Ambling along city streets, it’s not hard to find high-end jewelers peddling all sorts of shiny treasures. But boutiques dedicated solely to the art of luxury watches? Those are few and far between. That is, until now. Late this month, legendary timepiece brands TAG Heuer and Grand Seiko will help reshape Boston’s retail landscape with new, adjacent showrooms at Copley Place. “They’re bringing a category that we don’t have a lot of at the moment,” says Copley’s area marketing director, Debora Konig. “It’s something that I think, personally, will do well.”
The showrooms—operated by British retailer Watches of Switzerland, which runs a series of multi- and mono-brand boutiques throughout the U.S. and the U.K.—will be the first TAG Heuer and Grand Seiko stores to open their doors in the Hub. Also unique? The shops’ fluid, interconnected design, which will make easy work of browsing bling from both brands at once. “Sometimes, luxury can be intimidating, and we want to make it as accessible as possible,” says David Hurley, deputy CEO of Watches of Switzerland. “[Connecting the stores] allows buyers to go between both and see different products.”
So what exactly can Boston shoppers expect to find inside the conjoined establishments? Keep your eyes peeled for spring-drive watches as well as beauties fashioned with scratch-resistant zirconia ceramic—said to be seven times stronger than stainless steel—from Grand Seiko, which meticulously crafts each piece in Japan. Gems from Swiss standout TAG Heuer will run the gamut from the sleek chronographs of the company’s Autavia collection, first launched in the 1960s, to the recently released “Connected Caliber E4” smartwatch—complete with built-in, workout-tracking sensors. Both brands, meanwhile, hope to win over clients with limited-edition products produced especially for the Boston boutiques. “The opportunity to access exclusive timepieces that aren’t available elsewhere is something we’re looking to bring to the table,” Hurley says. We’ll be (ahem) watching.