A watch can mark an occasion, commemorate an achievement or celebrate exceptional craftsmanship. But for Christina Lim, its greatest value lies in the stories it preserves. From family heirlooms imbued with generations of love to memories shaped by profound loss, her collection is a testament to the people and experiences that endure long after time has passed.
Here, she shares the deeply personal stories behind her collection, from treasured keepsakes to the moments that have transformed the way she values time.
GRAZIA Singapore (GS): What sparked your interest in watch collecting?
Christina Lim (CL): My interest in watch collecting ignited when my parents gifted me a vintage Favre-Leuba cocktail watch set on my wedding day, complete with interchangeable gem-set frames. It was a magnificent invention and sparked my fascination with discovering timepieces that could reflect my personality and style.
GS: If you could pass down one watch from your collection, which would it be, and why?
CL: It would be my vintage Cartier Baignoire with red indices. Beyond its extreme rarity and provenance, it is a treasure that my husband and I sacrificed cathedrals, cruises, and much of our Paris itinerary to pursue during our 28th wedding anniversary. We navigated stringent conditions highly specific requirements, and genuine personal risk before finally securing it.
At its heart is an enduring love story—one I hope my children, and theirs after them, will carry with them: that love will always find a way through life’s challenges. This timepiece stands as a witness to that.
GS: Has collecting watches changed the way you think about time?
CL: No. The watches I collect, while beautiful and wonderfully made, are inanimate; they bring joy, meaning and people into my life. Time, however, is completely agnostic of watches. I constantly remind myself not to become too consumed by the material, but instead to stay present in life and with others.
The suicide of my beloved 21-year-old nephew a year ago was a painful reminder that no amount of watches can buy us even an additional second when time—and people—expire. I have learnt to treasure time because it is the only currency we spend without ever truly knowing our reserves.
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