This Saturday, December 11, 2021, two African American men stole watches worth $1.5 million USD in a smash and grab from B. Young & Co. at Chicago’s Bentley Gold Coast. This car dealership is home to the watch and jewelry boutique as well as a luxury automobile dealer for Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, and Rolls-Royce. Located on Rush Street in the heart of Chicago’s upscale Gold Coast area, the dealership is just steps away from Michigan Avenue —the Magnificent Mile— and is a ‘must’ destination for watches and fancy cars.
Posts filed under Watch Shopping
News: Phillips Watches Sells $30 Million USD at Their Hong Kong Auction XIII
Phillips continues to break watch auction records and set new benchmarks for watches sold at auction. Following their very impressive sale in Geneva which achieved the highest ever sale total for a watch auction in history, Phillips realized over HK$231 million/ $30 million USD at their Hong Kong Watch Auction XIII. Selling for more than 43% of its pre-sale high estimate…
From the Editor: What Happens when a Secondary Market Watch Dealer Like WatchBox Invests in an Independent Brand Like De Bethune?
This morning it was announced that WatchBox —a secondary market-leading platform for buying and trading luxury timepieces— was investing in independent watchmaking brand De Bethune. WatchBox was launched at the end of 2019 by watch industry veterans Danny Govberg —CEO of Govberg Jewelers in Philadelphia— and Liam Wee Tay —former owner of Sincere Fine Watches the oldest watch retailer in Singapore—, along with investor-entrepreneur Justin Reis to transform the pre-owned luxury watch category.
Breaking News: The Timepiece Gentleman is Back. They Didn't Vanish, They Were Just Giving Back to the Community.
For days since we published the news last week, there were strong rumors across social media and via some major watch dealers that the owners at The Timepiece Gentleman —Gentleman Timepieces— were simply working on a PR stunt and had not vanished with millions of dollars in consignment inventory and funding money.
Breaking News: Dallas Grey Watch Dealer 'The Timepiece Gentleman' Seems to Have Vanished with Millions of Dollars in Consignment Inventory and Funding Money
Just because this developing story is happening right here in Dallas where WCL is based, we are covering this story that is outrageous, to say the least. After doing our research, we found information that claims that The Timepiece Gentleman —Gentleman Timepieces— was launched in Dallas, Texas at the end of November of 2017 with a $500 USD profit coming from the sale of a Breitling watch by Anthony Farrer —an ex-convict and felon.
News: Vacheron Constantin North American Flagship Opens in New York City's 57th Street
Vacheron Constantin is delighted to announce the opening of its North American Flagship in the heart of New York City, at 28 East 57th Street. The boutique pays tribute to the Maison’s deep roots in the United States and commitment to outstanding client service. The selection of New York for the location of Vacheron Constantin’s North American Flagship carries powerful symbolism for the Maison.
Watch Auctions: Bonhams to Auction Pablo Picasso's Watch. Provenance and Ownership Means Everything.
Picasso is revered in the art world and beyond for such masterpieces as Guernica, La Vie, and Girl Before a Mirror, but in the world of horology, it is a small collection of relatively humble timepieces owned by the Master of Modern Art which are admired rather than his artistic talents. The Picasso watch bears the name of the artist himself, with the letters forming the hour markers on the dial. Two watches like these were known to exist with awareness of a third one with whereabouts unknown until now
News: IWC, Panerai & Jaeger-LeCoultre Opening Boutiques in San Francisco
Three of the world’s leading luxury watch brands including IWC Schaffhausen, Panerai, and Jaeger-LeCoultre announced today the opening of their first boutiques in San Francisco at the Westfield San Francisco Centre and Westfield Valley Fair. This significant series of openings underlines the importance of the Golden Gate City as a West Coast hub not only of technology and commerce but also of watch collecting and fine watch culture. Never before have local clients experienced first-hand each brand’s unique lifestyle and culture the way it is possible through an immersive boutique.
News: Armin Strom Opens First Pop-Up Store in Zürich
Armin Strom is opening its first pop-up store in the middle of Zürich’s Old Town. An appealing space has been set up for watch collectors to come and experience the brand, function, and beauty of mechanical watches. The brand’s philosophy is simple: It shows what it does. Armin Strom is driven by the fascination for transparent mechanics and it enjoys exposing the watchmaking craft layer by layer. The brand ardently strives to improve and innovate, and this clearly resonates throughout its first pop-up store.
Breaking News: The Watches of Switzerland Acquires Vintage Watch Dealer Analog Shift
The acquisition of vintage pre-owned watch dealer Analog Shift by Watches of Switzerland Group USA is the culmination of a partnership that began more than two years ago with the opening of the company’s SoHo flagship in New York City. Watches of Switzerland executives identified that a robust pre-owned and vintage offering was an essential component of a well-rounded assortment for their discerning clientele and tapped Analog Shift to provide an expertly curated selection.
News: Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Boutique Roma
A year after the inauguration of its Piazza di Spagna boutique, Hublot pays tribute to Rome by introducing the Classic Fusion Chronograph Special Edition Boutique Roma. A charming and sophisticated play on nuances, lights, and shade, with a dial reminiscent of the romantic atmosphere of Roman sunsets. Cased in a 45 mm black brushed finished titanium case with a bezel in the same material, these two components were purposefully finished to appear aged/weathered as an ulterior tribute to the age-old history of Rome.
Experience: Audemars Piguet Highland Park Village Dallas. A Very Long Awaited Boutique.
