Among the highlights include the Reference 1938P-001, a Minute Repeater Alarm made in 2023 as a tribute to the late Philippe Stern, and Reference 1367, a rare dome clock honouring Patek Philippe’s Rue du Rhône flagship, alongside a gallery on the Patek Philippe Seal and selections from the 50th anniversary Nautilus models.
