Few names loom larger in the horological hemisphere than Mike Tay … and it is very easy to understand why. Here is a man at the helm of the largest and most influential watch retailer in the entirety of the Asia Pacific – The Hour Glass. It's a region which many regard to be the preponderant market on the globe. With 40-plus stores under Tay's stewardship, the Singaporean's advice and counsel is sought out by pretty much every watchmaker on the planet. In short, he is the pulse of watch retailing in this part of the world. Tay's story of how he rose to prominence is an interesting one, and rather oddly, both himself and his family's relationship to Australia and more specifically Melbourne is, to a degree, pivotal in both the creation and success of The Hour Glass. Furthermore, this year will see the official opening of The Hour Glass's new Melbourne boutique at 252 Collins St, formerly known as Kodak House. The boutique is rumoured to have cost the retailer roughly $30,000,000 AUD and it promises to be a flagship like no other. Anecdotally, I worked for The Hour Glass in their Melbourne boutique in a past life,…

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