The Watch Atelier has opened in Malaysia to resounding success. Hosting a grand opening on 22nd June, the new luxury watch boutique broke the practice of high-end luxury watch retailing within a shopping mall by having its boutique within a marble and sandstone building along one of the busiest stretch of roads in Bangsar, just 5 minutes away from Gardens and Midvalley.
Unveiling Malaysia’s first gentlemen’s lounge replete with antique books, a myriad range of animal taxidermy and high-end timepieces, The Watch Atelier is a lifestyle gallery beyond conventional watch shops. Aiming to create more than just a gathering point of watch collectors but also art lovers from across Malaysia by carrying more than just haute horlogerie but also art pieces and mechanical wonders like Reuge Music Boxes.
As a champion for traditional mechanical crafts, The Watch Atelier introduced Reuge, the last maker of traditional mechanical music boxes. The Olbia, considered the “Ferrari of music boxes” was a huge crowd pleaser as Reuge’s CEO Kurt Kupper wound the heavy steel and rosewood standing music box and serenaded VIP guests with classic tunes like Weihnachts – Oratorium, Cembalo – konzert, Feuerwerksmusik and Wassermusik using its uniquely engineered brass and steel musical instruments.
The crowd of VIP guests including some of the nation’s premier Datuks and Datins attended the gala opening of Malaysia’s hottest new concept retail store serving the dual purpose of a gathering place for fine watch collectors, in addition to the function of exhibition grounds for art and time pieces.
Melvin Chong, Group Agency Manager for Million Dollar Agency and a treasured guest had this to say about the boutique, “I find The Watch Atelier to be a unique and pleasant experience with an eclectic collection of watches and the service level and attention to details is impeccable.”
Brand Principals from Arnold & Son; Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, Custom-Rolex makers, Blaken; Pierre DeRoche and U-Boat were on hand to mingle with invitees and friends to offer technical explanations and demonstrations of various haute horlogerie on display including high complications like dual tourbillon escapements and a time-prism concept.
Augustine Tan, Chief Operating Officer, Director and Co-Founder of The Watch Atelier, welcomed the invitees with his opening remarks, “The purpose of our boutique is to create a concept gallery which is distinctive and identifiable from its atmosphere. By not only carrying the world’s most innovative and luxurious brands but also displaying them among a setting of warm leather chesterfield sofas and priceless antiques, we aim to provide a fertile ground for discussion for everything from fine watches to fine art.”
Indeed, the atelier represents the facets and abilities expressed by Renaissance men like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelanglo, with its books and vintage scientific displays among the various watch display cases.
“With such displays and ambience, our objective is to ensure that the place is not just memorable but recognisable from photographs, Facebook and Instagram shots taken within and around the boutique,” he continued.
