Resources & News > Interview with our Dealer - Zeetan
Zeetan
from Collectors Time Gallery was our very first
Dealer Interview. Here it is (from April 2002):
WF: Many of our Dealers started out as watch lovers and then evolved into watch dealers... When did you first begin enjoying watches?
Zeetan: In Malaysia, where the Chinese dominated the business world in the early 70's, the only watches anyone knew about were Seiko, Omega and Rolex, representing the three segment of the market.
My first serious watch was given to me by my father. It was an automatic Omega Deville. I was 18 years old. And it is still running today.
In my early career, I was involved in the motor trade and my first love was collectible cars, sports cars and convertibles. I always relate watches to cars being mechanical with different marques and models, naturally watches became my second love.
Being Chinese, I was so influenced by the people around me that the only ultimate watch to own was a Rolex. So, my first watch I bought for myself was a new YG President (model 1803) in 1974. I remember it was RM$5300 (at today's exchange rate it is about US$ 1400). I suppose that was the time I started liking watches. I loved the Rolex for about 5 years until I learned about Patek. I still have the Rolex locked up, I have not worn it for the past 15 years.
WF: Which brands/models are your personal favorites?
Zeetan: I like many brands of watches. To name a few of my favorites in my collection - the Langematic in WG black dial, it fits my small wrist nicely as the Lange 1 is too big, it is also subdued but classy looking. The Gerald Genta Fantasy Mickey Golf- a casual and nice weekend watch which is also a good conversation piece for non-watch collecting people. The Hublot Classes- make a comfortable watch to wear and for sport.
I need to exercise tremendous discipline in restricting myself from buying too many watches, especially since I am in contact with nice watches everyday! I tend to like many new watches appearing in the market.
WF: When and how did your involvement in selling watches over the Internet begin? How long has Collectors Time Gallery been doing business?
Zeetan: I was a frequent buyer from USA dealers through mailing lists and auction houses before the 1997 financial crisis, when the exchange rate of US$1 was RM2.50. When the crisis came in Sept 97, US$ 1 went up as high as RM4.50 and that was the time when the table turned, and I saw the opportunity of selling watches back to the US.
With the Internet trend booming at that time, I started Collector's Time Gallery in Sept 1997.
Business is growing every year with many helpful customers who repeat order and refer friends. We have a policy of low margin but keep up the volume, a couple of % is our normal margin. If we get the watches cheap, they will be sold cheap. Our cost of living is relatively low here.
WF: What do you think the Internet watch world will look like in 5 years? There are so many chat sites, dealers, informational sites...
Zeetan: I think there will be more watch related Internet web sites mushrooming, and most will fade away, with only a few able to succeed. It takes great effort to make a site active to be able to attract traffic and many innovations and ideas to keep it alive.
There will be more Internet dealers, which is good for the watch lovers who dare to venture into Internet purchasing, especially from overseas dealers like us.
I think within the next five years, some of the watch brands will be marketing their product directly on the internet.
Among the watch community in the Internet, it will be good if a watchdog committee can be formed to police or monitor unscrupulous and dishonest dealers, also to arbitrate disputes between dealers and customers. Not all internet customers are straight forward buyers.
WF: You mentioned once that your favorite part of being an Internet watch dealer is the friends that you make and the relationhips you have formed. It must be very rewarding to help people pursue their passion for wristwatches.
Zeetan: Yes, this is the most rewarding part of the business. I shall say more rewarding than the profit I make from the deal. As this is a part time business for me and I do not rely on this for a living, I enjoy making friends and talking about watches. I have met some people who traveled all the way here! I have good contacts now in more than 20 countries. All of these are people who I have met through this watch business. I do not mind replying email from people just asking for watch information, and I receive many mails everyday. As I said, to make a sales is a secondary matter..
WF: I know that you have other projects and that you really enjoy tennis... where do you find the time to run Collectors Time along with your other pursuits?
Zeetan: I play tennis 3 times a week and I have my day business involved in motor trade, housing and development and aqua culture. So my games are all in the early morning, serious business in the day, and Collector's Time from 9pm to way past midnight. This works out fine as it fit nicely with US time. I have a very efficient and knowledgeable full-time partner who does all of the leg work in sourcing, and all other related matters. It works out perfectly.
WF: Your son, Donovan, has his own Internet watch dealership... please tell us more about that:
Zeetan: Donovan is 18 and presently studying computers. He has expressed some interest in the watch business and with a little encouragement, he started Luxtime.com which handles some lower range brands.
It works out well as this is also his real life college project.
I do not have time to check on him, and I hope that he has handled his customers well. He made enough profit to buy some fancy accessories for his car which he upgrades all the time!
WF: Thank you very much for your time Zeetan... and thank you on behalf of all Internet watch enthusiasts for the great service and prices that you offer to all us.
