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 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.
The Latest

Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.

While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.

The “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

The special Classic Avi Chronograph 42 with an Eagles-green dial is limited to 59 pieces, a nod to the Super Bowl Philadelphia just won.


JSA has received reports of mobs swarming jewelry stores, driving cars into the storefront or smashing through the windows.

The “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Creative Director Erica Bianchini shared why the jeweler is looking to expand into the U.S. and how it’s putting Canadian craftsmanship on the map.

Two Los Angeles Fire Department stations plan to use the donations to upgrade their equipment and tools.

Next week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.

“Stolen: Heist of the Century” is based on “Flawless,” the book about the middle-of-the-night theft, and will debut on Netflix in August.

Emmanuel Raheb shares the top five gifting moments outside of major holidays that jewelers should build marketing campaigns around.

The wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.

Graduated stones make for elevated tennis-style pieces and dramatic statement necklaces.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.

The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.

Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025

Globally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.

The Brooklyn-based jewelry designer is remembered as a true artist and a rare talent.

Production at the mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories topped 1 million carats in Q2, the third consecutive quarter of growth.

A new slate of Learning Workshops will take place in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia.

The middle class is changing its approach to buying jewelry and affordable luxury goods, the NRF said.