I love watches so when I was given the opportunity to get a preview of the new Behbehani Luxury store I was very interested, not because I was going to get to see the store but because I knew there would be a ton of watches I would get to play with and try on. It’s always a very strange and exciting feeling holding a watch that costs as much as my house.
The Behbehani Luxury store is located in the Hamra Tower Luxury Center opposite Hermes. The interior actually looks pretty good and very tastefully done. From what I understood the store was actually designed and built overseas in Europe then dismantled, shipped and rebuilt again here in Kuwait. Everything is imported from the lights to the walls. The way the shop is structured reminded me of Harrods watch court because once you walk into the shop there is a space in the middle with some displays and then small boutiques for various brands all around. Some of the brands they carry in their new store are Blancpain, Breguet, Cartier, Hublot, Omega and Roger Dubuis among others. My favorite brand from the bunch is easily Hublot not only because their watches are sportier then the rest but because their CEO Jean-Claude Biver actually contributes and participates in the Time Zone forums (his nickname is jcbiver). He’s a very cool down to earth guy.
So anyway about the watches, I got to play with a whole bunch and I took some pictures of some of my favorites. They had four limited edition Formula 1 Hublot’s I got to check out as well as the new Maradona edition. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this before but Maradona wears two Hublot’s at the same time one on each hand (picture).
The Hublot’s looked great but at 48mm they’re just ridiculously big on my skinny wrists. I also got to check out a Breguet Tourbillon and a Blancpain with a flying sapphire carrousel (super tiny movement floating in the middle of the watch on transparent glass. Both are definitely too classic for my taste (and cost as much as my house) but it’s hard not to appreciate the engineering.
If you’re interested, the Hamra Tower Luxury Center as well as the Behbehani Luxury store open starting from today. For those of you who are into watches I’ve got something very cool coming up next week (at least I think it’s very cool) so stay tuned.
35 replies on “Behbehani Luxury”
Discount?
If yes please let me know i am planning to buy a watch during the weekend 🙂
I think discount depends on the brand. Some brands can no longer give heavy discounts because the prices have been connected to the global system but I’d always try to haggle in any case.
I too am on the lookout for a watch this week…debating between an entry level Rolex or Omega…Do these places offer discounts??
I believe they both do. Rolex is cheaper in Bahrain FYI so you could consider flying out in the morning, buying the watch and flying back same day. Here’s their number +973 39662281, ask for Ragu. If you know what you want you could call and compare.
with a price of an entry level Rolex u would get a high end Omega , not a very fair comparison u can compare Omega prices to Tag Heuer and some Breitling, Rolex prices to be compared by IWC
Exactly the same top end brands they already have in their other stores.No entry for watches less than KD 1,000 into this outlet
The thing to watch for is not just a discount, but the differential international pricing several manufacturers have for different countries. Many have a standard global rack price while others mark up 20% to 30% for markets such as the GCC. Swiss pricing is typically based on how much customers would be willing to pay ! … rather than a cost + margin approach. Its branding and decoration which allows watches to be desired at even >100 times their manufacturing cost. A typical Ronda swiss quartz movement ( engine of the watch ) costs just $15 and an ETA swiss automatic chrono movement just $150. Amazing industry with unparalleled profit margins…. and billions of wrists to serve !
I’m not a fan of watches with ETA or valjoux movements even if they’re modified and I say this as I am wearing a watch which actually has a modified ETA movement. BUT, the thing is these movements are perfect to get people into watches. They’re more affordable then in-house movements and a good way to pull in the newbies. It’s also kinda in the same way how you wouldn’t buy a veyron as your first car right away.
Price wise when it comes to AP, Panerai, Hublot and JLC I’ve found the prices in Kuwait to be more affordable than the prices in Dubai, London, Beirut and NY. Recently though it’s been harder to get a discount because some brands like you mentioned are now connected globally price wise.
same goes for IWC prices in Kuwait are much better than Egypt , Dubai and qatar
Yep. In-house movements from real watchmakers like Vacheron , Breguet, Hublot, Breitling.. are worthy of great admiration . Many others are just marketing HOOLA.
