UK-based online retailer of second-hand watches Watchfinder&Co has opened the world’s first luxury pre-owned watch point of sale in an airport- at Hamad International, Doha.
The store is within TimeVallée in Qatar’s Hamad International in Doha, which was unveiled in January this year.
TimeVallée is a multi-brand luxury watch retail concept created by Richemont, which also owns Watchfinder.
CEO of Watchfinder, Arjen van de Vall, said: “That [point of sale] is working exceptionally well.
“It is our first foothold in Asia and our first airport. I think that is the first pre-owned luxury watch retailer in any airport in the world, and it is doing really well.”
Watchfinder’s range of pre-owned watches is sold alongside new watches from Baume et Mercier, Bell & Ross, Cartier, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget and Tag Heuer.
Acquired by Richemont in 2018, Watchfinder specialises in buying and selling premium pre-owned watches. It features more than 50 brands, including Rolex, Omega and Cartier.
In 2018, prompted by a tremendous growth of pre-owned watches worldwide Richemont acquired Watchfinder & Co.
According to Al Arabia News, the pre-owned luxury watch segment will surge by 75 per cent by 2030, accounting for nearly half of the overall market, with younger buyers fueling the trend.
Head of consumer, fashion and luxury at Deloitte Switzerland, Karine Szegedi, said: “The growth potential for the pre-owned market is enormous.”
