They're finally open!
We stopped by this morning whilst browsing the watch stores on 5th Avenue. I did check just before Christmas but they weren't open.
Well first impressions count as they say and we were given a very warm welcome as we entered the store. Had a brief chat with one of the sales guys as we came in and we got round to the issues with my Navitimer Caliber 01, he was really apologetic even though I bought it in the UK and said if I had bought it with me they would have had a look at it in their in house repair centre!
He said if we wanted a drink of water or coffee to let him know, he told us about the mini museum on the second foor and then left us to browse.
The layout of the store is narrow and deep with display cabinets and tables down the left and wall mounted cabinets down the right on the main floor. Just about every current model is on display there including the full B4B range (excluding the Tourbillon).
On the second floor is the mini museum which charts the history of the key models with some beautiful vintage time pieces, interestingly though there is no 1969 Chrono-Matic. This floor also houses the in house repair centre where you can actually see the watch maker at work through a glass wall. This floor has a mezzanine view down to the first floor and also has some tables and chairs to sit and browse through a collection of books including of course Breitling The Book! There is a full compliment of the B01 models on display here including the new Navi's and Transocean models.
The third floor has a bar area for drinks and a small selection of Breitling merchandise for sale and again a view down to the main floor.
The main wall to the left from floor to ceiling has some video/graphic displays playing and dotted all around the store are some fantastic display units which for example house a B01 and then the actual watch is surrounded in a 3D video about how it's produced, absolutely stunning to look at!
The cabinets housing the watches on the walls are kind of glass boxes and the actual glass raises automatically so the staff can take pieces from the display for customers to view! Very, very cool!!
We had another talk with a female sales member about various things including the Breitling merchandise that they give with the watches and she explained about the grading system and said if you spend over $7,000 you would get a jacket etc.
Listening to the conversations going on with people buying it seems like the staff look after you very well, champagne was given to one lucky buyer, I don't know how much they spent, but the sales guy said let's break out the champagne, it is New Year.
Given the current exchange rate it actually makes little difference for a Brit to buy full RRP from this store Vs the discount price you could get from your regular UK AD and you'd get a little extra!
They seemed really busy with plenty of people buying, but then, they are on Fifth Avenue!
I have no idea of prices, typical of the area, prices are not on display, if one has to ask.......................... you know the score!
All in all a great place to visit and buy if you're in the mood, very friendly staff and such a huge range of models, I think I counted about 4 Navitimer Caliber 01's just in stainless steel, they even had one in gold on a gold air racer.
I mentioned the forum and said I though I may be the first to visit and would write a quick review of my experience.
Anyways, enough from me. I'm sat looking down 34th at the Empire State, it's getting busy and the slab of Juniors cheesecake on my desk is calling me before we start getting ready for New Years in Times Square............................
Happy New Year everyone and my very best wishes for great success to the Breitling Boutique on Fifth.
Stef
P.S Sorry No pics of the inside, only this one pre-opening!
