The moving story of the former Paralympic gold medalist So Wa Wai and his mother So Hon Siu Ching was turned into an inspirational biopic, raising public awareness of the hardship endured by athletes with disabilities. Despite the fact that Wai was born with haemolytic jaundice, he overcame the struggles brought by cerebral palsy and became a three-time Paralympic gold medalist. His achievement could be attributed to his perseverance and the tremendous help from his mother, as she had given all her love and support in bringing him up.
Sparing no efforts in supporting sports development, Hong Kong tourbillon watch brand Memorigin recently worked with Wai and his mother to launch two So Wa Wai Series tourbillon watches: The Champion and Heroic Mom. A part of the proceeds will be donated to the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee for fostering the development of sports for persons with disabilities, making the collaboration more meaningful.
As the name implies, So Wa Wai Series - The Champion features the moment of victory of the talented track and field athlete. The thin lines on the dial form the running tracks. A silhouette shows the scene of Wai putting his arm up with an iconic number 1 gesture as he reaches the finishing line. His index finger is pointing to the star at the twelve o'clock position, meaning that everyone will get to the goals with determination and persistence.
One of the scenes in the movie that touches the hearts of many is that Wai's mother became overwhelmed when Wai could finally stand. The dial of So Wa Wai Series - Heroic Mom depicts a silhouette of a mother holding her baby up in the air. The operation of the intricate movement components can be seen underneath. It implies that behind every child is an attentive and devoted mother. The rectangular hour markers are similar to the radiance of a mother's love, a love that is resilient and unconditional like the sun.
The two watches are equipped with a manual-winding tourbillon watch providing 80 hours of power reserve. The tourbillon at the six o’clock position oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 times per hour. It symbolizes the 21 years of Wai’s efforts in his athletic career and his mother’s boundless support and encouragement.
About So Wa Wai
So Wa Wai is a former Hong Kong Paralympic athlete. Being the current Paralympic world record holder in the 200m men's T36 classification, he has garnered 6 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze Paralympic medals. He was diagnosed with haemolytic jaundice and suffered from sequelae including spasticity, hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, dysarthria, and learning disability. With his family support, he has won 26 gold medals in international competitions since 15 years old, including 7 times in World Para Athletics Championships and 6 times in Paralympic Games. He has also broken the world record for 5 times and is an 8-time recipient of the Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards.
About So Wa Wai Series - The Champion
Retail price: HKD $38,800
Model No.
MO 1996
Case
Rose-gold-plated stainless-steel case
Watch diameter: approx. 43mm
Watch thickness: approx. 13.5mm
Both sides sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 5ATM
Movement
Flying tourbillon
193 pieces of subassembly module and 27 jewels
Frequency: 28800 Oscillation/Hour
Twin mainspring barrel
Features
80 hours power reserve
The tourbillion located at 6 o'clock rotate at a speed of 60s for one circle
Manual winding mechanism
Dial
So Wa Wai's silhouette
Chapter ring with Arabic numerals
Rose-gold-plated luminous dauphine hands
Strap
Alligator strap
About So Wa Wai Series - Heroic Mom
Retail price: HKD $38,800
Model No.
MO 1996
Case
Rose-gold-plated stainless-steel case
Watch diameter: approx. 43mm
Watch thickness: approx. 13.5mm
Both sides sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 5ATM
Movement
Flying tourbillon
193 pieces of subassembly module and 27 jewels
Frequency: 28800 Oscillation/Hour
Twin mainspring barrel
Features
80 hours power reserve
The tourbillion located at 6 o'clock rotate at a speed of 60s for one circle
Manual winding mechanism
Dial
Mother-and-son silhouette
Rose-gold-plated luminous dauphine hands
Strap
Alligator strap