Most ETA/Ronda engines ,are super reliable and used by many top brands including Breitling.
Some are also awesomely reworked and decorated….
https://twitter.com/#!/arabianranches/status/197296628254773248/photo/1
A modified 7750 in a Dubey Tonneau for example at $8K List, blows the socks of many ‘in-house’ movements of lesser brands.
LOL I was actually just checking on a movement earlier today and it turned out to be based on the Valjoux 7750 but heavily modified by La Joux Perret.
“@arabianranches’s account is protected.”
Sorry about that – fixed a few seconds later
-unprotected !
do breitling use inhouse movments? as far as i know that they are using ETA too
They have one in house movement,
Breitling Caliber B01
and here’s a picture https://www.watchtime.com/mdisher/basel09/breitling/Chronomat_Caliber_B01_Full_Lg.jpg
AR – very well said! But there is a price for craftsmanship and precision, these aren’t the run of the mill GMT watches but your very right about the different pricing for different regions!
The store looks very nice, well worth checking out!
Hey don’t poke fun out of GMT watches. I have one, not all GMT’s are equal! https://www.thepurists.net/Patrons/Members/wsw/jlc_at/jlc975finweb.htm
Seriously expensive – the JLC’s… but classic timeless designs across most of their lines. They just look exceedingly nice in Gold.. which always blows the budget…
I like those race lights on the F1 Hublot. Is that a day indicator?
I believe it’s a power reserve
Thats the Abu Dhabi edition btw. They also had the India, Suzuka and Interlagos versions.
All the swiss horologers are milking the “Limited Edition” release creation like the udders of their swiss cows.
Hublot is a champ at this with some limited edition Big Bangs in releases of 2,000.
Seems – printing ” limited edition” and putting an average unproven “in-house” movement are the new ways to suck in margins. The traditional route would need many udders … or rather.. un-numbered watches.
The very definition of luxury is rarity and scarcity.
kings of the ‘limited edition’ game are AP bar none, there must be more variants of their ROO than there will ever be porsche 911 variants lol.
watches are a tricky thing to get into because you can never stop the more you learn, and the older you grow the finer your taste will become and thus attention to detail and finding excuses for purposes of a watch.
is it worth it? yes definitely is for me, especially if you know what you’re doing and when you’re doing it, it’s almost as good as cash on your wrist if you’re in the right circles. not that i would ever encourage anyone to buy a watch to resell later, but i guess the point is clear.
regarding the boutique, i will be sure to pass by thanks for the heads up Mark!
i will end however by saying that marketing has everything to do with the swiss watch industry yet not entirely in kuwait, as it is more of a market dictated by image rather than history or knowledge. while i realize cartier have now moved into the manufacture status, i still think it’s crazy to pay as much as they demand at their boutiques for what is ultimately a fashion watch and or jewellery; not a timepiece
Well said ! Biver of Hublot is also taunted to be a cloner of the AP- Royal Oak in the Big Bang. Thankfully he did not go as berserk with the celebrity icon branding as he did while at Omega. Only brands like JLC,Vacheron, Patek, Baume et Mercier have remained true to their traditions puting the “quality and workmanship” way ahead of the image of celebrities projected to be endorsing and wearing it. Real collectors dont need a James Bond or Maradona to appreciate a great watch. With excessive endorsements and co-branding there is also a price to be paid on the brands image in the minds of real collectors. The finds are with the lesser know manufacurers who hand make make small quantities each year.
I don’t like the way Hublot and AP release all these limited edition watches but it’s hard not to like the new Sebastien Buemi AP for example https://youngnfly.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/20111211-141213.jpg or the older Grand Prix edition https://www.thetimetv.com/_upload/_actu/actu_2510.jpg
Sucks that even JLC ended up teaming with Aston Martin, it’s not as bad as what Hublot and AP are doing but still. I fell in love with the AMVOX5 until I noticed the aston martin logo rotates just over the JLC logo on the front face https://www.connectingwatches.com/news_related/AMVOX5-World-Chronograph-1.jpg (kinda hidden in this shot but you can see the aston martin wing peeking. Actually it’s hidden in all the official shots kinda like they’re embarrassed about it).
