“Do I hear 36 thousand? 36? Anyone? 35 thousand going once…going twice..SOLD!”
“The Boutique,” the limited-edition Ulysse Nardin timepiece, was the first of its kind to be sold last night at the auction during the grand opening of the Ulysse Nardin boutique at Town Center mall in Boca Raton. The opening marked a major milestone for the 150-year-old brand, as it is the first ever Ulysse Nardin boutique to open in the United States.
More than 400 guests attended the VIP event, including the Mayor of Boca Raton Susan Whelchel and future baseball Hall-of-Famer Randy Johnson. The event was held in a roped off area in the center of the mall just outside the boutique. Chic women in heels and handsome men in suits sipped Moët & Chandon Champagne, sampled appetizers from Capital Grille and admired the cases upon cases of luxurious Ulysse Nardin timepieces.
Owner and President of Ulysse Nardin Rolf Schnyder welcomed his guests to the opening and announced how delighted he was to have the brand’s first U.S. store in Boca Raton. He then introduced the anticipated unveiling of “The Boutique” as guests swarmed around the glass case to catch a glimpse of the technological masterpiece. The auctioneer took the stage and proclaimed, “You’re not just bidding on a watch. You’re bidding on the watch.”
And so the bidding wars began; starting fast, as auctions tend to do, and eventually slowing down. Five minutes and $35,000 later the divine timepiece was sold. The highest bidder was escorted to the front where he shook hands with Schnyder and Bobby Yampolsky, the new boutique’s proud owner and manager.
Before leaving, I popped inside the beautiful new boutique, which elegantly displays approximately 80 hand-crafted Ulysse Nardin timepieces. I witnessed the winner proudly signing over his check for $35,000 to Yampolsky. A hefty price for a watch that retails at $12,900, but for a good cause. The money will be donated to the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation.
The limited-edition Boutique Watch will be available only at the new Ulysse Nardin boutique, located at the Town Center mall in Boca Raton, next to Neiman Marcus.
To view more photos from this event, visit Haute Living’s Events Gallery.
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