Hello everyone! A couple of weeks ago, I posted an Instastory and a Facebook post on my social media, asking for any questions that you guys might have. I’ve compiled the questions in this article – hope you have my responses insightful!
I’ll also be providing a few updates on the state of Wah So Shiok, and what the future holds for this platform. I’ve had a lot of time to think during this CB period, and I’m excited to share with you guys what’s in store. Let’s start with the community questions first!
QnA:
1) How do you select which tailors to feature?
That’s an interesting question. I’ve a few criteria that I check through first. Firstly, the tailor must possess a good reputation. I usually base this off Google reviews – I won’t feature a tailor that has a rating of less than 4. Secondly, I ensure that the tailor is experienced, and has been in the industry for at least a couple of years already. In other words, tailors should have a proven track record. Nowadays, young tailors seem to be popping up everywhere, but I’ve also noticed that though they come quickly, they exit the industry quickly as well. Lastly, the tailor should be relatively affordable, with a starting price of less than $1000. Wah So Shiok is a platform for the masses – it’s not my intention to review things that only a small (wealthy) section of society can afford.
2) What is a watch that you hate?
I don’t really have a watch or a watch brand that I hate per se. There are certainly a few watch brands that I wouldn’t buy (at least first hand) as I think that they are overpriced – Franck Muller, Bell & Ross, Bremont, SevenFriday, etc. But I can understand why people, even watch enthusiasts, would buy these watches, and if someone ever gifted a watch from the aforementioned brands to me I’ll probably still wear it. I don’t even hate Daniel Wellington – my first watch was a Daniel Wellington, and the brand got me into wearing something on the wrist. That being said, I do think that the current modern iteration of the Rolex Submariner is perhaps the most overhyped watch out there. I just think that it is boring, and for 12K there are so many watches out there that are much more interesting. Furthermore, the modern Submariner is so commonly seen too – it seems like every banker/financial planner/property agent has one. A hard pass for me.
3) Nautilus or Royal Oak?
This is a good question. From an investment perspective, I’ll get the Nautilus – you get twice your money back if you can purchase a 5711 at MSRP. If I was buying for pure enjoyment however, I’ll probably pick the Royal Oak. The Royal Oak is the first sports watch designed by the great Gerald Genta, and preceded the Nautilus by a couple of years. It was undoubtedly the first watch to redefine what luxury could be. Relatively speaking, it’s significantly more affordable than a Nautilus too! Definitely more bang-for-buck.
4) What’s a suit colour more guys should try?
I think most guys should stick to either navy or grey. Those are the two most versatile colours, and looks great with patterns too (navy pinstripe, grey with checks, etc). If you’re more adventurous, I think that a suit colour more guys can and should try is green, specifically olive green. It’s definitely something different, but still formal/versatile enough that you can wear it both to the office and for an event. Stick with dark olive green though – you don’t want to end up looking like the Riddler from Batman!
5) How did you get into suits?
I first got into suits right before I entered university. I remember wanting to commission a suit for myself for school – everyone says you need a suit for university presentations, interviews, etc. I only had a little bit of money then, so I wanted to find an affordable but good tailor. I tried to search the internet for reviews, but couldn’t find any on the local tailors. That was when I decided to cover local tailors myself, and write reviews on suits. Along the way as I visited more tailors, my appreciation for tailoring and suits grew as I realised how painstaking the craft is. In many senses, it’s a lot like watchmaking!
6) What’s your favourite watch brand?
I don’t have a favourite watch brand per se. I know that there are a lot of brand-specific fanatics out there, collecting dozens of Rolexes/Omegas/Panerais/etc. If I have to choose just one however, it would probably be A. Lange & Sohne. I love that brand. I think they make the best watches in the market currently. I love all their watches, from the Lange 1 Moonphase, to the Saxonia Annual Calendar, the Zeitwerk, and the 1815 chronograph. The only watch that I don’t really fancy from them is the Odysseus, but that’s an exception I can close an eye to. Their movements are beautifully finished, they are reasonably priced (as compared to Patek/Vacheron/AP), and the watches look stunning. They hold their value relatively well too. If I can wear watches from only one brand for the rest of my life, it would definitely be A Lange. & Sohne.
7) What’s the next watch that you’re looking to purchase?
