Yesterday (Thursday 13th June), luxury family jeweller, Laings, officially opened the doors to its brand new, multi-floor flagship store on Buchanan Street in Glasgow.
The iconic B-listed building, Rowan House, has undergone a full transformation following a £5 million investment by Laings. The fully furnished showroom, which covers more than 7,000 sq ft across two floors of retail space, brings an elevated luxury retail experience to the city.
On entering the stunning new showroom, clients will become immersed into the world of Laings. The ground floor is dedicated to luxury watch brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe and TAG Heuer, along with Laings’ pre-owned range.
The ground floor will feature a photographic timeline reflecting each of the six generations of Laings who have successfully built, expanded and evolved the business across the UK, since it was established in 1840.
The elegant new Rolex presence includes new spaces for clients to view the latest collections in a relaxed environment. The ground floor features a distinctive piece of stucco wall art, showcasing an abstract interpretation of a Rolex Oyster case. The first floor is home to a Rolex library and lounge where the brand’s heritage can be explored, along with a Rolex VIP room for those special and private moments.
Every element of the interior design includes careful calibration of colours and patterns in the fittings andfurnishings, which include walnut counters and panelling, brass frames and leather stools and chairs.
The first floor is devoted to Laings’ own extensive jewellery offering, with an area showcasing the bespoke Family Collection, inspired by – and dedicated to – the women of the Laing family. Along with the Hero of Bespoke collection, a dedicated services area and private client consultation rooms.
An intimate space, created for exclusive events, product showcases and private client meetings, further elevates the luxury experience of the first floor. The space, created in collaboration with a local interior designer, features wallpaper from Glasgow’s infamous Timorous Beasties and is complete with dark wood parquet flooring, a large dining table, sideboard and bar.
With the top four floors home to Laings HQ, the building includes the newly opened Laings Service Centre, accommodating 20 skilled watchmakers, technicians, polishers, and quality control technicians. The skilled team at the Laings Service Centre is also authorised to service Patek Philippe, TAG Heuer, Longines, and OMEGA timepieces.
In addition, there is a Rolex Authorised Service Centre, which provides clients from across the UK with a modern, purpose-built destination for all their timepiece servicing requirements.
Laings has focused the extensive programme of works on restoring the building to its former glory, retaining original features such as the full-height feature window and marble façade, which sit alongside modern additions. The building has been stunningly designed throughout, with the Laings areas developed by the jewellers’ own in-house team and the store fit-out delivered by shopfitters, Esprit UK.
As the family-owned jeweller bids farewell to its home of over 50 years in Argyll Arcade, all staff have experienced a smooth transition to their new location. A further four roles have been created through the move, bringing the total showroom staff to 30.
Joe Walsh, CEO of Laings, said: “The opening represents a momentous occasion for Laings – as a family as well as a business. We are beyond proud to open our new flagship store in the heart of the city where our journey began. This opening marks the next significant step in that journey, as we ensure top quality service and client experiences are delivered throughout all our UK locations.
We are determined to play our part in revitalising the high street through our continued commitment to offering exceptional quality and choice, as well as protecting and enhancing the skills, craftsmanship and expertise that comes with working in our extraordinary industry. We look forward to welcoming existing and new clients through our doors.”
To celebrate the opening, an exquisite floral display inspired by Laings Summer Campaign has been created and installed on the façade of the building by Scottish premier florist, Wild Flower. Bringing a bold and bright boost to Glasgow’s style mile, visitors passing the new store over the opening weekend will also be gifted with Laings bouquets from a fully branded flower cart at the front of the store.
