Exploring Craft Beyond Tradition
In the UBS House of Craft series, the focus has consistently revolved around how makers, collectors, and creative thinkers redefine craft today. The final session brought together sommelier Jhonel Faelnar and designer TanTan Wang for a conversation that bridged two seemingly distinct worlds: watches and wine. What emerged was a shared conviction that craft is less about rigid rules and more about a disciplined respect for texture, timing, and taste.
Time as a Tasting: The Role of Watches
Faelnar opened the discussion by reflecting on how watchmaking mirrors the sensory discipline of wine. He described watches not merely as instruments of time, but as tactile experiences—where the case finish, the weight of the crown, and the rhythm of the movement contribute to a living narrative on the wrist. The conversation delved into how a watch’s subtle deviations, like a sprightly beat or a restrained cadence, can parallel the evolving character of a wine as it opens and breathes.
Craft Through Precision
Precision is a common thread in both disciplines. Faelnar emphasized how the sommelier’s palate must recognize minute shifts in aroma, texture, and balance, much like a watchmaker tunes microadjustments in a movement. Wang added that design can guide sensory experience—how a dial’s layout, a strap’s texture, or a color edge can subtly steer perception without overpowering the core essence of the product.
Taste as a Guide: The Wine Perspective
Wang, whose practice focuses on the interplay between form and function, spoke about taste as a decision framework. In her work, taste is not merely subjective; it is a disciplined criteria that helps shape material choices, ergonomics, and even sustainability commitments. The pairing of wines with timepieces became a meta-example: a light, crisp white can echo a minimalist case, while a bold, tannic red might demand a more assertive dial presence.
Interdisciplinary Craft
The dialogue highlighted that great craft often emerges at the intersection of disciplines. When design is paired with the sensory rigor of wine, or when horology embraces the storytelling cadence of a vintage, products become richer than their parts. Both Faelnar and Wang stressed that listening—whether to a bottle’s whisper of oak or a watch’s whisper of metal and spring—is essential to creating something lasting.
At UBS House Of Craft: A Spatial Conversation
The UBS House Of Craft setting provided a tangible backdrop for the conversation. The space, designed to celebrate meticulous work, invited both observational and participatory engagement. Guests moved between displays of timepieces and pendant vials of wine, experiencing how craft speaks through textures, scents, and sound. The event underscored a broader trend: consumers are seeking authenticity and a narrative they can trust, not just the latest trend.
Takeaways: Craft as a Practice, Not a Prize
From Faelnar’s meticulous tasting notes to Wang’s considered design statements, the session reiterated a core belief: craft is a practice grounded in patience. It thrives on curiosity, careful listening, and an unhurried approach to development. Whether you are adjusting a rotation of wine glasses, selecting a watch that resonates with your daily rhythm, or choosing materials that age gracefully, the goal remains constant: to honor time, to honor taste, and to honor the maker’s intent.
Looking Ahead
As the UBS House Of Craft series continues to spotlight diverse voices, the Faelnar-Wang conversation offers a blueprint for future collaborations. It invites audiences to think of craft as a dialog between disciplines—where a sommelier’s sensitivity to aroma and a designer’s eye for form can co-create experiences that are as enduring as they are delightful.
