“I do interact and befriend regular members of the group as well,” he said. Jarrel stressed that his relationships extended beyond his fellow administrators. “They taught me a lot not only about watches, but also on adulting matters.” Forging Trust “It’s definitely different from my university friends, who are in the same stage of life as me,” he said, adding that he quickly found himself consulting them for advice on job searching and applying for a Build-To-Order flat. Jarrel found it eye-opening to interact with those from a different walk of life. “If it wasn’t for the renewed pandemic restrictions last year, we would have attended (one of the admin’s) wedding,” he said. The administrators’ group eventually became one of Jarrel’s most tightknit circles. Jarrel (right), with other members of the Singapore Horology group. For example, one of them was just ranting about his troubles monitoring his son’s home-based learning!” He added with a laugh: “We do still discuss watches, but we also share about our personal lives as well. “We admins have a separate Telegram group, and we talk daily on it,” he said. “Since I was a university student, I suppose the administrators assumed I would be more social media savvy and have more free time,” mused Jarrel.Īfter taking up the offer, Jarrel was elevated to an administrative position within the group. Before long, he was invited to manage the group’s Instagram page on their behalf. No longer a “ghost” in the group, Jarrel found his voice and started attending more meetups. If you work hard and save, you can still collect interesting pieces.” It made me realise that watch collecting doesn’t have to be a hobby exclusive to rich people. He said: “All of them bought their watches by scrimping and saving what they earned. Jarrel was concerned that those present would be “privileged boomers” or “rich kids”, but those worries were fortunately unfounded. The watches of those that attended the meetup – including Jarrel’s aforepictured Rolex Explorer 2! “It was fun to be around like-minded people, seeing the watches they own, and simply talking the same language.” “Meeting the people I’ve seen chatting on the channel for months broke the ‘online barrier’,” he said. However, when the Circuit Breaker period ended and the group decided to organise a physical meetup, Jarrel mustered up the courage ![]() More observer than participant, he simply wanted to see what others were buying. “I chanced upon an invite link for a Singapore Horology Group and joined their Telegram channel out of curiosity,” recalled Jarrel.Īn introvert by nature, Jarrel initially felt like a “ghost” in the channel. While browsing through Carousell, Jarrel discovered the platform’s ‘Communities’ section, which aimed to connect users with others of similar interests. Jarrel didn’t just find his grail watch – he also stumbled upon a community of watch enthusiasts. “I’ve wanted a Rolex since I was 16, so holding the Explorer 2 in my hand was definitely a surreal moment,” said Jarrel. Jarrel’s first significant purchase – the Rolex Explorer 2. “I still have that watch today – it’s a sentimental piece to remind myself of the person that kickstarted my watch journey,” said Jarrel. Lee gave him the watch as a parting gift. When Jarrel ended his stint at the tuition centre, Mr. Lee also had a Seiko 5 ‘Sea Urchin’, albeit in different colourway with a ‘Pepsi’ bezel. “I liked it because it looks similar to the Rolex Submariner that my boss wore, but at a fraction of the price,” said Jarrel.Ĭoincidentally, Mr. “He explained to me what it was and gave me my first education in watches.”Īfter being introduced to watches, Jarrel decided to spend his first paycheck on a watch and purchased the Seiko 5 ‘Sea Urchin’. “I didn’t even know that it was a Rolex, but I was intrigued by how it looked,” he said. Michael Lee – wearing a Rolex Submariner ref. ![]() He noticed his boss – a gentleman by the name of Mr. Then 16, Jarrel was working part-time at a tuition centre. Jarrel’s first exposure to the brand was in a more unusual setting – a tuition centre. After all, Rolex spends millions of dollars annually on marketing and endorsements. Perhaps they saw a Rolex in a magazine, on a billboard advert, or on a celebrity’s wrist. This is his watch story.Īsk anyone to name a watch brand, and they would most probably answer ‘Rolex’. The series starts with Jarrel, who encapsulates the community aspect of the hobby. ![]() Gen Z and their Watches is a feature series that looks at four different profiles, each representing a different facet of watch collecting. Although all the profiles grew up in the digital age, they remain passionate and deeply enthusiastic about a hobby that’s more commonly associated with middle-aged men. ![]() This provenance makes young watch collectors interesting – they go against the grain.
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