The Remarkable World of John Shaw and His Patek Philippe Collection

There are quite a few famous watch collectors in the world, but Harman can boast an impressive stamp collection and also a fleet of world-class supercars. He is also musically accomplished, having played on stage with many orchestras whilst at the same time winning numerous international awards as the leading breeder and owner of Pekingese and many other famous show dogs. This modern-day renaissance man is none other than John Shaw, and today he is going to show with us his insights and stories behind his amazing watch collection. Thank you Kevin, and welcome to my world of watches. Hey John, when and why did you start collecting watches, of all things? My granddad were collectors of many well-crafted timepieces from different manufacturers. Some watches were passed down through my dad's and granddad's inheritance. I was given my first Rolex when I was in Grade 1. You lucky man! Well, because he wanted to impress his friends, Rolex then had a boy-sized watch. So when I was in Grade 4, he gave me the first Patek, and that started my whole collecting endeavour. I understand that your grandfather was actually the older brother of Sir Ran Ran Shaw, of the Shaw Studio fame. I was taught at a very young age to be passionate about things I collect. Now this philosophy fits really well in the pursuit of collecting watches, as I never stop learning about something I have so much enthusiasm. Now the thrill in finally obtaining a specific piece is extremely rewarding. Of course my pieces differ from my family's original collection because trends and themes evolve over time, like the one you're wearing right now is an Aquanaut. Beautiful watch. John's watch. Patek made this watch to fit the lifestyle of today's people, being engaged in sporting activities. So they made this one from a rubber strap. Now they also made another series called the Nautilus, which enabled people to swim up to 100 feet. You were basically saying that trends change with evolve, but in that case, what are you wearing now? Okay, this watch, the 5016, is the most complicated watch that Patek made up to 2001. Not only does it have a very accurate tourbillon, it also has perpetual calendar, whereby on February 29th in the leap year, it will show you the 29th of February. It also has minute-repeating mechanisms. The case maker, Jean-Pierre Agmin, happens to be one of the most renowned case maker in the world. He's since passed, so that makes this watch even more valuable. My goodness, this sounds like a very complex watch, and everyone knows that you are a mahjong master. So when you play mahjong, would you dare wear such a complex watch? No, but I do have to wear a watch when I'm playing mahjong, because some of the people who play with me are very slow. So I gotta let them know, hey, time's up, you gotta decide. If you were to become one time piece in the world, what model would it be? I think it will have the following functions. One, world time. I like to call my friends up all over the world. It's nice to know that I'm not waking them up. Number two, I'll be a minute repeater, because it sounds really warm, the chime. And thirdly, being a mathematician, having my first degree in math, the precision and accuracy of a watch is very important. So I would like to be a complicated watch, perhaps even one that has the function of a split-second chronometer as well. It sounds like to me that you have all the elements that would constitute an art object. Do you think watches are art, or just typekeeping instruments? I think both. A very well-made watch has to be very appealing to your eye. So the proportions of the watch has to be very important. Complication and craftsmanship is an art in itself. The split-time chronograph, the minute repeaters, and the perpetual calendar are very hard to make. Now, design. One watch that was made to commemorate the 175th anniversary of Patek, the face, the dial of the watch was made from different type and with different color of wood. This world time, it's made in the 1930s. For the time zone that detonates Hong Kong, it says Beiping. Probably made less than five, and one of which is already in the Patek Museum. These two pocket watches were manufactured before 1900. Patek has been doing complicated watches for a long time, but the cool part about this particular one is we traced it back to a merchant whose shop was in New York, and it was opened in the 1880s, and the shop closed down in 1910. So that alone is quite unique, and of course it's got enamel dial. And this is another antique one, similar age, and also enamel dial as well. Now, this one is chronometer and also has a pulsation dial to it, measures your heartbeat. It's very rare because it's made in stainless steel. Now, you would think that, hey, stainless steel would not cost as much as gold or platinum, but that makes this more rare and more valuable, so that makes this kind of unique. This is very interesting. They carve out from a 1904 US coin, hollow out the interior, and then when you're not using it, all you have to do is just put this in, put it shut, it's just another US coin. And then the opening, it's a very, very small catch, at three o'clock, press it, it opens. John, we have seen an increasing demand amongst young collectors, young successful professionals for outstanding timepieces. Any advice for them, whether a status symbol or it is for the outstanding craftsmanship? When you buy a watch, you have to wear it. Don't keep it in a sealed plastic bag. I'm more or less about the same journey I've been through myself. And don't just follow trends. On the contrary, look for an undervalued piece that is not trendy. John, one final question, and I want an honest answer. Who do you love more, watches or dogs? Kevin? Dogs, of course. Unconditional love.