Hour Passion: Shop the Range

Last week, while perusing the Hour Passion Baselworld watch preview, I was struck yet again by the range of prices in Swatch's multi-brand boutique. From the outside, a shopper might think Hour Passion is too luxury for their timepiece needs, so today I want to show just how far your dollar can go in this mecca of Swiss watches.

First up, the Swatch watch, spotted in fun candy themes for summer for $60, and chic nautical stripes for $120.

Next, Balmain, starting below at $400.

Certina, starting at $540...

...and on up from there in several brands, including the prestige brand Longines, and the Hamilton watch featured in our Baselworld post last week, below, that will be available later this year for $3,295.

Impressive, right? Hour Passion also has repair on site and a lounge and showroom on the second floor.

Hour Passion

112 West 34th Street at Broadway

Hour Passion on 34th Street: The Watches, The Tour

We've got the perfect gift for that impossible person on your list, and it's going to be a memorable little (or big) something from one of the best watch boutiques in town: Hour Passion.

Swatch Group, the world’s largest watchmaker, recently opened their first Hour Passion concept boutique in the United States at 112 W. 34th Street, and last week we got the grand tour. The store offers collections from the Swatch Group’s brands in one location, and it is one wonderful location to browse.

There is a lovely lounge on the mezzanine, and an exhibition space on the top floor, which is now showing an historic Tissot exhibition of Swiss watches and lingerie from 1873-2013.

What I love most about Hour Passion on 34th Street is its impressive selection and price-range. Need a special stocking stuffer for your child? Get them a Flik Flak watch for $50. Looking to get your husband that gorgeous timepiece he's been coveting for years? Hour Passion has the largest collection of Tissot watches in the U.S.

The boutique also carries Mido, Balmain and Certina (exclusively in the U.S.), has an impressive selection of Rado watches (popular with professional tennis players), and Calvin Klein watches and jewelry. Hour Passion's Longines collection, the store's prestige brand, has truly impressive depth in luxury steel and gold timepieces.

And don't forget the Swatch watches. I have a soft spot for a Swatch watch, as mine back in the day lasted forever. There is nothing like a Swatch for putting some fun and color on your wrist. Currently, Hour Passion is featuring the 2013 limited-edition holiday watch released by Swatch Company. Its red woven knit band perfectly complements its shiny red dial with a glossy gold-colored reindeer. This collector’s model is presented in a snowy white gift box, with a decorated hot water bottle.

Big bonus for watch lovers and collectors: Hour Passion hosts an on-site watch-maker who performs repairs on any brand represented in the store, no matter where the timepiece was purchased.

Aren't we lucky to have the world's largest watch manufacturer showing off its breadth of style and price on 34th Street, just in time for the holidays?


Hour Passion

112 W. 34th Street just west of Broadway

Holiday hours: 9am – 11pm Monday through Saturday, 9am – 10pm on Sundays 

Hour Passion Opening Soon on 34th Street

Just a little update on the Swatch boutique that's coming to the old Billabong space on 34th Street:

Hour Passion opening soon! And check out all the brands that will be coming to this multi-brand concept boutique: 

Hour Passion

Coming soon to 112 West 34th Street just west of Broadway

Breaking News: Swatch to take Billabong Space

According to a story in Crains New York today, Swatch is taking over the Billabong space at 112 West 34th Street. 

The Crain's story also claims 34th Street now joins "... Fifth Avenue, Times Square, Madison Avenue, and most recently, SoHo, in the $1,000-a-square-foot-and-up club." We are honored, indeed. Also, this is the second story in a week I've read about the "retail renaissance" of Herald Square. We're practically trending.

Back to Swatch: rumor has it we'll be shopping 112 W. 34th not just for Swatch's iconic plastic watches, but also for the company's other brands like Tissot and Longines. I could definitely see that happening on the second level of the 1,800 square foot store.

As an early adopter of the classic black Swatch watch, I'd like to say Welcome, Swatch, to 34th Street! 

Swatch

Coming soon to 112 West 34th Street, just west of Broadway

Timely Matters

Yesterday it was $2.99 socks, today it's some of the world's best watches. Don't you love the district? Till the end of December, Tourneau is offering Fashion Herald readers a great deal for the holidays: $250 off a purchase of $1,000 or more. Bring the coupon into the 34th Street store. But if you're like me you know nothing about watches. So let's break it down courtesy of Benjamin, the district's best general manager. Benjamin kindly took me in hand and explained the basics:

• it's all about the ETA movement. You know, the thing that makes it tell time.
  
• 70-80% of the world's watch movements are made by Swatch Group in Switzerland. Timepieces like Rolex and Patek Phillipe are expensive because their movements are handcrafted in-house and their parts are the highest grade.
  
• important guy tips - the men like a quality piece. They prefer an automatic watch as opposed to a battery operated piece (the automatic movement is wound by the motion of your wrist). And looks? Guys like big sports watches. The ladies, of course, like a slimmer look and could care less if a battery or a windmill is running the thing.
  

Here's a group of Tourneau brand watches in a range of prices. Stick to the house brand as you're going to get a lot more diamond bezel and automatic movement for your money. And unless you're looking to add to your art collection, you probably don't need a $50,000 platinum Rolex.

Prices, left to right, are: Safari Sport 1950 flyer ($895), the Lady Chronograph ($1,795, the glare is all those diamond bezels), the men's Classic 1900 Auto Jump ($7,450), and the women's Calypso ($5,495, more diamond bezel).

Don't let these numbers scare you; Tourneau's watches start at $275. Besides, when I told Benjamin I'd come in and buy a watch when I was rich, he said "No, no, don't wait until you're rich, come in and we'll make you feel rich." Why, thank-you, Benjamin, I think I will.

Tourneau, 200 W. 34th Street between 7th & 8th Aves, 212-563-6880