BATU PAHAT, March 19 — What began with a single wristwatch gifted by the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, has since grown into a business venture for a veteran of the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM).
Jeffri Mansor, 59, a former Warrant Officer 1, said the Submarine-brand watch was presented to him by Sultan Mizan as a token of appreciation after five years of service as the King’s escort from 2006 to 2011.
He said the gift sparked his interest in collecting watches, particularly limited-edition timepieces.
“But the difficulty in obtaining special edition watches pushed me to start producing my own,” he told Bernama at his watch shop in Kampung Parit Karjo, Parit Raja, here recently.
Jeffri, who retired from TLDM in 2011, opened the shop in 2016. Initially, he sold watches from various brands, but in 2017, he was appointed Malaysia’s sole distributor for Submarine Professional Time, a US-based watch brand.
“That’s when I started selling Submarine watches, as well as customising them into limited edition watches,” he said, adding that he created his first limited-edition (Submarine) timepiece in 2017 by customising the watch surface and strap.
“I did it not only to satisfy my interest (in watches), but also as a collectible for fellow veterans as well as TLDM officers and personnel.”
He has since produced more than 30,000 special edition watches, with each special edition limited to about 500 units.
Jeffri said so far, he has received orders for the customised watches from TLDM, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysia Police and the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia.
He has also received custom orders from the Alumni of Sekolah Tinggi Kluang, Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd, Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT), Naval Special Warfare Force, and other organisations. He has also received orders from Singapore.
Jeffri added that his company offers a range of watch models with camouflage designs that are customised to reflect the identity of the country’s uniformed services. Each limited edition series features a unique design or logo tailored to the agency or organisation placing the order.
Among notable figures who have placed orders for a customised watch is former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who commissioned an exclusive limited-edition Submarine TP1328 model. The watch is part of a collection featuring the Malaysian Army’s digital camouflage design.
Jeffri has also received a special commission from the present King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim, featuring the official monogram of the Sultan of Johor.
His other clients include former Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player Safiq Rahim and current JDT striker Bergson da Silva.
Recently, he produced a special ‘Johorean’ edition watch exclusively for Johor, with only 750 units released, each bearing a unique serial number.
Jeffri added that the challenges and setbacks he has faced have never dampened his determination to continue producing custom-made timepieces. — Bernama
