A family company still in the hands of the founders for half a century, this retailer located at the heart of the Geneva Watch Tour offers its local and international clients a portfolio of a dozen brands corresponding a broad range of budgets. Customers looking for complicated models turn to Breguet, and notably the Ora Mundi “which sells each time we receive one of them”. At the foot of the price pyramid, Longines naturally represents the majority of daily sales for both men and women. Whether through the Classique collection or the new St. Imier line, “they are the strongest brand in this segment and have virtually no competition”, says Olivier Rappaport, who explains Longines’ success by the new models that regularly enhance store windows. Among the new ladies’ releases that are doing well, the Rendez-Vous by Jaeger-LeCoultre is showing promising results, even though the Reverso “still appeals to everybody : it’s a perfect watch for a commemorative gift because it can be easily engraved with a name or an event.” When it comes to this make, men are often keen on the Master Ultra Thin. Among the other well-placed brands at Clarence, the most sought-after include Chopard and Cartier – and notably the latter’s Ballon Bleu model.
À l’Emeraude, Lausanne
A specialist in Grande Complication models, the century-old boutique on the Place St. François in Lausanne achieves a substantial share of turnover with Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre, “two brands that offer the advantage of presenting a broad range for both men and women, encompassing extremely classic models that are not subject to the whims of fashion”, explains the manager, Derek Cremers. While the bestselling Patek is still the steel Nautilus with a white dial (Ref 5711), there is also a waiting list for gold models such as the Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5140 or the annual calendars (Refs 5205, 5396 ad 5146). On the feminine side, the white gold annual calendar (Ref. 4936) is much sought-after. Among Jaeger-LeCoultre watches, the Master Eight Days Perpetual model in steel and pink gold represents such exceptional value for money that is available by reservation only. The revelation of the season for women is the new Rendez-Vous watch, of which the best received version is the 34 mm interpretation in steel or pink gold. It has nonetheless not eclipsed the success of the Reverso Duetto Classique or Duo models “which still generate good turnover”. Derek Cremers also mentions persistent demand for watches from Panerai and IWC – particularly the latter’s Portofino, Pilot and Portuguese collections.
Embassy, Lucerne
An authentic institution in Lucerne, this enterprise represents 44 brands, has a jewellery department, operates a subsidiary in China and co-manages the local Vacheron Constantin boutique in conjunction with the brand – and will soon be doing the same for Panerai. Embassy also claims to serve the best espresso in town. Its manager Patrick König unhesitatingly ranks the Ballon Bleu by Cartier at the top of the list for ladies’ models, whether in steel or the medium-sized pink gold version. The new Rendez-Vous ladies’ watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre has been attracting promising interest since its recent launch, and in another price segment the Reine de Naples by Breguet is also performing well. Among men, high-end sales are primarily directed towards classic models by Blancpain (notably the Villeret collection) and Vacheron Constantin. Sales volume is ensured by the Portofino and Portuguese models by IWC, and to a lesser extent by the Panerai Luminor.
Chronométrie Beyer, Zurich
The ultimate reference in Zurich, Beyer has been entirely dedicated to fine watchmaking since 1760. In addition to an eponymous watch line, a museum, a jewellery department and the management of the Patek Philippe boutique, Beyer represents around 15 brands. As one would expect, Rolex is the most sought-after brand among men, and particularly its Day-Date (Ref. 116234), Submariner (Ref. 116610) and GMT Master (Ref. 116710) models, while the medium-sized Datejust (Ref. 178710) is a favourite with the ladies. The latter also appreciate the steel Ballon Bleu de Cartier and, in a far more accessible price category, the Beyer Aerowatch Eleganz models, which also appeal to men. At the helm of this veritable institution on the Bahnhofstrasse, René Beyer also evokes the excellent performances of the Tudor Heritage Black Bay, the IWC Portofino automatic, and the steel Patek Philippe Aquanaut. At the very peak of the high-end segment, Patek Philippe continues to surf its global success, especially with its Calatrava annual calendar (Ref. 5396) and perpetual calendar (Ref 5140) models that continue to hold their rank among the enduring bestsellers.
