The phrase “hope springs eternal” has been much overused, in ways that Alexander Pope – who coined it in the 18^th century – would be perplexed to learn. For the world of watches – and WOW – it has a few unique interpretations, including at least one relating specifically to balance springs and mainsprings! In issue #29 of WOW Indonesia, which is out now, you can discover this particular spin in our extensive feature on tourbillons past and present.

More importantly, the phrase typically refers to that feeling one gets on seeing the new watches for the year, as many of us have just experienced at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH).

While the news from the Geneva fair is forthcoming in issue #30 of WOW Indonesia, the current issue takes stock of the year that was – and introduces one new element that we hope bodes well for the future. The new WOW Awards has been a long time coming, and the Indonesia edition is happy to support this initiative by our peers in Singapore.

Now, offering recognition for our favourite novelties of the year is nothing new of course, but this one comes at it not from the perspective of buyers and collectors, not the industry. That’s the core difference, and one that the editorial team behind WOW Indonesia fully supports. In this day and age, it is key that local voices are heard and heeded – in a way, the WOW Awards celebrate the ASEAN perspective on watches.

“Like true blue lovers of watches everywhere, we remain hopeful for the year ahead. We are already looking ahead to the 2019 WOW Awards, which will be enriched no doubt by Indonesia voices,” said Ashok Soman, Chief Editor of WOW Indonesia.

WOW Indonesia #29 is out now in local bookstores, and is also available for download on the App Store and Google Pay.