The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.
Watches of Switzerland Plans to Go Public
The luxury retailer is considering listing on the London Stock Exchange.

London—Watches of Switzerland may soon go public, the company announced last week, as it looks to slash its debt and raise capital to grow its presence in the United States.
The luxury retailer is considering an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange, offering both new and existing shares.
Watches of Switzerland did not respond to National Jeweler’s inquiry about its plans by press time, but CEO Brian Duffy told the Financial Times that filing is an IPO is an action the company has been considering “for quite a while.”
New York-based private equity firm Apollo Global Management currently has a 90 percent stake in the company, but would reduce its share as part of the deal while still maintaining a majority stake, according to the Financial Times.
About 25 percent of the company’s shares would be available for trading, as per the terms of the plan.
Duffy said that while he didn’t foresee anything preventing a listing, the company still needs to gauge investor interest.
Watches of Switzerland has 125 locations in the United Kingdom, and has been gradually increasing its footprint in the U.S. since 2017, opening a handful of retail locations, including its flagship in New York’s SoHo neighborhood and its latest store in Hudson Yards, a recently opened upscale development in New York that has been called “a billionaire’s fantasy city.”
Swiss watch exports to the U.S. increased more than 8 percent in 2018 after a few years of decline, according to data provided by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.
If the company decides to go public, Barclays and Goldman Sachs International would act as joint global coordinators and BNP Paribas and Investec as bookrunners, while N.M. Rothschild would serve as the financial advisor.
The Latest

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

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

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.


The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The “Playlist: Electric Dreams” collection brings lyrics from the musician’s song, “Little Wing,” to life through fine jewelry.

The event is set for May 16-19 in Detroit, Michigan.

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

The trade association has chosen the recipients of the funding initiative it formed to foster the growth and sustainability of the industry.

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

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

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.