Man of the Hour hit screens in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, beginning broadcast on November 2 on the Discovery Channel. The series will premiere in the United States in January, streaming on Discovery Plus. What compelled me to create and host the first television show on the luxury watch industry? Let’s flash back 20 years to the days when print was the primary means of transmission for watch journalism.

With my newly established title Revolution, we would photograph watches at Baselworld, and I would combine the images with the meagre wordsmith skills in my possession to assemble my magazine. The objective of Revolution was to widen the reach of the then-insular world of horology, by putting the mechanical watch at the epicentre of everything that was vibrant in contemporary culture.

The very first issue of Revolution

François-Paul Journe featured in Revolution’s Asia Edition Issue #1

Along with print, we’ve experienced the rise of social media, TikTok and YouTube — and adopted all of these, always focusing on content that is entertaining and educational. Even now, with over 200,000 subscribers, we create content on the watch world’s greatest watches and brands. We had no idea our retrospective on Günter Blümlein would be watched by 22,000 people on the first day.

OK, back to Man of the Hour. One of my heroes is Anthony Bourdain. I got to have dinner with him on his first trip to Singapore, and we bonded over our mutual love for punk rock and the fact that we had both attended Vassar, a historic women’s liberal arts college that became co-ed in 1969. In particular, I loved how his shows began with food as the vehicle, but ultimately it was really about human beings. For many years, I asked myself why no one had created a Bourdain-style show on the watch industry. Eventually, because it seemed like no one else had the intention to do so, I decided to make one myself.

Anthony Bourdain

Man of the Hour begins with the incredible mechanical finery of watches, but you soon realize it’s actually about the human beings who create them and their love for the craft of watchmaking. I decided to make Season One focus on “Independence.”

François-Paul Journe and Wei Koh walk through Geneva’s Old Town

Wei Koh shares a moment with François-Paul Journe while discussing Tourbillon Souverain à Remontoir d’Égalité in Geneva

Our eight episodes feature watch industry luminaries including François-Paul Journe, and the Scheufele family of Chopard and Ferdinand Berthoud. I go driving with Karl-Friedrich in his 1929 Bentley and hiking in Gstaad with his children.

Wei Koh and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele take a drive in Scheufele’s 1929 Bentley

Wei Koh with Caroline-Marie Scheufele and Karl-Fritz Scheufele, pausing for a conversation while hiking in Gstaad

For De Bethune, I chop wood with Denis Flageollet and join him for fondue in his Mongolian yurt.

Wei Koh and Denis Flageollet share a conversation on watchmaking amid the forests

Wei Koh joins Denis Flageollet for fondue inside his Mongolian yurt — a quiet moment from the Man of the Hour episode dedicated to De Bethune

For Urban Jürgensen, the Danish brand revived this year by the Rosenfield family and Kari Voutilainen, we go behind the scenes in L.A. as I compose my speech for the brand’s launch event.

Lari Voutilainen, Andrew Rosenfield, and Alex Rosenfield at the Urban Jürgensen launch event

Wei Koh speaks on stage at the Urban Jürgensen launch event in Los Angeles

With Rexhep Rexhepi, I learn about the incredible ecosystem he’s created in Geneva’s Old Town, before going three rounds in the boxing ring with him to try to secure allocation for his Chronomètre Contemporain II.

Wei Koh and Rexhep Rexhepi in the boxing gym

Rexhep Rexhepi at his Geneva atelier, working at the bench where he crafts the timepieces that have defined Akrivia’s independent spirit

The Greubel Forsey episode takes the form of an Easy Rider-inspired motorcycle road trip where, at the top of the Vue des Alpes, Robert Greubel appears on his Harley-Davidson.

Wei Koh and Michel Nydegger ride through the Swiss countryside during an Easy Rider-inspired motorcycle journey

Sylva Greubel, Michel Nydegger, Wei Koh, and Robert Greubel gather with their motorcycles at the top of the Vue des Alpes

In the Louis Vuitton episode, I hang with Jean Arnault and learn his vision for leading La Fabrique du Temps like a truly independent atelier, go cycling in a very tight pink jersey with Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, before reuniting with Evelyne Genta at the original Gérald Genta manufacture’s location.

Jean Arnault discusses his vision for guiding La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton as an independent, innovation-driven atelier

Michel Navas, Enrico Barbasini, Wei Koh, and Evelyne Genta reunite outside the original Gérald Genta manufacture’s location

Finally, with Max Büsser, I learn the value of resilience as we drive around Geneva in his 1969 Lamborghini Islero.

Peter Speake-Marin, Max Büsser, and Wei Koh walking through Geneva’s Old Town, reflecting on creativity and resilience

Max Büsser and his 1969 Lamborghini Islero

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who made Man of the Hour a possibility, especially my production team at Refinery Media led by the series co creator and co executive producer Karen Seah. I find this TV series to be the perfect complement to Revolution’s print magazine, online and social media articles, and YouTube videos — content that we continue to make, driven always by our love, respect and passion for this industry.

I have the feeling every morning when I wake up beside my wife that I love her just a little more than the day before. After two decades, I also feel the same way about the watch industry. Every day I love it just a little bit more.

For more information, log on to www.manofthehour.tv