Zeetan: Thank you very much
WF: Many of our Dealers started out as watch lovers and then evolved into watch dealers... When did you first begin enjoying watches?
Zeetan: In Malaysia, where the Chinese dominated the business world in the early 70's, the only watches anyone knew about were Seiko, Omega and Rolex, representing the three segment of the market.
My first serious watch was given to me by my father. It was an automatic Omega Deville. I was 18 years old. And it is still running today.
In my early career, I was involved in the motor trade and my first love was collectible cars, sports cars and convertibles. I always relate watches to cars being mechanical with different marques and models, naturally watches became my second love.
Being Chinese, I was so influenced by the people around me that the only ultimate watch to own was a Rolex. So, my first watch I bought for myself was a new YG President (model 1803) in 1974. I remember it was RM$5300 (at today's exchange rate it is about US$ 1400). I suppose that was the time I started liking watches. I loved the Rolex for about 5 years until I learned about Patek. I still have the Rolex locked up, I have not worn it for the past 15 years.
WF: Which brands/models are your personal favorites?
Zeetan: I like many brands of watches. To name a few of my favorites in my collection - the Langematic in WG black dial, it fits my small wrist nicely as the Lange 1 is too big, it is also subdued but classy looking. The Gerald Genta Fantasy Mickey Golf- a casual and nice weekend watch which is also a good conversation piece for non-watch collecting people. The Hublot Classes- make a comfortable watch to wear and for sport.
I need to exercise tremendous discipline in restricting myself from buying too many watches, especially since I am in contact with nice watches everyday! I tend to like many new watches appearing in the market.
WF: When and how did your involvement in selling watches over the Internet begin? How long has Collectors Time Gallery been doing business?
Zeetan: I was a frequent buyer from USA dealers through mailing lists and auction houses before the 1997 financial crisis, when the exchange rate of US$1 was RM2.50. When the crisis came in Sept 97, US$ 1 went up as high as RM4.50 and that was the time when the table turned, and I saw the opportunity of selling watches back to the US.
With the Internet trend booming at that time, I started Collector's Time Gallery in Sept 1997.
Business is growing every year with many helpful customers who repeat order and refer friends. We have a policy of low margin but keep up the volume, a couple of % is our normal margin. If we get the watches cheap, they will be sold cheap. Our cost of living is relatively low here.
WF: What do you think the Internet watch world will look like in 5 years? There are so many chat sites, dealers, informational sites...
Zeetan: I think there will be more watch related Internet web sites mushrooming, and most will fade away, with only a few able to succeed. It takes great effort to make a site active to be able to attract traffic and many innovations and ideas to keep it alive.
There will be more Internet dealers, which is good for the watch lovers who dare to venture into Internet purchasing, especially from overseas dealers like us.
I think within the next five years, some of the watch brands will be marketing their product directly on the internet.
Among the watch community in the Internet, it will be good if a watchdog committee can be formed to police or monitor unscrupulous and dishonest dealers, also to arbitrate disputes between dealers and customers. Not all internet customers are straight forward buyers.
WF: You mentioned once that your favorite part of being an Internet watch dealer is the friends that you make and the relationhips you have formed. It must be very rewarding to help people pursue their passion for wristwatches.
Zeetan: Yes, this is the most rewarding part of the business. I shall say more rewarding than the profit I make from the deal. As this is a part time business for me and I do not rely on this for a living, I enjoy making friends and talking about watches. I have met some people who traveled all the way here! I have good contacts now in more than 20 countries. All of these are people who I have met through this watch business. I do not mind replying email from people just asking for watch information, and I receive many mails everyday. As I said, to make a sales is a secondary matter..
WF: I know that you have other projects and that you really enjoy tennis... where do you find the time to run Collectors Time along with your other pursuits?
Zeetan: I play tennis 3 times a week and I have my day business involved in motor trade, housing and development and aqua culture. So my games are all in the early morning, serious business in the day, and Collector's Time from 9pm to way past midnight. This works out fine as it fit nicely with US time. I have a very efficient and knowledgeable full-time partner who does all of the leg work in sourcing, and all other related matters. It works out perfectly.
WF: Your son, Donovan, has his own Internet watch dealership... please tell us more about that:
Zeetan: Donovan is 18 and presently studying computers. He has expressed some interest in the watch business and with a little encouragement, he started Luxtime.com which handles some lower range brands.
It works out well as this is also his real life college project.
I do not have time to check on him, and I hope that he has handled his customers well. He made enough profit to buy some fancy accessories for his car which he upgrades all the time!
WF: Thank you very much for your time Zeetan... and thank you on behalf of all Internet watch enthusiasts for the great service and prices that you offer to all us.
Zeetan: Thank you very much