The Cartier Tank Solo XL. Cartier is also one of my favourite watch brands – I love all their watch designs, and would wear almost everything from their current collection. The Tank Solo XL is currently quite a steal too, at just $4850 even though it has an in-house movement. That makes it nearly half the price of the newly announced Pasha! The Tank is a design icon as well, having adorned the wrist of everyone from Princess Diana to Andy Warhol. I’m looking to get it once this COVID-19 lockdown situation ends, and COVID-19 is defeated here in Singapore. To me, no better watch encapsulates the strength and resilience that our nation has demonstrated than the 100+ year old Tank!
8) What’s the favourite watch you have reviewed thus far?
I think most, if not all of the watches that I review on this platform has some merit to them. If there were utter trash, I wouldn’t have spent precious time writing and photographing them, nor do I want my readers to waste their time reading a review of a hot piece of garbage. I really liked a lot of watches throughout the 2+ years that I’ve been reviewing, but my personal favourite thus far would still have to be the Arcturus Lion City 1. I love its Art Deco design, and to me there has been no better-designed microbrand watch till date. Definitely the most impressive Singaporean watch ever made. It’s sad to see that the brand has become inactive nowadays though.
9) What’s the inspiration behind the name Wah So Shiok?
Haha, this is probably the best question! For starters, my surname is actually Wah, so the first part is a pun on my own name. Secondly, I wanted a name that’s distinctively local, and the phrase “Wah, so shiok!” just came into my mind. I thought it sounded unique, and more importantly, it’s still generic enough that is doesn’t restrict me from expanding into other product segments. When I first started doing watch reviews, many people asked me why I didn’t choose a watch-related name. I’m glad I didn’t, as I wouldn’t have been able to transition into covering menswear in general if that was the case. Lastly, the name just felt right, and I’ve found that it’s pretty memorable with others as well!
10) What’s your grail watch?
There are a lot of watches that I would like to own – in fact I did an entire article on it! Aside from the watches I mentioned in the article, I think the watch I would want to own the most is the Cartier Crash. It’s a piece of unmistakable design, and simply a work of art. While substantially priced, its MSRP of 27,000 Euros isn’t as astronomical as one would expect too. Of course, they are all sold out by now, but I hope that when Cartier does another reissue of the Crash I’ll be in a solid enough financial situation to place an order for one!
11) Why do you never give a negative review?
That’s a good question, and a question I’ve been meaning to address for a while. Some readers have asked why I don’t write negative reviews, and a few have even said that I’m biased as a result. That’s not really the case. A review gets initiated either when a brand approach me, or I approach a brand. Obviously, when I approach a brand I’ll naturally approach brands that I like, I respect, that I want to introduce to you guys. When Wah So Shiok first started, the vision was to give local brands/microbrands a platform to be featured on, as they are often shunned by mainstream media. If a brand that I know I wouldn’t approve of – say, Daniel Wellington or G2000 – approach me for a review, I’ll simply politely decline and inform the brand’s representative on the reasons why. I think it would be disingenuous of me to ask the brand to take the trouble of sending the product over, only for me to trash it in my review. As such, what makes it on the website are reviews of products that I personally can recommend, products that I feel will cater to the needs of a specific demographic. Nevertheless, I always strive to be as objective as possible in my reviews, and will never shy away from highlighting a product’s weaknesses.
12) Tell us something surprising about yourself.
I hate wearing ties. I know that’s sartorial blasphemy, but that’s how I feel. To quote Richard Branson: “Wearing a tie is like having a noose around your neck.” I’ve just never felt comfortable wearing a tie, and it makes the outfit feels overly serious and stuffy. The only exception is when I’m in a three-piece suit.
Updates to Wah So Shiok:
I’ve a lot of time to think during this extended Circuit Breaker period, and have come up with a few new initiatives for the website moving forward. I’m pleased to share some of my future plans with you guys!
1) Youtube Channel
The first, and perhaps most important update would be that I’m finally doing video reviews, and will be starting my own Youtube channel! It’s been something that I’ve wanted to do for quite some time, but have constantly put it off. Many brand owners and readers have encouraged me to try my hand in video reviews, but I’ve always thought that it would be a lot of extra work – shooting the video, getting the right equipment, editing the video afterwards, etc. However, I’ve decided that the benefits of being able to show you guys the product in a video format is ultimately worth the additional time and effort.
