On a chilly winter evening, we met at a cozy café to sit down with the manager of Đồng Hồ Thật. I knew he was young, but I still wasn’t prepared for the sight of this soft-spoken young man with glasses, slightly flustered, sitting in front of me. This was Tùng, the manager of the 17-year-old watch brand, and a proud member of the early 90s generation. He’s also the one who made us all chant the iconic slogan: “Attentive, Trustworthy – 77 Hàng Đào.”
Tùng studied in the US and now works at a prestigious global auditing firm. But managing Đồng Hồ Thật? "It’s for my family, and my deep passion for watches."
Taking over a watch brand that’s been around since 1999 - almost 20 years - could be a daunting task. But doing that while holding down a main job in auditing seems like an impossible balancing act. Tùng disagrees: “For me, every profession has its own challenges and advantages. I see them all as opportunities to grow."
“You’ve got watches with over 200–300 components, and they’re all put together meticulously on a tiny wrist.”
Tùng’s love for watches shines through in everything he says. In real life, he’s quite reserved, only truly coming alive when discussing watches. He easily loses himself in conversations about watch movements, brands, designs, and much more. "I love the artistry behind watchmaking. The feeling you get when you hold a watch and become captivated by its intricate details is fascinating. Some watches have more than 200 components, all coming together seamlessly on a tiny wrist." This passion is a legacy Tùng inherited from his family, from childhood days listening to the ticking of clocks and watching them transform into beautiful works of art.
Running a watch brand with such a strong legacy comes with its own unique pressures, both from his family and from his personal dedication. "The pressure I feel is to always find the best products and offer them to our customers at the most reasonable price." While that sounds easy, it’s far from it. Securing top-tier watches for his store is a meticulous and demanding task. “The brands we work with have very strict criteria for stores that sell their products."
Tùng’s mission at Đồng Hồ Thật is clear: "I want to create a market where we’re the ones offering the best products to our customers - not just focusing on achieving the highest sales."
However, the younger generation doesn’t seem to favor traditional watch showrooms like Đồng Hồ Thật anymore. With the rise of shopping malls, brand showrooms, and the flood of imported goods, there’s a lingering skepticism about whether buying from an old street store means you're getting a subpar, fake product.
Still, Tùng remains optimistic. "It’s a mindset that’s deeply ingrained in people’s minds, but I believe when customers come to Đồng Hồ Thật, they will always know the products are genuine."
"We’ve recently invested a lot into our warranty department, with all equipment imported directly from Switzerland. If there’s an issue with a watch, we can handle everything here, no need to send it back to the brand."
Buying a high-quality watch is one thing; trusting someone skilled enough to repair it if something goes wrong is another. That's why these craftsmen are often called "artisans."
And Đồng Hồ Thật’s secret weapon? A true watch expert who’s been with the brand for 16 years, having repaired over a million watches, from Rolex to Patek Philippe. Trained in Switzerland, Tùng proudly says, "When it comes to oiling, he’s the best in Hanoi. He can work on any movement. And with the seven warranty machines I just imported from Switzerland, I don’t have to worry at all. Just by holding a watch, he can tell if it’s fake - just by the difference in weight."
Inheriting a large family business brings Tùng experiences far beyond his years. I never expected someone born in the early 90s to discuss business philosophy with such humility, confidence, and maturity. "Our philosophy has always been: Attentive – Trustworthy."
Tùng’s family taught him that the key is to follow your passion, be genuine, and always put the customer’s needs first. "This isn’t just about selling products - it’s about affirming the value of the Đồng Hồ Thật brand. In Vietnam, buying a watch often requires months of thought. That’s why we aim to offer products that make people want to return after their first purchase."
What Tùng is striving for here is something we’ve all been waiting for. I can’t promise that everyone will have the same experience at Đồng Hồ Thật, as everyone’s journey is different. But perhaps, like me, you’ll feel a sense of trust and understanding when you step into the store, experiencing the sincerity of the owner. And that’s a wonderful feeling for anyone who’s fallen in love with the world of watches.
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