LOTH Watch 1 Review: Independent Watchmaker Tristan Ho’s Debut Creation
The LOTH Watch 1 is the first commercially available watch from Singaporean independent watchmaker Tristan Ho, who founded LOTH in 2024 after teaching himself the craft while working in biomedical research. Limited to 12 pieces and built around a Unitas 6498 base movement, the stainless-steel watch features a hand-scratched maillechort dial and custom maillechort bridges. Its distinctive dial texture shifts in the light, while the movement displays broad polished bevels, sharp angles, and hand-finished decoration. Ho makes the watches in a compact home workshop, using a microscope for much of his work. The 40.5 mm case is designed to sit comfortably on the wrist, and the watch reflects a personal, highly crafted approach rather than mass production. Priced at about SGD 6,495 before tax, the LOTH Watch 1 sold out, marking an ambitious first release for a maker developing his own style and working full-time on future watches.
Buying Time Analysis: This story matters for documenting the emergence of Singaporean independent watchmaking, showcasing Tristan Ho’s self-taught craft and the distinctive, hand-finished LOTH Watch 1.
