Two loving doctors share a varied and impressive collection.
Foo Yoke Loong, a cardiologist (left) and Rosalind Hooi, an aesthetic physician
The scene is a familiar one on any medical TV show: two hardworking house officers slogging away for hours at a government hospital, the mental and physical exhaustion punctuated only by stolen moments of laughter and flirtatiousness.
It may not have been love at first sight for Foo Yoke Loong, a cardiologist, and Rosalind Hooi, an aesthetic physician. But the couple, who have been married for 12 years, will both attest to the fact that whirlwind romances don’t hold a candle to the deep commitment of a long-lasting relationship of shared values, sacrifices and a common love of watches.
For many years, Hooi was the only partner who had ventured into private practice, while Foo continued to serve in the public sector. “No watch in our collection was bought without a discussion between us. Must always ask permission!” he jokes. Now that he has finally relinquished his governmental ties to enter private practice, this timepiece-mad couple are ready to reap the rewards of their years of hard graft.
ROLEX Datejust
Hooi: “I had just joined a private aesthetic clinic in 2014 and this was my first big bonus splurge. Every time we buy a watch, we discuss it, but this one was purely my choice. I just love the diamonds and mother-of-pearl dial!”
ROLEX Submariner
Foo: “We were vacationing in Monaco and walked into a boutique. I didn’t own a Rolex yet and I knew I didn’t want something common so, when the sales assistant brought this out, I bought it immediately because I loved the green sunburst dial.”
Hooi: “And we can share it too!”
TISSOT PRS 200
Foo: “This was the watch I bought with my very first paycheck in 2005. I’ve always loved watches and, back then, all I could afford were automatic ones, but this was the beginning of our journey.”
TAG HEUER Aquaracer
Hooi: “My parents offered us a wedding gift by naming their budget and letting us pick something we wanted. This was in 2008 and I didn’t have a nice watch at the time. I liked this because it was small, sporty and inconspicuous enough to be worn while working in a government hospital. After this, we didn’t buy any watches for a while because we were focused on building our careers and a home for us and our two children.”
PANERAI PAM1312
Foo: “I love big and bulky pieces and we bought this in 2017. It is an automatic model with a unique blued seconds hand. I especially love that you can change the straps and it becomes a brand-new watch. We’re lucky also that Rosalind can pull off big watches as well, so we can both wear it.”
JAEGER-LECOULTRE Reverso Duo
Hooi: “Watch shopping is one of our favourite holiday activities, especially if the price and tax rebates are good. I remember we got this in Madrid in 2018, along with a timepiece as a gift for my father, and the boutique salesperson brought out champagne for us to celebrate!”
PATEK PHILIPPE 5146J Annual Calendar
Foo: “Everyone dreams of a Nautilus or a signature Patek piece but when you don’t have a relationship with the brand, you can’t get your hands on one! This was the first timepiece we got with a complication in 2018. It’s also our first gold watch—because we’re ageing!”
PATEK PHILIPPE Nautilus and Patek Philippe Aquanaut
Foo: “We put ourselves on the waiting list for the Nautilus and, one day, the boutique called. It’s a classic Patek—humble and subtle. I’m so glad I got it because it’s just been discontinued!”
Hooi: “Now the Aquanaut is one watch I won’t share with Yoke Loong! It’s bling and it’s mine! Both pieces were designed by Gerald Genta and it’s the closest thing we have to a ‘couple’s watch’.”
PATEK PHILIPPE Aquanaut Luce Singapore
Hooi: “Last year, we were invited to the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Singapore and this piece was made available to us. It’s a limited edition—only 300 pieces worldwide—with ‘Singapore’ engraved on the back. The opportunity was too good to pass up but too bad we couldn’t get the male version too!”
