After years working with leading jewellers, Kuan Teo founded watch brand MYKU, which specialises in minimalist watches with stone dials. He talks with Isabelle Lui about his inspiration for the inclusion of marble elements in watches and his views on current watch trends.
Where did the inspiration for using Italian Carrara marble for MYKU’s watch dials come from?
Our materials are sourced from Carrara, a little city in northern Tuscany. The inspiration came from Michelangelo’s David, which was carved entirely from a Carrara stone and is known for its skin-like tone. The stone has a characteristic of absorbing light a few millimetres before being diffused to give a lustrous effect, which inspired us to use this remarkable stone in our beautiful timepieces.
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Why did you choose to produce minimalist watches?
The main functionality of a watch is to tell time. We want to strip away all the fuss that distracts that functionality. That is why we created a minimalist design that can withstand the test of time. We want the design to be relevant for many years to come, not to last just a season.
You’re from Singapore and studied in Australia; why did you base MYKU in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is one of the key cities in the world. It’s very convenient, especially because it’s densely populated. This makes it easier to find like-minded people to share your ideas and passion. My business partner Francois Hurtaud, the head designer of MYKU, has been based here for almost seven years. He moved from France as he believes Hong Kong is a vibrant city that is business-friendly for startups.
What’s the biggest challenge of using stone elements in the making of watches?
The biggest challenge is dealing with the characteristics of the stone. All precious stones, like ours, come in different colours, textures, and boast different characteristics. Before we decide to use a stone, we have to consider its characteristics, like hardness, versatility, and texture, aside from its colour.
We also have to consider the history of the stone and the method of mining before we even select the right stone. The process of making the wafer-thin stone dials requires exemplary skills and precision. Our stone dials are cut by experienced jewellery artisans. Every stone dial that we cut is unique and every step of the process in which the stone is set in the timepiece is exact.
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What other stone types could be used for watch dials?
There are many, thanks to Mother Nature. So far, we’ve just launched timepieces with malachite and obsidian.
What are your tips for watch maintenance?
In everyday life, all watches should last for a long time and you only need to clean them with a damp cloth. We chose to use quartz because it is easy to maintain as it doesn’t require users to wind the timepieces like automatic watches. You only need to change the battery every 5-10 years.
What is the latest trend for watches?
Watch trends haven’t evolved much over the past few decades, except for colours, movements, and materials. Smartwatches are an evolution that incorporates more functions than just telling time but to me, a watch should not be a trend but a product that serves its function by telling time through timeless design.
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Some say that men don’t need watches today, as they have phones to tell them the time. What do you say?
It’s true. But it still depends on whether the person likes to wear a watch or not. I think it’s more about personal preference than generalisation. Personally, I find it easier to read time on my wrist than by unlocking my phone.
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