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Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe.

EXCLUSIVE: Harrods moves Hublot to lower ground floor of expanded Fine Watch Room

Harrods has moved Hublot’s ground floor boutique to the lower ground floor in its plans for its expanded Fine Watch Room.

Zenith and TAG Heuer will remain in a multi-brand area when the two-storey Fine Watch Room fully re-opens next year.

Ricardo Guadalupe, chief executive of Hublot, told WatchPro that he he still hopes to convince Harrods that he can out-sell some of the brands that have been given ground floor boutiques.

“We are not one of the five brands they have chosen for the ground floor. We would like to be, but of course sometimes there is always the sales figures that make the difference,” Mr Guadalupe reveals in an interview to be published in full in the November edition of WatchPro.

Hublot has not given up hope of moving back to the ground floor if it can prove its value against other brands. “We are one of the top brands at Harrods. I would say that we have a good relationship with Harrods. I am going back there next week because we are doing a month long takeover of all the windows. We are still in negotiations, and we are doing well.

“Of course, I would love to be [on the ground floor] but that is part of the business. Sometimes you can see things change because choices are made that are not the right choices. We will prove that we will be successful and do good business,” Mr Guadalupe suggests.

Hublot is also disappointed that it will not be able to open its new flagship on Old Bond Street ahead of Christmas this year. The watchmaker is currently at the northern end of the historic street, which is seen as less prestigious as the southern end among jewellers and watch brands like Patek Philippe, Wempe, Tiffany and Jaeger-LeCoultre. The company had originally said the boutique would open on December 1.

“Unfortunately [the opening] will be February because of the challenges of working in such an historic building,” Mr Guadalupe says.

Hublot. Which reopened its ground floor boutique in harrods earlier this year, is moving to the lower ground.
Hublot. which reopened its ground floor boutique in Harrods earlier this year, is moving to the lower ground.

 

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