Made with the support of A l'Emeraude

01/22/2020

A l’Emeraude: Exploring Watches And Jewelry Differently

A l’Emeraude combines the finest selection of watch brands and jewelry with an elegant and cosy interior, and customer service like no other.

By Sophie Furley

Contributor

Stepping off the streets of Lausanne into the A l’Emeraude boutique is like being welcomed into the home of a friend. Even the security guard at the front door greets visitors with the warmest smile. The friendly hospitality continues at the front desk where all clients are individually accompanied inside the boutique. Once seated in one of the chic and comfortable salons, they can relax and discover the myriad of timepieces and jewelry creations that the Cremers family has personally selected for their discerning clientele.

Derek Cremers

“It is very important for us that our clients feel at ease,” shares Derek Cremers. “Often people are afraid to enter a watch boutique, they feel intimidated, so we need to be humble and make them feel at ease. We are located in the city of Lausanne. It isn’t London or Paris, it is a Swiss town with many local clients who appreciate this kind of welcome.”

Unbeatable Location

Located at No. 12 Place St-François, in a historically listed building dating back to 1898, the A l’Emeraude boutique was founded in 1909 and renovated and expanded in 2017 to include two boutiques that sit in perfect symmetry on either side of the building’s entrance way. On the left is the historic boutique with a sales area of 140 m2 spanning two floors, and on the right, a unique boutique measuring 100m2 that is dedicated solely to Patek Philippe and Rolex.

A L'Emeraude, Lausanne

A Passion For Fine Timekeeping

A l’Emeraude’s passion for haute horlogerie becomes clear the moment visitors enter the boutique, starting with a spectacular mural display of Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos clocks, both past and present, that are exhibited in two columns rising six meters high. “We used to have a small window display of Atmos clocks,” explains Derek Cremers, the director. “When we refurbished the boutique, we wanted to create our own signature. When a client enters A l’Emeraude, there is the welcome counter and these towers of Atmos clocks that go right to the ceiling. This is something that stays with them so when they think of A l’Emeraude later on, they recall this feature.”

The New F.P.Journe Octa Lune Automatique in platinum case

Extending from the ground floor of the A l'Emeraude boutique, a selection of exceptionally rare and historically Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos clocks

Entering further into the boutique, visitors discover timepieces from leading brands such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hublot, Panerai, IWC, Ulysse Nardin, Breitling and Tudor, many of which are long-standing partners of A l’Emeraude.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Date Medium in a pink gold case adorned with brilliant-cut diamonds

IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Spitfire crafted in a bronze case paired with a matte olive-green dial

It is also here that visitors can discover gems of independent watchmaking with timepieces from F.P.Journe, Kari Voutilainen, De Bethune and Romain Gauthier.

Voutilainen Vingt-8 with an exceptional and rare 37mm wide platinum case paired with a check-pattern hand-guilloché dial

F.P.Journe Split-Seconds chronograph Rattrapante in 6N Gold

Hidden away at the back of the boutique is the Maison’s Cabinet de Curiosité, a magical salon that presents all kinds of wonders related to watchmaking – from books to horological trinkets and antique clocks.

A special section of A l’Emeraude boutique, the Cabinet de Curiosité rare books handmade objects by talented artisans, and of course exceptional clocks

Patek Philippe And Rolex Boutique

What makes A l’Emeraude truly unique is its exclusive boutique dedicated to the legendary brands Patek Philippe and Rolex. This is the only boutique of its kind in Switzerland and not only does it have a large range of timepieces, but its sales staff has extensive knowledge on both brands. This expertise includes information about the current collections as well as the history of each brand and the iconic models that have made them the emblematic brands they are today.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Weekly Calendar Ref. 5212A in Stainless Steel

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller in stainless steel using the rotatable Ring Command bezel and powered by a mechanical self-winding movement with dual time zones and annual calendar

Jewelry Creations And Service

In addition to its extensive range of timepieces, A l’Emeraude has its very own line of jewelry designed in-house. Marina Cremers and her team are also able to work with clients on the creation of bespoke pieces, or the transformation of existing jewelry into new creations. Clients will also find creations from renowned jewelers, such as Marco Bicego, Morganne Bello and Shamballa.

A l’Emeraude ring featuring a central natural blue sapphire with two natural pink sapphires meticulously mounted on rose gold

Shamballa bracelets feature a combination of pink gold, diamond, rubies and sapphires

The A L’Emeraude boutique features a watchmaker’s bench where customers can simply walk by and exchange directly with the watchmaker

Exclusive Collectors Dinners

A l’Emeraude is constantly finding interesting and entertaining ways to engage with its clients, from manufacture visits to exclusive dinners held at the boutique. “We are very dynamic and often transform our Atelier Salon into a space where we can hold confidential watchmaking dinners on a specific theme or in the presence of an independent watchmaker,” notes Derek Cremers. “We have had the pleasure of hosting Denis Flageollet from De Bethune; Romain Gauthier; the director for research and development from Ulysse Nardin who discussed silicium; and the director of Donzé Cadrans who talked about enamel. At the end of 2019 we had the pleasure of welcoming Kari Voutilainen to our boutique for an exclusive dinner with a small group of watch aficionados for a fascinating discussion about his work as an independent watchmaker.

De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius features a personalised constellation, revisited lugs and a hand-made flame-blued Titanium dial

Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor in titanium case with a highly-visible manufacture movement and blue translucent enamel dial

In spring 2020, we’ll have the honor to have François-Paul Journe. These are magical moments where we have great discussions and clients can ask questions. The idea is to share the art of watchmaking, which is very important for us.”

A Refined Interior

The Cremers family designed the entire interior of the boutique themselves as they had a very clear vision of the ambience they wanted to create. The refined and homey feel was achieved by using local materials such as granite from the Alps and a light-colored oak from the region, along with the latest technology in lighting and beautiful furniture. One feature that visitors particularly appreciate is that there are no branded displays at A l’Emeraude, making the boutique feel far more like a home than a shop.

A l’Emeraude’s passion for craftsmanship and dedication to service has earned it a loyal following of both local and international clients over its 110-year history

Service Like No Other

A l’Emeraude prides itself on its excellent service, from the welcome visitors receive to the expert sales advice and first-class after-sales service. Two watchmakers work in-house, one of whom works directly in the Maison’s Atelier Salon so visitors can get a sneak peek at just how intricate and fascinating the world of watchmaking is.

Exceptional service and proximity to its clients are a part of A l’Emeraude’s long tradition of excellence.

Derek Cremers is particularly proud of its team of experienced and loyal employees, many of who have worked on the A l’Emeraude team for a number of years, which only goes to show that the wonderful atmosphere created by the family and their passion for fine watchmaking and jewelry runs through everything they do.

But don’t take our word for it, go and discover the A l’Emeraude experience for yourself at 12 Place St-François in Lausanne.

(Photography by Pierre Vogel)

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