Out Of Office: Tristan Ho, Watchmaker & Founder Of LOTH

Out Of Office is a new series that follows Singaporeans who’ve logged off the standard career script to chase their own versions of success – consider this a study of work, ambition and life beyond the default settings. 

WHO: Tristan Ho, 29, founder and chief watchmaker at independent watchmaking atelier LOTH. 

WHAT HE DOES: Lab Of Tristan Ho, better known as LOTH, is a watchmaking atelier in Singapore founded by Ho in 2024 after two years as a self-taught independent horologist. In 2025, he launched his debut timepiece LOTH Watch 1 – a limited-edition 12-piece series that was entirely hand-crafted, hand-assembled and hand-finished. This ended up highly oversubscribed, and sold out quicker than it took to make. 

While he used to juggle a full-time career as a biomedical research officer at A*STAR alongside crafting watches at night, Ho has very recently transitioned to full-time watchmaking – focusing solely on growing LOTH. 

WHY KNOW HIM: While many watchmakers get their start in horology through obtaining coveted apprenticeships or enrolling into prestigious watchmaking schools, some have opted for a path less traditional. 

Enter Ho, whose foray into the watchmaking scene started in a pretty unconventional way. Just shy of four years ago, the self-taught horologist started learning the fundamentals of watchmaking entirely by himself – on the internet. What began as a fascination with horology and attempts at modding Seiko watches for a year, has now evolved into an established independent watchmaking atelier with Ho crafting his own bespoke timepieces from scratch. The catch? It’s all done in his workshop right at home. 

Despite starting out with no prior experience or formal training in horology, the success of Ho’s first watch collection is testament to the grit and dedication he has put into his craft. Here, he shares with us more on his journey as a self-taught horologist, how he balanced two careers at once and the future of LOTH. 

Hi Tristan! As a self-taught watchmaker, how did you start getting involved in watches and horology?

Tristan Ho (TH): “I have always been drawn to micromechanics. As a kid I was obsessed with Lego and mechanical objects, but watches only came much later when I was searching for my first proper timepiece around four years ago.

I realised many of the watches within my budget were using relatively basic movements but sold at prices I couldn’t emotionally justify. Instead of buying one, I started buying movements and parts separately and building Seiko mods on my own.

Eventually I discovered hand-finished movements and became fascinated by the idea of shaping and decorating metal entirely by hand. The first time I cut a movement bridge myself, I immediately knew this was what I wanted to dedicate my life to.”

Tell us more about how LOTH came about – what made you want to translate your interest for horology into a business?

TH: “Initially, I started LOTH simply because I wanted to create the kinds of watches I personally wanted to wear. At the time, I felt that there was a gap between mass-produced luxury watches and truly hand-finished independent pieces. I wanted something that felt mechanically intimate and visibly touched by human hands. Over time, that personal pursuit became something much bigger.

Singapore has one of the largest watch markets in the world, yet almost nobody here is actually creating independent hand-finished watches at the bench level. There are many brands designing watches, but very few people physically making and finishing movement components themselves over hundreds of hours.

What I’m doing with LOTH is fundamentally different. The watches are not just designed by me – they are personally hand-finished and assembled by me using techniques that are rarely seen even among much larger brands. I realised that if nobody here was going to push Singapore towards true independent watchmaking, I might as well do it myself.

Beyond the watches themselves, LOTH became a way for me to connect with people who genuinely appreciate craft, mechanics and obsessive attention to detail.”

What did a typical day look like for you previously as a biomedical researcher and independent watchmaker?

TH: “Before transitioning to watchmaking full-time, my days were extremely structured. I would leave for my biomedical research job in the morning, come home in the evening, rest briefly, then spend the rest of the night at my bench until around 2am. Weekends were usually split between family, my girlfriend, and watch events whenever there were any happening in Singapore.

Since going full-time, the hours honestly have not changed much. Most weekdays still involve more than twelve hours of work between bench work, photography, social media and communications. But I wouldn’t describe it as exhausting. Watchmaking feels as natural as breathing to me. If I’m alive, I’d naturally want to create. Even after long hours at the bench, my mind is still racing with ideas for future watches, finishing techniques and improvements. To most people, that kind of routine might sound extreme, but it feels very normal to me.”

What’s been the biggest accomplishment and challenge so far in your watchmaking journey?

TH: “The biggest accomplishment so far has to be the reception of the LOTH Watch 1 series. It was the first time I put my work into the world at this scale, and I initially believed that if the execution was strong enough, people would immediately understand it.

My biggest challenge was storytelling. In the beginning, interest was slower than expected, even though I was confident in the work itself. I realised that watchmaking isn’t only about making something well, but also about communicating it in a way that allows people to emotionally connect with it.

I had also underestimated how important the process is. I thought finishing watches alone would be enough, but people responded much more deeply once I began sharing the finishing process, the time involved, and the reality of making each piece by hand. Once I made that shift, the response changed completely. The project eventually reached an international audience, and the waitlist grew far beyond what I had initially anticipated.

More than any metric, the most meaningful outcome was realising that something made entirely by hand in a small home workshop in Singapore could resonate with people globally.”

What are some things you’ve learnt from juggling two careers at once? Are there emotional or creative rewards at your bench that make the fatigue worth it?

