Taking part in today's opening ceremony are (left to right) Anthony Cheung, Co-Chairman of the Fair Organising Committee; Jerry Tsang, Chairman of The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd; Dr Samson Sun, Permanent Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries Ltd; Stanley Lau, Chairman of the HKTDC Watches & Clocks Advisory Committee; Henry Tang, Chief Secretary for Administration; Fred Lam, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Executive Director; Hilton Cheong-Leen, Honorary Life President of the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd; Yip Siu Fan, President of the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd; and Kenneth Wong, Co-Chairman of the Fair Organising Committee

Student Group winner of the 25th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Design Competition Leung Po Ki describes her winning design to (left to right) Stanley Lau, Henry Tang and Fred Lam

Checking out a smart selection of quality Hong Kong brand watches are (left to right) Henry Tang, Stanley Lau and Fred Lam

Mini-parades at Brand Name Gallery (Hall 2) and the Concourse (Hall l) showcase the latest looks from fair exhibitors

The Zhangzhou Pavilion, exhibiting at the fair for the first time, features 20 Zhangzhou companies. Taking part in a press conference today are (left to right): Shao Yue-ming, Chairman of the Zhangzhou Clock and Watch Association; Wang Yao-quan, Executive Vice-mayor, General Office, the People's Government of Zhangzhou Municipality; Raymond Yip, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC; and Chen Fang-qing, Deputy Director, Development and Promotion Office of Furniture and Timekeeper Industry of Zhangzhou

3 September 2008 - The 27th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair, which boasts the largest number of watch exhibitors of any fair in the world, opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The fair runs until 7 September and features more than 760 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions.

Joining today's opening ceremony were Henry Tang, Chief Secretary for Administration; Fred Lam, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Executive Director; Stanley Lau, HKTDC Watches & Clocks Advisory Committee Chairman; Hilton Cheong-Leen, Honorary Life President of the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd; Dr Samson Sun, Permanent Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries Ltd; Yip Siu Fan, President of the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd.; Jerry Tsang, Chairman of The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd; and Anthony Cheung and Kenneth Wong, Co-Chairmen of the Fair Organising Committee.

Developing original design and brand names should be the focus of the industry, said Mr Tang at the opening ceremony. "We are helping the industry meet global challenges by promoting a wider use of design and innovation. We are also grooming creative talent and investing in our tertiary and continuing education programmes."

"The 27th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair is an extremely important business platform. It allows us to conduct business with manufacturers, retailers and importers from the four corners of the world, as well as exchange the latest market and product news," said Mr Wong, speaking at the opening ceremony.

Established in 2000, Brand Name Gallery showcases the best in brand-name watches. This year, it features a record 125 brands from 105 companies, a 21 per cent increase in exhibitors over last year. Brands include o.d.m. from Hong Kong, Angel Heart from Japan, Cyril Ratel from Switzerland, Jacob Jensen from the Netherlands, Lafuma from France and Lotto from Italy. Winning entries from the 25th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Design Competition are on display at the fair, while watch parades showcase the latest designs of exhibitors.

Mainland China, Korea and Taiwan again feature group pavilions, while a Spanish exhibitor joins the fair for the first time. Another highlight will be the Asian Watch Conference, with keynote speaker Scott Wilson, founder of the multidisciplinary design studio MINIMAL and former Global Creative Director at Nike and Motorola, discussing global trends in timepiece design.

Exports of Hong Kong watches and clocks totalled HK$25.9 billion (US$3.3 billion) for the first half of this year, up 17 per cent on the same period last year. Exports to the Chinese mainland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States enjoyed double-digit increases.

Reflecting this export strength, the HKTDC organised 2,725 buyers to visit the show, consisting of 64 missions representing 1,736 companies from 49 countries and regions. Missions invited include such prominent buying offices as Cartier Horologerie of Switzerland, Les Nouveaux Bijoutiers of France, REWE Group of Germany, Amita Corporation of Japan, Moscow Time of Russia and the International Watch Company of the United Arab Emirates.

The 27th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair is organised by the HKTDC, the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades and Industries Ltd.

Fair Website: http://hkwatchfair.hktdc.com

About the HKTDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 offices worldwide, including 11 in the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and Asia. The HKTDC also organises trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in Hong Kong and the mainland, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online. For more information, visit www.hktdc.com

 

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