Brisbane might not be the largest city in Australia, but that shouldn’t mean its residents are any less likely to in a luxury watch. Besides, with time being universal, it doesn’t discriminate by location. While you could turn your attention to any number of online watch shops to score your ultimate timepiece, being able to walk into a store and try one on brings with it a much greater emotional attachment.
That means Brisbane needs to bring its A game to the watch-buying game and serve its horological enthusiasts with a number of watch shops from which to buy both new and used time tellers. Fortunately, whether it be your very first Swiss piece or a watch to mark a major milestone, Brisbane does indeed boasts a somewhat limited, yet reliable number of retail outlets selling some of the world’s finest timepieces.
Not only do some of the most prestigious names in horology have their own boutique stores in Brisbane, but the city is also home to some independent stores that should be your first port of call if you’ve chosen to buy second hand and pre-loved.
Vintage Watch Co.
Vintage Watch Co. is one of Brisbane’s most reliable watch retailers who look after both new and pre-loved timepieces. Established in 1994 with locations in both Sydney and Brisbane, the store has built a solid reputation over the decades for stocking a wide selection of new, modern and vintage watches along with an assortment of watch accessories. So whether it’s an heirloom Rolex you’re after or something from OMEGA, Vintage Watch Co. can help with competitive pricing and friendly servicing. For peace of mind Vintage Watch Co. also offers a 12 month guarantee on all transactions.
Brands: Rolex, Omega, IWC, Breitling, Patek Philippe, Panerai, Cartier and Tag Heuer, Longines, Tissot, RADO, U-Boat, Maurice Lacroix, Victorinox
Address: Shop 12-13 Ground Level, Brisbane Arcade, 160 Queen Street, Brisbane, 4000
Phone: 07 3210 6722
Lotte Watch Co.
If it’s a sweet deal you’re after then stop by the Lotte Watch Co. outlet on your next departure from Brisbane International Airport. Marked as the crowning jewel of the airport’s retail precinct, Lotte Watch Co. stocks a premium range of luxury Swiss timepieces at competitive prices. On top of this, the staff there know their watches so you can rest easy on the flight knowing that you’ve picked a winner.
Brands: IWC, Omega, Breitling, Longines, Tudor, Chopard, Tissot, Baume & Mercier, Chopard, Frederique Constant, Girard Perregaux, Hublot, IWC, Montblanc, Jaeger LeCoultre, Rado
Address: Brisbane International Airport
The Hour Glass
Hailing from Asia as one of the most esteemed retailers of luxury watches, The Hour Glass sports over 40 boutiques across nine cities including Brisbane. Leading the advocacy movement of not just fine watches but also the art of horology, The Hour Glass is endeavouring to be the watch world’s leading cultural retail enterprise for both enthusiasts and collectors. They stock over 50 of the world’s best brands of Swiss-made watches under the one roof so you can be sure you’ll find something you like here.
Brands: Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Hublot, IWC, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, Rolex, TAG Heuer
Address: Shop 3, 171 Edward St, Brisbane City, 4000
Langford’s
If you only have your sights set on a Rolex, then you’ll definitely want to pay a visit to Langford’s. The jeweller was founded in 1907 and today serves as a Rolex Official Retailer, dealing solely in the prestigious Swiss timepieces, meaning you can walk in and enquire about any model in the current collection and if the store doesn’t happen to have it in stock, will be able to put you on a waiting list while your order is processed and fulfilled.
Brands: Rolex
Address: 260 Queen Street, Post Office Square, Brisbane, 4000
Not in Brisbane? Check out the best places to buy watches in Sydney and Melbourne.