In his now-infamous monologue, football legend, enigma, and modern-day philosopher Michael Irvin proclaimed that we were “losing recipes.”
While Irvin was speaking to his co-hosts about a 2012 Colts team plagued by the transitional period of losing a Hall of Fame quarterback, the sentiment of “losing recipes” is a potent truth, forever pertinent to how we understand and engage with the world.
“Losing recipes” was never about the recipes themselves, but the customs, traditions, stories, grace, patience, and emotion; recipes passed down through generations. There are many mediums that have allowed these seminal teachings to transcend time, but food has always felt like the medium that most fervently invited you in. Extending its hands, grabbing you a plate, and helping you indulge in those teachings. On the plate today is a watch pulling from that very ethos, reminding us that plenty of recipes are still being handled with care; food has never just been about food, but a celebration of the spirit and vitality it enables.
For their 3rd Anniversary, Jackie Ho, Designer and Architect of WatchHo&Co (WH&C), teamed up with an old friend, Hong Kong-based microbrand “Selten,” to create a watch with a story and technicalities as beautiful as the watch itself. Named “Yum Cha,” the watch is an ode to Jackie’s grandparents, and the tools that served as vessels for memories: traditional bamboo steamer baskets, dim sum, tea, and a grandmother’s love.
From the jump, the dial is what transfixes you while serving as the most conspicuous ode to the story being told. Inspired by the traditional twill weave of a bamboo steamer, the honey-gold/amber dial curates a warmth that is hard not to be encapsulated by. The “patina,” accentuated as you get closer to the outer edges of the dial, also adds a familiar duality. The dial is emblematic of a steamer that has lived a few lives and reinforces the strength required to nourish and nurture. My favorite touch on the watch is in the “stretch marks” varied throughout different points of the dial’s weaves, a sharp detail that adds even more character to a watch with plenty to give.
The dial work could’ve only been done by a master of craft, and given my slight hand trembles when trying to capture a video of the sunset, I don’t think my number will be called. Luckily enough, Selten keeps a master in the vicinity. “WH&C and Selten turned to Master Qin, Selten's in-house engraver and enamelist, whose background spans gem-setting, enameling and the restoration of vintage enamel pocket watches.” By coalescing two demanding disciplines of watchmaking, the formation of the dial required 16.5 hours of precise human craftsmanship: 8 hours of hand engraving, 7 hours of Grand Feu enameling, and 1.5 hours of hand polishing. The passion and diligence are felt in the result and remind me of a dish preparation that tests your patience, but is worth it every time.
Photo Cred. @Enthuseddad
The story is in the details and continues with the “Tea Leaf” hands, an ode to the literal meaning of Yum Cha, “Drink Tea.”
The caseback serves as a canvas of passion crafted by the artist @onehourwatch and immediately drops you into the world the watch derives from. The caseback pays homage to the power of 3 in Jackie’s life, highlighting 3 dumplings, a table card stamped with the number 3, 3 tea cups, and 3 chopsticks; one for Jackie and one for each grandparent he shared the precious moments with.
Oftentimes in the watch world, the story of legacy can become banal or, truthfully, kind of played out. It is pieces like this one, however, that remind me that no matter how many times a recipe has been cooked or imitated, one handled with care and diligence will always bring the heart back center. It is inspiring to see such a robust piece from every angle, and to see care manifest into a piece like this pushes me to delve even deeper into the moments that have consolidated into my present. Love to WH&C and Selten; the gift to honor is a heavy blessing, and the team more than rose to the occasion.
Have Selten and Jackie Ho ever seen the now-infamous clip? Personally, I don’t know. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to ask them.
But what I do know is this: love is universal.
From Fort Lauderdale to Hong Kong, from a grandmother’s kitchen table to the memories that live on through the things we create, the recipe remains the same. It is patience. It is care. It is memory. It is the decision to take something that mattered to someone before you and handle it gently enough that it can matter to someone after you.
Maybe that is what Michael Irvin was really trying to tell us.
We are not losing recipes when people stop writing them down. We lose them when we stop caring enough to carry them.
Michael if you’re listening, I can assure you the recipes are alive and cooking.
As of August 11th, Yum Cha is now available per request. Limited to 100 pieces with a price tag of 4,950 USD/38,828 HKD.
Written by - Travian McNair