Girard-Perregaux opens first New York store

Girard-Perregaux, the Swiss watchmaker opens its first American store on New York. the centerpiece of the first American retail store for Girard-Perregaux, the Swiss watchmaking firm that dates back to 1791, is a workshop used by a skilled watchmaker, Yuriy Vasekevich, who sits in a slightly elevated enclosed glass space.
But Mr. Vaskevich isn’t a performance artist; he’s actually there to answer customers’ questions about the watches on sale. His artistlike presence does feel appropriate, however: the store (above) is practically a museum, hushed and reverential, displaying the wares of the luxury brand with prices from $10,000 to $500,000. The boutique is a compact 900 square feet with 16-foot ceilings, and a combination of surfaces including wood, metal, glass, leather and stone. There are two limited-edition timepieces that are exclusive to the New York boutique. The woman’s watch — named Shopping Madison — is bejeweled and white, and it sells for $20,600; 701 Madison Avenue (at 63rd Street), (646) 495-9915.