Time+Tide’s Andrew McUtchen about the Soon-to-Open NYC Discovery Studio

He’s conquering the Huge Apple! That’s one thing I’m thrilled to announce, as our colleagues from Time+Tide are rising once more. Founder Andrew McUtchen and I’ve identified one another for a few years, and I’m grateful to name him a buddy. In 2014, he based what was again then a watch journal, “as a result of”, as he stated to Esquire, “there was a chance in Australia to be a preeminent watch web site”. The “residence of watch tradition”, as he named it, has grown considerably over time, first by opening a Watch Discovery Studio in Melbourne in 2023, adopted by a transfer to the UK in 2024 and the launch of a second studio. And now, he’s about to cross the Atlantic, as Time+Tide will launch a Discovery Studio in New York Metropolis this autumn. This was the proper alternative for me to talk with Andrew and study extra in regards to the current and spectacular progress of T+T.  

Frank Geelen, MONOCHROME – What led you to begin the primary Watch Discovery Studio in Melbourne?

Andrew McUtchen, Founding father of Time + Tide – Effectively, like many tales in life, it began with an eviction! We have been renting a former bike workshop in a suburb referred to as Cremorne, on the CBD fringe of Melbourne. It was a half-industrial area with a showroom on the entrance, a warehouse on the again, and it had a double-height vertical bi-fold door that we may open up onto the road. I had an enormous mural of Steve McQueen laminated on it. It’s that shot the place he’s peering grumpily over a cup of espresso, his Rolex Sub in full view. He turned an area icon. Individuals would get photos in entrance of him.

We arrange a sofa and front room space proper within the showroom, which was additionally our YouTube set, and we wrote tales on tables out again (Editor’s word: you possibly can see the outdated Melbourne workplace/studio within the two movies beneath). It was precisely like that Raymond Carver brief story referred to as Why Don’t You Dance, the place the person rearranges his front room on his entrance garden. Individuals strolling previous had no concept what we have been promoting or doing; it’s fairly humorous now that I mirror on it.

The entire operation in these days appealed to the Brooklyn hipster in me. There was a again half of the warehouse we used for desk tennis, storage, and the showroom half we’d clear up for large model occasions and membership get-togethers. It’s loopy to consider it now, however we did a brilliant high-end occasion with Jaeger-LeCoultre in that area. The model needed to colour-match the gaffer tape to the ground. They have been completely satisfied for it to have an ‘edgy’ vibe, however the gaffer tape needed to match. Good reminiscences; we catch ourselves laughing and excited about it!

We had sufficient area to dabble in retail after we weren’t pumping out tales or movies or taking part in desk tennis. We satisfied Doxa to present us a shot at distributing the model. However being on the perimeter of the CBD, with no actual foot site visitors and being in an space that was filled with architectural practices and automobile dealerships, it wasn’t actually working. Regardless of being the most important watch web site in Australia, we didn’t promote many watches at the moment. When the information got here that we have been getting kicked out, my CFO Luke Martin and I knew we needed to step it up. We additionally had the prospect of distributing Hamilton on the horizon. We have been too embarrassed to even inform them in regards to the motorcycle store after we have been pitching them. The time had undoubtedly come to degree all of it up.

We began looking for first-floor locations within the “Paris finish” of Collins Avenue within the coronary heart of Melbourne. We discovered an ideal place – a former journey agent on a primary ground, reverse the Omega and Montblanc boutiques. It’s a stupendous heritage constructing with avenue frontage and one other open aspect. Heaps of pure gentle, excessive ceilings, Melbourne trams going previous proper below the window – and but away from the hustle and bustle. It’s an ideal little sanctuary. It was our first Watch Discovery Studio, and it opened in August 2023.

How does it work, now that it’s been round for over two years?

Usually, if you look again, you say you’d do issues in another way in the event you may return in time. However we had the basics proper within the first Studio. By way of the area, the atmosphere needed to be a “third area”. It needed to really feel extra like a library, or a clubhouse, or a loft inside metropolis residence than a watch retailer. However it additionally needed to have clear transactional intent. Personally, I get a bit misplaced in the home or lounge retail ideas. I need to browse! I need to construct a tray of stuff I may purchase, even when I’m fairly positive what I’m after.

