Business Focus
THE CHISWICK MAGAZINE | chiswickmagazine.co.uk
THE CHISWICK MAGAZINE | chiswickmagazine.co.uk
Business Focus
It is their customer service that they really pride themselves on here at watches.co.uk. ‘‘Our customer service is second to none, if there’s a problem, we’ll sort it,’’ says Tim. You don’t have to take Tim’s word for it, there are a host of reviews available to read on their website.
Chiswick’s Swiss watch specialists
By Áine McGinty
For this month’s business focus, we find out more about watches.co.uk, the family run business that has been in Chiswick since 1996.
T
he Swiss Watch Company (UK) Ltd was established by John Matheou, who has over 20 years experience dealing with premium Swiss watches. We speak to his Director, Tim Owens, who has been with the company since 2006 and has been in the trade for 30 years. The company now has a considerable presence on Chiswick High Road, having previously been located above another shop in the area. They have only been in their new building since September and although they have always had support from local people, since the move they have actually met a number Chiswick people who previously had no idea that this company were even in Chiswick. Now, they are seeing lots of people from W4 and even from Richmond or Hammersmith who are able to see the office on their various journeys.
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They boast a wide scope of prices and a wide scope of products, meaning they cater for a variety of people. This includes someone who might want to spend £500 on a watch to get into the Swiss watch market, the week we spoke to Tim they had sold a watch for £30,000. Their demographic is people who want a nice watch and they can certainly supply that. Specialising in premium Swiss watches, the brands available include Patek Philippe, Rolex, Omega, Cartier and many more. Their success could also be put down to the fact that their formula has not changed, the business may have got bigger over the years but the format is the same. Clients sell or part exchange their watches with them, these pieces are then polished and checked over in their workshop, serviced if needed then once ready they are photographed and listed for sale on their website. They often buy in unworn watches. They also provide a host of other services. In fact, their 7-strong team not only includes John and Tim with their wealth of experience but a Rolex accredited watchmaker who is available for Rolex repairs. They provide watch batteries, can do bracelet adjustments and provide valuations on watches. In addition, they also provide a broker service where they might offer to sell a watch for their client and take a commission on it, rather than buying it outright.
Swiss Watch Co, 117 Chiswick High Road, W4 2ED. Phone: 02089944567 Website www.watches.co.uk Twitter: @swcwatches Instagram: @watches.co.uk Facebook: @TheSwissWatchCompany
Whatever their secret, having enjoyed 23 years in Chiswick, this business seems to be continuing on the up…
The office itself is of course not a traditional retail environment, the website (watches.co.uk) is where you must go to see the watches they have for sale and then once you have found something you like you can easily book an appointment. This company was actually one of the first online retailers of pre-owned Swiss watches, which has allowed them to build a fantastic reputation. As those of you who have walked by their new offices might have noticed, the company do work by appointment only - so prospective customers can email or call them to book a time to visit the premises. However, do not let the appointment only sign put you off, if you have an enquiry, you can press the buzzer, and someone can discuss your query with you in the foyer.
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