BCHH Launches the Sovereign Luxury Sports Watch in Collaboration with AHCI Watchmaker John McGonigle


In 2019, Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie (BCHH) founder and longtime Singaporean watch collector Benjamin Chee first launched his flagship brand with a profound hunger to put Singapore on the map of haute horlogerie — not just in terms of collecting and connoisseurship, but as a center of creative watchmaking. BCHH is the ultimate expression of Benjamin Chee’s vision of contemporary haute horlogerie, combining high craftsmanship and precious stone dials with elegantly futuristic cases and top-tier movements.

The BCHH Celestial from Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie on YouTube

The cases and crowns for BCHH watches are produced by Kari Voutilainen’s case workshop, Voutilainen & Cattin, while the dials and hands are handcrafted by Comblémine — also owned by Voutilainen and the same atelier that produces dials for Kari Voutilainen, and a handful of top independent watchmakers. Through this partnership, bespoke engine-turned guilloché dials of almost any design are available on commission.

The movements used are Vaucher’s latest version of their ultra-thin micro-rotor, with an improved design for better isochronism, available in either the classic or futuristic variant. BCHH is the global launch client for both movements, the first brand in the world to receive and use them. All BCHH watches are assembled, regulated, tested and serviced personally by AHCI independent watchmaker John McGonigle, undoubtedly one of the finest living watchmakers of our time.

Very soon, BCHH will also launch another proprietary hand-wound movement, individually hand-finished in exquisite detail by McGonigle.

The Sovereign is the latest creation of BCHH, the luxury sports-watch of the brand. Its dramatically-designed case alludes to the scoops and sweeps of a super car chassis and yacht hulls. The watch was conceived as the ultimate everyday watch, equally at home, skiing on the Alps as it is worn with a suit. The case finishing is showcased forefront here, with an intricate combination of highly-polished and brushed surfaces and facets. As an example of the amount of handwork that goes into even the minutest details, the nine facets on each hour octagon on the dial are meticulously black-polished by hand, an operation that takes a skilled artisan many hours over several days. 

The Sovereign is one of the exceedingly few sports-watches that are genuinely artisanally made, as opposed to industrially, standing head-and-shoulders above its competitors in the areas of materials, craftsmanship, and pedigree. Its unimpeachable quality and superlative craftsmanship make every Sovereign more elusive than even the limited editions of the mainstream brands, with less than one hundred watches in total handcrafted per year under the BCHH marque.

In keeping with the brand’s tenet of understated excellence, the Sovereign is available exclusively in 950 platinum. Each watch is custom-built, offering four dial selections — white jade, green jade, aventurine, and solid platinum with bespoke engine-turned guilloché dial — having built close relationships with the owners of these mines over the years, allows BCHH to source the very finest quality jade available to few others, namely Hetian nephrite from Xinjiang in China and jadeite from Myanmar.

At the apex of the Sovereign family is the Sovereign Tourbillon, which houses a flying tourbillon, co-developed and meticulously hand-finished by McGonigle. The Sovereign Tourbillon is available built to order. For more details, see here.

Following the Sovereign is the new-and-improved iteration of the Celestial, BCHH’s elegant dress watch. The Celestial family is crowned with the Celestial Tourbillon, a masterpiece of elegance and refinement. Along with the same four dial choices as the Sovereign, the Celestial is also available with both bespoke cloisonné and micro-painting enamel dials, handcrafted by master artisans using centuries-old traditions. The Celestial is also available built to order. For more details, see here.

All BCHH watch owners are accorded exclusive travel benefits, such as complimentary upgrades and amenities, VIP treatment at hundreds of luxury hotels worldwide, as well as complimentary champagne and priority reservations at many Michelin-starred restaurants around the world.

In keeping with the brand’s focus on fine art and high horology, BCHH has also announced several intriguing upcoming projects: a world-time watch featuring a cloisonné enamel dial, a jumping-hours watch with a jade dial, and an astronomical pendulum clock made in collaboration with AHCI clockmaker Alessandro Rigotto.

In total, BCHH has collaborative projects planned with eight AHCI master watchmakers over the next two years, including a remontoire. Earlier clients will naturally receive priority allocation for these exceptional watches.

Finally, in tune with BCHH’s mission of handcrafting “Watches of Excellence and being a Force for Good,” a portion of proceeds will go directly towards providing shelter, food, and care for homeless and abandoned dogs in Singapore, through BCHH’s adopted-dog shelter Gentle Paws. Especially in these difficult times, the brand feels a strong calling to help these vulnerable animals in need, ever more so.

Bespoke customization is available for all BCHH watches, with the ability to fulfill any owner’s request. All BCHH watches are available exclusively at BCHH.ch

Interested clients may register their interest directly at concierge@bchh.ch.

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  1. The celestial reminds me an awful lot of the Holthinrichs Ornament

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