It was in the upper floor space with the stunning backdrop of Victoria Harbour where we sat to chat with Aeschlimann to hear his thoughts on the brand and on the opening of these two locations, which mark a turning point for the brand’s relationship with its boutiques.

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Aeschlimann explains that the two new locations in Hong Kong embrace slightly different approaches to interacting with customers. The Central location has a more traditional storefront and customer service area on the first three floors, with “The Suite” on the fourth, complete with a lounge, cocktail bar, dining area and screening room.

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“This is something we thought about in Covid-19,” Aeschlimann explains. “Because we saw that when people came, they stayed for longer. When one buys a watch, at that moment you have to be sure, so a lot of people take time to buy. Sometimes they come [multiple times] – there is less traffic but longer stays.”

Aeschlimann says that the longer stays are due to buyers becoming more curious and discerning, given richer information online. The new locations can now support them with the lounge spaces, which can host watchmaker workshops that delve into the pieces themselves.

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Alongside the variety of models from the year, Aeschlimann notes their staying power in our region and how it creates the need to interact with buyers even more.

“Asia was once the El Dorado of the watch community,” he says. “If you go there, you sell. In Hong Kong, you had more Omega Constellations and wall clocks than Starbucks. That has changed. You have to inspire. This morning, a lady said they were saving for their first Omega and it was an amazing moment because they were convinced on what they have. Everything we do has to be linked in coherence and inspiration.”