On the Wednesday after Thanksgiving, a new 6,200-square-foot Rolex boutique officially opened on world-famous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Owned and operated by the local retailer Gearys, the three-level store is a temple to California-inspired luxury.
A dramatic circular staircase connects all three levels. Like the wave motif of the boutique’s green twisted-glass decorative facade, its spiraling design is meant to evoke ocean waves, a reference to Rolex’s connection to the sea as well as to the boutique’s location, less than eight miles from Santa Monica Beach.
The first level features a wall lined with a custom stucco of the Los Angeles skyline. On the second level, an after-sales service area staffed by multiple watchmakers allows guests a view of the action. Across the way, a spectacular bar made of green marble beckons, as do the curated items that line the shelves of the adjacent lounge: watches, of course, but also framed photos of Hollywood icons such as Martin Scorsese and James Cameron along with totems of the brand’s support of sports, the arts, and its Perpetual Planet initiative.
The pièce de résistance, however, is the private third-floor terrace, which opens to a view of another luxury temple in the making: Dior’s new Rodeo Drive flagship, still in construction.
On the day before the official opening, Tom Blumenthal, president and CEO of Gearys, hosted a press breakfast and remarked on the effort to create the space. “This project started a little over five years ago when Rolex wanted a bigger presence on Rodeo Drive and wanted a West Coast flagship,” he said. “Being involved in Beverly Hills—my family has owned Gearys for over 65 of the 95 years—so we’re really well-entrenched in this community and the space is really a perfect location. Five years ago, the spark was lit and three years of design and meetings and construction, for a year and a half, and, well, I can’t believe this day has finally come.
“It’s a beautiful California day,” Blumenthal added. “How many places in early December can you say the sun is shining as you sit outside?”
The guests seated at a long dining table nodded as they tucked into their frittatas, the sunlight streaming in across the table.
Top: The facade of the new Rolex boutique at 314 North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (all photos courtesy of Rolex)
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