Rumors about the opening of an Audemars Piguet Boutique in Dallas had been going on for a while after Eiseman Jewelers quit carrying the brand back in 2018. While many watch collectors thought that Dallas would never have an Audemars Piguet Boutique —as this is a major Rolex town—, to everyone’s surprise, the work for the boutique started last summer. Opened in partnership with Material Goods out of New York City, the new Audemars Piguet Boutique was set to open months ago but the Covid-19 pandemic drastically delayed the opening date.
Insider: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Memovox Boutique Edition. Hands-on with One of the Best Looking Blue Dial Watches Out There.
Inspired by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Snowdrop from the early 70s, the new JLC Master Memovox Boutique Edition is a perfect modern reinterpretation of one of the most iconic watches in the history of horology and of the brand. Fitted with a mirror polished stainless steel case measuring 40 mm in diameter and equipped with a mechanical alarm function, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Memovox Boutique Edition is available in a limited edition of 500 pieces and exclusively sold throughout the JLC Boutique network.
Rare Bird: Rolex GMT Master ref. 1675 Pepsi from Former Mexican President José López Portillo
I was born just a few years before President José López Portillo y Pacheco took office in Mexico in 1976 and I spent much of my childhood drooling over the president’s watches —including a stainless steel Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo ref. 5402ST—, his sense of style and extravagant lifestyle. Thanks to López Portillo and to the line of business in which my family was involved, we had a bonanza era. Sadly, for the majority of the country and for businessmen like Manuel Espinosa Yglesias —the owner of Bancomer—, it was the worst presidential term ever. Abundance, mostly driven by oil prices turned into a disastrous presidential term after the banking system was nationalized in 1982.
News: Vacheron Constantin Opening New Flagship Boutique in New York's East 57th Street
Vacheron Constantin with over 265 years of heritage, announces plans for a Spring 2021 opening of a new flagship between Madison and Park Avenue on East 57th Street in midtown Manhattan. In keeping with Vacheron Constantin’s high level of sophistication and commitment to outstanding customer service, the move from the Maison’s existing location on Madison Avenue and 64th Street represents an opportunity to expand space and offer new customer experiences.
News: Hublot Opens Aspen Boutique and Launches the Spirit of Big Bang Rockies to Celebrate It
Hublot celebrates the opening of its first Aspen boutique and launch of the Special Edition Spirit of Big Bang Rockies two days ago on January 28, 2020. This is Hublot’s first U.S. mountain-resort boutique. The celebration hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, cocktail reception, and dinner alongside friend of the brand, Olympic Gold Medalist, and world champion, Bode Miller. VIP and members of the media enjoyed an action-packed day set against the unrivaled Aspen landscape, hitting the slopes at Aspen Snowmass while keeping time with Hublot clocks on display throughout the resort.
News: WatchBox Announces Partnership with Seddiqi & Sons to Launch in the Middle East
WatchBox, the global leader in pre-owned luxury timepieces and Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the Middle East’s most respected and established luxury watch retailer, today announced a joint venture to launch WatchBox Middle East. This partnership brings expertise in the secondary watch market to the region through WatchBox’s signature ‘electronic trading’ platform and also marks the debut of its retail footprint. A flagship WatchBox boutique dedicated to luxury pre-owned timepiece services including buying, selling, and trading will be unveiled in the Dubai International Financial Centre —DIFC— in November 2019.
News: IWC, Panerai and A. Lange & Söhne Open Boutiques in Chicago. A First for all three Brands.
IWC, Panerai and A. Lange & Söhne announced today the opening of their new boutiques in Chicago. Situated in Chicago’s coveted Gold Coast Historic District, all three storefronts will be centrally located in the heart of the city at the famed Waldorf Astoria, just a few steps away from Oak Street Beach. This key city is a first for all three brands who have chosen to set down roots in America’s third most populous city because of the passionate collector community and rich culture. At nearly 10 million inhabitants, ‘The Windy City’ attracts an average of 35 million visitors every year. The three boutiques are located at 11 East Walton Street, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and will be operated by Burdeen’s Jewelry. Burdeen’s has served the Chicago area since 1980.
News: Audemars Piguet to Open Boutique in Atlanta with Watches of Switzerland
With boutiques firmly established in New York, Las Vegas, East Hampton, Bal Harbour and Beverly Hills, Audemars Piguet will open an exciting new boutique in Atlanta, Georgia. In a natural and auspicious pairing, the brand will partner with The Watches of Switzerland Group for the brand’s latest location in the popular Lenox Square shopping center that will open at the end of July. Since 1959, Lenox Square has been the premier shopping destination for high-end shoppers in the Southeast. Located in the heart of the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, Lenox Square offers an unparalleled shopping experience.
Watch Shopping: Watches of Switzerland Opens Boutique at Encore Boston Harbor. A Memorable Night at Sinatra.
Continuing with their footprint expansion in the U.S., Watches of Switzerland just opened another boutique, this time at the just opened Encore Boston Harbor Hotel. The Encore just opened this past Monday June 24th, 2019 as the first casino in the Boston Metropolitan area. Watches of Switzerland Group has more than 146 showrooms in the UK and the U.S. —including 15 dedicated mono-brand boutiques in partnership with Rolex, TAG Heuer, Omega and Breitling— and has leading presence at Heathrow Airport and 5 online transactional websites. Additionally, Watches of Switzerland Group is proud to be the UK’s largest retailer for Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Omega, TAG Heuer and Breitling. In the U.S., this is the third boutique that opened up in less than a year and their fifth watch retail operation in this country.
