Bucherer reopened its completely transformed Time Machine flagship in New York in the summer of 2021.
It was the first time the Swiss giant had its name above a door in the United States, despite buying the Tourneau network of stores three years earlier in 2018.
The renovation, made more complex by covid-related restrictions and the planning maze of Manhattan, took 18 months, but the transformation has been spectacular.
There are two reasons why Bucherer’s Time Machine makes it into this book about the Greatest Showrooms in the world.
First is the sheer scale of the destination store: 19,000 square feet over three floors.
Second is the style and the way it has transformed retail from a transactional business into one of hospitality and luxury experience.
Styling is greatly helped by Bucherer managing to persuade the world’s most powerful watchmakers, including Rolex and Patek Philippe, to eschew its usual branded fixtures and furnishings and allow Bucherer to create a cohesive aesthetic for the whole showroom.
For example, ivy green velvet is used instead of the normal slippery pea green leather for seating in the Rolex area.
It is the sort of on-brand (or just off-brand) design that is found throughout, and allows Bucherer to retain more of its own identity.
New York’s love of art deco is perfectly aligned with Bucherer’s world-wide taste, so bronze, glass, bespoke chandeliers, marble, wood paneling, parquet floors and plush carpeting dominate the store.
Brands have their own spaces and their logos are prominently displayed. But there is none of the usual Cartier or Omega red clashing with the green of Rolex or yellow of Breitling.
It is much more like a 5-star hotel, where every design decision has been made by an overarching presiding intelligence.
It is hard to spot where the hospitality ends and the selling starts.
Watches might be presented to customers at one of three bars (one on each floor) or one of the lavish seating areas.
Fine wine is provided through a partnership with Sotheby’s, which should make the many events planned in the showroom must-attend parties.
The old Time Machine could be gloomy, particularly on the lower floor where the less expensive brands were crammed together, but the new Bucherer is bathed in light and open plan space.
Reducing the number of brands from well over 100 to 40 was a crucial piece of editing to make the strategy work.
Bucherer Fine Jewellery is given its rightful prominence for the first time in America, and this contributes to the experience feeling a great deal less masculine than at the old Time Machine.
There are also regularly rotating art installations and an open workshop area where people can see their watches being serviced and repaired.
Another first is the presentation of Bucherer BLUE watches. These are special pieces created by dozens of watch brands that are exclusive to Bucherer, and all use blue materials in some way.
Eight new BLUE watches are making their debut at the flagship, two of which are exclusively for the US market.
Pre-owned watches have always played an important role at Tourneau, and Bucherer has learned from its experience.
In the new Time Machine, there is a large lounge on the lower ground floor dedicated to CPO alongside a service centre.
One of the three bars in the store is on hand to hand out free cocktails while people are shopping or waiting for a bracelet to be resized.
Thank you to the generous sponsors of The World’s Greatest Showrooms
At Cousins we take the business of serving the jewellery, watch, clock and allied trades very seriously with our modern selecting methods and procedures and an unparalleled willingness to invest in huge stock holdings of tools, equipment, consumables, jewelry findings and millions of component parts for watches and clocks.
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