Story Highlight
– Watchfinder opens third showroom in France at La Vallée Village.
– The boutique is part of the Bicester Collection.
– More than 110 luxury brands featured at La Vallée Village.
– Watchfinder is the first pre-owned retailer in the Village.
– Sales in Europe have increased from £28,000 to £3.6 million.
Full Story
Watchfinder & Co. has unveiled its third showroom in France, establishing a presence at La Vallée Village, which complements its existing locations in Paris.
Situated near Disneyland and to the east of Paris, La Vallée Village is part of the Bicester Collection, renowned in the UK for Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, one of the earliest luxury brand outlet shopping destinations globally. The Bicester Collection features eight sites across Western Europe and two in China.
La Vallée Village boasts over 110 boutiques, showcasing a variety of high-end brands such as Gucci, Prada, Jimmy Choo, and Miu Miu.
As the inaugural pre-owned watch retailer in this setting, Watchfinder aims to set a precedent in luxury retail within France. “Our arrival at La Vallée Village marks a true milestone — not only for Watchfinder, but for luxury retail in France,” stated Adrien Fourlegnie, Watchfinder’s country manager for France. He expressed pride in pioneering the inclusion of pre-owned luxury in the Village, reflecting the increasing interest in this sector.
Fourlegnie also highlighted France’s rich heritage in watchmaking, noting that the new boutique will facilitate greater accessibility to exceptional timepieces. “La Vallée Village offers the perfect setting for customers to engage with our experts and discover these remarkable watches in person,” he added.
The new outlet will feature an inventory of over 400 certified timepieces, encompassing renowned brands such as Rolex, Omega, and Cartier, as well as Tag Heuer, Breitling, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Furthermore, the boutique will provide opportunities for collectors to sell or trade their watches.
Since its acquisition by Richemont in 2018, Watchfinder & Co. has seen Continental Europe emerge as an increasingly vital market. Financial records reveal that sales from the “Rest of Europe” segment, which began to be reported in the 2015-16 fiscal year with sales of £28,000, have surged to £3.6 million by the 2023-24 period, thanks to expanding operations in France and Switzerland.
