Dear Santa: Stanley makes his Christmas Wishlist for 2023

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Whether we are naughty or nice, here at Team Deployant we choose the 3 watches that we wish Santa would put under the Christmas Tree. Just like Deployant’s mantra of “By Collectors, for Collectors”, here’s Stanley’s first ever wish list and definitely more to come in the coming years!

With a blink of an eye, it’s the end of the calendar year! The wish list this year is something that is close to heart of Stanley… So let’s see if Santa thinks he’s naughty or nice….

Dear Santa: Stanley Leung makes his Christmas Wishlist for 2023

Ulysse Nardin Freak X

Let’s kick start the post with a watch that I saw recently, the Ulysse Nardin Freak X. The watch was show cased to me by Clémence Le Rolland, the brand’s Regional Brand Director during a meet up. Freak X is a watch that have caught my attention since their launch in 2019 during SIHH but I never had a chance to see it in person till Clémence showed me hers. When in person, the watch just stuns me with it’s intricacy.

The Freak X retains the DNA of it’s older brother the Freak but making it more of an everyday watch that we can wear on our wrist. The Freak X is slightly smaller at 43MM as compared to it’s older brother and the introduction of the crown to me is a welcoming move especially when I have to travel often, adjusting the time with the most convenient and traditional way (as compared to adjusting the time with the bezel with the Freak).

 

Rounding out for the Freak X, we will be getting one for a long term hands on review which we are certainly looking forward to!

Retail price for the Ulysse Nardin Freak X range from SGD 37,200 to 56,400 inclusive of GST at the time of writing.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph

Second on the list is an offering from the “Watchmaker’s watchmaker”. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph in steel case is simple a beaut that gives “business in front and party at the back” a brand new meaning. Just like any other popular watches, this watch caused quite a commotion when it was released and it seems like the waitlist went from allowing one to put deposit to just putting your name down without deposit and not guaranteeing a watch now (at least in the Garden City of Singapore)

The Reverso Tribute Chorongraph is powered by the in-house designed and manufactured movement Caliber 860 that is flaunted through the chronograph side of the Reverso. Some may mention that it is a modified movement from the Caliber 829 that is in the 60th Anniversary Reverso Chronograph but the Caliber 860 enables one to tell time on the chronograph side where in my opinion is the only side that I will wear it on.

 

Moving the attention to the case, the watch basically whispers “Stealth Wealth” to the audience that is lucky to have a glimpse of it. The heritage of the Reverso takes us back to the time Jaeger-LeCoultre started to make watch for polo players who were frustrated with the watches being smashed after every game.

In conclusion for the Reverso Tribute Chronograph is certainly a watch that I lust after, it is not helping that my other half constantly goes “ZHEY ZHER LEH KOOLT” (literally how one pronounce it in French) every other day, it’s as though it’s a sign that she is allowing me to get it!

Retail price for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph is SGD 35,800 inclusive of GST at the time of writing.

MB&F HM 8 Mark 2

The final watch to round out my 3 watch wish list is from my favourite independent brand MB&F. In October, I have the pleasure to meet with Max Busser, he was already someone that I look up to prior to our meeting but never do I expect that I will grow to respect him even more in terms of the experiences that he shared with me. Well… That’s all to be shared another time and another day.

Back to regular programming, the MB&F HM 8 Mark 2 is the revision to the initial HM 8 where they both feature the same “Engine” and also a similar design language but the Mark 2 comes with additional “Coach works” (think: Porsche 991.1 and 991.2). Both Max and I are car enthusiast, the HM 8 Mark 2 certainly speaks a lot to us, the design cues of the watch reminds us of various dream car of ours and one of them is the Holy Trinity of Hyper Cars (hint: the German Marque). The watch is not only aesthetically pleasing but also a watch that is suitable for daily use of telling time that’s right down to the minute which is one of my pet peeve.

 

The HM 8 Mark 2 is certainly an art on the wrist but also one that has an intriguing movement and finish. It is “powered” by a three-dimensional horological engine, composed of a jumping hour and trailing minutes module developed in-house by MB&F, powered by a Girard-Perregaux base movement. The movement is then fuelled by a battle axe rotor that is made of 22-carat gold blades is only two-tenths of a millimetre thick which cannot be machined but stamped. All that intricacy along with 247 components in all to power this gorgeous piece.

The MB&F HM 8 Mark 2 is certainly a watch that I can only dream about owning at my current stage in life. It is definitely something to work towards and therefore putting this as one of my grail watch.

Retail price for the MB&F HM 8 Mark 2 is CHF 73,000 inclusive of GST at the time of writing.

Concluding Thoughts

There it is! 3 watches that conclude my wish list, would there be other watches that I am drooling and lusting after? It is a definite yes but the ones on this list is somewhat more achievable right now at my stage of life with exception of the MB&F which is a little of a stretch.

Just like the opening where our mantra “For collectors, by collectors” the list of watches covers from the mainstream brands to indie watch brand. Hopefully it will be helpful for some as their Christmas guide or perhaps the ultimate 3 watch collection is just right here.

In the season of giving, I would wish for all readers to have faith, be strong and courageous, I believe that we will all achieve what we want in our collection when we work hard for it.

Here’s me raising my virtual glass of wine wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a wonderful 2024!