The Limited Edition collaborates with 18-year-old prodigy
UK-based watch retailer The Limited Edition, which specialises in niche, independent watch brands and watchmakers, has teamed up with 18-year-old self-taught watchmaker Ricky Hong for an exclusive 36-piece collaborative release.
The Ricky Hong x TLE ‘18 in 18 (十八嵗)’ — featuring the Chinese characters for the number 18 — comes with a 40.5mm stainless steel dress case, featuring polished finishing and Cartier Obus-inspired ‘bullet’ lugs.
Hong, a full-time student from Hong Kong who began modifying G-Shocks at age 13, sold out an initial run of 18 pieces earlier this year to mark his eighteenth birthday.
The watch’s two-tone layout combines a central burgundy porcelain enamel panel with a brushed egg-shell white outer ring, hand-painted black Roman numerals, and mirror-polished leaf-style hands.
The aforementioned Chinese characters — 十八嵗 — appear at the 18-minute mark on the dial.
Powering the watch is a heavily modified Swiss Unitas 6498 manual-winding movement with an engraved balance cock (45-hour power reserve at 21,600 vib/h).
This limited edition watch is priced at £2,800 (exc. VAT) and is presented with a choice of three sustainable calfskin leather straps.
