The industry’s finest watches are the star attraction at luxury shopping destination The Royal Exchange this week as part of the second annual Watch & Jewellery Week.
The five-day celebration of the best watches and jewellery that the City has to offer got underway this morning, with a series of special events planned throughout the week.
The Royal Exchange will be hosting host a variety of panel discussions and exhibitions with occupiers within The Royal Exchange, showcasing special collections and unveiling a historical exhibition with The London Silver Vaults.
Today’s highlight is a seminar entitled ‘How to Build a Watch Collection’, hosted by QP Magazine.
Guests will have the chance to immerse themselves in the world of fine horology and high jewellery by accessing some of the world’s leading luxury brands, focusing on the craftsmanship behind the exclusive collections available at The Royal Exchange.
Occupiers who will be participating in activities throughout the week include Watches of Switzerland, Bremont, Watchfinder, Montblanc, Omega, Tiffany & Co., Links of London and Paul Smith.
Tomorrow sees The London Silver Vaults host an exclusive preview on historical time pieces focusing on London Watch Making, from the Tudor period to the Edwardian period
The London Silver Vaults, the world’s largest retail collection of fine silver, will showcase its finest watches and jewellery in a pop-up exhibition within The Royal Exchange.
Resident watch expert Anthony Green, from Anthony Green Antiques, will also be hosting an evening talk, focusing on key pieces from the collection while demonstrating the inner workings of vintage and antique watches and highlighting areas of innovation in British made time pieces.
A ‘Speed Q&A session’ with watch boutiques from The Royal Exchange has been earmarked as the headline feature for Wednesday, with Giles English, co-founder of Bremont, confirmed as one of the key people hosting a Q&A during the session.
The week will culminate with ‘The Experts Edit’, a panel discussion with seasoned watch and jewellery experts who will talk about their favourite luxury watches and jewellery loaned by brands within The Royal Exchange.
Occupiers will also be showcasing their watch and jewellery collections with in-store activities and pop-up displays within in the central courtyard.
The Royal Exchange was officially opened by HRH Queen Elizabeth in 1571and soon became a centre for the capital’s commerce, bringing together both brokers and merchants. Trading continued for the next four centuries, despite being interrupted by fires, war and construction work, before coming to a halt in 1991.
Then in 2001, an extensive redevelopment by architects Aukett Fitzroy Robinson transformed The Royal Exchange courtyard, reviving its trading legacy by giving it a new role housing the world’s most desired retailers and placing it, once again, in the thriving centre of commerce.
It is reputed to be the third most architecturally important building in London after St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London.
