How Bruce Lim Inspired Ron Chiang’s Watch Collection

Ronnie Chiang has a moment, from his Netflix specials (2019) Asian Comedian Destroys America! and just released Ronnie Cheeng: speakeasy) On his current comedy tour The Hope You Get Rich and starring Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Seals (As John Johnny, owner of a Threaded Fight Club), young rock s Doogie Kamealoha, MD

In fact, it’s been doing so well it can be seen on Chiang’s wrist. when you join Daily Show with Trevor Noah In 2015, as a correspondent, he mentioned that he received the Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” watch, a model based on the 2012 omega used in the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission in 1962.

“I didn’t understand, so [but] It was my move to the United States and joining the American Institute. daily program. It also meant that I became a little more professional in terms of how I view my role in show business. At that time I still thought very economically: “I’ll buy one hour and that’s it.” My dad had an hour, so I only go for an hour. But with the Speedmaster, I liked that they use the watch in human activities, to go to the moon, and it looks fancy and doesn’t show off. And he adds to the comics with a smile: “Look at this, nobody’s going to kill you for your Speedmaster.”

As his collection grew (a mix of old and new pieces), Chiang, 36, a resident of New York, drew inspiration from other Hollywood collectors, including actor-producer Daniel de Kim. “Like all hobbies, you watch what other established people are doing and inspire them. Obviously you don’t copy them for a variety of reasons, financial or because we all have different tastes, but I love seeing other guys who have a hobby of collecting watches and seeing what they are. Kim’s Daniel was the one who would show me the watches if I found him. He was the watchman before I got into this business and I would ask, “What do you think of this watch?” He would say, “Yes, yes, no, no,” Chiang said.

Some of Chieng’s most valuable works are the two Seiko 6139 Bruce Lees, named for collectors for early examples of automatic chronographs used by action stars in the late 1960s. Raised in Malaysia, Chiang remembers meeting Bruce Lee as an “Asian movie star”. “I’ve always been a Bruce Lee fan,” he said.

But it wasn’t until Cheeng moved to the United States that he realized “how much he loved white people or how much Asian Americans saw him as an icon.” We don’t fully understand this in Asia. I only knew him as a bad movie star, which was amazing. It wasn’t until I got to America that I realized, “Man, this guy was fighting this whole struggle to tell an authentic story in the 60’s and 70’s.” And this is a battle we are still fighting. I mean, I’ve personally fought these battles many times to try to tell an authentic story in America, so I can only imagine what this guy went through years ago, so I had even more respect for him. saw a documentary be water “Because of Bao Nguyen, and he really spoke to me, and then I became an even bigger fan,” explained Chiang.

“From here,” Chiang continued, “I saw that Kim’s Daniel had a Bruce Lee watch, and I thought, ‘Now engaged, this way I can express my admiration.’ It’s just a fancy watch. “It’s not written Bruce Lee, it’s Seiko, so again, it’s more Asian pride,” said Chiang, who took his Seikos to Los Angeles-based DC Vintage Watches. He also works with Eric Wind, a Palm Beach, Florida Wind Vintage dealer, to purchase parts. (It was Kim who first introduced Chieng Wind.)

“Ronnie and I have a long ugly esoteric text theme [the Seiko] 6139, he has a real passion for watches,” says Nicolas Ferrell of Los Angeles-based DC Vintage Watches, which also has Bruce Lee Seiko models for Kim, and a good doctor Star Will Eun Lee Lee.

Chieng’s watch collection includes the Rolex Submariner, known as the “Hulk” for its green bezel, the vintage two-tone Rolex GMT-Master I “Root Beer” and several pieces from his late father, including the dazzling Omega Seamaster of season. . from the 1950s. Two-tone Omega Constellation and two-tone Rolex Datejust.

However, Chiang admits that the double Rolex is not a style he has independently aspired to. “Everyone in Asia has a very heavy Rolex. “There are a lot of gold and two-tone watches that I avoid,” he said. “I want to say romantically that my father gave me his design aesthetic, but the truth is, we have very different tastes. I would never have picked up a two-tone Rolex Date at the store, but what I donated is worn with pride. This is an honor for him.”

When asked if he would buy something new to commemorate the latest Netflix special, Chiang laughs. “We can come up with all kinds of excuses to buy a watch, and you can mark any occasion, so much so that you can match it with anyone, it’s almost like Kevin Bacon’s number, six degrees of watch collector, if you really want to. that watch.” . “You will find a way to connect it with your life.”

He adds that he’s not worried about his watch collection losing value over time: “The great thing about show business is that we have a trick to make things that much more valuable. “All I have to do is wear a watch during the performance, and it instantly takes on some meaning.”

A version of this story first appeared in the April 13 issue of The Gossipify. Click here to subscribe.