The new emporium has been in the works since Bucherer acquired the leading US luxury watch retailer Tourneau in early 2018. With over a century of expertise and 28 locations across 10 states, Tourneau provided an exciting opportunity for the Lucerne-based Bucherer Group to establish a footprint and extend their portfolio of fine watches and jewellery to the United States. With both their commitment to offering unparalleled service and products for watch and jewellery lovers, Bucherer 1888 and Tourneau are now launching a powerhouse concept to continually surprise and intrigue visitors.
Jörg G. Bucherer, owner and Chairman of the Board, comments: “I am incredibly excited to bring the Bucherer 1888 brand to the United States. As a Swiss family business, already in our third generation, we stand for the rich tradition of the Swiss quest for perfection and warm hospitality. The new flagship store is our commitment to constantly inspire our American customers with fascinating, curated brands and an impeccable Swiss service culture providing the very best personalised shopping experience.
While the new store’s exterior will no longer carry the Tourneau name, the famous brand will of course not disappear overnight. Bucherer put a lot of effort into setting up a sustainable rebranding plan that will be executed over the course of one year. In the upcoming hybrid phase, the Tourneau brand will continue to appear prominently together with Bucherer 1888 in-store, on shopping bags and stationery, as well as in outof-home and media campaigns.
“With this flagship store, we’ll introduce the Bucherer 1888 brand to millions of potential customers in one of the most important global watch and jewellery markets. This is also a great opportunity to raise awareness for the Carl F. Bucherer brand in the US and introduce Bucherer Fine Jewellery and Bucherer BLUE to the North American market,” explains Guido Zumbühl, CEO of Bucherer Group. “Tourneau’s management is a wonderful partner in this process. They will ensure continuity and help us drive the future success of Bucherer 1888 within the US.
One of the most immersive Experice in Horology in new York
The Bucherer 1888 store spans an incredible 1,700 square metres and is purposefully designed to offer customers a distinctive, inviting and exciting environment that is 100 per cent unique. In fact, Bucherer worked closely with all its brand partners to create specialised displays and product selections. Each of the broad arrays of curated brands follows the proprietary Bucherer design concept ensuring that customers will see something different in the new TimeMachine than they will in any other store around the world. The cohesive look lays the groundwork for this hybrid store concept where Swiss hospitality and thoughtful brand presentations are key.
With a wall of windows on the facade allowing outside light inside, the boutique is bright, open and airy, and its lounge-like concept allows for comfortable interaction in a relaxed luxury environment. A state-of-the-art projection system can display the time, clocks or other customisable content and provides the perfect platform for continuous surprise. Inside, the entire colour scheme consists of whites, warm neutrals and dark hues. Marble, stone, wood and metal coexist in a cohesive and beautiful expression of art and elegance. Even the light fixtures, which include crystal chandeliers and modernistic pendant pieces, are custom-made and highly eye-catching.
New Offerings for The US MArket
The Bucherer store also boasts some important firsts. On the top floor, a dedicated lounge and display area are devoted to the Bucherer Fine Jewellery collections. This marks the first time the magnificent jewellery will be available in America. Besides the contemporary collections, Bucherer is proud to showcase exotic, one-of-a-kind High Jewellery masterpieces that showcase rare and exceptional gemstones. In fact, for the New Yorkopening, Bucherer is releasing several exceptional pieces made in their Lucerne ateliers that are New York exclusives, including a series of eight one-of-a-kind Fleur des Alpes cocktail rings each set with a different 7- or 8-carat centre stone and a Ladybird Stars of America trio of rings set with what the brand calls Big City Lights diamonds, Big Apple Red rubies and Hudson Blue sapphires.
Also making its entry into the American market is the Bucherer BLUE collection of exclusive collaboration timepieces made with partner brands – all with blue details, giving the creations a daring and innovative twist. For the launch of the store, nine new BLUE collaborations will make their debut, with two of these being exclusive to the US market.
The Bucherer Gallery concept is already famous in Europe and now brought to an all-new level in the NY flagship store. Gone are the typical glass counters, and in their place are accoutrements such as an over six metres-long, artisan-made marble table, thoughtfully designed sitting areas and three separate bars (one on each level), as well as an impressive selection of wines curated by Sotheby’s. The introduction of Swiss hospitality will be a key theme for customers throughout the new store experience. There will also be curated art exhibits, with gallery installations intermingled throughout the store. As an homage to New York there is even a special exhibition that brings together a host of fine works from local artists.
Last but definitely not least, Tourneau’s and Bucherer’s highly successful Certified PreOwned business plays an invaluable role in the new flagship store and is presented in a relaxed but luxurious lounge atmosphere. For the grand opening, watch lovers can expect to find specially sourced, exceptional pieces at the TimeMachine.