That being said, please don’t expect Watchfinder, or even Teddy Baldassarre level of video quality, with B rolls, macro shots, etc. Instead, expect more of a short hands-on unboxing review, similar to the video reviews that Ariel Adams does for the A Blog to Watch Youtube Channel. It’s just going to be a brief unboxing video, showing you guys all angles of the watch, and giving my quick take on it. For more details, the written review is still where the in-depth coverage will be. For my “experiences” articles (tailoring, perfume workshops, etc) I’ll be doing the video in a more informal VLOG style, showing how the store looks like, how the interaction is like, etc. I’ll also be creating and uploading exclusive content on Youtube every Friday! I’m really excited about this, and I hope you guys are too. I’ll need some time to get the video equipment, and I can only do so after this circuit breaker/Phase 1 ends, so hopefully the first video reviews will be out by July/August. Nevertheless, I’ve already created the channel, and it would mean the world to me if you guys would subscribe to it in advance here!
2) 50% watches, 50% menswear
Secondly, I’ll like to address the future content direction for Wah So Shiok. My vision for Wah So Shiok is for it to be a platform for the everyday gentleman, reviewing products that would interest a sartorialist, but not break the bank. The focus of the website will be split equally into watches, and other segments of menswear which includes tailoring, bags, eyewear, fragrances, and small leather goods. As you guys know, I post twice weekly, on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Moving forward, Saturday will be for horological reviews, whereas Sunday will be dedicated to content on menswear. If you’re a watch enthusiast, visit the Wah So Shiok website on Saturday evening. If you’re into menswear but not watches, then check in on Sunday evening. Of course, I hope that you are into both! For Youtube, aside from having the corresponding watch/menswear videos on Saturday/Sunday respectively, I’ll also be creating Youtube-exclusive content every Friday. The topic will alternate between watches and menswear, so one week could be about avoiding fashion watches, with the following video on how a suit jacket should fit for example. Keep an eye out for that!
3) Advertising Banners
After a lengthy consideration, I’ve decided to include advertising banners on the website. As you guys might have noticed, Wah So Shiok was conspicuously void of advertising banners, unlike most review platforms on the Internet. The main reason why because I didn’t want to incorporate Google Adsense and for it to display ads for brands that I don’t approve of – e.g Daniel Wellington, G2000, etc. However, advertising banners form a major revenue stream for most websites, and it is unfortunately no longer financially viable for me to neglect them. But don’t fret – you don’t have to put up with spammy ads from God-knows-what brands. Instead, I’ve partnered together with the brands I’m already working with for these banners, and they will be offering you guys an even better discount! Currently, readers get a whopping 50% off watches from Aries Gold (up from 35%), and 15% off watch straps from Delugs (up from 10%). I’m currently in talks with a tailor as well. The brands get additional exposure, I get an additional revenue stream, and my readers get an additional discount – a win for all involved.
4) Consultancy
In addition, I’ll also be providing consultancy services! If you’re someone looking to start your own watch brand, or a menswear brand in the tailoring/accessories/shoes space, I’ll be more than happy to offer you some of the insight that I’ve gleaned over the years. Since 2017 (when WSS first started) I’ll reviewed almost 100 watches, personally been to more than 40 tailors, and have interacted with dozens of menswear brands locally. Whether it’s pricing, design, or brand positioning, I’m sure that I’ll be able to provide you with some useful advice. Don’t worry – there are no upfront charges! For those who want to know more, do feel free to drop me an email at qile@wahsoshiok.com.
5) Instagram
I’ll admit – I’ve been neglecting my Instagram page for quite some time now. I don’t post that often, I don’t really reply to comments and interact with others, and I rarely use the Instagram story feature. That is going to change. From today onwards, I’ll be posting on Instagram daily. I’m trying to interact more with the watch/sartorial community at large, commenting on the posts of others, etc. Lastly, I’ll also be putting sneak peeks of upcoming watches, menswear products, etc on Instastory. I’ll be devoting significantly more time to my Instagram page from now on, so if you haven’t already done so please do follow Wah So Shiok on Instagram here! I promise I’ll follow you back 🙂
Conclusion:
That wraps up this QnA + Updates article! I hope that you have found my responses to the questions interesting, and share my excitement about the future of Wah So Shiok. In some ways, the extended Circuit Breaker was a boon – I really had a lot of time to think about what I want Wah So Shiok to be. I’m ready to devote even more time and effort into creating honest, local reviews of watches and menswear products. When I first founded Wah So Shiok, it was borne out of a frustration of a lack of honest reviews, written from a genuine consumer’s perspective. Most feature articles and reviews out there look like PR writing! 2.5 years on, I hope my reviews and coverage have added something different to the industry. And trust me – Wah So Shiok will only get better!
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wahsoshiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
P.S.S If you haven’t already, do follow my social media channels on Facebook here, and on Instagram here!
P.S.S.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
