After an hour of flying accompanied with heavy thunderstorms, rough turbulence, and a quick 25-minute drive, I arrived in Langkawi, specifically the northern coast of the island at Four Seasons Langkawi, set along the pristine white sands of Tanjung Rhu Beach, under the hospitality of Vacheron Constantin for its Explore All Ways Possible experience. The two-day event brought together media and guests from all around Southeast Asia and conceived a packed itinerary exploring the island’s natural beauty and its connection with their new Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points, a collection of four references, each inspired by the cardinal directions — North, South, East, and West — translating different environments and perspectives on exploration into distinct interpretations of the maison’s travel watch. Rather than taking guests halfway across the world, the watchmaker chose Langkawi to demonstrate that meaningful exploration can begin much closer to home.
Alongside us on this journey was Sandrine Donguy, Product & Creation Director of Vacheron Constantin, and mountaineer and photographer Cory Richards, as the brand partner for the timepiece, presenting the watch through stories of his own experiences and explorations, each shaping the conversation throughout the journey. Richards’ expeditions were used as a narrative framework for the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points, with each cardinal direction reflecting a different chapter of his encounters with the world.
After settling down in the villa provided by the Vacheron Constantin team, I hurriedly called a buggy my way for lunch, indulging myself with the first taste of seafood from Langkawi fresh from the resort’s in-house restaurant Ikan Ikan, before arriving back to the villa to freshen up for the novelties showcase happening in the afternoon.
There, we were greeted by Cory Richards, who welcomed us at the beginning of our journey with a group presentation regarding his expeditions and how they intertwine and reflect the spirit of the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points. “What it means to Explore All Ways Possible is to expand how we perceive the world. That comes through listening, the inheritance of knowledge, and the willingness to sit and listen before changing our course.”
Each direction he spoke of aligned with the concept behind the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points. Through the West, he spoke of his early climbing and exploration, where dramatic landscapes taught him a deep sense of belonging and of finding his places in the world. In the North, by observing nesting birds, warming seas, and how nature quickly reclaims human traces, he learned to listen to the land and recognise our own impermanence against nature’s persistence. Traveling to the South, in Antarctica’s Queen Maud Land, enduring -50°C temperatures, violent katabatic winds, frostbite, and total isolation, he discovered reciprocity and trust. “You get along or you die” was the guiding motto, where survival depended on camaraderie, disciplined craftsmanship, and faith in his team. Finally, in the East, especially in the Himalaya and on Everest, he entered a realm where mountains are spiritual entities; climbing Everest without oxygen stripped him down to “absolute nothingness”, revealing that the ultimate act of exploration is transcendence — moving beyond the purely physical world into an inner journey of self-discovery.
After Cory’s transformative presentation, we gathered in the rooms next door, where Vacheron Constantin had set up a special gallery showcasing its 2026 Watches and Wonders novelties, complete with a walkthrough by Donguy. The highlight was the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points collection, presented in all four references, each reflecting one of the cardinal directions that framed the narrative of the journey. Other special pieces include the Égérie Moon Phase Spring Blossom, the Historiques American 21, and the Métiers d’Art Tribute to Great Civilisations, underscoring the Vacheron Constantin’s broader exploration of craft, heritage, and artistic expression.
The first evening was then concluded with dinner prepared at the Four Seasons’ in-house restaurant Serai by Chef Su Kim Hock of Michelin-starred Au Jardin. His menu highlighted local ingredients with a contemporary approach through sustainable and innovative gastronomy, while a live performance by singer-songwriter and sape musician Alena Murang introduced guests to traditional music from Borneo, performed in the endangered Kelabit and Kenyah languages, bringing the watchmaker’s theme of discovery to the forefront of the night.
The second day concluded the experience with a shift from the resort to the outdoors on a guided mangrove safari through Langkawi’s UNESCO Global Geopark. Led by a naturalist, the boat journey took us through the island’s mangrove forests and limestone formations. Whilst there, the quippy yet knowledgeable guide took us to the go-to sites to spot local animals living in their natural habitats. From viewing white-bellied sea eagles soaring through the sunny skies, to macaques gathering in a pack and monkeying around, and even bats hanging silently from the ceiling of Crocodile Cave (named after its crocodile-shaped entrance), the expedition reflected the same idea of observation and attentiveness that had underpinned Cory’s earlier presentation.
Over two days, Vacheron Constantin translated the idea of Explore All Ways Possible into an experience that extended beyond its timepieces. Through conversations, local culture, and Langkawi’s natural landscapes, the journey demonstrated how exploration can be shaped by perspective, attention, and openness to different ways of seeing the world. Through the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points as the central narrative of the experience, it offered a lens through which movement, discovery, and experience could be understood in multiple directions at once.
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