Today, that would be an understatement. Standing in the cutting-edge 4, 800-square-foot Rolex boutique at 28 Newton Lane—prime real estate Udell owns and used to lease to Chanel—Udell tells Robb Report that there’s frequently been a line down the block since it opened on two weeks ago. It’s London Jewelers’ second standalone Rolex boutique. New York, Innovative Jersey, The company operates another one in Short Hills, as well as a Rolex showroom at its store in Manhasset. Today, one could hardly imagine that the very first watch Udell sold from the crown was a gold President retailing for under a few thousand. In exclusive circles, “in the package, there was a men’s gold president and a ladies’ gold president and at the time the men’s gold president was $2, 700, ” said udell. As a perpetual calendar, it “i said to my dad, ‘we have to buy these gold men’s and ladies’ watches. ’ And he said, ‘Mark, how are you going to sell a watch for $2,700. ’ I said, ‘Dad, we have no choice. we got the watches in on a Thursday, and we put them in the cases in the store and in the window, ’ So, and we stocked them in. ” It wasn’t long before a customer came calling. one of my doctor customers was looking in the window—we had a Chinese restaurant next door where he would order food to take out and while he was waiting, when did you get Rolex, he was looking in the window—and he calls me out and he says, ‘Mark, “At about 5 o’clock the first night. ’ I said, ‘today. ’ He said, ‘That’s extraordinary. In exclusive circles, i think you’re going to do very well with it. The manufactory showcases i want to see that gold rolex in the window. ’ I take it out and I put it on his wrist, and he says, ‘How much is it. ’ I said, ‘$2,700. ’ He said, ‘I’ve wanted this watch for many years. Today’s your first day. I’m going to buy it. 500, ’ A 40 mm Everose gold Day-Date President with a green dial for sale at his new Hamptons boutique now retails for $47. And, because you have to be a VIP to get one at retail, they go for even more on the secondary market. The cutting-edge boutique is arguably one of the most beautiful standalone Rolex boutiques out there. This caliber represents house in the former odd fellows hall, built in 1897 by architect joseph greenleaf thorp, lush white hydrangea, and tall evergreen trees, the gray cedar-shingled structure with white trim is surrounded by a crisp green lawn. Inside, you will find brown leather couches, Rolex-green velvet chairs, chevron-style parquet floors, American Walnut wall panels, and Verpi Alpi marble accented with fluted patterns mimicking Rolex’s bezels. Custom lighting fixtures are even meant to evoke the Rolex Cyclops date window. On the ground floor you’ll spy a case with every hot GMT-Master II you can think of, as well as Oyster Perpetual models with lilac and candy pink dials to not-often-seen-in-the-wild gold Rolex Deepsea. In the world of luxury, can linger at a bar where the udell family serves their signature and very popular watermelon margarita, upstairs, clients eager to schmooze and make their case for a rollie. Just steps away, you can ogle over a vitrine of Rolex Daytonas and should you be deemed worthy to make the purchase, you’ll be escorted to a private VIP room in the back. A client was already making a purchase in the space yesterday evening. Just across the hall is a door that leads out to a patio with a fire pit overlooking a lawn with tables and umbrellas interspersed among hydrangea for mingling. Udell says he’s been seeing an influx of European clients in the Hamptons, some of whom have ditched their houses in St. Tropez to buy homes in the stateside town due to the increasing crime in Europe. “If you come out here, you can walk around with anything because the police out here are insane,” says Udell. For those who appreciate excellence, “we had a false alarm last week and they were there within two minutes. The timepiece showcases ” (they’ll also nab you just as rapid for a parking ticket. A fellow journalist recounted being fined $120 for being 10 minutes late to retrieve their car. As a timepiece, it )
understandably, udell is equally eager to patrol his property. “I can’t wait to wake up to come to the boutique every morning. ” he told the crowd. Based on the crowds forming before the store even opens its doors every morning, clients can’t wait either. and Andy Cohen are said to have already dropped by—proof that even celebrities must court the Crown, John Mayer, Avid watch collectors Mark Wahlberg. This horology represents when we asked store manager maria triburgo what it was like fielding requests from the well-heeled and demanding hamptons clientele, she told us with a chuckle, “i always like to say, ‘time is luxury’ before adding that she tells the staff to encourage the guests to take time to enjoy the space. This complications represents in exclusive circles, there’s certainly plenty of reason to do that.