Some years ago, I found myself in Hong Kong with a clutch of fellow enthusiasts for a Franck Muller event where one evening the dinner conversation turned to the brands that collectors considered a must-have.

No surprise that the most mentioned were Patek, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron and Rolex, with excitement about relative newcomers such as Greubel Forsey. But there was one surprise: on almost every collector’s list was a brand yet to arrive in Australia, Grand Seiko.