Rolex, one of the world’s most desirable brands, enjoys a privileged place in the watch industry. A Rolex is considered an investment and success: luxury watch lovers assign value to Rolex models, and they hope that value will maintain or increase over time. But from which Rolex-approved retailer should you acquire from?
A l’Emeraude in Lausanne
Established since 1909 at Place Saint-François in Lausanne, the A l'Emeraude watch and jewellery boutique is one of the oldest brands in the Olympic capital. Managed by the Cremers family, the expertise of these enthusiasts is unanimously acclaimed in the watch industry. Entirely renovated and enlarged in 2017 on two levels, their space is a real success and places them at the top of the independent retailers in French-speaking Switzerland. A l'Emeraude advises customers with very special expertise, whether it is related to watches from large groups or extremely talented independent watchmakers, some of whom A l’Emeraude is the sole representative in Europe.
It is not without reason that Rolex has entrusted them with the task of distributing its Submariner and other Sky-Dweller watches, while at the same time setting up a dedicated Rolex space in their boutique linked to the Patek Philippe space on the ground floor. They are the first to own such a place in Switzerland! A L'Emeraude really has a special relationship with Rolex, not only in terms of the range of watches but also in terms of technical knowledge.
In addition to offering an enhanced Rolex experience, A l’Emeraude has another ace up its sleeve: its after-sales service. The Lausanne retailer offers a high-quality service not only in terms of sales but also once the sale has been completed. This takes the form of two on-site workshops, one for cleaning and the other for polishing, run by two watchmakers who are also available to advise clients. Some maintenance operations can also be carried out in the shop itself, where clients can watch the work being carried out on a screen, connected to a live camera. It’s not every retailer that can count on the expertise of a master watchmaker, who has worked in-house for over 35 years.
Bucherer in Geneva, Crans-Montana and Zermatt
Bucherer has a longstanding relationship with Rolex, and is the watchmaker’s biggest distributor, with more than 80 shops around the globe. Their journey began in 1924, when brothers Carl and Ernst Bucherer, the second generation of the family business, decided to include the young Rolex brand in their portfolio. Over the decades their partnership grew stronger, proving equally profitable for both Bucherer and Rolex. A century on (give or take a few years) their connection remains just as strong, which can be seen in the range of Rolex watches available – Bucherer has the broadest selection of Rolex watches of any retailer.
In another sign of the times, last year Bucherer opened a Certified Pre-Owned area in its boutique on the Rue du Rhône in Geneva, displaying timepieces that have had one or more owners but whose origin is certified and which are accompanied by a certificate and a guarantee. Rolex has found notable success in this market, particularly given that some of the models selected and offered by Bucherer (including models in steel) are hard to get hold of new. This Certified Pre-Owned space is attracting a new kind of client, both for Bucherer and for Rolex, as public relations manager Regina Schilcher points out. Both parties are thus expanding their scope.
Although now an internationally recognised retailer, Bucherer remains committed to discretion, a value it shares with the renowned watchmaker. In Switzerland, Bucherer is also present in Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Locarno, Lugano, Interlaken, St. Gallen, St. Moritz and Zurich.
Michaud in Neuchâtel and Verbier
The Michaud family, a Rolex retailer for almost 70 years, shares more than values with the watchmaker: it shares a philosophy. This can be seen in their ongoing pursuit of excellence, the maintenance of traditions over time (while adapting to technological progress) and their shared passion for quality and prestige.
The fourth generation of Michauds to run the family firm, which has traded under the same name since the first shop opened in 1909, guide their business with an expert hand. While Marie-Maude and Laurent run the Neuchâtel shop in Place Pury, their brother Jean-Nicolas is responsible for the Verbier boutique, which opened in 2011. “The resort of Verbier has always been a skiing destination for our family,” Laurent Michaud points out. “But what led us to the snowy peaks of Verbier was primarily an analysis of the competition in terms of jewellery and watches. In fact, watch brands remain incredibly under-represented.”
Although in terms of Rolex sales the two shops are neck-and-neck, Laurent Michaud notes that the Verbier clientele is very different from the Neuchâtel customers. The Verbier shop relies more on tourists, while Neuchâtel clients are more local, and from the business community. As far as the watches are concerned, however, the differences are negligible. “These days, demand for the Rolex brand is so high that all models sell extremely well.” Laurent Michaud points in particular to the Professional category watches, those made of Oystersteel, gold and platinum, in addition to timepieces from the classic collections including Datejust and Day Date models, and diamond-set versions.
Whether you’re more at home in the town or the country, Michaud can supply you with the watch of your dreams.