So, there are many watches to select from, and to find, however there are additionally a lot of window seats, sofa areas and dangle areas. It’s inviting you to relax. The service piece is simply as important, and on this entrance, we obtained fortunate. The primary individuals to use have been our hardest core hardcore followers. They have been hooked on watches and needed to speak about all of them day. We advised them they might try this, and that they didn’t must go the arduous promote on individuals. There are gross sales targets, however we’ve got an inside tradition that celebrates 5-star critiques as a lot as large gross sales. “Service over gross sales” is one thing you’ll hear usually again of home. This was the suitable transfer. Our retail crew can meet anybody on any degree of watch enthusiasm, make them really feel at residence, and allow them.

Then, you want the sweet. We launched with what I think about to be the Rolex, Cartier and Omega of microbrands with Baltic, Furlan Marri and Studio Underd0g – we did distinctive studio editions with all these manufacturers to make them draw even tougher, and we by no means cease scouting the subsequent wave.

These manufacturers made up the majority of our early gross sales, with Hamilton additionally being a mainstay in Australia. These are the elements that make the Watch Discovery Studio work, not forgetting crucial and apparent ingredient of all – the group. We now have at all times had a group vibe on Time+Tide, and after we opened our doorways, they didn’t allow us to down.

What did it’s a must to arrange, except for an editorial crew for Time+Tide?

We already had the editorial aspect locked down. We would have liked a studio supervisor, ground employees, an occasions supervisor and a normal supervisor. The GM was the important thing piece right here. We had already been in lengthy discussions with the previous GM of Tissot Australia, Scott Jungwirth. He was the man for the job, however he was urging us to dream greater and spend extra on the fit-out. We had a price range of, let’s say $150-$200k AUD. He was like, no method, $500k AUD minimal!

I can’t bear in mind the ultimate determine, but it surely was north of that. Scotty obtained his method. “You’re not going to get, or hold Hamilton in the event you don’t go large!” was one thing we obtained bored with listening to. However Luke and I knew he was proper. We had a ‘media workplace slash showroom’ idea in thoughts, however Scott shifted the weighting from 50/50 to extra like 90/10.

So we would have liked all that store infrastructure, and we would have liked a shopfitter who understood the client journey of watch patrons. We labored with a bloke who was an everyday Swatch Group shopfitter, Curtis Martlew. These early conferences may get fairly spicy. I used to be pushing Curtis to ship one thing that I thought of didn’t exist at the moment. Scott and Curtis have been extra used to delivering Tissot-style boutiques.

I used to be working again from the sensation I needed individuals to have. “I may dwell right here” is what I needed the primary feeling to be. Adopted by, “Have a look at all these watches, I’ve by no means seen that one within the steel”. However I’d by no means carried out a fit-out earlier than both. It was a kind of bottlenecks in a enterprise’s life that was painful, however essential. I used to be obsessed and going barely mad with this imaginative and prescient, and I wouldn’t compromise. There’s {a photograph} from our current journey to New York that sums up the way it turned out. Curtis, CFO Luke and Scott, and I have been beaming on the prospect of one other problem. 4 proud fathers. We obtained it carried out twice; we’ll do it once more.

And then you definitely moved to London, how was that? And the way did you get the concept to maneuver to London?

That is the place we had an actual break up within the govt crew. One among us was pleased with the place we have been. We had a product/market match. Melbourne was working. However two of us had our sights set on testing the idea on a much bigger stage. Melbourne and Australia are, in any case, small however mighty markets. I’d been asking pals about London. Did it have an alternate retailer like us? Did it have many different digital titles on the media entrance? So many questions. The reply was to go over and test it out for an prolonged interval. My spouse and I packed up the youngsters on Australia Day (probably the most lovely time of 12 months in Melbourne, and when all of the occasions are cranking, not a straightforward time to depart!) and commenced a three-month trial interval to reply as many questions as attainable.

The aha second got here on British Watchmakers Day 2024. Richard Benc from Studio Underd0g and I had teased the pizza collab we did actually arduous, and have been able to launch on the day itself. Once I arrived – late, I’m unhappy to say – the queue was uncontrolled, and the individuals have been probably the most excited I’d ever seen at a watch occasion. It was BRILLIANT. I texted my exec crew and stated, we gotta get right here!

We gotta go. From there, we put the foot on the gasoline, discovered an unbelievable area in Oxford Circus that match the vibe of the Australian studio – a protracted nook quarter ground in a heritage constructing with an awesome structure, a lot of gentle. And off we went. Watch Discovery Studio quantity two!

