De Bethune, MB&F, Urwerk 'Rebel Alliance' Event

jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) · 2015-04-23T10:39:59Z

Explore the 'Rebel Alliance' event in Singapore featuring De Bethune, MB&F, and Urwerk. See rare timepieces and collector insights.

jrwong23 (aka watchthebin)

WPS member · Independents forum

20 replies6353 views31 photos

jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) offers an exclusive look into a unique gathering of independent watchmaking's 'Rebel Alliance' — De Bethune, MB&F, and Urwerk — hosted by The Hour Glass Singapore. His photo essay captures the vibrant atmosphere and extraordinary timepieces on display, providing a rare glimpse into a significant event for collectors of avant-garde horology. This post highlights the camaraderie and shared vision among these innovative brands and their enthusiasts.

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Tonight I was invited for a dinner hosted by the 3 Independent brands of De Bethune, Urwerk and MB&F well as Hour Glass Singapore. Alessandro, Felix and Max were all present. It was a night I had to toggle 2 dinners at the same time! Quite an experience.

Some quick pics to share on this Rebels event!

What a cute theme! Star Wars !!

My Rebel watch tonight on the right wrist (left wrist is my Dufourgraph as I also had to attend the dinner of the "Empire")

The dinner venue at the Grand Hyatt Singapore

A large scale dinner! A gathering of rebels in an alliance !

Cocktail party started first. Glad to catch up with fellow Purist from Sydney, OzTimeLord as well as Max Busser!

Many eye candies below. Enjoy!!

Finally we were ready to sit down and have our dinner!

Bro watches!

Very hungry now!

The chefs appeared! Each wearing a Star Wars character mask

A panel of 3 masters!

Dessert buffet - very interesting concept!

Each master has their fair share of fans!

Hope you enjoyed the pics!

There are some interesting discussions brought up during the panel chats. I will write a bit on that tomorrow.

Cheers
Robin

This message has been edited by jrwong23 on 2015-04-24 07:07:31

Key Points from the Discussion

The event showcased the growing appeal and market success of independent brands, with MB&F's MELCHIOR being particularly noted as sold out across markets, indicating strong collector demand for innovative pieces.
MB&F's evolution into a 'lifestyle company' was highlighted, reflecting a broader trend among independent brands to create a holistic experience around their products.
A fellow Purist from Sydney, OzTimeLord, expressed his privilege in attending the event and meeting other passionate collectors, emphasizing the community aspect of such gatherings.
The courage and vision of these independent brands were applauded for prioritizing watchmaking over pure commercialism, standing out in an industry often dominated by larger, more traditional players.
The author, jrwong23, shared his personal favorite from the event: the MB&F frosted LM 101s, especially the yellow gold variant, underscoring the aesthetic appeal of these unique timepieces.
Another attendee, rnaden, mentioned enjoying the same pieces the day before and specifically praised the mesmerizing deep blue dial of a De Bethune watch.

The Discussion

patrick_y

Apr 23, 2015

So many Jedi Masters! A lot for all the young padawans to learn from all the Jedi Masters! Thanks for all the pictures! I'm really happy to see MELCHIOR. It's amazing though, all the MELCHIORs have been sold already and is more or less sold out in every market. I've always been a fan of Felix's work. Revolutionary. The guy is just amazing. Not a huge fan of his latest watch with a circuit board. Not sure I'm a fan of "hybrid watches" yet, although if you look at the Porsche 918, Ferrari LaFerrar

foversta

Apr 23, 2015

You seem to have a lot of fun these last days! Fx

rnaden

Apr 23, 2015

I enjoyed the same pieces the day before :-) and that DeBethune's deep blue dial is really cool! Mesmerizing!

Oztimelord

Apr 23, 2015

Robin, Fantastic post and it was great to meet you and the guys. It was a great privilege and opportunity to be here in Singapore for this event. I have met even more passionate collectors. Kind Regards Rene aka Oztimelord

MTF

Apr 23, 2015

I missed seeing these at Basel show because they moved from the usual Palais exhibition hall. Like translocating a Death Star ;) Regards MTF

moc

Apr 23, 2015

Most likely ,and hopefully,amongst the ones that will remain forever... I applaud their courage and vision ,hard to find in a very stale industry dominated by the big boys..... Watchmaking or moneymaking?These guys went for the former,,,,,well done.. Mo

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De Bethune, MB&F, Urwerk 'Rebel Alliance' Event

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