Founders Of Local Watch Strap Brand Delugs On Their Entrepreneurial Journey And Watch Collection

Kenneth Kuan and Chia Pei Qi, founders of independent watch strap brand Delugs, have had an astounding entrepreneurial journey. From crafting leather straps in their bedroom in 2018 to eventually leaving their corporate jobs to pursue the business full-time after the pandemic, to fitting their artisanal creations on the wrist of pop singer Ed Sheeran earlier this year. But the couple feel like they have just entered their prime. BAZAAR spoke to the pair to find out more about their story.

Let’s start with how the both of you met Ed Sheeran earlier this year backstage at his concert and what that meant to you and Delugs as a brand.

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Chia: The entire Ed Sheeran meeting happened quickly and was a dream come true. I think it all started with us just wanting to take advantage of every opportunity to gift our straps to someone who appreciates every detail of watches. It was really the watch community and social media that allowed us to reach out to him because we had no connections to him or the music industry. Getting our straps to him was very encouraging and hopeful for us, especially for a local, Singaporean brand.

Kuan: I was super nervous; I was shaking as I cut and sized the strap for him and his Patek Philippe piece-unique but actually, he did not have that “celebrity presence” or rather, you don’t feel that presence but in a good way. I think he is just so casual and people feel so comfortable being around him. I think it’s one of those pivotal moments in your career where you know that things aren’t the same thereafter. It definitely brought our business to a different level.

Besides Sheeran’s recognition, both of you have also received other accolades and exciting opportunities this year through Delugs.

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Chia: We’ve always joked about getting on Forbes’ 30 Under 30. This year is the cut-off for me and then it just happened, I made it—it’s a collective success for us and definitely good recognition. I’m very proud to represent Singapore under the Asia list as a local entrepreneur even though it wasn’t something we envisioned when we were younger. We don’t have many entrepreneur friends or role models who came before us, so the recognition shows that we are on the right track and that we are doing something different.

Kuan: We built the brand to a level where collectors recognise it and we started travelling to meet people in the watch industry this year. We finally had the chance to meet with watch brands and think about how we can collaborate with them and they are happy to partner with us. So you’ll see a few projects coming up this year where some of the bigger watch brands will have co-branded straps with Delugs stamped at the back of the strap, and that speaks volumes about how the brands see us.

Let’s talk about your collections. Although you are a couple, you have very different portfolios when it comes to watches.

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Kuan: I only realised the common theme across all my watches this morning as I chose my favourite pieces, all of which have visible movements on the dials. For me, watches are not really devices that tell time these days—we all have phones for that. But to me, watches are modern-day art pieces. It shows the amount of thought, effort and workmanship that goes behind creating something so small.

The watch I gravitate towards the most is the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Carbonium. I’ve always wanted a watch that I can just wear around and not be afraid of scratching it. The Freak X is one of the few watches out there that is highly complex with a movement on full display and part of the hour marker. I’ve never seen anyone do something quite like that.

Chia: It’s really a rabbit hole and for the longest time, I let Ken fall deep into it while I stayed at the surface in case he needed me to pull him out but now, I am in it too. My pieces are attached to memories like this Oris Big Crown in a bronze case.

The mint green dial is beautiful but I was searching for something unique. I didn’t want to just get an ordinary watch, especially for my first watch. Although most collectors would not like the idea of bronze because it will patina, the bronze case really drew me in as I enjoy that it will change over time as I wear it.

Both of you do have a penchant for watches from independent brands. Why do you love indies?

Chia: I like the stories behind the watches, which I often hear a lot from conversations with the brands and the different watchmakers—having the opportunity to hear and see how much work goes behind every single timepiece allowed me to appreciate watches a lot more.

Kuan: This Armin Strom Pure Resonance watch is actually a limited edition of 10 pieces in collaboration with a collector from the United States who is known to be very particular with movements and finishing. When I heard about the watch, I ordered it but then I heard the brand’s co-founder was going to be in Dubai at the same time we were last year.

So I called them and said ‘Hey, can I collect the watch in person since we will be in Dubai?’ and they agreed. I collected the watch from the chief watchmaker, himself. It was a surreal experience to be able to do that—to get to hear the watchmaker explain about the watch, the movement and why it’s special while he unboxes the watch and passes it to you. It’s not just a product, it’s about how the experience makes you feel.

With 2025 on the horizon, what do you both hope to do with Delugs?

Chia: We want to reiterate what we truly believe in when creating Delugs—match your watches and straps to your lifestyle. If you like wearing a dress watch but are running errands all day, you might want a rubber strap or a leather strap with a rubber lining so it doesn’t get affected by sweat. Aesthetically, you can also take this opportunity to match your straps to the colour of your outfit or even the texture. It’s just a very small change, but then it could change your entire outfit.

Kuan: Another part we want to focus on is to make it really easy for collectors to visualise watch and strap pairings with tools on our website. To me, straps are no different from shoes, belts and ties. It complements your look and becomes a conversation starter even when you pair outstanding colours to the same watch and you don’t need to go down to a boutique to change the straps easily. You can do it at home with a simple spring bar tool that we also designed.