Ulysse Nardin Opens Design District Boutique with Mike Piazza

Recent inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Mike Piazza, was the guest of honor at the opening of the Ulysse Nardin boutique in the Miami Design District and the posh dinner that followed. Guests included Ulysse Nardin Global CEO, Patrik Hoffmann,  Ulysse Nardin’s North American CEO Hartmut Kraft, Cliff and Mary Floyd, Southern Wine & Spirits’ Lee Schrager and Haute Living CEO Kamal Hotchandani. 

Haute Living hosted the event, which started out with a ribbon cutting ceremony presided over by Patrik Hoffmann, Mike Piazza and ECJ Luxe’s Bobby Yampolsky. After opening its American first “mono brand” boutique in New York in 2013, the new Design District location marks its third, and 18th globally.

The nautically-themed shop is centrally located in the posh new Palm Court, is 1,000 square feet and features the entire scope of the Swiss watchmaker’s collection, from its signature Marine Chronometers to the hard to find FreakLab. Yampolsky wore one to the event—it was the Ulysse Nardin Freak LaBoutique, number 88 out of 99.

To commemorate the event, and his recent Hall of Fame success, Piazza was given a Ulysse Nardin Midnight Express watch, one of a limited edition of only 100. During the event, two different collectors went home with the brand new Royal Python Skeleton Tourbillon watch, a very rare timepiece of which there were only 18 made.

Hoffmann explained UN’s interest in the Magic City. “Miami immediately came to mind as the ideal location for our next Ulysse Nardin Boutique. The Design District is renowned internationally as a go-to destination for luxury shopping and creativity. We are excited to be a part of it and look forward to bringing our rich history of craftsmanship and heritage to Miami.”

A private dinner followed for 50 top watch collectors at the Related Group’s luxurious waterfront sales center for Gran Paraiso in Edgewater. The balmy evening provided the perfect atmosphere for the deck-turned-waterfront boutique, with Ulysse Nardin’s iconic anchor logo brightly floating in the Biscayne Bay.

Collector’s Champagne flutes were kept full with Perrier-Jouët and dinner was three delicious courses by Executive Chef Martin Rodrigue. Dishes included scallops crusted with fennel pollen, roasted chervil sea bass, shaved white asparagus and pistachio gelato.

Go inside the party with Haute Living and Ulysse Nardin:

Photos by Manny Hernandez