Steffans in Northampton is set to open its dedicated watch boutique, Watch Works, this week, in a move that is said to make it the UK’s largest single-floor jewellers in terms of square footage.
The retailer has paid particular attention to the branded fashion jewellery market in recent years but announced in April that it was set to push further into the fashion watch realm, by opening a boutique dedicated to brands such as Guess, Michael Kors, Skagen, Hugo Boss and Ice-Watch.
The Watch Works boutique space was originally a shop adjoining the Steffans jewellery store. It was acquired by Wes and Steff Suter, who knocked it through to their main store creating a specialised fashion and branded watch area.
Wes Suter said of the new space: "It will make Steffans the UK’s largest ground-floor, single-storey jewellers in terms of square footage, something we think is very exciting."
He added that Steffans hopes to be a platform to inspire other jewellers, describing branded watches as the next big market in UK jewellery and watch retail.
The Watch Works space will be officially opened on June 21, with Steffans throwing a celebratory Champagne party.
In April Steff Suter told WatchPro: “We have done the branded jewellery thing for some time so wanted a new focus.
“We’re bringing in Vivienne Westwood watches and less common brands. For example I saw one the other day called Seagull 1963 which I don’t think is in the UK yet.”
The store launch has been timed to coincide with this year’s Olympic Games and the increase in shoppers in the UK. At present Steffans is receiving around 4,000 page views a day on its site and has said that it search results for watches are getting stronger.
