IWC Schaffhausen opens a flagship store on the Champs-Elysées

L'Appartement IWC is officially the sixth flagship for the Swiss luxury watchmaker. After Zurich, Dubai, Shanghai, Beverly Hills, and most recently, Madison Avenue in New York, the Schaffhausen-based watchmaker opens a new address in the French capital, renowned for its savoir-faire and elegance.

“The French capital is among the most important cities in Europe and one of the world’s leading hubs for art, fashion, gastronomy, and culture, attracting dozens of millions of visitors from all over the world every year. We are delighted to showcase our watches and our unique engineering approach in the heart of Paris in a new IWC flagship boutique,” said Franziska Gsell, CMO of IWC Schaffhausen, in a press release.

At 73 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, the atmosphere will be one of French refinement. Covering an area of 232 square meters, the IWC flagship boutique is inspired by classic Parisian apartments, with essential features such as parquet flooring, decorative moldings, and original fireplaces. “We are excited to be opening our new flagship boutique in such an incredible location and look forward to welcoming Parisian watch lovers as well as curious visitors from all over the world,” explains Arnaud Miara, IWC Brand Manager France, in a press release.

On the boutique's two levels, visitors can contemplate and experiment with the watchmaker's timepieces, whose expertise and technology are given pride of place. The Engineering Wall on the second floor gives an insight into the mechanics of IWC's complications and movements. Several Haute Horlogerie pieces are on display, while a central showcase is dedicated to chronographs, case engineering, and colored ceramics.

Available exclusively in flagship stores, the customization service allows customers to design a unique version of the Portugieser Chronograph, the brand's flagship model, by choosing from a selection of case materials, dial colors, and bracelets. In collaboration with Maison Jean Rousseau, each strap for the Portugieser, Aviator Watch, and Portofino models will be customizable (materials, colors, linings, stitching, and engraving options).

Finally, L’Appartement IWC has been designed as a place for customers to relax, with designer-furnished lounges and rooms dedicated to appointments and virtual tours of the Manufakturzentrum, private and VIP events, and watchmaking courses.

Besides opening two flagship stores in New York and Paris at the beginning of the year, the brand, founded in 1868, is taking the opportunity to underline its desire to specialize in cutting-edge materials such as ceramics. On Monday, it announced the development of a new luminous ceramic technology called Ceralume®, enabling the production of fully luminous ceramic watch cases for the first time.