Watches of Switzerland, London

The customers at London-based Watches of Switzerland are a loyal lot. And it appears they’re also quite wealthy – the luxury purveyor’s timepieces (Rolex, Cartier and Gucci, to name a few) can run a pretty pound.

But the existing Watches store environment wasn’t giving off the prestigious vibes the company had in mind for its affluent, largely male clientele.

“We already knew customers loved the product because they kept returning to a less-than-desirable environment,” says Steven Derwoed, managing director and lead designer for RYA Design Consultancy (Dallas), the firm that designed the space. “So if we could bring an upscale, comfortable, masculine feel to the store, shoppers would be more inclined to spend additional time browsing and even come back more frequently.”

Taking cues from the hospitality sector, the RYA team developed an upscale gentleman’s club concept with contemporary shapes mixed with classic textural materials like hand-waxed plaster and silk carpets. Details such as caramel-colored horn and bronze drawer pulls, imported stone and warm walnut finishes add to the feel.

“The object here is to make the shopper feel comfortable, then sell the product,” says Derwoed, “not the other way around.” Thus, cantilevered cases have replaced traditional sales counters, which also helps maximize the productivity of the narrow space. Selling happens at desks where the “concierge” sales staff is in complete control of the buying experience, from the dimmable lights above to the private selling room for extremely high-end clients that features glass that fogs at the touch of a button.

“No matter how rich shoppers are, when the sales staff pushes that button, they all say ‘cool,’” Derwoed says. “It’s an element of surprise and delight for the person who thinks he’s seen it all.”

Client: Goldsmiths Plc,. Leicester, U.K. — Simon Smith, project management; Jim West, property development

Design: RYA Design Consultancy, Dallas — Tom Herndon, partner-in-charge; Mike Wilkins, creative director/partner; Steven Derwoed, managing director and lead designer

Vendor Team: Obrist Interiors, Postfach, Switzerland

Lighting: Lighting Workshop, New York; Baker Signature Lighting, Dallas; Litelab Corp., Buffalo, N.Y.; Troy Lighting Co., City of Industry, Calif.

Mechanical Services: Air Control and Development Ltd., Walsall, U.K.

Electrical: Sparkhill Electrical Ltd., Leicestershire, U.K.

Signage: Cherrycube Ltd., Leicstershire, U.K.

Flooring: Innovative Marble & Tile, Hauppauge, N.Y.; Zoe Luyendijk, Burnaby, B.C.

Fixtures/Millwork/General Contractor: Benbow Interiors Ltd., Devon, U.K.

Wallcoverings: Carnegie, New York

Glass: Pulp Studios Inc., Los Angeles

Furniture: Holly Hunt Collection, Paris

Wax Plaster: Southwest Progressive, Dallas

Decorative Hardware: Ochre, New York

Photography: RYA Design Consultancy, Dallas