Azimuth’s international success has been phenomenal, considering the homegrown brand has only been in the market since 2003. It manages the entire mechanical timepiece production from the research and development of its ingenious concept designs to the manufacturing process in Switzerland and retailing, distribution and delivery worldwide – all from its base in Singapore. Today, Azimuth watches can be found in close to 20 countries across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.

The company even proudly unveiled a new brand ambassador for the United Kingdom recently – British Peugeot UK International Rally Challenge Driver Guy Wilks. As the new face of Azimuth, Wilks will be sporting Azimuth watches on his wrist on and off the track.

“When you’re a racecar driver, time is of essence, whether you are on the track or off it. That is why the watch I wear needs to have the same values that me and my car do – constantly testing the boundaries, being cutting edge, innovative and extreme, yet always accurate, precise and reliable,” says Wilks.

In 2009, the brand took a great leap forward onto the luxury stage when it launched a new flagship store at Mandarin Gallery in the heart of Singapore’s Orchard Road shopping belt, alongside international luxury names like Montblanc and Mauboussin.

Then barely a year later, Azimuth unveiled its second boutique at Marina Bay Sands, sealing the young brand’s meteoric growth.

“Azimuth has stayed true to its roots of original avant-grade designs and has come a long way in the international arena over a short period in time, winning praises from watch-connoisseurs everywhere,” says Lye, Azimuth’s Co-founder.

Indeed, Azimuth has carved itself a reputation for its distinctive designs.

Inspired by the first timekeepers of our time like sundials and church steeple clocks, Round-1 Back in Time is the world’s first single hand watch that goes in an anti-clockwise direction. The stainless steel model was created in 2009 in a limited edition of only 80 pieces in a chocolate dial and 120 pieces with a beige face, available only at Azimuth’s boutiques in Singapore and Malaysia. It was sold out in a matter of months after its launch!

The Xtreme-1 Collection features another strategic association, this time between Azimuth and famous Mexican explorer Fernando Alberto Lozano Andrade. Together, they conceptualised Xtreme-1 specially for extreme sports enthusiasts.

“I needed a reliable watch that not only could deliver precision and accuracy but at the same time is hardy enough to withstand harsh conditions and climates. I needed an explorer’s watch, a timepiece created specifically for extreme sports, a Hummer that can go into the deepest depths and also climb the highest mountains and I found it all in the Xtreme-1 range of watches,” explains Fernando.

The Xtreme-1 collection comprises the Sea Hum GMT, which allows the quick reading of up to two different time zones, the Sea Hum 3TZ, which simultaneously displays the time for up to three different continents, and Deep Diver, which features a rare, groundbreaking case design.

Deep Diver comes in a square titanium case, which is traditionally extremely difficult to waterproof. Azimuth circumvented this problem by ingeniously creating a separate capsule to house the ETA 2826 Big Date movement which is then inserted into the square case housing and held securely by six screws.

Both the Sea Hum GMT and the Deep Diver are also equipped with a Helium Escape Valve, which enables the wearer to dive to a depth of 1500m and 2000m respectively, without the dangers of the crystal popping off due to atmospheric pressures building up inside the watch case.

So for competitively-priced, Swissmade mechanical complication watches that feature avant-garde designs, look no further than Singapore’s very own Azimuth watches.