Do London and Melbourne differ?

They do, however the total environment is identical. I like how Aesop shops are all completely different however really feel the identical. The color scheme, bookshelves, structure and floating island benches are the identical, however in London we even have the ‘White Room’, an area for standalone exhibitions that may change daily. New York can have a singular area, too. One of many core studio ideas that you will note in Melbourne, London and New York is adaptability. We design all our areas to have cell parts, and display shows and changeable header plates in order that in 5 minutes you possibly can rework the area to be a mono-brand boutique, a nightclub, an aquarium, no matter environment is required.

How has the response been to London within the first six months?

I’m an incurable optimist, which is a legal responsibility I’ve needed to handle with an especially pragmatic CFO! However the response to the London studio has been past even our most constructive projections. Completely humbling to be trustworthy. Esquire Journal even referred to as it ‘The Finest New Watch Store in Britain‘. We had gross sales targets that we needed to regulate up. We’ve had high-end manufacturers like Piaget carry thousands and thousands of {dollars} value of jewelry and classic items to occasions. Later this month, we are going to globally launch a brand new watch with a Swatch Group model. We’ve had the native commerce physique – the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers – get proper behind us, and co-host an annual occasion celebrating native manufacturers, referred to as ‘The Weekender’. The critiques have been so beneficiant and constructive.

Does anyone occasion or second stand out from the primary six months of the London Studio’s life?

There was one single second that was the highest of the mountain for me, personally. It was the after-party of British Watchmakers Day 2025. Richard Benc, founding father of Studio Underd0g and Nicholas Bowman Scargill, founding father of Fears, had arrange a ‘Gimlet Bar’ to serve probably the most scrumptious, lethal cocktails. The room was darkish, the music was loud, the ground was sticky with spilt vodka from the martini glasses. All of the British manufacturers have been letting their hair down after an enormous day, and Mitch from my crew came visiting to me and stated, “Roger needs to say a couple of phrases”. We fired up the PA, and none apart from Roger Smith took the mic. He invited Mike France from Christopher Ward up, and the 2 delivered a Churchillian-style speech in regards to the re-emerging greatness of British watchmaking, the momentum that’s beginning to construct, the longer term that beckons. And he talked about us. The function we’re taking part in in giving the native business a hub. A city sq.. I stood beside them each with this large, dumb smile on my face. THIS is what I’d dreamed of.

And now, New York Metropolis! Inform us extra!

Oh man, the area is so unbelievable. It’s absolutely the Soho dream! 16ft ceilings, uncovered brick partitions, a mezzanine, and a hearth escape on the road frontage. Direct raise entry. It seems like a film set. You then stroll out onto Broome Avenue, and you may get to Journe in a minute. Watches of Switzerland in below a minute, and Materials Good in perhaps three minutes in the event you hustle. It’s the last word first-floor watch lovers’ sanctuary in amongst the motion, but additionally elevated simply above it.

By way of what to anticipate from the area, we’re working with Curtis once more, our shopfitter, and I plan to drive him loopy as soon as once more in new and thrilling methods. I’m seeing a restaurant space with an precise espresso machine. I’m seeing our black bookcases stretching to the ceiling. I’m engaged on an concept for the mezzanine that may carry a brand new layer to what we do. We will’t wait to get began.

In the case of the manufacturers we’ll supply, you possibly can rely on our core manufacturers coming with us – confirmed for the area are Fears, Norqain, Farer, Baltic, Serica, Furlan Marri, Studio Underd0g and Christopher Ward. In the identical method that London has a British focus, it’s our intention to supply a robust cohort of American unbiased manufacturers for the New York boutique. I’d have an interest to listen to out of your readers who they suppose we should always have a look at stocking from an American model perspective? Be happy to remark beneath, I’ll be studying the feedback with nice curiosity!

What about individuals on the bottom in New York? What roles are you hiring for, and the way can they get in contact?

We’re in search of a Normal Supervisor, a Studio Supervisor, an Assistant Studio Supervisor and ground employees. The important thing requirement for us is just being a part of what we think about a magical, community-based world of watch tradition. Anybody who loves watches and loves connecting with others by way of their love of watches is a possible celebrity in our studio – we’ve taken fanatics on with little to no gross sales expertise, and so they’ve completely thrived. We’ve additionally been in a position to pivot individuals from conventional model and boutique supervisor roles within the watch business. Anybody can attain out to me personally at [email protected].