At Watches of Switzerland, Your Rolex Comes with a Martini

Just the prospect of plunking down thousands of dollars, the price of entry for a brand-new Rolex, makes sweat bead up on my forehead And because of the way watches are so often marketed-Patek Philippe's famous line is "You never actually own a Patek Philippe You merely look after it for the next generation"-this isn't just an object that's strapped around your wrist, but that of your descendants for generations to come.

Hurley and Watches of Switzerland are in the business of being intimidating, selling some of the most expensive timepieces in the world: they tout in-store boutiques from Rolex, Cartier, and Patek Phillippe and an unparalleled mix from these sorts of brands as strengths So Watches of Switzerland built a secret weapon in the store's lower level: a full bar from Death & Company, the institution famous for kicking off New York's cocktail craze Plenty of stores set up bar carts where employees can mix simple cocktails; JCrew's famed Liquor Store went so far as to sell gingham shirts and slim suits out of a former bar.

What works for selling modestly priced button-up shirts doesn't exactly do the trick for multi-thousand-dollar watches Seen through that lens, Watches of Switzerland putting a destination bar in its basement doesn't seem so out there When I meet Hurley at Watches of Switzerland on a Thursday afternoon, the magic of the bar is on full display. Source