A high end Northern Ireland watchmaker has helped restore faith in the high street with the opening if its first retail space in south Belfast.
Enoksen Watches, which has been operating online for the last three years, has invested £75,000 in a showroom and workshop at Aisling House in Stranmillis.
It will allow customers to view their entire range and also configure their own watch.
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Enoksen was founded in Belfast by watchmaker Hans Enoksen in 2018 after leaving his senior role in the IT sector.
Originally from Denmark, Mr Enoksen followed his dream to become a watchmaker and now sells his own range to 60 countries around the world.
He said there is still a place for high street retail.
“Despite the general trend to increased internet shopping we strongly believe there is much scope for a fuller retail experience,” said Mr Enoksen. “The showroom is not just about selling watches. It’s also a space we intend to use for fun, cultural events, art exhibitions, concerts and audiences with people from the sports, business and arts worlds. As retailers, we have to enhance the shopping experience by offering related events which simply cannot be hosted online.”
The high-end timepieces range from £185 to £500 and are made from a selection of Seiko movements, as well as sapphire crystals.
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“These are watches which reflect an era of precision mechanics and classic designs,” Mr Enoksen said. “We have reinterpreted these designs and retained the old school quality expected from high-end automatic watches.
“But the difference is that while the Enoksen watch range manages to achieve the highest levels of quality, we are able to sell them at surprisingly reasonable prices.”
Enoksen also offers a calibration service and has its own horologist to ensure each watch is accurate as possible.
And while the assembly of Enoksen watches is currently carried out elsewhere, it’s hoped that it will be moved closer to home in the near future.
“My ultimate aim is that the final assembly will soon be transferred to Belfast.
Earlier this month Enoksen was the official timekeeper at the Stockholm Open tennis tournament where some of the world’s top tennis players, including Andy Murray, played.