WatchPro is the UK's only magazine and website dedicated to the business of making, marketing and selling watches.
Since opening the luxurious new showroom in the famous Brighton Lanes in September, hundreds of loyal customers have passed through the doorway to experience the store's unique shopping and customer service experience. This includes an unparalleled collection of leading timepieces from longstanding Watches of Switzerland brand partners – Rolex, OMEGA, Breitling, TAG Heuer, Hublot, Longines and Pre-owned watches. The latest luxury brands to have been added to the selection - Bremont, Baume & Mercier and Tissot – are also now fast becoming best-sellers.
At over 1985 sqft the new Watches of Switzerland showroom sits well within the redeveloped site on North Street, at the entrance to the new high-end retail area, Hanningtons Lane, in The Lanes. Once nicknamed the "Harrods of Brighton", the long-established and popular department store Hanningtons once occupied the site.
The design of the showroom allows great flexibility to introduce new concepts from luxury watch makers to cater for the diverse needs of their client base, including a large dedicated branded area for Rolex as the centrepiece. The design, finish and materials used in the showroom are the same as their flagship showroom on Regent Street, London, and emphasises the core values of the Watches of Switzerland brand.
"The UK is one of the most sophisticated markets in the world for brick and mortar stores that keep people flocking in for exceptional personal service in sumptuous showrooms when buying watches. It is one of the great treats of being editor of WatchPro that I get to visit many incredible new stores that are being opened by independents and multiples across the country," said Rob Corder in the online magazine WatchPro.
"Voting for the Best New Store of the Year was predictably tight, with 114 completed ballot forms from watch brand executives deciding the winner. Having visited all but two of the finalists, I can testify that any one of them would have been worthy winners, and probably would have romped home if competing with showrooms in any other country but the UK."
Matt Shields, UK retail director for Watches of Switzerland, was presented the trophy on stage at the awards ceremony by Jean-Philippe Balon, international director at ICE-Watch, which sponsored the award. "This is a very special award, not only for Watches of Switzerland but for our wonderful team at Brighton, headed up by manager John O'Connor who has been with us since 2012.
While the showroom surroundings are of course sumptuous, vibrant and sparkling, the team adds immensely to this with their friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable service. We've been delighted that so many loyal customers have come to visit, as well as a plethora of new ones. It seems that by relocating to the new showroom, we have introduced Watches of Switzerland to an additional selection of discerning luxury watch lovers, not only from Brighton but from much further away too.
And if you need that very special last-minute luxury gift, you know where to come!"
