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TechnologyJun 05, 2018
Richemont Buys Pre-Owned Watch Retailer
Watchfinder is an online platform for researching, buying and selling used wristwatches and also operates seven stores.
A screenshot from Watchfinder.co.uk, the e-commerce and education site for pre-owned wristwatch retailer Watchfinder. The company, which was just acquired by Richemont, also sells used watches at its seven boutiques.
Geneva--Richemont has added a pre-owned wristwatch retailer to its portfolio.
The luxury goods conglomerate announced Friday its acquisition of Watchfinder.co.uk Ltd., which sells used watches from brands like Rolex, Omega and Breitling both online and in its seven boutiques, all of which are located in the United Kingdom.
Stuart Hennell co-founded Watchfinder in 2002, and the company has grown to include about 200 employees worldwide. Hennell and his team will become employees of Richemont.
Commenting on the acquisition in a company news release, Richemont Chairman Johann Rupert said: “Sixteen years ago, Watchfinder’s founders foresaw the need for an online marketplace for premium pre-owned timepieces. Watch enthusiasts themselves, they established Watchfinder to provide excellence in customer experience. We believe there are substantial opportunities to help grow the company further.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close this summer.
In the chairman’s commentary included in Richemont’s recently released full-year report, Rupert indicated that the luxury goods conglomerate intends to continue making changes to its portfolio, dropping certain brands while picking up more companies focused on e-commerce.
The Geneva-based company has a bid in to take full control of online luxury brand retailer Yoox Net-a-Porter while announcing Monday that it is selling French leather goods company Lancel to Piquadro S.p.A., an Italian company.
“While Richemont’s unique portfolio of maisons and other assets are well-positioned, our long-term approach does not preclude us from targeting strategic investments and divestments, as we have demonstrated over the past year,” Rupert said.
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