London boutique shopping arcade The Royal Exchange is launching a week-long initiative in May to promote its watch retailers.
Watch Workshop Week looks set to be an annual event created by The Royal Exchange, which hosts watch brands and stores including Bulgari, Gucci, Hermes, Montblanc, Omega, Watches of Switzerland and WF&Co by Watchfinder.
The week will commence on May 20 and will include watch exhibitions, masterclasses and the opportunity for consumers to have a go at watchmaking.
Many of the stores are getting involved in the project. Confirmed activities so far include an exhibition of vintage Rolex Daytona watches through the years put together by WF&Co and a 3D animation of a watch movement in The Royal Exchange foyer set to a backdrop of holographic pyramids created by Montblanc.
On the opening night of Watch Workshop Week watch journalist Tim Barber, who is the editor of 00/24 WatchWorld and watch editor of City AM, will host an invite-only VIP evening. Barber will be guest speaker at the event and representatives of watch brands operating in The Royal Exchange will be at the event to personally introduce guests to timepieces.
Barber said: "The City contains probably the most engaged watch buyers in Britain, so it’s great to finally have a watch event that is aimed at them specifically. The Royal Exchange has developed over the past few years into one of the best hubs for watch retail, and I hope this event will attract all-comers, from long-term collectors to people pondering their first serious watch purchase."
