Why the World’s Top Watchmakers Are Flocking to Miami

In the watch world, the start of December means one thing: It’s time to pack your bags for Miami. And while there’s nothing strictly new about that—luxury brands have long congregated in Magic City this time of year to capitalize on the art world’s frenzy of events, from Art Basel to Design Miami—this year the number of watchmakers that are welcoming visitors to brand-new or revamped boutiques suggests that for the Swiss, Miami is an increasingly important destination.

On Wednesday, Rolex together with its retail partner, Luxury Swiss—whose owner, Steven Holtzman, also owns CD Peacock, a jewelry and watch megastore in Oak Brook, Ill.—opened a new 4,900-square-foot Rolex boutique in the Miami Design District. Located steps from the Cartier and Hermès boutiques and next door to Cote, a Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse, the new store features a dramatic Rolex-green façade with a reflective finish designed to evoke the look of water—a tribute to Miami’s seaside vibe. The space replaces an earlier store that Seymour Holtzman, Steven’s late father, opened in 2012.

“We were first in the Design District about 12 years ago when my dad opened the first boutique,” Holtzman tells Robb Report. “We wanted a larger space with a second floor and a bigger service center.”

The emphasis on Miami is indicative of a broader reality about the American market’s power centers. “Things have changed in the U.S.,” Holtzman says. “The three key markets for watch brands are New York City, Beverly Hills, and Miami. Each of the luxury brands—not just watch brands but substantial luxury brands—puts their best foot forward in those three markets, their biggest flagships and their most important stores. Miami is, in many ways, the gateway to so many parts of the world. It’s a connected city, an international city, and the clients are very sophisticated in their taste in watches.”