In a frankly shocking disclosure (should we get out more? Perhaps), Hong Kong entrepreneur, art collector and gallerist Mr Arthur de Villepin reveals that he may not wear a watch every day. However, you’ll certainly find one on his wrist when he’s presiding over events at his eponymous gallery. Villepin stages six-month long exhibitions and various talks and salons around each show, with the three-story space “more like a home than gallery, made by collectors for collectors”. Art is notably juxtaposed with exceptional furniture – Mr Pierre Paulin’s space-age style Alpha sofa and Ms Charlotte Perriand’s 1960s Cansado sideboard among them.

“We’re all about taste and design,” says de Villepin. “It’s not just a painting, it’s an attitude – a real indication of how you want to live your life and what you think is important. Sometimes it can be painting, design – or a watch.”

Watches may rank below his bigger passions, art and wine, but still the sensibility resonates. “I love research and details,” he says. “I love that some watches speak more than others – that they have this feeling of being more than a watch. That’s what I’m looking for.”

His own timepieces are imbued with meaning – a Cartier given by his father for his 18th birthday, an Omega that his grandfather bought after the war – and his style signature is certainly understatement.

“I’m all about refinement and elegance. The whispers,” he says. “I’m never about the loud watch that will be a kind of label.”

Given the chance to pick any three from MR PORTER’s offering, we shouldn’t be surprised that all three err on the side of formality, and even though the set includes a rose gold tourbillon, there certainly isn’t a watch that you’d call “loud” among them.

De Villepin was initially deciding between this watch and Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas Perpetual Calendar, but in the end settled on the Patrimony. “This watch feels like there’s much more to it – that it tells a story,” he says. “I like the whole design, which is classy but also sophisticated, without being too precious. It’s elegant and refined, which is for me the idea of real luxury. It should not be in your face.”

He sees himself wearing it with either a suit or in a smart casual setting (T-shirt and jacket, he says), for both weekend and professional dinners. Meanwhile, the retrograde function offers a hint of the unusual. “You can be different and original without overdoing things,” he says. “Classic is important – it allows you to build a kind of backbone or a certain identity; there is tradition and anchoring. Eccentricity is a sparkle, it should never be the backdrop itself.”

“To me, this watch is an older timer,” says de Villepin. “It’s very simple and traditional, but with a modern twist. I like the numbers, which are quite contemporary. And the whole design combined with the bracelet is very cool and classic.”

He was also drawn to IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN’s record in creating the world’s most complicated watches. “I like how IWC is very much anchored in history, that the people are not just focused on design but also the mechanisms. They really try to achieve much more than just a watch,” says de Villepin. “You can’t have an IWC without knowing what’s underneath. It’s like buying an amazing vintage car – it’s the whole package.”

The Portugieser for him immediately conjures up travel and escape, and de Villepin seems almost transported himself as he imagines styling the piece. “This watch is classic but fresh, with a more holiday feel. It’s definitely an Italian environment – and summer – wearing chinos, T-shirt, linens. The Amalfi Coast. If you’re at a nice dinner in Capri, that’s the right spot.”

On theme with his other choices, de Villepin likes the idea of an ultra-thin watch, and chooses this “historical tourbillon”, as he calls the model. “This is that one really special watch you bring out every now and then for special occasions, to wear with a tuxedo or for a wedding or important events,” he says.

Meanwhile, legacy and heritage informed his choice in Jaeger-LeCoultre. “I’m very fond of history and I love stories. I love going back and thinking of your own legacy. With this watch, you buy legacy – you buy a story that’s much more than just time,” he says. “There is a relationship with the brand and I like the idea of loyalty, even though I’m not so crazy about brands anymore. But there are still some brands that I want to be loyal to – it’s a value that has eroded somewhat over the years, but it’s an important part of how I look at my life, and how I value things, and the way I consume. For me, that’s history, legacy and loyalty for certain brands.”