NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bucherer USA, the parent company of Tourneau, announced today that it has acquired Baron & Leeds, a premier luxury retailer of fine watches and jewelry in California and Hawaii. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 2002, Baron & Leeds is an internationally recognized shopping destination for fine timepieces and jewelry. The Company operates two Rolex boutiques located at South Coast Plaza in California and International Market Place in Honolulu. The Company also owns and operates two Baron & Leeds stores located in Maui at Whalers Village in Lahaina and at The Shops at Wailea.
Ira Melnitsky, Chief Executive Officer of Tourneau, commented, “The acquisition of one of the country’s leading retailers of fine watches and jewelry represents an important step forward in the continued growth of Tourneau. We are proud to be able to expand our customer relationships in both California and Hawaii. Baron & Leeds has always shared our passion for exceptional products and unparalleled customer service and we are excited to welcome all of their employees to our team.”
Guido Zumbühl, CEO of the Bucherer Group, said, “We take great pride in partnering with companies who complement and align with our quest for perfection, warm hospitality and constantly aspire to delight customers with fascinating brands and products. Baron & Leeds meets all of these criteria and we are excited to welcome them to the Bucherer family.”
About Bucherer:
BUCHERER – A TRADITION-STEEPED SWISS FAMILY-OWNED ENTERPRISE
In 1888, businessman and entrepreneur Carl-Friedrich Bucherer and his wife Luise opened their first watch and jewelry store in Lucerne at placid Lake Lucerne and thereby laid the foundation for the successful family-owned enterprise. Even at that time Switzerland was a popular destination for guests from all over the world and enjoyed an outstanding reputation for its art of watchmaking. Today, Bucherer is the largest provider of watches and jewelry in Europe. Steeped in tradition, the company has been fostering the art of making watches and jewelry for decades, and is proud to be able to offer its international clientele a broad range of luxury watch brands including what is arguably one of the most comprehensive range of Rolex watches. Bucherer’s collaboration with Rolex began as early as the 1920s and is one of the company’s most important cornerstones to this day.
The Bucherer brand is present at 35 exclusive locations in Europe: It has 15 stores in Switzerland, 11 branches in Germany, a flagship boutique in Vienna, the world’s largest watch and jewellery store in Paris, a store in Copenhagen, Denmark and, since 2017, four boutiques in London. In January 2018, Bucherer also announced its takeover of the US luxury watch retailer Tourneau, which has 24 stores across the US. The company employs over 1,750 staff and is currently managed by Jörg G. Bucherer, meaning it has now been under the stewardship of the Bucherer family for three generations. The Bucherer headquarters remain in Lucerne to this day.
Bucherer is much more than a watch retailer today. In addition to retail stores, Bucherer sets itself apart with its Carl F. Bucherer watch manufacturing brand and a separate jewelry line under the brand name Bucherer Fine Jewellery. The rich tradition and world-class quality of each of these lines speak for themselves and the competency of the Swiss house.
In fine Swiss watches, the Carl F. Bucherer name has been synonymous with quality, innovation and passion since 1888. Founded in Lucerne, it has become an internationally renowned global brand characterized by its founder’s pioneering spirit and the cosmopolitan esprit of its home. Carl F. Bucherer is one of the few remaining family-owned Swiss watch manufacturers.
Timepieces and movements are developed and produced in the brand’s own workshops in Switzerland. Milestones are the manufacturer’s own movement families, which are partly driven by an external rotor – an innovation that Carl F. Bucherer was the first to put into series production. With its exclusive watch creations, Carl F. Bucherer epitomizes high-quality Swiss craftsmanship, unmistakable style and detailed sophistication.
At the same time, Bucherer has established an exclusive reputation over the past 130 years for first-class jewelry offered under the brand name Bucherer Fine Jewellery. Collections are designed and produced in the company’s own ateliers, and the company’s expertise is second to none in diamonds and unique gemstones. These unique elements are the core components of the Bucherer Fine Jewellery range. For more information, please visit www.bucherer.com
We are gladly available at your disposal for further information.
CONTACT
Bucherer AG
Jörg Baumann – Director of Marketing & Business
Development
joerg.baumann@bucherer.com
Phone
+41 41 369 70 00
About Tourneau:
Tourneau, established in 1900, is the largest luxury watch retailer in the United States with 24 retail locations across 10 states, welcoming more than four million visitors every year. Renowned for its unparalleled customer service, extensive selection of new and Certified Pre-Owned watches as well as expert service and repair facilities, Tourneau offers more than 8,000 unique styles from 80 world-famous brands. In 2018, Tourneau was acquired by Bucherer and continues to operate as an independent subsidiary of Bucherer. For more information, please visit www.tourneau.com
About Baron & Leeds:
Founded in 2002, Baron & Leeds is an internationally recognized shopping destination for fine timepieces and jewelry, specializing in GIA Certified diamonds and an extensive collection of certified pre-owned watches. The Company operates two Rolex boutique stores located at South Coast Plaza in California and International Market Place in Honolulu. The Company also owns and operates two Baron & Leeds stores located in Maui at Whalers Village in Lahaina and at The Shops at Wailea.
