Time To (re) Live your Dreams!

I don't normally walked along the shops at the Tiong Bahru Market along the Lim Liak Street side but for reasons unknown, I walked there today and was glad I did!

I walked away happier and richer, having gained some nuggets of information and knowledge on mechanical watches.

Located in amidst a row of the shops overflowing with their merchandise, there was this spartan looking shop manned by 2 unlikely partners.

In the cabinets are lots of watches of bygone era that still looked so good!

I even found a vintage Mickey Mouse Diver's watch. (I'm embarrassed to say that was the only I recognized besides the Vintage Minnie Mouse one)


The rest of the stuff which Nick Tng, the younger partner, was rattling on and on sounded so foreign to me. He is one super enthusiastic and passionate watch connoisseur.

Amongst his collections were some mechanical digital watch. (If this sounded oxymoron to you, too bad, I'm not gonna spoil your fun by telling you. You have to visit their shop to find that out)

According to Nick, those mechanical digital watches was the Swiss feeble attempt to dent the Japanese dominance in the quartz digital watch segment.

No prize for guess who won and who lost in that battle. 

Sitting beside Nick is the master of watch repair, Mr Tan Ban Hoe, a retired driver who is now living his DREAM! (Clap Clap Clap)

Nick opine that Mr Tan probably has the largest collection of Ladies mechanical watches in Singapore since most collectors usually go for the Men's.

So many of Mr Tan's collections are so dainty and small.

I suspect Mr Tan is the reincarnation of the Six Million Dollar Man with embedded built-in zoom lenses in his eyes and a robotic precision pair of hands to be able to repair all those minuscule watches. 

If Mr Tan is not too busy, you can ask him to show you his drawers of forgotten glory and memories. (I called it the GRAVEYARD!)

There are so many broken watches in those drawers and he intends to harvest those for spare parts.

If you are in the hood, do check out this interesting shop.

Opening Hours and Shop information available by clicking on Nick's namecard.