The Best Places To Buy Watches In Melbourne

Melbourne is widely regarded as Australia’s fashion capital for a number of reasons. Besides the plethora of boutique stores and mega complexes offering the world’s leading brands, luxury watches are also high on the agenda for the quintessential man.

Following our recent list of Sydney’s best watch stores, we’re heading south to track down the best Melbourne watch stores. Whether it’s your first Swiss piece or a luxury watch to mark a milestone, these are the ten Melbourne spots to be checking out for your next grand purchase.

Watches Of Switzerland

No stranger to the luxury watch market in Australia, Watches of Switzerland has stores both in Sydney and Melbourne. Their family-owned watch store located on Collins Street offers a service that is steeped in knowledge of luxury timepieces. It all began with Eric van der Griend in 1996 and has today grown to incorporate the help of his children whilst boasting over twenty brands and 4,000 references of Swiss watches.

Additionally, they are also the exclusive Australian retailer of A. Lange and Söhne timepieces. With no shortage of watches to choose from and the reputation as an official retailer of major brands across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, you can bet that the boutique will have exactly what you’re after.

Brands: Rolex, A. Lange and Söhne, Jaeger–LeCoultre, IWC, Cartier, Panerai, Hublot, Piaget, Breitling

The Hour Glass

Hailing from Asia as one of the most respected retailers of luxury watches, The Hour Glass sports over 40 boutiques across nine cities including Melbourne. Leading the advocacy of not just fine luxury watches but also the concept of horology, The Hour Glass endeavours to be the watch world’s leading cultural retail enterprise for enthusiasts and collectors alike. They currently stock over fifty of the world’s best Swiss brands under the one roof.

Brands: Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Hublot, IWC, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, Rolex, TAG Heuer

8th Avenue

If you’re looking for a fine establishment of watches in Melbourne then head over to the ground floor of the renowned Emporium Melbourne retail precinct where 8th Avenue is located. Specialising in everything Swiss-made that ticks, the store was conceived several years ago in an attempt to fill the local gap for a multi-brand watch boutique of independent Swiss Made watches. Today that dream lives on alongside a sophisticated retail experience and some of the most dedicated sales consultants who can accommodate watch lovers with anything in their price range.

Brands: Corum, Bell&Ross, Graham, Edox, Alpina, Victorinox Swiss Army

LK Boutique

One of the country’s most enduring watch retailers founded by Louis and Martha Kennedy is LK Boutique. The humble store began life back in 1976 and is today one of the most respected watch retailers in the country with five specialty boutiques located across Sydney and Melbourne. The Melbourne boutique stocks everything from jewellery to accessories but it’s their watches on offer that shine the brightest. Names like Rolex and Patek Phillipe join an extensive range of some of the most esteemed brands to choose from so that even the most discerning horology punter won’t be disappointed.

Brands: Patek Phillipe, Rolex, Cartier, IWC, Tudor

Hardy Brothers

Reputation plays a vital role in the local watch game and one of the oldest retailers of luxury timepieces with a significant degree of this is Hardy Brothers. 1853 saw the arrival of John Hardy into Australia from England where he shortly began trading from his rooms in Sydney’s Jamison Street which later moved to Hunter Street to become Hardy Brothers during the next eighty years. During that period Hardy Brothers had spread its reach into Melbourne, setting up a showroom on 298 Collins Street in 1918. Standing the test of time doesn’t come easy. As such, Hardy Brothers has been built on reputation, quality of service and design through providing a unique shopping experience.

Brands: Baume & Mercier, Omega, Breitling, Bell & Ross, Zenith, Longines

Monards

The Swiss watch specialists at Monards carry over twenty years worth of experience in the watch industry and know how to provide a service with the utmost attention to detail. Being family owned and operated helps this but it’s also the extensive range of brands which helps Monards stand out from the “Paris-end” of Collins Street. The success story that Monards has written for itself has seen the business open the Monards Flagship Boutique in the Crown Entertainment Complex. They also do luxury accessories alongside timepieces and a dedicated service centre for a more holistic retail experience.

Brands: Baume & Mercier, Blancpain, Breitling, Omega, Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, Piaget, Montblanc, NOMOS Glashütte, Hublot, TAG Heuer, Zenith, Tissot

JR Watch Co.

If it’s a sweet deal you’re after then stop by JR Watch Co. on your next departure at Melbourne’s International Airport. Marked as the crowning jewel of the new T2 retail precinct, JR Watch Co. stocks a formidable range of luxury Swiss time pieces at a price that’s hard to beat. You might not be on the elegant side of Collins Street but that shouldn’t be too much of an issue given your next timepiece buy could save you a good penny.

Brands: IWC, Omega, Breitling, Longines, Tudor, Chopard, Tissot

Watchtime

Priding itself as one of the most trusted watch resellers in Melbourne, Watchtime has been dealing in pre-owned quality time pieces for over twenty years in the Block Arcade. All of their watches are guaranteed authentic and their service centre is run by a WOSTEP-qualified watchmaker. Their brand listing is extensive to say the least and also includes pieces that are no longer in production. If you’re after something special that no one else might have, this might just be the place for you.

Brands: IWC, Omega, Breitling, Tudor, Chopard, Tissot, TAG Heuer, Tissot, U-Boat, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Bell&Ross, Audemars Piguet, Hublot, Paneria, Patek Phillipe, Rolex

European Watch Gallery

European Watch Gallery is one of the premiere dealers of high grade timepieces in Australia. The business is headed by vintage timepiece aficionado, Shonie Herbath so customers will know they’re talking to a watch lover and not just a saleman. Herbath is also an authority in Patek Philippe time pieces and holds extensive knowledge of other high grade brands such like Vacheron & Constantin, Audemars Piguet , Rolex, Jaeger Le Coultre & Cartier. The store is conveniently located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD at 83 Collins Street which ensures that there’s a comfortable and discrete space for clients to trade and discuss their requirements. Client satisfaction and brand extensiveness makes European Watch Gallery one to drop by.

Brands: IWC, Omega, Breitling, Tudor, Chopard, Tissot, TAG Heuer, Tissot, U-Boat, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Bell&Ross, Audemars Piguet, Hublot, Paneria, Patek Phillipe, Rolex, Seven Friday, Zenith

The Watch Gallery

Joining the contingency of Melbourne’s reputable second-hand luxury watch retailers is The Watch Gallery. The shop has been running for over twenty years and constantly change their range to ensure that every watch sold is an original in its own right. Competitive pricing is also a winner in this fine institution conveniently located on 337 Collins Street.

Brands: A.Lange & Sohne, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Bell & Ross, Blancpain, Breguet, Breitling, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chopard, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger Le Coultre, Omega, Panerai, Patek Philippe, Rolex, TAG Heuer, Tudor, Vacheron Constantin, Zenith