Atelier Ricky Hong

Ricky Hong is a Hong Kong-based, self-taught watchmaker who began at age 13 after encountering a vintage Lemania movement and asking where the battery was. He started by modifying Casio G-Shocks for paying clients, then taught himself to assemble watches from factory parts, before progressing to designing his own components, specifying custom dials and hands, and ultimately polishing and finishing his own movements. Each subsequent project raised the bar: a daily-wear concept inspired by H. Moser & Cie's Vantablack aesthetic; a gold-cased tourbillon; a Sellita SW200 build with a fully custom case and crown guard; and an openworked tourbillon featuring calligraphy of his Chinese surname, where he hand-fabricated a barrel bridge with a jewelry saw. In 2023, at 15, he was invited to join the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève Academy. At 18 he released his debut limited series, the “18 in 18.” He describes himself, with deliberate humility, as a “part-time watchmaker.”

To build an independent brand that showcases Hong Kong's artistry and innovation, championing youthful talent and transparent craftsmanship over pedigree, and to elevate local watchmaking onto the global stage while inspiring the next generation of independent makers.

Champions youthful talent, transparent finishing, and thoughtful engineering over inherited pedigree or brand prestige. Resourceful and unorthodox by necessity — e.g. using an electric nail buffer in place of traditional wooden laps for black polishing — with a stated commitment to deepening restoration and finishing fundamentals over time.

Debut limited edition “18 in 18” (十八旹): 18-piece run, stainless steel case (40.5mm wide, 9.5mm thick), polished case with Cartier Obus-inspired “bullet” lugs, sapphire crystal caseback, black porcelain enamel dial with brushed silver hour ring and steel hands, in-house modified 6498 manual-winding movement, circa 42-hour power reserve, pin buckle clasp, 2-year warranty. A separate openworked tourbillon piece features twin barrels, openworked bridges, and a whirling cage inspired by early stargazers, rendered in steel with sapphire accents.