Collector Eric Ku On The Most Unusual Watches In His Vault

In the world of watch collecting, one name is synonymous with style, taste and commitment to the very best: Eric Ku. A watch dealer and serial entrepreneur by trade, Ku is at heart a collector in the truest sense. Always researching, ready to go to any lengths to acquire the next piece and with an almost encyclopedic knowledge of watches and especially vintage Rolex. 

Ku established 10 Past Ten (TPT) shortly after leaving college, a vintage watch business primarily focused on vintage Rolex. His early business ventures included a bakery in California. “It was a lot of fun, but ultimately a lot of work, but I learnt a lot of lessons during that time,” explains Ku. He now boasts a wide and varied portfolio of interests, including the hottest online watch auction house Loupe This, the US’s most prominent vintage watch repair business LA Watch Works and other B to B retail ventures and, of course, his beloved TPT. He is a busy man. However, nothing can get in the way of his collecting passions and he is still far from finished in his various quests…

How would you define a collector? 

EK: I think it’s a tricky question to answer as it is a very personal experience. Some people collect in a nostalgic way, because it gives them a buzz linked to items they aspired to as a kid. To others it’s the appreciation of beautiful objects and to others a compulsion to acquire. Actually…I think all those might apply to me! Essentially though, it’s about acquiring objects that bring you joy, whatever the reason.”

When did you first begin collecting watches?

EK: I first started collecting watches when I was in college as that was the first time I had any money in my life.  Ever since I was a child though, I was interested in watches. My Dad wore a Rolex and I was always fascinated by it. In fact, before I even owned a watch, I collected catalogs from brands and auction houses. I learnt a lot from sitting and reading those when I was younger.

Which is the most important watch in your collection? 

EK: The most important watch in my collection is a 14000 Air King with a blue Explorer-style dial. It was the first Rolex that I bought new in 1999 and I still have it to this day. Actually, there's a funny back story about this one. Long story short, I bought stocks on eBay in the very early years of the platform. I used my entire year’s college fees that my parents had given me and initially the shares went up and I did very well.

I didn’t believe that they would continue to keep growing and so I shorted them. The rest of the story is pretty easy to guess…the stocks kept on growing and I lost all my investment! Due to this, I had to sell my Air King as I really needed some money. Ten years later I tracked down the buyer that I had sold it to and tried to buy it back. It was arguably my worst negotiation and I eventually paid a world record price for an Air King to get it back!

You are known for an assemblage of watches that features some of the most important pieces ever discovered. Grail Patek, Rolex, Cartier, Tudor and Audemars Piguet all take pride of place in your vault. Is there a watch that would surprise people? 

EK: This is actually a funny thing that I don't think I've ever told anybody about. It actually links closely to the eBay stocks disaster story. I had that financial calamity in my life and it wasn’t just the 14000 Air King that I had to sell. I basically had to part with all my worldly possessions. To remind myself of that, I bought myself a Flik Flak watch, which is the kids’ line from Swatch; essentially a cheap plastic time-only watch. I wore it for one year and I still have it to this day to remind me of that lean time in my life.

Treasure hunting has always been a leading element of you as both a dealer and collector. What is the craziest physical journey you have undertaken to pick up a watch? 

EK: I acquired a very rare and valuable Rolex watch from the original owner. Being based in California I had to fly to New York to pick up the watch. I was delighted to have snagged this incredible watch. I shared a picture of the watch with a friend who immediately fell in love with it and, on the flight back, I agreed to sell it to him. He’s a collector in Southeast Asia and so on the plane, I booked another flight to go to Malaysia. When I landed in California I had seven hours and then immediately left again to go to Malaysia to deliver the watch. I stayed there for 18 hours and flew back home. 

If you had to narrow your collection to five watches, what would they be? 

EK: My perfect five watch collection? OK, here we go! Number one: Cartier London crash in yellow gold. Number two: Rexhep Rexhepi Chronometre Contemporain in rose gold. Number three: Rolex Submariner 5513 Explorer dial. Number four: Patek Philippe 565 in stainless steel with some kind of sexy dial. Number five: Omega Speedmaster 2915. 

You are interested in many things besides watches. Can you name a few things besides watches that you love and collect? 

EK: I really like wine and I guess I could say I'm a collector of wine. However, I don't really sell any of the wines that I have and, although I've accumulated quite a lot, I'd like to think that I'll drink all of the bottles before I die! Other things that I collect are sports cards. I used to be really into baseball and basketball cards when I was a kid and during the pandemic my passion for collecting these things was kind of reignited and I started buying all the cards that I couldn't have when I was a kid because they were too expensive!”