Why We’re Excited About The New Watches of Switzerland SoHo Boutique
Watches of Switzerland has opened the doors of its new boutique in New York’s SoHo with a distinctly cool vibe.
Watches of Switzerland, the leading retailer of luxury timepieces in the UK, has opened the doors of its new flagship boutique in SoHo. Not surprisingly, the nearly 90-year-old company knows a thing or two about creating opulent yet approachable boutiques, showcasing some of the finest brands in the world. Their new store, located at 60 Greene Street in New York’s SoHo neighborhood, has a dazzling array of watches, with brands including Rolex, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Omega and more, with many watches rarely seen by the public, displayed in an open, airy 8,000 square foot space on two floors.
“We’ve been looking at expanding into the US for over three years,” says Brian Duffy, CEO of the Watches of Switzerland Group. “Our new flagship in SoHo embodies a contemporary approach. We want this showroom to be open, inviting, a place to come and browse,” he continues. “People can come here to talk about watches and look around, without feeling the sales pressure that they may encounter elsewhere,” he said.
Inside the SoHo Boutique
Pressure aside, the watches on offer at the boutique will entice passionate watch collectors to visit. Dedicated shop-in-shops from Rolex, Patek Philippe and Cartier have special, rare pieces on display including high complications and jeweled watches. What was even more impressive was the amount of stainless steel sports models from Rolex and Patek Philippe. While most of the steel pieces are pre-sold, collectors will be sure to be dazzled by the unique opportunity to go hands-on with some of the world’s rarest watches.
With 8,000 square feet of floor space, Watches Of Switzerland’s SoHo boutique is a Mecca for watch collectors and enthusiasts. In addition to the awe-inspiring array of watches, the boutique offers plenty of space to relax, with a curated library of collectible watch books. Pop-up watch shops will rotate about every quarter, the first of which is Grand Seiko, featuring a 3-D interactive watchmaking display.
So why has Watches of Switzerland decided to open a boutique in New York now? “We believe that the market here is underserved,” said Duffy. “We talked to brands and asked them how they felt, and they told us that there were not enough luxury watch boutiques in New York,” he said. “There are six points of sale for Rolex in New York City,” he continued, “while in London there are 25. There has been no significant growth [in watch sales] in the US for 10 years, while in the UK it’s grown at about a 10% rate every year.”
SoHo chic
Sporting a decidedly laid-back atmosphere, the boutique reflects the culture and architecture of the historic SoHo neighborhood with a relaxed, spacious ambience . People can “stop by, have a coffee, talk about watches, and browse without pressure,” Duffy said. “Our staff are non-judgemental and here to help. We want people to look around, browsing is very important.”
The boutique’s interior concept was designed by renowned Manhattan-based Michael Neumann Architecture. Many of the original architectural elements of the ironworks building remain, including wood floors, tin ceilings, exposed brick and carved columns. The boutique’s main floor is flooded with natural light from the soaring windows in the front that are an architectural hallmark of the neighborhood, windows at the back of the store and an original skylight. A marble-topped full bar on the lower floor serves signature cocktails exclusively designed and curated by Death & Co., one of the first (and best) creators of artisanal cocktails.
About Watches Of Switzerland SoHo
Located at 60 Greene Street in Manhattan’s SoHo neightboard, the Watches of Switzerland SoHo showroom sells an impressive selection of brands, including : Breitling, Bremont, Cartier, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger-Le-Coultre, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Tag Heuer, Tudor, Ulysse Nardin, Grand Seiko (current pop up), Girard-Perregaux, and fine vintage timepieces exclusively curated by Analog/Shift for Watches of Switzerland.
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)