The Breitling Watch Source Forums

For many of you Breitling lovers already know, the new Breitling flagship boutique is opening soon in Bond Street, London. It is the first boutique in UK after many years of successful trading through retailers.

What's you guys thoughts on it ?

Mostly negative. It looks to be following the Omega model which is to fix prices via boutiques which don't discount and to stop supplying surrounding ADs, some of them long-standing and very knowledgeable. They're fun to gawp at but hardly good news for consumers.

Not the first, there's already a boutique in Stratford Westfield.

I just read in a watch magazine (chronos) that Breitling has presently 30 boutiques around the world and plan to expand to 50 in the next 2-3 years.

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Chrono Jetstream
Montbrilliant 1903
Aerospace E79362

I hope that they put one up here in Chicago. The big AD downtown is already no longer offering discounts.

If you aren't getting discounts then you might as well have a boutique because the boutiques are at least always nice and have a huge selection so you can try everything on before you then buy it from someone who does discount!

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But the boutique in Stratford isn't a Breitling owned boutique, is only by Ernest Jones. Plus I've heard that the new boutique will have a watch maker on site and time gallery with 2 floors. I thought it will be quite nice for them to get more exposures.

Yeah, I agree with you there. But I actually think the idea for Breitling to open their first flagship, isn't mainly regarding turnover. The brand has been heavily rely on ADs through out their time in UK, in terms of profitability I don't think they will have any doubt. But for the internal boutique it will give a new atmosphere and dimention to the brand to attract more new customers and retain the regular. Don't you think ?

These sort of places are great if money's no option as you can spend time in a nice environment, see a nice selection of pieces and generally enjoy the whole experience. However, if cold hard cash is a consideration (and let's be honest, for most of us it is to a certain extent), or if you just like to feel that you've haggled a little bit for a deal, then they aren't always the best developments.

Personally, I always used to get the same quality experience at my old (and very knowledgeable) AD, but with the added dimension of getting a "deal" at the same time.

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Driver8

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