going big time
Global luxury Swiss watch brand winds up its second big-time boutique in the Houston area
A famed global luxury watch brand is headed to The Woodlands. Swiss timepiece purveyor Breitling will open a boutique in The Woodlands Mall (1201 Lake Woodlands Dr.), the company announced.
This new storefront — the second in the Houston area — is part of the company's North American expansion, with six new outposts including Dallas, Atlanta, Orange County in California, southern Florida, and the Long Island region in New York.
As for the Woodlands store, shoppers can expect a 900-square-foot space, designed to call to mind an industrial loft and harking to Breitling’s popualr air, land, and sea collections.
“A visit to a Breitling Boutique is the best way to discover our brand, as it allows you to immerse yourself into the casual, inclusive and sustainable luxury that defines Breitling,” Thierry Prissert, president of Breitling USA, noted in a statement. “As the Breitling brand continues to grow, our retail development remains a priority. We have a robust strategy for our North American expansion and are thrilled to be growing in existing markets as well as venturing into new ones.”
Luxury watch fans know Breitling as a big-faced watch brand that competes with Rolex and Omega, especially in the upscale sports category. Its most familiar watch is arguably The Navitimer, a way-ahead-of-its-time creation from the WWII area that blended maritime with early computational timekeeping.
Breitling has also been a favored choice for water sports, skiing, diving, and aviation (such as the Aviator series). The look has always appealed with active men and sporty types. Of late, the watch brand has moved to more fashionable pieces.
Founded in 1884 by an innovative Léon Breitling, the company has been emblematic of Swiss precision; Breitling was responsible for one of the world's first chronograph wristwatches and became pivotal tools for British Royal Air Force pilots during WWII.
While the Woodlands Mall offers some fine jewelry options, this is the first solely luxury timepiece store coming to the mall.