How a Shenzhen watchmaker taught himself to make US$80,000 timepieces
- Lin Yonghua learned how to make watches by taking them apart. Now, he is one of China’s few Swiss-accredited watchmakers
Rolex, Breguet, Patek Philippe — they are some of the biggest names in luxury watches. But there are also many independent makers whose designs rival those of the big brands, both in quality and price.
Independent watchmakers stand in contrast to the big companies that make up a majority of the market. They more or less make the watches themselves, injecting their own personalities into designs. Most spend months working on just one piece, a culmination of skill, passion, and patience.
Lin Yonghua is one of only three watchmakers from China certified by the AHCI, a Swiss organisation that represents independent watchmakers. Membership is exclusive and requires one to make a watch completely without assistance.
All the more impressive, then, that Lin is mostly self-taught. He grew up in China at a time when most people could not afford luxury watches — let alone make one.
Now, his pieces, which are sold under his label LYH, go for between US$10,000 to US$80,000. In 2019, a watch he designed, with a complex spider web chassis that resembled a time zone map, earned him worldwide acclaim. He is particularly proud of the piece.
