The more things change, the more they stay the same; even with the ever evolving pandemic and how it has majorly affected the way we live, COVID-19 has also made it feel like time has stayed still for us, what with all the staying-in guidelines, HBL and WFH. Instead of just watching the clock and letting the days stagnate or slip us by, indulge in one of life’s little pleasures still available to us i.e. retail therapy – oh, so timely – and gift yourself a watch. Pick a timepiece from the 4 brands listed here to get yourself kicking and ticking again.
Olivia Burton
The women do more than get it, with the watches from British brand Olivia Burton. Founded by two best friends and ex-fashion buyers Jemma and Lesa circa a decade ago, the designs thought up by the duo at their East London studio marry the best of the worlds of fashion, vintage design and nature, that are made with their own unique take on the feminine aesthetic. For instance, the Illustrated Animals Honey Tan Women’s Watch (U.P. $165) features an adorable hand-illustrated image of a cat on the face and comes with a vegan honey tan strap; the Signature Florals Ip Black 38mm Women’s Watch (U.P. $245) is a larger-size black and rose gold beauty, with the brand’s signature floral print of anemones, peonies and butterflies adorning its dial; and the sparkly and glittery Under The Sea Pearl Lilac Women’s Watch (U.P. $315) that’s adorned with crystal and pearly markers and which even comes with a complementary rose gold finish bracelet with matching charms for that extra fashionable “wow” factor. Even if these do not catch your eye, you can still peruse and choose from the brand’s extensive collection of other beauts to find your favourite wrist candy.
Available at Cocomi, www.cocomi.com; www.facebook.com/cocomisingapore; www.instagram.com/cocomi_sg
BONUS: SAFRA members receive up to 60% off selected Olivia Burton timepieces from 1 to 4 July 2021 and from 6 to 10 August 2021 at Cocomi. Click here for more information.
Bering
Those into horology would have probably seen this name around. For those who aren’t quite familiar, here are a few quick facts: It’s a Danish watch and jewellery brand founded by Michael Witt Johansen from Denmark, and is inspired by the icy landscapes of the Arctic and modern, timeless Danish design. Oh, and also it creates elegant and clean-looking watches made with high-quality materials for both gents and ladies. Such as the Classic Black 40mm Men’s Watch (U.P. $320), a stainless steel looker that features two sub-dials and a Milanese mesh strap (fun fact: It’s a famous mesh design originating from Milan in late 19th century, one that can be traced back all the way to the 13th century as part of the make of chain mails), and the Ceramics 32339-782 Black 39mm Men’s Watch (U.P. $465), a functional-looking piece made stylish with a smooth gun-metal dark-grey and black finish, three sub-dials, vibrant red hands and a ceramic strap. But, if you want one to share your loving moments with your bae (literally speaking), then opt for the Pebble Classic Blue Unisex Watch (U.P. $320). It’s a minimalist’s vintage-style wet dream; it features only silver hands on the dial and comes in a gorgeous jewel-toned deep blue.
Available at Cocomi, www.cocomi.com; www.facebook.com/cocomisingapore; www.instagram.com/cocomi_sg
BONUS: SAFRA members receive up to 60% off selected Bering timepieces from 1 to 4 July 2021 and from 6 to 10 August 2021 at Cocomi. Click here for more information.
Luminox
This is for all the adventure-loving and toughest-of-the-tough outsdoormen out there, the ones who need rugged wrist accessories that can stand the test of, well, time and all kinds of rough and tumble. Luminox is the OG self-powered luminous watch company that’s world-renowned for producing watches for elite military organisations such as the United States Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy Seals. Which means the U.S. brand knows all about crafting the perfect multi-functional and durable “Time-minator” for telling you precisely when’s when, whether you are up in the air, trekking across hills or under the sea. Of the many handy and handsome Swiss-made pieces, the ones that can take you from actual jungle to urban jungle are these: the stainless steel Pacific Diver 320 Series (U.P. $872), the all-black 1880s-design inspired Atacama Field Day Date 1922.BOB (U.P. $855) and the bright orange- and blue-accented Bear Grylls Survival Sea 3723.R3 (U.P. $744), a limited edition collab with the adventurer-icon himself. As for the functions, we’ll just let you pick the one you want and read up on its respective PDF online (yes, there are loads to what one Luminox watch can do).
Available at Crystal Time, 1 HarbourFront Walk, VivoCity, #01-K30, 098585, and Luminox brand stockists, multiple locations, www.luminox.com.sg; www.facebook.com/LuminoxSingapore; www.instagram.com/luminoxsg
BONUS: SAFRA members receive additional 3% off storewide and a free tactical pen worth $50 at the Luminox flagship store at VivoCity (at Crystal Time) and at Luminox’s e-store; 20% off storewide on all regular-priced items; up to 50% off selected models; and free delivery for all online purchases. Click here for more information.
Samsung Galaxy Watch
Technophiles, sporty and healthy lifestyle freaks, and also, fans of all things Samsung, you cannot not have this wrist accessory in your life, specifically the Galaxy Watch3. It’s basically as multi-functional and feature-loaded as your smartphone (some might even say, more useful well being- and health-wise). Here are some reasons why: It can record your REM cycles, deep sleep and total sleep time to help you review the quality of your rest (Samsung even worked with the National Sleep Foundation to input educational content and sleep tips within the watch); is equipped with over 120 home workout programmes; can monitor and track your blood pressure and heart rhythm; and has a customisable watch face with a rotating bezel. Look up more of the functions of this series to get yourself fuller acquainted and connected before picking from its range of LTE or Bluetooth models in either 41 or 45mm versions (from $548 and up). Tip: In case you didn’t know, there’s a Samsung Exclusive Partner Program (EPP) that offers benefits and offers just for SAFRA members. Click here to visit the Samsung-SAFRA EPP Store!
Available at Samsung stores, multiple locations, shop.samsung.com/sg; www.facebook.com/samsungsgltd; www.instagram.com/samsung_sg
BONUS: SAFRA members receive up to 25% discount on Samsung Galaxy Watch3. Click here for more information.
