On a recent Thursday evening, guests of Robb Report Malaysia visited the Qing Gallery in the leafy environs of Desa Park City. Here, they were welcomed by a plethora of art pieces from both international and local household names such as London-based Chinese artist Jacky Tsai, French-Vietnamese Cyril Kongo, French pop-street artist Jean-Baptiste Launay (better known as Jisbar), senior Malaysian artist Jolly Koh, and a masterly painting by one of Southeast Asia’s leading installation artists Zulkifli Yusof and his Amok Di Pasir Salak Series. At the heart of the gallery, the sight of an olden-day watchmaker’s guillochage machine captivated the attentions of all the guests. This machine, used in the watchmaking workshop of Breguet from a century ago, is capable of producing the scintillating decorative patterns on the timepiece dial through the careful and repeated removal of thin metallic strips from the dial’s surface.
Christina Lee of Qing Gallery (left) introducing the works of art to Lee Chen Din.
Across the space of the night, guests had the opportunity to try their hands on this age-old technique, where the human hand becomes the guiding force in the ensuing beauty of a timepiece’s dial. Much in the same way, the evening with Breguet also underlined the watchmaker’s long ties to the world of art, from the pioneering neoclassical style of timepieces by its founder Abraham-Louis Breguet right up to the present day where Breguet—since 2022—has partnered with the Frieze Art Fair across its five international editions: London, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul and Frieze Masters.
Phang Chee Man (left) and Fabien Levrion, Vice President of Breguet Southeast Asia.
Left: Pauline Gan and Anna Lee. Right: KJ Chew and Christine Cheah.
As the guests took their seats for dinner, the featured artist of the night was introduced. Michelle Yap, known for her bold abstract contemporary works, took the stage and shared her artistic journey that has taken her from London’s Central St. Martins College of Arts to commissioned paintings in the homes of Hollywood moguls and alongside Jeff Koons at the Shanghai International Art Fair.
Left: Artist Michelle Yap with one of her paintings. Right: Fabien Levrion shares a light-hearted moment with Andy Kuan.
Fabien Levrion, Christofle Giam, Martin Issing and Patrick On, Qing Gallery founder.
As the night carried on, guests were similarly enthralled by the artistry of Breguet’s timepieces, the intricate components of its La Tradition, the purity of its Classique guilloche dials, the rare oval-shaped Reine de Naples collection, many of which bore flawless diamond settings, and the elegant Marine collection, which merges a sporty aesthetic with classical riffs. A special treat for the guests was the Classique Perpetual Calendar Automatic, launched in April of this year and sporting a more contemporary and streamlined face.
