WatchPro

WatchPro editor-at-large Rob Corder. Despite its portfolio housing several historic jewellery retail marques: Goldsmiths, Mappin & Webb in the UK, plus Mayors and Betteridge in the United States, Watches of Switzerland Group, as its name suggests, is still heavily weighted towards prestige timepieces. Its 2026 financial report reveals luxury watches generate 82% of turnover, with jewellery contributing 13%.

Retailers are facing mounting pressure from the UK’s tax and business rates regime, with new analysis from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) warning that the cost burden is restricting investment, putting jobs at risk and adding to the pressures facing high street businesses. The research, carried out by economic consultancy Flint Global, found that retailers paid £39.1 billion in business taxes during 2025/26, equivalent to an effective tax rate of 71.5% of pre-tax profits.

The Watches of Switzerland Group has opened a new dual-branded showroom in Marlton, New Jersey, bringing its Watches of Switzerland and Mayors Jewelers brands together under one roof for the first time. The 4,505-square-foot store at The Promenade at Sagemore also marks the first Mayors Jewelers location outside Florida and Georgia, as the century-old jewellery retailer expands into a new region of the US.

Phillips has opened bidding on what it says is the highest-value online watch auction ever organised by its New York Watches team, with nearly 90 lots available until October 9. The appetite for auction doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, and Phillips next sale, The New York Sessions, Fall 2026, follows record-setting spring results for the house across Geneva, Hong Kong and New York. As ever, expect an impressive curation of independent makers and established Swiss marques.

London Watch Week is returning to the City of London on 18 November with a new one-day event that is set to bring watch and luxury brands together at the Royal Exchange. Created in partnership with City AM, LWW – The City Edition will offer visitors the chance to discover a curated selection of brands and meet the people behind them, from watchmakers and designers to luxury specialists.

G-Shock enters a new territory with the Blue Rose Project, an eight-year engineering and design undertaking culminating in three watches that combine the brand’s signature toughness with blue sapphire and gemstones. At the centre of the collection is the MRG-D5000, which Casio describes as its most expensive production G-Shock to date. Limited to just 20 individually numbered pieces worldwide, the watch is priced at £67,000.

Antiquorum is returning to the US auction market with a major New York sale on October 18, featuring eight F.P. Journe watches alongside rare timepieces from some of the biggest names in watchmaking. The Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces auction will take place at The Ned NoMad New York, following recent Antiquorum sales in Geneva, Hong Kong, Monaco and Milan. The auction house says the sale marks a renewed commitment to the US market, supported by its Miami Beach office.

The countdown to the WatchPro UK Awards, in association with headline sponsor UK Protection, is officially under way. Following an extensive nomination process, the WatchPro editorial team has selected the finalists across 26 categories, celebrating the retailers, brands, products and industry partners setting the benchmark across the UK watch market.

FutureGrail is offering a 1943 Patek Philippe 1579J once owned by Bugs Bunny voice actor, Mel Blanc, at its October sale. Mr Blanc, dubbed ‘The Man of a Thousand Voices’, passed away in 1989. During a career spanning the golden age of Hollywood cartoons, he was the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn and Barney Rubble.

One of David Edwards’ final services for Seiko before he lost his battle with cancer in July was signing-off its accounts for 2025-26. The company’s managing director delivered revenue of £29 million for the 12 months to March 31 2026, up 8% on the prior year’s £26.9 million, and operating profit soared from a loss of £215,000 to a profit of £530,000. Seiko U.K. Limited ended the financial year with net assets of £28.4 million.