Chelsea's head coach - Josè Mourinho aka "The Special One" - becomes the first ever football star to design a prototype watch - only to have it bought by a Liverpool fan

SINGAPORE, Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- World-famous soccer coach Josè Mourinho designed a unique prototype watch and wore it during games, press conferences and everyday activities – now the sought-after masterpiece was bought by Liverpool devotee and The Watch Fund founder Dominic Khoo.

Soccer idol Josè Mourinho designed the deLaCour "Mourinho City Ego Prototype" for the annual "Only Watch" charity auction held by watch auction house Antiquorum. After it was sold in 2011, soccer fans and collectors all over the world tried to acquire Mourinho's personal watch – until it has found its way to The Watch Fund.

The investment vehicle seeks returns in high-level timepieces – and makes Mourinho's masterpiece available for investors. "We use our network of collectors and watch manufacturers to get the rare timepieces such as provenance pieces, unique serial numbers or extreme limited editions." says certified watch expert Khoo. "99.9% of watches on the market won't increase in value, so we go out and find the 0.1%."

Although Khoo is a devoted Liverpool fan, he would not go as far as Liverpool's "super fan" Vijay Kopite Visva – who has his entire back tattooed with Liverpool emblems and titles. "I never knew Josè has a softer creative side compared to his arrogant football genius." says Visva about the fact that Chelsea's head coach designed his own watch.

The personal watch of "The Special One" is only one masterpiece in the fund's portfolio. The Watch Fund ("Invest in Watches. Wear them. Sell them for more.") allows stakeholders to wear their investment-grade timepieces. Founder Dominic Khoo explains that stakeholders have access to the investment-grade watches from day one: "People can actually see, touch and wear their timepieces. Contrary to other investment funds, our stakeholders do not hold onto a piece of paper but get a whole portfolio of luxury watches. In this case, they can invest in a provenance piece worn by the legendary Josè Mourinho – and wear it every day." The investor takes over the beneficial ownership from day one, as well as the proper documentation and the box.

About Dominic Khoo

Dominic Khoo is a veteran in the watch industry, having trained with the world's biggest watch auction house Antiquorum and worked in brand management for Girard-Perregaux. Khoo, who is also an award-winning photographer and art collector, wrote as a watch journalist for renowned magazines such as Prestige's Tic Talk, Real Time, and the world's first online luxury magazine Goldarths.com. He recently started up the watch department for British auction house Spink, which was founded in 1666 and previously owned by Christie's.

During his 14 years of watch collecting, Khoo spoke on watches for several companies like The Hour Glass, UBS and Hermes. He was also given a royal warrant for watch related and photography services by HRH Prince Hakeem Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam. After more than a decade in the watch industry, he decided to use his network and started the Hong Kong based investment vehicle The Watch Fund with serial entrepreneur Simon Poon.

*Coutts (2014): Coutts Index reveals passion investments have risen 77% since 2005, outperforming. Coutts, 06.01.2014 | www.coutts.com

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http://www.thewatchfund.com