Hublot's newly refurbished boutique (Photo: Hublot)
Travel restrictions mean we will not be heading to Switzerland for novelties season this year, but three watchmakers have you covered. Omega and A. Lange & Söhne recently opened the doors to their new boutiques at Suria KLCC, while Hublot unveiled a refreshed aesthetic following extensive refurbishment. Head downtown to check out their latest timekeeping treasures while soaking in the atmospheric surroundings that will transport you for just a while to the world's capital of watchmaking.
OMEGA
Entering the new Omega boutique at Suria KLCC is like walking into a jewellery box. The plush interiors are lined with light wood, leather and shades of white, while gold and glass accents mirror the glints of light that skim their surfaces. A semi-hollowed divider, plated in gold and fitted with leather drawers, shields visitors from the curious eyes of passers-by.
Sleek lines and sharp edges are softened by the rounded corners of cushioned chairs and an undulating central light fixture comprising dangling pendants. Carpets in blood red, the colour of rich rubies, provide the most prominent pops of colour. The overall effect is exquisite, but subtly so, without detracting from the timepieces on display. A visit here ends as it began: by grasping the last letter in the Greek alphabet fashioned into large gold handles on the framed doors that separate this fantasy from the outside world.
Hublot
Swiss-born Hublot made its name in big and bold aesthetics, best encapsulated by its daring Big Bang universe. Those same codes are liberally splashed across the newly refurbished boutique at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers, where interiors have been brightened with light grey carpeting and a judicious eye contrasts classic dark and white wooden furniture with vibrant Pop Art-style artworks and a glittering grand chandelier. A private lounge allows selected clients to browse in peace.
This same energy pulsates throughout the sleek façade, where anodised aluminium panels in matte black are embedded with LED strips while a massive screen loops visuals of the brand’s various collections and creative collaborations. Here, the dalliance between glass, metal and technology reflect the trailblazing attitude of both the watchmaker and the cosmopolitan city in which its flagship boutique resides.
A. Lange & Söhne
Revered for its unparalleled originality, A. Lange & Söhne launched its first Malaysian boutique with design cues reflective of its DNA. Look at the glass façade, an interpretation of its clarity of vision, or the detail in décor elements such as the bevelled and mirror-polished metal pilaster strips, redolent of its intricate timepieces.
Creative problem-solving is evident in the interlocking volumes of movable walls and sliding doors, which demarcate areas for specific functions: watch display, consultation, presentation, purchase. Esteemed clients seek privacy in the VIP room or discreet lounge, but luxe materials — spanning technical steel to natural stone — and Walter Lange’s personal motto, “Never stand still”, inscribed on a wall are for all to enjoy. Reminding visitors that they are in the presence of supreme haute horlogerie is the Experience Library, a window to the world of A. Lange & Söhne, where strict tradition and sheer ingenuity frolic.
This article first appeared in issue No. 98, Winter 2020 of Haven.
