iW Magazine Summer 2019 | Page 30

LWR News LEADING WATCH RETAILERS WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND OPENS IN ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR ATCH RETAILER WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND IN JUNE OPENED ITS FIFTH U.S. LOCATION at the new Encore Boston Harbor. The space features dedicated areas for Hublot and Panerai, as well as a private consultation room for VIP clients. Standalone boutiques for Omega and IWC (operated by Watches of Switzerland) are located adjacent to an entry area that highlights artisanal watch brands. For the opening, these include watches from Franck Muller, Ressence, Bovet and Jacob & Co. The boutique’s minimalist storefront, which opens out to the hotel’s primary entry lobby, is clad in Spanish marble and the interior is lined in a zebra grass wall covering with white oak trim and wall board. The new location is the second Wynn Resorts collaboration for Watches of Switzerland, which last December opened a boutique in the Esplanade at Wynn Las Vegas. The Encore itself is expected to attract national and international guests, as well as a local Boston W ULYSSE NARDIN PARTNERS WITH WEMPE U.S. Ulysse Nardin has joined the brand portfolio at Wempe in Manhattan. The U.S. location of the German-based retailer is now displaying the full range of Ulysse Nardin’s offerings, including limited editions and the latest in the X Collection, including the Freak NeXt, which will make its U.S. debut at Wempe this month.  “Wempe is one of the most distinguished retailers in the world and we are delighted to be a part of their Manhattan flagship store’s curated roster,” says François-Xavier Hotier, president of Ulysse Nardin Americas. “We are very excited to present the Ulysse Nardin collection to our international clients and local watch enthusiasts,” says Rüdiger Albers, president of Wempe U.S. 30 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SUMMER 2019 clientele, and is appointed with red venetian glass chande- liers, a floral carousel and a selection of world-class art. “We are thrilled to now have a presence in Boston and continue our partnership with Wynn Resorts,” says Brian Duffy, Watches of Switzerland CEO. “Their best-in-class approach echoes our own, and we look forward to offering the finest Swiss timepieces along with an unparalleled customer experience to their discerning guests.” In addition to the new store and its locations in Las Vegas and two Manhattan boutiques, Watches of Switzerland plans to open in the new American Dream shopping complex in the New Jersey Meadowlands later this year. The boutique opening followed the May public offering for the retailer on the London Stock Exchange. With a market capitalization estimated at £647 million pounds, the move is being heralded as a major success for the company and a strong sign for the watch industry overall.