This Singaporean Watch Collector Bought The Cartier Crash Before The Hype—Now She Owns 14
With 14 Cartier Crash watches to her name, Fiona Bartholomeusz reveals how instinct and an eye for design have shaped her extraordinary watch collection.
By Brandon Chia - published
Long before the Cartier Crash became an auction phenomenon and a social media status symbol, Fiona Bartholomeusz recognised something compelling in its distorted silhouette.
“I started collecting the Crash 33 years ago, and it was a watch nobody really cared for back in the day. You could walk into a Cartier boutique and buy one or two easily,” says Bartholomeusz, whose remarkable collection now comprises 14 Crash watches.
Fiona Bartholomeusz’s current Cartier Crash collection, which also features a custom Crash Tigrée from 2022.
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Bartholomeusz’s fascination with the model grew from a much longer relationship with the maison and its savoir-faire—one that began at 21 when she bought a steel and gold Cartier Panthère.
“I loved the romance behind the brand, from its relationship with the Mughals to the legendary jewels associated with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and Wallis Simpson’s famously inscribed ‘We are Ours’ emerald engagement ring from King Edward VIII,” says the managing director of advertising agency Formul8.
She continues: “The Crash spoke to me because it really was such an aberration from what one expected from traditional watch faces. To me it was, and still is, such a beautiful expression of Cartier’s creativity in watchmaking and truly deserves to be the icon that it is today.”
While it is a tall order to pick favourites from her prized collection, Bartholomeusz spotlights two that stand out. The first is the Platinum Skeleton Crash, which draws her in with its heft and architectural dial. The second is the sapphire-spotted Crash that features her birthstone and was the first of three coloured gemstone Crashes added to her repertoire.
Bartholomeusz wears a stack of her favourite Crash watches, which includes the platinum skeleton reference and the sapphire-spotted model.
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Bartholomeusz’s Crash collection may not be complete just yet. She has already envisioned a New Special Order design, cryptically nicknamed “Stealth”, which she hopes to realise when the exclusive opportunity from Cartier arises.
Beyond Cartier, Bartholomeusz has recently ventured deeper into independent watchmaking, acquiring pieces from emerging names such as Berneron and Légaré.
“I was introduced to Berneron by a dear friend and fellow watch collector, Roni Madhvani, who has the most enviable vintage watch collection I’ve ever seen,” says Bartholomeusz. “I was lucky to connect with Sylvain Berneron and his team, and now own two amazing Mirages and am eagerly awaiting three more timepieces from his brand.”
Bartholomeusz’s collection includes independent labels, such as Berneron Mirage references in white gold, a limited-edition chrysoprase variant, and the new Legare Chapter I timepiece.
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Similarly, Bartholomeusz discovered Légaré through its co-founder, watch-industry veteran Wei Koh, who launched the Chapter 1 in August. She travelled to Switzerland to collect a limited edition version named “Darth”. Rendered in matte black rhodium, the watch also nods neatly to her Instagram handle, @DarthFi, making it even more special to her.
“Both brands embody what I admire most in entrepreneurs and artists: the passion and courage to do their own thing in a very crowded space,” says Bartholomeusz. “Watchmaking really is the amalgamation of artistry and engineering excellence, literally in your hand, and we just happen to be the very lucky beneficiaries of their talent and vision.”
Bartholomeusz’s rare watch collection extends even further, with references such as the Patek Philippe Ellipse in white gold with an onyx dial, the 1970s Rolex Day-Date “Ghost,” and the elusive Cartier Pebble.
Bartholomeusz approaches watches much as she does art: a piece must evoke the immediate feeling that she simply has to own it. Value is not measured solely by price or provenance—each watch is a timestamp, marking a personal, professional or financial milestone in her life. The most compelling collections, after all, are not built around market trends, but around stories worth remembering.