Golden Rolex hoardings in the style of its crimped DateJust pie dish bezel are up on Old Bond Street as construction begins on what will become Europe’s biggest showroom for the brand.
Watches of Switzerland Group will own and run the operation, which will include space for retail, exhibitions and events.
WoSG is also opening a Tudor boutique on the corner of Old Bond Street and Piccadilly.Â
Work to create the three-storey Rolex emporium was delayed last year because Gucci, which previously occupied the historic building at No.34 on the famous luxury retail thoroughfare, took longer than expected to relocate its flagship further north on Bond Street.
The Rolex megastore is expected to occupy 7,200 sq ft over three floors, eight-times larger than the 900 sq ft Rolex boutique, also run by WoSG, it will replace on the same street.
Once open, it will be the only Rolex store on the street after Wempe closed in 2022, Mappin & Webb makes way for the Tudor boutique and WoSG closes its smaller monobrand store.
WoSG says that the flagship will focus on client hospitality and the history of Rolex.
It will be designed by Rolex Geneva in conjunction with the Watches of Switzerland Group.
Brian Duffy, CEO of the Watches of Switzerland Group, said at the time the project was unveiled: “We first opened the Rolex Boutique in the mid-1980s and have represented the brand successfully on Bond Street ever since.
“We have been looking for some time at opportunities for a larger space to present the Rolex brand in the way it deserves.
“We are delighted to be opening this significant Rolex Boutique in partnership with Rolex, in the City which was the birthplace of the Rolex brand.
The latest financial report from WoSG says the Rolex showroom will open in the summer of 2024.
There will also be an AP House opening in Manchester in partnership with Audemars Piguet. The lounge is due to open this autumn, the company says.
I wonder if those are Certified Pre Owned boards used during the Liverpool One rebuild!
If they’ve got no watches to sell to the general public its a waste of money…..
All the robbers will be waiting outside. They’ll need street security at all times.
Yet another rolex store that has no rolexs to sell.
What’s the point when you can’t go in and actually buy a rolex. Display only .
Boring. What’s the point if they got nothing to sell. Rolex staff must have the best job in the world. Get paid for saying same sh11t all day long.
So many people posting that they will have no watches to sell, what rubbish Rolex sell more than one million watches a year. Do you think they sell them by osmosis?
I would assume that in line with the collapse of the ‘grey market’ prices, and more generally a slump in the orders of luxury goods, Rolex will soon have to shift its retail position from that of selling to a ‘Private Members Club’ who already have bought 6 or 7 ‘pieces’ back to the old school selling to the general public..!!
Watch (pardon the pun) this space.. the pieces in the window will be for sale I would imagine very shortly..
A complete waste unless they actually have watch for the public to buy and take away or will it be just another private list to join and wait forever.
I wish I knew what to believe. 5 years ago I tried to order a Rolex and instead bought a Seiko (it was available and did what I wanted). Then last year I thought I’d have another go at Rolex and had a gruelling but charming interview with Mrs Goldsmith gritting my teeth all the while. All my Rolex friends told me “you’ll never get one”. Just after blowing God knows how much on a grey market Daydate I had a phone call to say my Rolex was in the shop (7 months ish). Who decides. “Oh a 41″ day date in Green is what everyone wants” but I got one.