TL;DR: Taste of Time returns for its third edition in the Netherlands, expanding to a larger, more accessible venue to spotlight independent watchmakers. For Asian collectors tracking the independent horology market, this event is a bellwether for which ateliers are gaining traction — and which pieces deserve space in a serious collection.

Why Independent Watchmaking Events Matter to Asian Collectors

The independent watchmaking segment has quietly become one of the most compelling areas of watch collecting, with secondary market premiums on certain independent pieces now rivalling — and occasionally surpassing — those of major Swiss maisons. At recent auction, a François-Paul Journe Tourbillon Souverain in platinum hammered at CHF 1,850,000 against a CHF 900,000–1,200,000 estimate at Antiquorum Geneva, representing a premium of over 54% above high estimate. That kind of performance has not gone unnoticed among collectors in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo, where sophisticated buyers are actively rotating out of predictable references and into pieces with genuine horological depth and limited production numbers.

Taste of Time, co-organised by Adriaan Snippe and watch journalist Frank Geelen, has established itself since its first edition as the Netherlands' only dedicated independent watchmaking event — a focused, curatorial gathering rather than a trade fair. What distinguishes it from larger watch fairs is its deliberate exclusion of corporate maisons. Every exhibitor is an independent atelier or a sole-practitioner watchmaker, meaning the provenance chain for every piece on display runs directly back to the hands that built it. For collectors who care about that chain of custody, this is significant.

What Is New for the Third Edition?

The third iteration of Taste of Time marks a meaningful step up in scale. The event moves to a new venue — larger, better equipped, and more logistically accessible than previous editions. While full exhibitor lists have not yet been published, prior editions have featured makers including Kari Voutilainen, whose watches carry a production figure of approximately 50 pieces per year across all references, and whose secondary market premiums regularly land between 30% and 80% above retail depending on the reference. Previous editions also welcomed Dutch independent watchmakers whose work rarely surfaces outside European specialist circles, making the event a genuine discovery opportunity for collectors who attend in person.

The expansion of the venue signals growing collector appetite for independent horology in Europe, a trend that mirrors what auction houses in Asia have been reporting. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo noted in their 2023 Geneva Watch Auction that independent watchmakers accounted for a disproportionately high share of lots exceeding CHF 500,000. The crossover audience between European independent watch events and Asian collectors is real and growing, with buyers from Singapore and Hong Kong increasingly travelling to European events to establish direct relationships with makers — relationships that can translate into allocation access for future pieces.

How Independent Watchmakers Build Long-Term Collection Value

The investment case for independent watchmakers rests on three pillars: scarcity, provenance clarity, and technical distinction. A maker producing 50 to 150 pieces annually across all references creates a supply constraint that no marketing budget can manufacture. When a piece from such a maker surfaces at auction with clear provenance — original papers, direct purchase history from the atelier, exhibition history — it commands a premium that reflects both the object's rarity and the story attached to it. Collectors in Asia, particularly those building multi-category collections across watches, whisky, and art, have shown consistent appetite for exactly this profile of asset.

Events like Taste of Time serve a practical function for the serious collector: they compress discovery time. Rather than travelling to individual ateliers across Switzerland, Germany, and Scandinavia, a collector can encounter eight to fifteen independent makers in a single afternoon, assess finishing quality directly under natural light, and open conversations that may lead to commission or allocation. For Asian collectors who cannot always attend in person, following the exhibitor list and post-event coverage closely is the next best reference tool for tracking which names are building momentum before that momentum is reflected in auction results.

Key Details and Collector Takeaways

• Event: Taste of Time — Third Edition
• Location: New venue in the Netherlands (larger and more accessible than previous editions)
• Focus: Independent watchmakers only — no major maison presence
• Comparable auction benchmark: F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain, CHF 1,850,000 hammer (Antiquorum, 2023)
• Production context: Leading independents produce 50–150 pieces per year across all references
• Secondary market premium: 30–80% above retail for top independent references at major auction houses

Taste of Time — Third Edition

📍 New venue, Netherlands (full address to be announced)

🌐 Follow updates via Monochrome Watches

🗺 View Netherlands on Google Maps

The Collector Verdict

For Asian collectors building a watch portfolio with genuine depth, Taste of Time represents the kind of primary-source intelligence that separates informed buying from trend-chasing. The independent watchmaking segment is not a speculative corner of the market — it is where the most technically rigorous horology is being produced today, in quantities that guarantee long-term scarcity. Whether you attend in person or track the exhibitor list from Hong Kong or Singapore, the third edition of this event is reference material worth clipping. Watch for the full exhibitor announcement, and cross-reference any names you do not recognise against recent Phillips, Christie's, and Sotheby's Geneva results before the event opens its doors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Taste of Time and who organises it?

Taste of Time is an independent watchmaking event held in the Netherlands, co-organised by Adriaan Snippe and watch journalist Frank Geelen. Now entering its third edition, it is the only event in the Netherlands dedicated exclusively to independent watchmakers, deliberately excluding major corporate maisons to keep the focus on artisan and sole-practitioner ateliers.

Why should Asian collectors follow the independent watchmaking segment?

Independent watchmakers produce between 50 and 150 pieces annually across all references, creating genuine supply scarcity. Secondary market premiums on leading independent pieces regularly run 30–80% above retail at major auction houses including Phillips, Christie's, and Antiquorum. Asian collectors in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo have been among the most active buyers in this segment at recent Geneva and Hong Kong auctions.

How do independent watch events translate into collection-building advantage?

Attending or closely following events like Taste of Time allows collectors to identify makers before their names appear in major auction catalogues. Establishing a direct relationship with an independent maker can provide access to allocations and commissions that are otherwise unavailable. This early-mover advantage is a recognised strategy among serious watch collectors building long-term portfolios.

What auction benchmarks exist for independent watchmakers?

A François-Paul Journe Tourbillon Souverain in platinum achieved CHF 1,850,000 at Antiquorum Geneva against a high estimate of CHF 1,200,000 — a 54% premium above estimate. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo has reported that independent watchmaker lots disproportionately represent the highest-value results in their Geneva Watch Auctions, a trend that has accelerated since 2020.

When and where will the third edition of Taste of Time take place?

The third edition will be held at a new, larger venue in the Netherlands, chosen for its improved accessibility compared to previous editions. The full address and date are expected to be announced closer to the event. Collectors are advised to monitor Monochrome Watches and the event's official channels for the exhibitor list and ticketing details.

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