Ernest Jones is racing into the battle to build monobrand boutiques for its watchmaking partners in the UK.
The Signet Jewelers-owned operation is opening a row of branded boutiques for Richemont Specialist Watchmaker brands on Commercial Street in Leeds this year, having created three showrooms in partnership with Bremont last year.
Now the upmarket retailer is building on its relationship with Swatch Group by opening the very first Rado store in the UK.
The boutique is adjacent to an existing Ernest Jones multibrand showroom in Merry Hill, a shopping complex near Dudley in the West Midlands.
Rado says the store will help it give customers the full 360-degree experience of the brand in a calm atmosphere surrounded by warm and luxurious materials.
It will also be able to stock boutique-only watches launched by Rado.
“We are very proud of our long and valued partnership with Rado, which spans over three decades,” says Neil Old, managing director of Signet Jewellers UK and Ireland.
“As one of their key retail partners in the UK, we are excited to be strengthening it further by creating an exciting customer experience that combines our trusted retail expertise with the strength of the Rado brand.”
The store had a soft opening on February 11 before a Valentine’s Day ribbon cutting earlier this week.
Adrian Bosshard, Rado CEO, says: “Rado as Master of Materials is very happy to offer to our customers a premium retail experience to feel the difference of the Rado brand. We are convinced that Rado and Ernest Jones customers will be very excited to discover our unique products in such a warm and inviting environment.”
