Selten and Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) are back with a new steamy-dialled watch
Zach Blass- Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) and Selten present the Yum Cha (飲茶), a watch dedicated to memories of family.
- It features a hand-engraved fumé Grand Feu amber enamel that requires 16.5 hours of work with a rejection rate of 40%.
- Limited to 100 pieces and priced at US$4,950.
Anyone who has been in the collecting and enthusiast scene long enough has likely encountered the phrase watchfam. In a world of polarised sentiment and politics, the key element of the watch community I have always appreciated the most is just how strong the sense of community really is – instant bonds and friendships developed over ridiculous, expensive timekeeping objects, and our shared appreciation for the journey of discovery and the hunt for the next #newwatchalert. Though inspired by something more specific and closer to Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) co-founder Jackie Ho, the new Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) x Selten Yum Cha (飲茶) celebrates the sense of family we develop within the watch community in a deeply personal way.
The case excels in both fit and finish, measuring 38.5mm in diameter, just under 10mm thick including the sapphire crystal, and a very wrist-approachable 44.5mm lug-to-lug across the wrist. The 50-metre water-resistant stainless steel case has a classic, premium construction, with a modern take on cow horn lugs and a double-lipped case that nets two polished lines framing a richly brushed caseband. The lugs are brushed on the top and side of their profile, but incorporate and poliushed bevel that separates the front and sides in a visually elegant way.
Though the case is nothing to scoff at, the real star of the show, and where the storytelling really begins with the new Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) x Selten Yum Cha (飲茶), is its dial. Having held and worn a sample for an extended period of time before writing this introduction, when I describe the dial as breathtaking, I do not use the term lightly. When you consider how much work goes into fabricating each dial, my reaction is the result of quite extensive work – it is well earned.
Each dial is said to require approximately 16.5 hours of work. The first step requires around 8 hours of work, where Master Qin, Selten’s in-house engraver and enamelist, maps out 80 individual rectangles on a silver disc base. Within each of the 80 individual rectangles, Master Qin carves over 40 parallel lines by hand using a razor-sharp tungsten graver. The depth and texture of the dial can only be crafted by the intelligence of the hand, with varying amounts of depth and pressure in each cut to create the shadowing that makes this dial feel almost photorealistic in expression. Once this is completed, the dial undergoes approximately 7 hours of Grand Feu enamelling in the second step and 1.5 hours of polishing in the third step. Based on the 16.5 hours per dial quote, at a minimum, to complete all 100 dials for this limited edition, it would take 1,650 hours (over 2 months) of work. However, the rejection rate is approximately 40%. So, it took even longer.
All of this craftsmanship makes the imagery of the dial immediately clear: a bamboo steamer weave pattern. But because of the skilled hand behind the work, the basket weave pattern is so detailed you would be forgiven for thinking the dial was made of a treated bamboo steamer lid. So, why this pattern? Those who understand the name of the watch will already be ahead of the curve.
Yum Cha literally translates to ‘to drink tea’, but in Hong Kong, to say you are going to Yum Cha means to go eat Dim Sum at a tea house. As a child, some of Jackie’s fondest memories are having Yum Cha with his grandparents, surrounded by trolleys stacked with bamboo steamers delivering tasty Dim Sum and washed down with warm tea, and, most importantly, enjoyed with friends and family.
Jackie Ho, Founder, WH&C explains: “This is my personal tribute and thank you to my grandparents. To my grandmother. To every morning I didn’t know I’d spend the rest of my life trying to return to.”
This also explains the hand-engraved caseback, a wonderful motif that also brings Jackie’s childhood memories to life and celebrates the 3rd anniversary of Watch Ho & Co(mmunity), which ultimately is all about bringing that same sense of warmth you would have gathering for Yum Cha to a community that brings people together, to the table to talk watches with friends. As with all of Watch Ho & Co(mmunity)’s anniversary editions, the words “Good Vibes Only” can be found on the caseback, further driving home the sense of community WH&C seeks to curate.
Beneath the caseback, a Sellita SW200-2 M Power+ drives the tea leaf-shaped hours and minutes hands on the dial. This premium automatic Sellita movement not only boasts 65 hours of power reserve, but has also gone the extra mile to be regulated within 6 seconds per day – something you would never really know considering there are no hour indices, no minute track to reveal such a thing. Affixed to the case is a quick-release honey brown leather strap that perfectly pairs with the dial.
At US$4,950, there will inevitably be some sticker shock from those who have previously bought Selten watches, or any of WH&C anniversary editions. However, though Selten is well-respected for democratising beautifully coloured and textured dials, the Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) x Selten Yum Cha (飲茶) is really in a league of its own. With each dial requiring 16.5 hours of work from a master in their craft, I don’t think anyone who ever has the pleasure of seeing this watch in person would doubt or belittle the asking price. The case is well-sized and well-finished, the movement is a Swiss workhorse of a premium grade, and the dial… well… it speaks for itself – especially ‘in the metal’.
Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) x Selten Yum Cha (飲茶) pricing and availability
The Watch Ho & Co (Community) x Selten Yum Cha (飲茶) is now available to order online as a limited edition of 100 pieces. Price: US$4,950
| Brand | Watch Ho & Co(mmunity) x Selten |
| Model | Yum Cha (飲茶) |
| Case Dimensions | 38mm (D) x 9.95mm (T) x 44.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Domed sapphire front |
| Dial | Fumé Amber enamel on silver base, hand-engraved bamboo steamer weave pattern |
| Strap | Quick-release brown leather strap, pin buckle |
| Movement | Sellita SW200-2 M Power+, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 65 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes |
| Availability | Now, limited to 100 pcs. |
| Price | US$4,950 |