Rolex Opens Its Latest Boutique in Toronto With Royal De Versailles
Over 2,250 square feet in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood, Rolex lovers have a new place to explore as of this past week, as an all-new retail store opens its doors. Located at 101 Bloor Street West — the same strip that houses Hermès, Moncler, and Prada, FYI — the boutique features an avant-garde limestone exterior, and invites you into a space complete with custom artwork of the Toronto skyline and a private guest lounge. Royal de Versailles has long been a cornerstone of luxury along this particular stretch of Bloor Street, and this addition of a standalone Rolex store further cements the brand’s position.
Looking around the room, every element of the interior design features the elegant Rolex aesthetic we’ve long come to expect, highlighting the values of the Rolex crown. Excellence, precision and attention to detail emanate from the careful calibration of colours and patterns in the fittings and furnishings. Sensitive lighting accentuates the beauty of a selection of Rolex watches, which are displayed in refined showcases lined with beige leather and finished with bronze trims.
Though there’s been talk of the pre-owned/secondary market prices for Rolex watches slipping a bit over the latter half of the year (alongside prices for things like the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak), the demand at the retail level is still just as strong as it’s ever been. Speaking with collectors throughout North America and Europe, if you’re after a Cosmograph Daytona, Submariner, GMT-Master II, and others, you’re still going to be on a waitlist; there’s no “walk into the boutique and walk out with your beloved steel sports watch” in the cards for the time being.
There’s another big consideration to factor into the above. Let’s not forget the recent news that Rolex launched its own Certified Pre-Owned program in the United States. While there’s no official word as to whether or not that will impact our market, it will likely ease at least a small percentage of the retail demand. There are collectors out there who are willing to spend a premium to get a watch immediately, but who have been holding out due to the risks regarding authenticity and condition when buying from a secondary market dealer. That in mind, that shiny new Rolex might be easier to pick up at the Royal de Versailles than you’d expect.
