The Watches of Switzerland Group announces dynamic expansion plans in North America for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.
The development includes the opening of 8 mono-brand boutiques with TAG Heuer, Breitling, and OMEGA by end-of-year, across 5 key markets.
New York, NY [November 19, 2020] – As part of its continued development of the North American market, The Watches of Switzerland Group (The Group) is announcing a retail expansion plan focused around its successful mono-brand model that will include the opening of 8 boutiques in partnership with TAG Heuer, Breitling, and OMEGA across 5 key US markets. Watches of Switzerland brings a unique and specialized approach to sales and customer service, along with a leadership position in US watch retail, achieved in just two years after entering the market, and will work closely with each brand team to bring to life their distinct codes and stories through engaging and immersive retail environments, customized marketing efforts and experiential activations.
The markets and malls that will be a part of this landmark mono-brand retail expansion include: the Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City, New York (TAG Heuer and OMEGA), the King of Prussia mall in Pennsylvania (TAG Heuer and Breitling), the Palm Beach Gardens mall in Florida (TAG Heuer and OMEGA) the Valley Fair mall in San Jose, CA (Breitling), and the Green Hills mall Nashville, TN (Breitling). After notable success with the mono-brand model in the UK, the recognized global leader in high-end timepiece retail will be expanding its current 5 North American single brand locations with Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Breitling, and OMEGA and will oversee day to day operations and management of each of the 8 new boutiques. In partnership with the three brands, each location was highly analyzed with the goal of connecting each acclaimed watchmaker with the appropriate luxury client. As the first phase of opening a mono-brand location, Watches of Switzerland does extensive research into the potential locations. Looking into each mall, average sales per square foot and the consumer profile allows Watches of Switzerland to provide the brands a short list of potential locations that have promising perspective. Following this, Watches of Switzerland works hand in hand with the brand going over each location’s luxury adjacencies, regional demographics, and the current distribution of the brand in order to move forward with the most propitious location.
After successfully operating in major markets across the country including New York, Las Vegas, Boston, Miami, and Atlanta, Watches of Switzerland has gained invaluable expertise in retail, clienteling, and personnel training, that it will apply to these secondary and tertiary markets. Mirroring the progression The Group advantageously implemented to expand the mono-brand model outside of major markets in the UK, now with 17 boutiques, The Group will customize and adapt its groundbreaking retail practices to benefit the regional specificities of each new US location.
“In two short years, with best practices established with its long history in the UK, The Watches of Switzerland Group has solidified its role as the market leader in luxury retail as well as experts on the mono-brand model,” states Brian Duffy, CEO of Watches of Switzerland Group. He continued, “We have become the go-to partner for the best watch brands in the world looking to expand in the US. The Group takes great pride in sharing its revolutionary retail expertise and working closely with historied watchmakers like TAG Heuer, Breitling, and OMEGA to grow their brands in the US.”
“Since its acquisition of Mayors in 2017 followed quickly by the opening of Watches of Switzerland SoHo, The Group has shown its acute command of the US market and deep understanding of its discerning and diverse clients,” says David Hurley, EVP of Watches of Switzerland Group USA. He continued, “After two years of exponential growth, Watches of Switzerland has demonstrated its ability to master new markets which has become appealing to top Swiss watch brands looking to expand the retail operations of their brand in North America. With our expertise in retail and the exceptional timepieces from TAG Heuer, Breitling, and OMEGA our opportunities in the US market are endless.”