TH: “One thing I learned from juggling two careers is that physical exhaustion feels very different when the work is meaningful to you.

There are definitely nights where I am running on very little sleep and repeating the same finishing process for hours. But the moment a movement comes alive during assembly – especially knowing how much time went into each component beforehand – still feels magical to me.”

What’s one part of your story that people don’t really see, but has been crucial in shaping the work you do today?

TH: “People often do not see how critical I am of my own work. During my first two years of learning watchmaking, I genuinely hated almost everything I made. I would occasionally wear my early prototypes, but I was constantly aware of every flaw and limitation in them.

The LOTH Watch 1 series only became my debut collection because it was the first time I could wear my own work daily while feeling genuinely proud of it. Even now, I still find myself comparing my work to watches far beyond my price range, thinking about how I can push the finishing, mechanics and overall execution further. I don’t think I’ll ever feel completely satisfied, and maybe that’s what keeps me improving.”

Walk us through your watchmaking process – where do you work from and how many hours goes into making one piece?

TH: “I make my watches entirely from home, from the initial design process to hand-finishing and final assembly. Each watch takes roughly 150 to 200 hours to complete.

Most of that time goes into movement finishing, especially anglage. I manually cut and polish each bevel by hand using progressively finer abrasive compounds until the metal develops a perfectly smooth reflective surface. The screws receive the same level of attention as well – a single screw can take close to an hour to finish properly.

I also work extensively with German silver for the main components. It’s a material that reacts easily to moisture, oils and even handling, so it demands a lot of patience and control throughout the process. Ultimately, the process is very repetitive on the surface, but it’s also where most of the watch’s expression comes from. That’s the part I find most compelling.”

Give us a rough breakdown of how much you spend on average per month – how much of that goes into watchmaking?

TH: “Most of my spending is directly tied to watchmaking, simply because that’s where most of my time and energy goes into.

Outside of that, it’s fairly minimal and quite intentional. I used to spend more on clothes, but I have since built a complete wardrobe that I am comfortable with, so I don’t really feel the need to add much anymore for now. I also occasionally buy vintage watches out of curiosity, and as a way to train myself in understanding complications and mechanical construction more deeply. Most of them are broken or in need of repair, which makes them useful learning pieces for me.

Beyond that, I tend to save for travel – usually to meet independent watchmakers, exchange ideas, and network within that space.”

How much do you earn as an independent watchmaker?

TH: “Most of what I earn goes directly back into the business rather than to myself. Independent watchmaking is incredibly resource-intensive, especially when you prioritise hand-finishing and low production numbers.

Financially, it would probably be easier to operate like a conventional microbrand using outsourced mass production. But for me, the fulfillment comes from physically creating something with my own hands. That feeling is difficult to replace with money alone.”

As a self-taught watchmaker, what do you think sets you apart from traditional watchmakers who have received professional training or have taken up formal apprenticeships?

TH: “Being self-taught probably makes me more experimental than traditionally trained watchmakers.

Most of what I’ve learnt has come from trial, error and obsessive experimentation rather than formal instruction. Because of that, I often approach finishing techniques from a slightly unconventional angle. It led me to revive older hand-finishing methods such as hand-scrape decoration and glass plate frosting – both of which have become part of the visual identity of LOTH. Moving forward, I want to continue developing techniques that have not really been seen before in modern watchmaking.”

What do you have planned for the future? Is setting up a physical store in the cards?

TH: “I don’t currently see myself opening a traditional retail store. Part of the appeal of LOTH is that it exists very closely alongside my personal life. The watches are made at home, finished at home, and often presented to collectors in the same space they were created in.

I actually enjoy hosting collectors because it creates a much more intimate and honest experience. They are not stepping into a luxury boutique designed by a marketing team. They are stepping directly into the environment where the watches were conceived and built. That closeness feels very important to me, and I would like to preserve it for as long as possible.”

Spending your time in the lab, both at work and at home, can be isolating and gruelling – how do you stay motivated and inspired?

TH: “Honestly, isolation doesn’t bother me very much. I feel most at peace when I’m fully immersed in work at the bench. Even when I am repeating the same task for hours, my mind is constantly racing with new ideas, improvements and future projects.

From the outside, it might seem like I’m alone, but I never truly feel lonely.”

What is some advice you would give to those who wish to turn their passion or hobby into a career, especially in a time where jobs are getting harder to find and keep?

TH: “It’s often romantic to think that if you are passionate about something and work hard enough at it, things will naturally fall into place. I think there is some truth to that, but it’s also important to be realistic at the beginning.

Even when things look like they are going well, they can change quite suddenly. That’s why I think having a safety net of savings in the early stage is important, regardless of how confident things may feel at the time. 

Beyond that, there is something less structured that I think matters more. If you’re truly serious about something, it’s not just about being drawn to it occasionally – it’s closer to an obsession, something you keep returning to every day without needing external motivation.

For me, watchmaking was never really a decision. It became the thing I naturally spent all my time on, often working late into the night, sometimes until 2am or later. I think if you’re at that level of intensity for something – to the point where it takes up that much of your time and mental space for years – then it’s probably already telling you what you should be doing. It’s less about choosing it, and more about not being able to leave it alone.”