2 great articles to read before you walk into the next watch store !
https://digistealth.com/Public/watches/WT_2008_03_156.pdf
https://www.timezone.com/library/wbore/wbore0007
You might like this, super expensive watches on hot chicks https://sharpformen.com/style/the-sexiest-timepieces-ever-with-some-gorgeous-models/#
Guys, I’m selling my vintage Casio from 1997. Its a classic but a little beat up.
KD 2.750 last price, first come first serve.
You want overpriced? Here is a Casio selling for $4,000
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Casio-G-SHOCK-MR-G-MRG-8100B-1AJF-/170833808178?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item27c67d0b32
The Frogman is like over KD200 as well and it’s basically just a G-Shock.
And here’s my favorite digital watch https://248am.com/mark/personal/timex-skiathlom/
Had one back in the 90s and purchased off ebay again for like KD10.
Dear Mark,
My name is Bedros Bedirian,iam an Architect, director and owner of:
“BEDIRIAN INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE” operating in Kuwait.
We are very pleased to know that you liked the Boutique and appreciated its refined design concept, but unfortunately you have been misinformed,the design of the Boutique is our own concept born in Kuwait and not all but almost 50% of the furniture is built in Italy andthe rest built here in Kuwait.
Morad Y. Behbehani Co. is one of our Esteemed and loyal client; we have designed and built various boutiques in Kuwait as the one again for watches recently opened in Avenues phase-2 next to Hagen Daz coffee.
Thank to clarify this to the readers following your blog.
Have a nice day,
Bedros
Ah I was told otherwise, that it was designed abroad and everything was imported.
AR, you’re absolutely right and while i respect Mark’s admiration for Hublot BBs i just cannot take them seriously at their prices, esp being an AP guy myself, given the design similarities as well as the variations in looks/materials to try and appeal to the different markets out there. that said, sorry Mark but it was kinda personal when you referred to my watch as “the older GP” haha 🙂 the Sebastien is a great looking watch with that yellow inner ring and red accents, the case vs ceramic bezel is also appealing; BUT it is not the newer GP of any sort. the Grand Prix was a limited edition as i’m sure you know of 3 variants but what it really was was a step into the 44mm size with the new cases and straps. the new SS white/RG/FC Black ROOs are all 44 with the wider rubber straps (and no longer w/ dep clasps).
imho, Seb didn’t do anything like Rubens to deserve a watch of his own lol like the RB and RBII (especially) and the RBIII. but i get why they named it after him with the hip colours and sporty materials on the watch.
i’m excited for AP’s collaboration with Schumacher to see what they come up with for him though 🙂
+1 on the JLC and AM thing, some great watches there with super designs and practicality; but really if you’re not an AM driver then it’s kind of a douchey move – wait, or is it the other way round haha? 🙂 just like Panerai & Ferrari, some watches were just too cheesy. btw i read somewhere that Hublot & Ferrari have now warmed up to each other, so expect more of this nonesense
JLC’s Master line, or IWC’s Portuguese (Yacht Club) line.. i can only imagine how they would sell like hot cakes if they were marketed like some rollies or APs 🙂
lol I meant older as in timeline not wearers age I also didn’t mean to imply that the Sebastien AP was a followup to the GP, we were just discussing limited edition watches and brand partnerships and i was using both these watches as good examples. The GP (carbon forged version) is currently the watch I really WANT. BTW I was actually discussing with a friend the other day about how come Sebastien has a watch but i figured its because he’s a swiss native so he’s like their hero over there? I used to be obsessed with the Montoya edition and I think I posted about it here on the blog back in 2005!
Schumi i used to dislike a lot but now that he’s an underdog i’ve started to like him.
Panerai & Ferrari was horrible but at least the Panerai logo wasn’t on it.