RIGHT ON TIME An insider tour of Watches of Switzerland’s Battersea Power Station showroom and boutiques

for a change TIME WITH THE OPENING OF FIVE WATCH SHOWROOMS AT BATTERSEA POWER STATION, LONDON WELCOMES A WORLD-CLASS LUXURY SHOPPING DESTINATION

Battersea Power Station has been a part of London’s skyline since the 1930s and was once responsible for supplying a fifth of the capital’s electricity. The site had been left to languish on the banks of the Thames for many decades, but now it has been given a new lease of life as an exciting retail destination, THE SITE featuring no less than five luxury showrooms HAS NOW run by the Watches of BEEN GIVEN Switzerland Group. The development A NEW LEASE comprises high-end OF LIFE AS and high-street shops, entertainment venues AN EXCITING and places to eat, all RETAIL housed within the Grade DESTINATION II* listed building. It is one of the most exciting and innovative mixeduse neighbourhoods in the world, for locals, tourists, and residents to enjoy. The Watches of Switzerland Group’s five luxury locations within Battersea Power Station include a brand-new Watches of Switzerland showroom and four mono-brand boutiques including OMEGA, TUDOR, Breitling and TAG Heuer. This exciting new retail space enables Watches of Switzerland to represent its luxury brand partners in a new environment, which also respects the historic buildings in which they have been designed. It’s a destination, not just a development, and the goal is to deliver a client experience that is welcoming yet unpretentious, underpinned by the extensive product and category knowledge.

BATTERSEA WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND SHOWROOM

The Watches of Switzerland showroom is situated on the ground floor, directly o Malaysian Square – on the Ground Floor at Boiler House South. Enter through the magnificent Turbine Hall A, which was built in the 1930s and evokes the lavish Art Deco glamour of its era. Leading with a dedicated Rolex room, Rolex welcomes clients to a contemporary interior fusing rich tones of walnut, leather, marble, and striated limestone with the internationally identifiable Rolex green tones. The room will provide a luxurious environment for clientele to view a curated range of timepieces from the Rolex collection. In addition, the Watches of Switzerland showroom will have a dedicated space for Cartier – born from the Maison’s intention to align the retailer’s watch-specialist image

A NEW CHAPTER Clockwise from

above: Battersea Power Station; the Watches of Switzerland showroom and the OMEGA showroom

to the one of the worldwide Cartier boutiques, thus creating the perfect synergy between the two di erent contexts. The “Cartier Red”, Maison’s colour par excellence, is used in small touches, to highlight the refi ned contours of the “focus wall”, which appears perfectly framed and illuminated by warm lights. Hublot, Longines and Grand Seiko complete the remaining branded areas with dedicated space for Zenith,

BVLGARI, Chanel and Bremont. For the launch, clients will have the opportunity to see and purchase the Watches of Switzerland Group exclusives, such as the Zenith Chronomaster and the Longines HydroConquest, along with a unique Bremont Ronnie Wood Tick Up timepiece featuring a hand-painted dial. For a limited period, the new showroom will have a selection of exclusive Serpenti pieces from BVLGARI which are only available in the UK. partnership with some of the world’s leading partnership with some of the world’s leading luxury watch brands. The group has opened opened four boutiques within Battersea Power station – OMEGA, TUDOR, Breitling and TAG Heuer – o ering watch enthusiasts an exciting new location to browse some of the fi nest luxury watches in the world.

PERFECT TIME

Above: Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow 39mm watch, £62,600. Right: OMEGA Sedna Gold Speedmaster chronograph watch, £35,700

MONO-BOUTIQUES AT BATTERSEA

The Watches of Switzerland’s Group’s multichannel expansion strategy has been driven by the growth of its mono-brand boutiques, where each boutique is owned and operated by the Watches of Switzerland Group, in OMEGA Situated on the left-hand side of Turbine Hall A, the new OMEGA boutique has an elegant glass wrap-around frontage, boasts a sophisticated design, featuring gold, leather, and rich wood, combined with exclusive lighting to create a cosy

atmosphere, that perfectly highlights the exquisite collection of OMEGA watches.

TUDOR The TUDOR boutique is situated on the ground floor, Boiler House South. Designed to showcase the evolution of the brand, the boutique has a flair for the bold, with the entryway bearing the slogan,

“Born to Dare”. The thoughtfully executed space o ers the watchmaker’s range of classic, sport, diving and heritage-inspired timepieces.

TAG Heuer In the TAG Heuer boutique, which can also be found in Turbine Hall A, you will find a space that represents the DNA of TAG Heuer. The interior of the boutique reflects TAG Heuer’s motoring heritage, with tones of grey and sleek mirrored units.

Breitling Breitling’s new boutique is housed in the centre’s second turbine and every design detail has been considered to honour the building’s rich and diverse history.It is designed in the brand’s signature industrial loft style, which features walnut furniture, dark oak floors, concrete and brass accents, and exposed brick walls – a fitting tribute to the old power station.

Speaking about the development, Craig Bolton, President of the Watches of Switzerland Group, UK & Europe says: “Battersea represents our biggest presence in any one centre, and we could not be more proud. This legendary London landmark has been brought back to life and will have the feel of an innovative mix of neighbourhoods, giving the very best experiences of retail, dining and lifestyle. It represents our biggest presence in any one centre, and we could not be more excited. As a group, we strive to be the best retailer in the market, and this new destination enables us to deliver the finest products in a location where clients can create memories that last a lifetime.”

“When the project first came to our attention, we knew it was imperative that we have a strong presence at Battersea Power Station, and we seized the opportunity," says Bolton. “We are incredibly excited to see all the hard work cometo fruition.” L

SPACE & TIME Clockwise from far

left: The new TAG Heuer boutique; the TUDOR boutique; the Breitling boutique; the TUDOR Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18k watch, £13,340; the Breitling Super AVI B04 GMT Boutique Edition, £19,800; the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02T COSC 45mm men's watch, £19,200