Part personal ornaments, part conversation starters, vintage e-tailer Nejla Matam-Finn’s approach to curating vintage extends to her choice timepiece. 

See What Vintage Entrepreneur Nejla Metam Finn Swears By When It Comes To Watches 4

Who: Nejla Matam-Finn, the French-born founder of Singapore-based vintage e-tailer The Fifth Collection. Her one-year-old portal is leading the way in how we buy vintage here: Well-curated and authentic pieces that are shipped right to your door step. Hardcore jewellery collectors should also bookmark the site, with brands like Bozart, Christian Lacroix and Van Cleef & Arpels among the brands available. Recently, Matam-Finn, who counts luxury watch group Richemont in her resume, added popular pre-loved fashion company Robe Raiders under her wings.

What: Vintage Royal Oak gold and steel watch, Audemars Piguet

Why: “This watch belonged to my father and it means the world to me. The image of it on his arm brings back so many childhood memories; slipping it on my arm every day makes me feel close to him. I never get tired of looking at the timepiece that so well reflects the style of the man: elegant, understated and anything but boring. It is undoubtedly the watch that triggered my love for timepieces, and led to my early career in horology. My preference has always been for men’s watches. I suppose it has something to do with the contrast of masculine and feminine, something I play on with lots of feminine arm candy. Just like the watch, each of the bracelets has a special meaning for me, as I think style is about making something your own: A dodo bracelet by Pomellato represents my family; a few unbranded bracelets with an evil eye; the hand of Fatima and a fish; all of which represent my (Algerian-French) roots and protect me; and two vintage diamond tennis bracelets that were gifts from my mum and my mother-in-law. Finally, two Kris & Jules bracelets that were gifts from dear friends.”

See What Vintage Entrepreneur Nejla Metam Finn Swears By When It Comes To Watches 5