This year, Dubai Watch Week hosted the 10th edition of the Horology Forum in Hong Kong from October 22 to 24, marking its debut in the city known for its deep-rooted connection to the luxury watch market. The forum serves as an intellectual hub for discussions on horology, featuring panel discussions, masterclasses, and networking events that engage both industry professionals and the public.
The Horology Forum has previously travelled to cities like London and New York, but its arrival in Hong Kong highlights the city’s status as a central player in Asia’s luxury watch scene. This edition, titled HF 10, explored critical topics related to the evolution of horology in East Asia and beyond. With a lineup of esteemed speakers and interactive workshops, the forum aimed to connect local watch enthusiasts with global trends and innovations in watchmaking.
During her visit, Tatler sat down with Hind Seddiqi, the chief marketing and communications officer at Seddiqi Holding and director general of Dubai Watch Week, to chat about watches, her vision for the future of horology and her commitment to championing independent watchmakers.
Hind Seddiqi addressing the audience (Photo: courtesy of Dubai Watch Week)
Your family has built an incredible legacy in Dubai. How has that shaped your approach to work and leadership?My leadership style is a mix of different family members—a little bit from my father, and a little bit from my uncle. I tend to admire characteristics within people’s personalities, not [emulate] per se the full personality. One of the [values] that all of my family members have is that they are very humble. I think that’s the most important thing, and it’s one of the key successes of Dubai Watch Week as well. We’re okay if we make a mistake or fail again. If we launch something and it doesn’t work, it’s okay. So I think the characteristic of being humble allows you to accept failures—things that don’t succeed more than anything—and to also accept feedback, of course. This combination is something that’s really helped Dubai Watch Week. We always take feedback from people in the industry and attendees on how they would like us to do things differently.
Can you share your personal connection with horology? When did you first become fascinated by watches?Growing up in a household where my father would always come home with new watches had a significant impact on me. My father would show us what he had today, and I remember being fascinated when he brought home his Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso because it had another face for another watch. I remember sneaking into the drawers when he was napping, and playing with it on my own. Whenever he went to Geneva, he used to always come back with Flik Flaks. So that was really my first watch, but my first real watch was a Tag Heuer Link.
Wei Koh, Justin Walters, Jerome Biard and Hind Seddiqi at a panel talk (Photo: courtesy of Dubai Watch Week)
Do you have a favourite watch in your collection that holds sentimental value?I don’t buy watches randomly; I usually like to reward myself or celebrate something significant. Each watch has significance because I purchased them at certain milestones in my life—like when I turned a certain age or graduated or had my first child. My first yellow gold [Rolex] Daytona was for my wedding; I remember taking it to the watchmaker because women weren’t wearing big men’s watches back then and I asked him to remove so many links.
The watchmaker was so dismissive of my watch choice and said, ‘You’re removing all the links, all the gold is lost,’ but even then I knew I just liked the watch whether it was for men or women, that didn’t matter. My Patek World Time from their 170th Anniversary Collection is special because it was a dream watch that I didn’t think I’d get since they usually don’t give limited watches to family members. I also love my MB&F Flying T because it’s my first tourbillon.
How did the idea for Dubai Watch Week come about?It was actually my father who invited GPHG to Dubai in 2014 to bring their touring nominated watches for the first time in the Middle East. We arranged an exhibition for about four or five days in a beautiful art gallery. At the same time, we were investing a lot in taking collectors or enthusiasts to Geneva to watch manufacturers and show them what’s happening behind the scenes. We saw how it transformed their knowledge about the brand and their passion for watchmaking. When we were asked to bring GPHG back again in 2015, I felt it wasn’t enough. The clients came in, but they were still curious about what they wanted to know more about this watch. They would ask questions like: ‘Who is this watchmaker? I’ve never heard of him.’ So, we thought we should do something a little bit more focused on independent brands and create a platform where people in the industry could talk to each other.
See also: Edouard Meylan on the artistry behind H Moser & Cie’s Streamliner Concept Minute Repeater
Workshops at Dubai Watch Week’s Horology Forum 10 (Photo: courtesy of Dubai Watch Week)
Who inspires you in the watch industry today?I get fascinated by independent watch brands and how passionate they are about creating their own brands. One person who truly inspires me is [Swiss watchmaker] Rexhep [Rexhepi]; he was told to forget about creating his own watch brand but still pursued his dream and look where he is today. He remains very humble about it. I also have great respect for Rémy Cools for his passion and dedication.
As a cheerleader of independent watchmakers, how do you envision the future of these brands?Independent brands are lucky because they’re in control of their own narratives without pressure from large commercial groups trying to dictate what they should do. As long as they stay true to their vision, they’ll continue to innovate and thrive. We’re launching a new event specifically for independent watch brands next month in Dubai and Abu Dhabi because there’s still a group of people who don’t understand them or know them well enough. And we want to change that.
What legacy do you hope to leave within the watch community?I want our efforts to be remembered for sharing knowledge and creating experiences that resonate with people long after they attend our events. It’s not about personal recognition; it’s about ensuring our contributions lead to meaningful connections within the industry. And that we create this database of knowledge that stays forever and is accessible to all.
Ming Liu, Benoit Mintiens, Heiwai Tang and Ming Thein at a panel talk (Photo: courtesy of Dubai Watch Week)
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to explore the passion for watches?Just be yourselves; bring that feminine energy. Don’t shy away from asking questions—be curious. If you’re passionate about it but feel like you don’t have the right information source, there’s so much out there that you can learn from—YouTube channels, magazines, industry events—take advantage of them. The industry needs diverse voices and perspectives.
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