Minjie Hu

My name is Minjie Hu, and I’ve been collecting watches for better part of 20 years.

Between the ages of six to ten, I lived with my grandparents in Shanghai, and my journey started when I was seven years old and sitting on my grandad’s lap. He was reading a book to me, and mid reading, he looked at his wrist, put down the book and started twisting a little yellow knob. This was the earliest memory I have of my grandad and his gold mechanical watch.

“To this day, I still don’t know which watch he had, and if I had to give up all my watches to trade for his watch, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

Ever since I took interest, he would teach me everything he knew about watches, and he would always allow me to wind the crown if it needed it. Because I was young, I never knew what watch he had, but he said one day, when he passes, he would leave me his watch.

If I was to summarise my watch journey down to 4 watches it would be:

2002 - A fake Tag Heuer Kirium
Scene, a flee market in Shanghai where you can find counterfeit goods of any kind, where they display the ‘cheaper’ products outside and you need to have connections to take you into the back rooms where AAA and 1:1 products are being sold. This was the first time I was exposed to this kind of market and my eyes quickly set on this watch, which had polarised secondhand disc and as it turned, would darken and lighten the dial. I didn’t know the brand, but I loved the watch so of course after 10 minutes of haggling, it was on my wrist. Without knowing, this was my entry into the ‘Swiss’ watch industry and was when I decided I needed a genuine Tag Heuer in my life.

2011 - Tag Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS2
I just received my first promotion in my professional life, and having drooled over Tags since the age of 17, this was my celebration watch. This was my first real step into the Swiss watch industry, and it got me hooked.

2014 - Rolex Submariner 116610LN
This was the watch I wanted for my wedding day. To be honest, I didn’t know anything about Rolex at the time, other than the brand, Rolex. But I just wanted the world’s most replicated watch. Funny story, I mistakenly asked for a 116610LV initially, and was offered at discount. After realizing the ‘mistake’, I asked for it to be changed to a 116610LN… no regrets though, the black sub is just so easy to wear and goes with anything.

2019 - Audemars Piguet ROO Elephant
In many ways, this was somewhat my exit watch. I’ve always wanted an AP ROO and with all the chronographs I bought I’ve had the ROO in my mind and in my heart. After having acquired this watch, I haven’t really set my eyes on any other watches.

My Grandad sadly passed away in 2000. My mum returned to China to attend the funeral and brought back the watch my grandad left me. Unfortunately, due to some freak line of events, the bag containing the watch was left forgotten on the carpark floor and was never to be found again. To this day, I still don’t know which watch he had, and if I had to give up all my watches to trade for his watch, I would do it in a heartbeat.

So, what’s next? Fortunately for me, there really isn’t anything on my radar. I say fortunate because the world of watch market has gotten so insane, that any watch I genuinely want (*cough* Rolex Panda that I’ve been on the ‘waiting list’ for since 2016) is unattainable. I am also fortunate to be part of a diverse watch community that allows me to appreciate and try on watches of many different varieties. This curbs my ‘want’ to buy new pieces and even better, tames my spontaneous spendings on something I might regret later in life.

Getting to know Minjie

Getting to know Minjie

• What was your earliest memory of a watch?
  Around the age of 7, I saw my grandad wind his gold watch, and I asked if I could turn it.

• What was your first mechanical watch?
  A Tag Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS2

• What was the story behind it?  
  I had just received my first promotion in my professional life, and TAG Heuer was THE grail watch of my high school/University life, so it was time to fulfill my dream.

• Vintage or modern?
  Modern.

• Automatic or manual winding?
  Automatic.

• Favorite complication?
  Minute repeater.

• Leather strap or bracelet?
  Neither. I love rubber straps.

• Favorite watch in your collection?
  My personalised Ketelaars 3D Terra in Motion.

• Favorite dress watch on the market?
  The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre.

• Favorite sport watch on the market?
  The Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy 50th Anniversary.

• Favorite chronograph watch on the market?
  A. Lange & Söhne Datograph up/down.

• Favorite integrated bracelet watch?
  The Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar Openworked.

• Favorite independent brand and watch?  
  MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual.

• What is your grail/exit watch?
  Fortunately, I haven’t found it yet.

• What do you think of the current hype surrounding certain watches?
  Probably the same resentment as all watch collector/enthusiasts. The market surrounds itself around a handful of brands, and the rest, who are coming up with new initiatives become the noise.

• The watch I wore the most last year:
  G-Shock metal Casioak.

• The watch I look forward to seeing this year:
  I look forward to see the Zenith Defy Skyline skeleton.

• Advice for someone who is starting a watch collection:
  Don’t buy into the hype, don’t buy for ‘investment’, buy what you like, and will actually wear.

• Favorite country to visit:
  China.

• Talents/skills that people might not know about me:
  I try to fix everything before buying new. I’ve DIY everything since taking apart the family CRT TV (and not being able to put it back together).

A big thank you to Minjie for sharing his time and watch journey with the community. Please make sure to follow him on Instagram at @hurology.