Hello everyone! In this article, I’ll be rounding up the watches listed on The Shiok Shop.
Although The Shiok Shop carries a variety of menswear essentials – read my introductory article on it here – I started Wah So Shiok reviewing watches, and thus thought it would be a good idea to dedicate an article to the Singaporean watch brands that made it to The Shiok Shop. Let’s get into it.
1) Advisor Watches
Advisor isn’t a big brand, but it makes one of the best supercompressors for under S$500 – the Ascent.
Why I Love It: If you’re searching for an affordable everyday beater watch, the Ascent Classic would definitely fit the bill very well. Its classic design is versatile, and the watch won’t feel out of place in most scenarios that you find yourself in. I particularly love the abovepictured combination of the blue dial and rose gold case – a perfect blend of sports and dress that is eminently striking.
Review: I reviewed the Advisor Ascent here.
Price: S$488 on The Shiok Shop.
2) Aries Gold
Perhaps the “biggest” brand that’s listed on The Shiok Shop, Aries Gold is a true-blue Singaporean watch brand that arguably paved the way for others by offering well-built watches at affordable prices to the mass market.
Why I Love It: I appreciate Aries Gold for offering a wide variety of designs – backed by decent specifications – at bang-for-buck prices. In fact, I wrote an entire article on why I love the brand here. Out of all the Aries Gold watches that I’ve reviewed over the years, one of my favourites would have to be the El Toro (pictured above), which skeletonises the dial in a Glashutte Panomatic-esque manner. It possesses good specifications, and it features an excellently executed dial that does a great job at paying homage to watchmaking without breaking the bank. What’s not to like?
Reviews: I reviewed the Aries Gold Roadster here, the El Toro here, the Vanguard here, the Black Sea here, and the Dreadnought here.
Price: From S$287 on The Shiok Shop. The El Toro costs S$364.
3) Gane
The most recent local watch brand that I reviewed, Gane reminds me of why I fell in love with local microbrands in the first place.
Why I Love It: Gane represents the manifestation of its founder’s artistic vision, thus encapsulating the ethos of what a microbrand watch should be. The Type C (pictured above) has decent specifications and a well-conceived aesthetic that displays a maturity rarely seen in debut collections. It’s well put together, and remains fairly affordable. It’s one of the most impressive microbrand watches that I’ve reviewed in recent years. Singapore may not be short of watch microbrands, but GANE is a notable addition.
Review: I reviewed the Gane Type C here.
Price: S$675 on The Shiok Shop.
4) Humism
Perhaps the most unique microbrand on The Shiok Shop, it’s no overstatement to describe Humism watches as art on the wrist.
Why I Love It: Humism is easily one of my favourite microbrands for a simple reason – its offerings are eminently unique. Its originality is a breath of fresh air, with its watches functioning as art on the wrist. The watches are well-built too, featuring sapphire crystal and a robust Seiko automatic movement. For less than S$500, Humism watches are affordable conversation starters. There’s nothing quite like Humism’s watches, which is high praise in itself.
Review: I reviewed Humism here.
Price: S$441 on The Shiok Shop.
5) Kent Hall & Co
Perhaps the best value proposition on the store, Kent Hall & Co’s Revival series offer a lot for very little.
Why I Love It: The integrated sports watch is in vogue stylistically, and with Kent Hall & Co you don’t have to fork out an arm and a leg (or endure an eternal waiting list) to scratch the itch. For less than S$250, the Revival features a sapphire crystal and an automatic movement. It’s also eminently captivating due to its skeletonised dial and integrated bracelet. It’s possibly the most affordable of its kind on the market, making it a great entry point into the world of horology.
Review: I reviewed the Kent Hall & Co Revival here.
Price: S$244 on The Shiok Shop.
6) Reverie
Last but not least, Reverie offers watches that feature guilloche as their raison d’etre.
Why I Love It: With beautiful guilloche dials as its trademark, Reverie offers watches that are a touch more sophisticated than the norm. Take the abovepictured Reverie Diver for instance. Affordable dive watches are a dime a dozen, but the striking guilloche dial and 12-hour bezel of the Reverie Diver set it apart from its peers. Specifications are great for the price too – sapphire crystal, 200m WR rating, a solid bracelet (with an additional rubber strap), Miyota 9039 movement, and dual Swiss Superluminova are all features on the Reverie Diver. If dive watches aren’t your thing, consider the Reverie GT, which is the brand’s lovely take on a dressy sports chronograph.
Reviews: I reviewed the Reverie GT here, and the Reverie Diver here.
Price: S$409 for the Reverie GT and S$539 for the Reverie Diver on The Shiok Shop.
Watches of The Shiok Shop – Youtube Video
If you would like to see some hands-on footage on the watches carried on The Shiok Shop, do check out the video below:
Conclusion:
I’m proud to introduce the inaugural watch brands of The Shiok Shop. All the watches listed on the webstore have been reviewed on Wah So Shiok and are all watches I’ve enjoyed wearing and can wholeheartedly recommend. I’m also excited to tease an exclusive upcoming collaboration with one of the aforementioned brands – more information will be released shortly.
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok 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, on Instagram here, and on Youtube 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.
