Cover Hendi Widodo (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
Hendi Widodo (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
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The shipping scion and basketball team owner Hendi Widodo unlocks his vault of rarefied timepieces, including the Richard Mille RM 066, RM 35-03 and RM 020
We first met Singapore-based Indonesian, Hendi Widodo, 10 years ago for a style story titled “The Cool Hunter”. Back then, he was already ahead of his time in what was still considered a rising but relatively underground category of untraditional luxuries. By this we mean his collection of rarefied sneakers, as well as an extensive streetwear wardrobe and an apartment-full of objets d’art from the likes of Saint Laurent, Thom Browne, Nike, and Bearbrick.
It was only up till the last decade that the confluence between streetwear and luxury forged a formidable class of its own. Think 2014 when Virgil Abloh’s Off-White first showed at Paris Fashion Week and 2017 when Kim Jones sent a range of Supreme x Louis Vuitton styles down the runway, paving the way for a whole new generation of luxury collectors.
Fast forward to July 2024 to this shoot with Widodo, who has grown in life and business in tremendous ways, where he once again demonstrated his eye for the avant-garde—this time in the realm of watches. But not before giving us an update of the roles he’s currently juggling, of course: the CEO of his family’s shipping business, which is the largest in Batam, Indonesia, Widodo also manages their family office in Singapore, and is the honorary president of the Adroit HB basketball team. He's also been involved in the inner workings of Singapore’s basketball scene, having been involved in the sponsorship and nurturing of teams including WG Sonics as well.
AHEAD OF HIS TIME
“I would wear my mother's watches growing up, but my first foray into building my own collection started around 2006”, affirms the shipping heir.
Like his affinity for streetwear, Widodo applies similar philosopiges to how he curates his watch collection—with innovation, creativity and rarity as top priorities. And he approaches everything with deep insight and intensity, the same way he does so in business ventures and his passion for basketball.
Don't miss: Richard Mille’s RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal is cloaked in Carbon TPT
Above Widodo's Richard Mille RM 066, RM 35-03 and RM 020, amongst his other prized possesions from Chanel, Nike and Henry Jacques (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
Widodo's Richard Mille RM 066, RM 35-03 and RM 020, amongst his other prized possesions from Chanel, Nike and Henry Jacques (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
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Over the years, his collection has evolved into one of exceptional pieces, with a particular emphasis on un-traditionalism. Unlike many watch enthusiasts who often gravitate towards classic designs and precious metals, Widodo seeks out watches that are innovative, durable and ultra-high performance. So it’s no wonder he’s grown with Richard Mille, for the brand has irreverently pushed the limits of watchmaking with cutting-edge materials, innovative craftsmanship and architectural design. “The brand matches the champion mentality of its wearers. All the world-class athletes it works with wear their watches to compete—which speaks volumes of how their watches are engineered”. Acutely well-versed in horology, Widodo can go on for hours on materials alone: “Richard Mille’s proprietary Carbon TPT is ultra-lightweight and incredibly resilient”.
Curating Innovation
From his vault of prized timepieces, Widodo chose not one but three Richard Mille pièces de résistance specifically for this story: The RM 35-03 automatic winding Rafael Nadal, RM 066 manual winding flying tourbillon, and the RM 020 manual winding tourbillon pocket watch, which we saw at our first shoot. Years later, this pocket watch still makes a serious statement, and he styles it the same way hooked onto a loop of his trousers or leather jacket like a modern-day streetwear dandy should.
His newer acquisitions, however, are of a completely different spirit.
Embodying a champion’s pursuit of perfection, mirroring the mindset of Richard Mille and sporting legend Rafael Nadal, the RM 35-03 is powered by the RMAL2 calibre, and empowers wearers to optimise performance with the push of a button. “Its innovative butterfly motor allows control over the winding during high-intensity activities, preventing over-winding and wear”, he enthuses. Weighing just 32-grams, this is built with Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT ensuring extreme durability while its skeletonised movement, iconic to the house, showcases its technical mastery in a sleek black case that caters to Widodo’s growing penchant for slimmer watches.
In case you missed it: Discover the Richard Mille RM 07-01 Automatic watch Michelle Yeoh wore to the Oscars 2024
Above Hendi Widodo (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
Hendi Widodo (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
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Then there’s the RM 066 manual winding flying tourbillon—a one of 50-piece limited edition. Aesthetically alone, it encompasses a rock and roll spirit that Widodo loves. It makes a statement with a three-dimensional red gold skeletonised sculpture of a hand—in a “rock on” gesture where the index and pinky fingers are raised—as well as skull motifs and 5N red gold inserts that call to mind punk studded belts. Then in comes the horological elements like a manual-wind flying tourbillon powered by the caliber RM66; and a torque-limiting winding crown that prevents damage from forced winding, housed in the brand’s signature curved tonneau design with the bezel and caseback crafted from black Carbon TPT.
“I fell in love with the RM 066 the moment I laid eyes on it”, muses Widodo, who would juxtapose such a timepiece with a classic Loro Piana vicuña crewneck sweater, jeans and black leather Chrome Hearts x Converse Chuck Taylors.
In a world where luxury is often synonymous with tradition, Widodo is a luxury collector of a refreshingly unconventional kind. And he’s grown into a horological avant-garde with timepieces that vividly illustrate his bold, visionary nature—a sharp reflection of his broader approach to life and business. If this is the evolution of just 10 years, we can only imagine the type of acquisitions and achievements Widodo will attain in the next 10.
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