Welcome back to an aBlogtoWatch original series, where we discuss important stores that sell watches all over the world. Each store we profile has an interesting story to tell about where they operate and who they sell to. Whether you buy watches from brick and mortar retailers or prefer to buy watches online, these are the stores that help shape our watch culture around the globe. There is a long list of stores to cover, but if there is a retail location in your favorite city that we simply can’t miss, let us know in the comments below.
Where to buy watches in Los Angeles, California?
We return to the vibrant city of Los Angeles, where Westime has been providing customers with great timepieces since 1987. From their flagship store on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, to boutiques in Beverly Hills, Malibu and down to La Jolla in the San Diego area, Westime has Southern California well covered. Westime was founded by John Simonian and is now run by his son Greg who represents the 4th generation of his family to be in the watch industry. A native of Los Angeles, Greg spent much of his childhood in his family’s watch and jewelry stores, and from age 11 on, he accompanied his parents on frequent trips to Switzerland to visit watchmakers. When he was 12 years old, he sold his first watch: a Movado for $800. Before he joined Westime, Greg held sales and production positions at the Swiss headquarters of Longines and Blancpain. In 2010, he was named President of Westime.
Greg Simonian, Aldo Magada (Zenith CEO), Russell Westbrook and John Simonian.
Westime: A wide range! Oversize luxury sports watches are very popular, as well as more conservative, traditional styles. And of course, we attract collectors who are looking for really unusual timepieces they haven’t seen anywhere else before, and even from watchmakers they haven’t heard of yet.
Westime Sunset Blvd
ABTW: What makes Los Angeles a unique place to buy watches?
Westime: In a city that borders the ocean, the mountains, and is an arts, business, and entertainment capital, people live rich lives indoors and out. We offer watches to suit every aspect of their lives – from rugged dive watches, to sophisticated timepieces appropriate for the boardroom, to haute horlogerie that looks perfect on the red carpet.
Westime Beverly Hills
ABTW: What would you tell watch lovers in other cities that watch lovers in Los Angeles are like?
Westime: They are enthusiastic, passionate, and eager to discover new creations.
Westime La Jolla
ABTW: Do you serve mostly locals or tourists, or is it a good mix? Also, what percentage of your customers would you call “knowledgeable watch collectors?”
Westime: It is a good mix and varies by location. Westime Beverly Hills, on Rodeo Drive, attracts travelers from around the world, and it is within walking distance of the five best hotels in the city. Our flagship boutique, on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, draws local customers who live in the Hills or other parts of the West Side, as well as stylish tourists who are checking out the Sunset Plaza neighborhood. Westime Malibu and Westime La Jolla are in beach towns that attract locals year-round and part-time residents and tourists in the summer.
Westime Malibu
ABTW: What is Los Angeles best known for?
Westime: Being the movie and television capital of the world.
ABTW: What do visitors have to do, see, or eat while there?
Westime: I’d recommend they catch a glimpse of the Hollywood Sign; see a Pacific Ocean sunset; shop on Rodeo Drive; act blasé when noticing a celebrity at the next table; spend a few hours at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art or The Getty Museum; order a cobb salad; hike a canyon; rent a convertible.
Westime Malibu
ABTW: As a business, do you sponsor or participate in any local events watch-related or otherwise?
Westime: Throughout the year, Westime hosts and sponsors events that are of interest to watch aficionados, or the local community in general. These include the annual Westime Charity Night at the home of Arnold Schwarzenegger to raise money for the After-School All-Stars charity; participation in the Festival of Watches on Rodeo Drive; annual sponsorship of the We Run the City rivalry run supporting Special Olympics; and such watch brand events as celebrations for the launch of a new watch model, a new shop-in-shop, arrival of a celebrity brand ambassador, and seminars conducted by watchmakers.
ABTW: What are some of the watch brands you are known for carrying?
Westime:
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ABTW: If you could pick a watch brand or model that epitomizes the culture or style of Los Angeles what would it be?
Westime: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. westime.com
