WatchesOct 05, 2023
Why Retailers Should (and Shouldn’t) Be Concerned About Rolex’s Bucherer AcquisitionMajorsNov 02, 2023
WatchBox Merges with Independent Jewelers Under New Brand
The 1916 Company is a combination of Hyde Park Jewelers, Govberg Jewelers, Radcliffe Jewelers, and WatchBox.
Watch retailer WatchBox has merged with Govberg Jewelers, Hyde Park Jewelers, and Radcliffe Jewelers to create The 1916 Company.
Philadelphia—There’s a new watch and jewelry brand in town, created by combining a few familiar industry names.
Watch platform WatchBox and independent jewelers Govberg Jewelers (the parent company of WatchBox), Hyde Park Jewelers, and Radcliffe Jewelers have merged to form The 1916 Company.
Prior to the merger announcement, WatchBox founders Justin Reis, Tay Liam Wee, and Danny Govberg, third-generation owner of Govberg Jewelers, had acquired Hyde Park Jewelers and Radcliffe Jewelers.
By combining several prominent watch retailers, the new company aims to be a leading global platform and community for watch collectors.
It takes its name from the year Albert Govberg founded Govberg Jewelers, 1916.
Danny, Albert’s grandson, described the new company as a “107-year-old start-up.”
“The principles of our business are rooted in enduring relationships, while our commitment to innovation and transformative change drives us to anticipate the ever-evolving needs of discerning watch collectors today and tomorrow."
The rebrand will take place via a phased rollout, with all companies eventually being renamed The 1916 Company, a spokesperson confirmed.
WatchBox co-founder Reis will serve as global CEO, while John Shmerler of Hyde Park Jewelers and Damon Gross of Radcliffe Jewelers will lead the company’s authorized retail network. Govberg will serve as executive chairman.
The merger brings together “the strengths and legacies of the largest pre-owned platform with three independent jewelers. Hospitality, warmth, generations of experience, and long-standing partnerships with the most respected luxury watch brands, including Rolex and Patek Philippe, set the tone for this next chapter,” said the company.
The 1916 Company is also part of the official network authorized to sell Rolex-certified pre-owned watches.
Govberg Jewelers, Radcliffe Jewelers, and Hyde Park Jewelers were all authorized Rolex dealers prior to the merger.
While the rebranding is underway, these pre-owned Rolex watches will be available online via Govberg and Radcliffe’s websites and within official Rolex jeweler locations. Pre-owned Rolex watches will no longer be available on the WatchBox website.
The newly formed company has 13 locations, including eight multi-brand salons and five mono-brand boutiques in Philadelphia and Ardmore, Pennsylvania; Baltimore and Towson, Maryland; Newark, Delaware; Denver, Colorado; Newport Beach, California; and Scottsdale, Arizona.
It also operates lounges in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Boca Raton, Florida, as well as in Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and Dubai.
"We want collectors and enthusiasts to enjoy visiting us around the world [and] to feel part of our extended family and ‘Collector's Circle’ as they discover The 1916 Company's uniquely personalized approach to collecting and our extraordinary watch and jewelry collections," said Shmerler.
Related stories will be right here …
Watch platform WatchBox and independent jewelers Govberg Jewelers (the parent company of WatchBox), Hyde Park Jewelers, and Radcliffe Jewelers have merged to form The 1916 Company.
Prior to the merger announcement, WatchBox founders Justin Reis, Tay Liam Wee, and Danny Govberg, third-generation owner of Govberg Jewelers, had acquired Hyde Park Jewelers and Radcliffe Jewelers.
By combining several prominent watch retailers, the new company aims to be a leading global platform and community for watch collectors.
It takes its name from the year Albert Govberg founded Govberg Jewelers, 1916.
Danny, Albert’s grandson, described the new company as a “107-year-old start-up.”
“The principles of our business are rooted in enduring relationships, while our commitment to innovation and transformative change drives us to anticipate the ever-evolving needs of discerning watch collectors today and tomorrow."
The rebrand will take place via a phased rollout, with all companies eventually being renamed The 1916 Company, a spokesperson confirmed.
WatchBox co-founder Reis will serve as global CEO, while John Shmerler of Hyde Park Jewelers and Damon Gross of Radcliffe Jewelers will lead the company’s authorized retail network. Govberg will serve as executive chairman.
The merger brings together “the strengths and legacies of the largest pre-owned platform with three independent jewelers. Hospitality, warmth, generations of experience, and long-standing partnerships with the most respected luxury watch brands, including Rolex and Patek Philippe, set the tone for this next chapter,” said the company.
The 1916 Company is also part of the official network authorized to sell Rolex-certified pre-owned watches.
Govberg Jewelers, Radcliffe Jewelers, and Hyde Park Jewelers were all authorized Rolex dealers prior to the merger.
While the rebranding is underway, these pre-owned Rolex watches will be available online via Govberg and Radcliffe’s websites and within official Rolex jeweler locations. Pre-owned Rolex watches will no longer be available on the WatchBox website.
The newly formed company has 13 locations, including eight multi-brand salons and five mono-brand boutiques in Philadelphia and Ardmore, Pennsylvania; Baltimore and Towson, Maryland; Newark, Delaware; Denver, Colorado; Newport Beach, California; and Scottsdale, Arizona.
It also operates lounges in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Boca Raton, Florida, as well as in Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and Dubai.
"We want collectors and enthusiasts to enjoy visiting us around the world [and] to feel part of our extended family and ‘Collector's Circle’ as they discover The 1916 Company's uniquely personalized approach to collecting and our extraordinary watch and jewelry collections," said Shmerler.
Its collection of watches, both in-store and online, are valued at $200 million, said the company, with a focus on “ultra-rare, collectible timepieces” and “artisanal, independent” watches.
WatchBox was founded by Govberg, Reis, and Wee to elevate the experience of collecting, selling, and trading watches while connecting watch enthusiasts.
This new company will continue that work, said Reis, by offering collectors a place for new and pre-owned watches and fine jewelry, as well as a network of lounges and boutiques and a media platform.
“Watches have the power to bring people together,” said Reis.
“Over the years, we’ve observed our collectors’ desire not only for digital connectivity, but the rich experiences of physical interaction – they value the bonds formed with our dedicated client advisors and the friendships they’ve made across our community.”
The new company is “a natural progression for us,” he said, informed by its clients.
“With The 1916 Company, we’re reinforcing the sense of community, rooted in our existing relationships, while eagerly embracing the opportunity to forge new ones. Our vision starts and ends with our customer.”
New and existing clients of WatchBox, Govberg, Radcliffe, and Hyde Park Jewelers will be introduced to The 1916 Company over the next six months, the company said.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Majors
The Latest
AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtEmmanuel Raheb says jewelers need to start marketing early and make it easy for customers to pick a gift for mom.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
TrendsApr 20, 2026
Beth Bernstein, Sonia Esther Soltani Pen New Jewelry Book“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2026
Atlanta Jewelry Show’s Spring Event Is Hitting the RoadThe AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.
TrendsApr 17, 2026
New (Groundbreaking) Floral Jewelry for Spring 2026Flower motifs are the jewelry trend blooming amongst the new collections that debuted this spring.
MajorsApr 17, 2026
QVC Group Files for Chapter 11 BankruptcyThe retailer reported an 8 percent decline in annual sales as it struggles under the weight of billions of dollars of debt.
CollectionsApr 17, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Earrings Are the Devil on Your ShoulderThe “Devil” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week, are part of designer Edina Kiss’ new namesake jewelry line that she will show at Couture.
