Bucherer fetes latest collection inspired by Manhattan

Selling fine jewelry and luxury watches is a serious business. But Bucherer, the fine jewelry sister brand to Tourneau as of 2018, decided to incite clients to its latest offering, the Manhattan collection, with a Jazz Age-themed fete at New York’s swanky Aman Jazz Club on Thursday nights.

FashionNetwork.com caught up with Tourneau CMO and CDO Carina Ertl on the brand’s growing presence in the U.S. market and why client experience is a crucial focus for Bucherer.

The event featured live jazz music by Fleur Seule, a charming duo of flapper-style dancers bedecked in feathers, artist Cindi Rose making custom silhouette images for guests in a New York minute, a traveling tableside magician and custom cocktails and light bites for the mainly top client guests and key Bucherer employees in attendance. Donning the dress code of Speakeasy Chic, they perused the jewelry on display in vitrines flanking the Art Deco-style banquet-filled nightclub.

According to Ertl, the spectacle was about further developing the client relationship.

“The Manhattan collection takes you on a journey to the city that never sleeps, so we wanted to fully immerse the Bucherer customer into that universe. Each event we host ties into the bigger picture, and overall, Bucherer’s experience focused on clienteling to the highest degree of excellence,” she noted.

The jeweler has its salon on the top floor of the TimeMachine Tourneau flagship, whose store surpasses the typical retail experience with a coffee bar, whiskey and wine bar, art displays, reading rooms, a private dinner salon, and even free ice cream on occasion.

While Thursday night’s event was for a select few, the concept will spill over to the store.

“This event is coupled with an in-store activation, further amplifying the collection. We brought the glamour and excitement of the ‘Manhattan Nights’ theme to our flagship boutique, transforming our third-floor jewelry space into an experience featuring a champagne tower, photo booth, and speakeasy-themed hospitality. We’re hosting one-to-one appointments with clients for two days to allow them to view the stunning collection in a more private setting,” she added.

The collection is a special one for Bucherer as it homes in on the growing American presence of the Swiss brand. After acquiring the gemstones at the well-attended gem show in Tucson, Arizona, the design team stopped in New York before heading back to Switzerland.

“A multitude of impressions later, the first design sketches were made during the flight back to Switzerland. Manhattan inspired this unique high jewelry collection with its clear architectural lines and glittering skyline. Especially fascinating are the expressive design and the unusual shapes and colors,” Ertl noted.

The Manhattan collection—which includes three sets of necklaces, rings, and earrings in several combinations of mandarin garnets, indigolites, and tourmalines flanked by high-carat diamond pave and 18K gold—is an exclusive one-of-a-kind collection designed to highlight the possibility of Bucherer creations.

“Although Bucherer is a Swiss company, we’re continuing to grow our presence in the U.S. With our flagship in the heart of New York and our North American customers growing more and more enthusiastic for our fine jewelry, a collection that pays tribute to the incredible city of New York is as timely as ever,” Ertl added.

In a surprise move in late 2023, Tourneau Bucherer’s leadership, led by the late billionaire third-generation scion Jörg G. Bucherer, agreed to sell the company to Rolex. According to Ertl in a 2022 interview, the two brands have had an intertwined history since it was founded by Carl Friedrich-Bucherer in 1888. His two sons, Ernst and Carl Eduard, furthered the brand with Ernst forging an early partnership with Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, and his brother, a goldsmith, who developed the jewelry business.