Editor’s Note
Hyundai Department Store is showcasing a 50-billion-won collection of luxury watches at its Trade Center and Apgujeong flagship stores this month. The simultaneous exhibitions highlight the retailer’s focus on the high-end watch market.
Hyundai Department Store is hosting a collection of renowned overseas watch brands valued at 50 billion won at its Trade Center and Apgujeong flagship stores.
The department store announced on the 5th that it will simultaneously hold the ‘Luxury Watch Fair’ for ten days at the Trade Center store (7th-18th) and the Apgujeong flagship store (8th-18th).
A total of 13 brands, including ‘Audemars Piguet’, ‘Jaeger-LeCoultre’, ‘Piaget’, and ‘Blancpain’, will participate at the Trade Center store. A total of 14 brands, including ‘Vacheron Constantin’, ‘Breguet’, ‘Roger Dubuis’, and ‘Panerai’, will participate at the Apgujeong flagship store.
The company explained that the event will showcase a total of about 400 items, including products exhibited at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) and Baselworld held in January and March this year, which amounts to approximately 50 billion won in sales value.
A notable feature is that about 80 items from 13 brands, including ‘Vacheron Constantin’, ‘Jaeger-LeCoultre’, and ‘Panerai’, are being introduced to the general public in Korea for the first time.
Among the main products, the ‘Rendez-Vous Tourbillon Haute Joaillerie’ by Jaeger-LeCoultre, priced at about 490 million won and the most expensive among the watches introduced at this event, features a total of 547 diamonds set on the watch’s interior and bezel. The diamonds used in this single watch alone amount to a total of 9 carats.
It also contains a tourbillon at the 6 o’clock position, embodying Jaeger-LeCoultre’s unique expertise. A tourbillon is a device developed to correct time errors caused by the influence of gravity on mechanical watch components and is considered a benchmark component for top-tier watches.
Vacheron Constantin’s ‘Harmony Dual Time’ is a watch created to commemorate the brand’s 260th anniversary, with a limited global production of 625 pieces. It was first unveiled at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in January and is being introduced in Korea for the first time.
This watch features an automatic mechanical movement (power device) that includes a ‘dual time’ function allowing simultaneous checking of time in two different locations. It is characterized by the ability to easily adjust all functions with a single bi-directional crown (the protruding time adjustment device on the side of the watch).
The case surrounding the watch is made of 18K pink gold, adding to its luxury. The price is in the 50 million won range.
Breguet’s ‘Tradition Independent Chronograph 7077 Timepiece’ is one of Breguet’s representative products, newly reinterpreted to mark its 10th anniversary of release and unveiled at ‘Baselworld 2015′.
It is particularly characterized by having two separate trains responsible for the chronograph function (a device that winds the mainspring through vibrations applied to the watch, generating power), which preemptively blocks interference between components that cause time errors. The price is in the 90 million won range.
Additionally, the Apgujeong flagship store plans to introduce Roger Dubuis’ ‘Hommage Flying Tourbillon’, IWC’s ‘Portuguese Tourbillon Mystère Rétrograde’, Piaget’s ‘Tradition Gold Bracelet’, etc., to Korea for the first time. The Trade Center store plans to introduce Piaget’s ‘Altiplano 900P Haute Joaillerie’, Breitling’s ‘Bentley B05 Unitime’, Blancpain’s ‘Le Brassus Répétition Minutes Carrousel’, etc., for the first time in Korea.
Hyundai Department Store has prepared promotions for purchasing customers during the event period, including gift certificates by price range and gifts by brand. The same event is scheduled to be held at Hyundai Department Store’s Daegu, Mokdong, and Ulsan stores starting in July.