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. Here is a map of stores we have covered so far.
Where to buy watches in Atlanta, Georgia?
Art gallery, watch & jewelry store, hang-out and party location, or all of the above? Worthmore Jewelers owners Harris and Geri Botnick have created not one but two places that combine these enticing characteristics. Their stores in Atlanta and its Decatur suburb have a hometown jeweler feel and a staff that seem more like family than employees. Selling watches since 1987, Geri swears Harris opened the store in 1994 solely to support his watch habit!
Harris & Geri Botnick and Snorkel Sam
Worthmore Jewelers opened their first location in Midtown Atlanta in 1994 and opened a second location on the downtown Decatur Square in 2008. They have been named “Best of Atlanta” by several publications, one of “America’s Coolest Stores,” “Best to Do Business With,” and one of the “Top 3 Jewelry Design Stores” in the United States. Worthmore specializes in unique fine watches, jewelry, including wedding, commitment, and engagement rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, silver, and custom work. They also have ever-rotating art exhibits featuring diverse sets of eclectic artwork. They also have two watch makers on staff, one specializing in automatics and manual winds, and one specializing in quartz. Both watchmakers do everything from basic repairs to complete restoration.
The Worthmore charity events turn into social events – okay, make that parties – where the locals are keen to come for their signature rum punch and listen to live music. You might say Worthmore has gone to the dogs – their official greeter is Snorkel Sam (pictured above) who, besides being a favorite of regulars, even has his own email address and business card.
aBlogtoWatch: What types of watches are popular in your market? What makes Atlanta a unique place to buy watches?Worthmore Jewelers: Worthmore’s customers like the more unique watch lines like Ball Watch and MeisterSinger. We also have a collection of vintage Rolex watches that we have had rebuilt and we have had the original dials refinished in colors that Rolex never offered like yellows, oranges, pink and turquoise. Like the jewelry Worthmore carries, the watch lines we sell really make a unique statement adding to the individual’s special style. Both locations of Worthmore have a great crew that have each been bit by the watch bug. Overall, the watch market in Atlanta is very traditionally based. Rolex and Breitling are still the leaders in the fine watch market, thus enabling Worthmore to educate and introduce other great brands to the marketplace.
ABTW: What would you tell watch lovers in other cities that watch lovers in Atlanta like?
Worthmore Jewelers: I have been born and raised here in Atlanta and love the city. The majority of the local market is very much driven by what people’s neighbors are wearing rather than those that are confident in embracing their own unique style. Worthmore’s customers love the unique and are looking for watches that separate them from the majority of people that buy a watch based on a brand name, rather than style and quality.
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?”
Worthmore Jewelers: Both locations of Worthmore Jewelers are located in great older neighborhoods in town. We are in the Midtown / Virginia Highlands neighborhood and on the square in downtown Decatur. Both of our stores benefit greatly from being the local jeweler to these neighborhoods, however, since both neighborhoods are so historic, we also get a good amount of tourists. I think we have the perfect mixture of local versus tourist. We love our local clientele and we are able to be involved in a lot of local charities that help our communities. We also love meeting new customers from out of town. We currently are getting a high number of new customers in the movie industry, and constantly hearing positive comments about our unique mixture of jewelry, watches, and art, paired with our low key atmosphere. I take this as a huge compliment, as these are people who travel and shop all over the world.
Of our watch clients, I would say 25% are knowledgeable collectors and 75% are buying their first fine watch.
ABTW: What is Atlanta best known for? What do visitors have to do, see, or eat while there?
Worthmore Jewelers: Atlanta is best known as the Home of Coca Cola, and Stone Mountain. Popular tourist stops are The Coke Museum, The Atlanta Aquarium, Stone Mountain, Hawks, Falcons, and Braves games, and an unlimited list of some of the best restaurants in the world. Atlanta is also known for our selection of “nighttime” entertainment clubs, but we will leave that for a different interview!
ABTW: As a business, do you sponsor or participate in any local events, watch-related or otherwise?
Worthmore Jewelers: Worthmore Jewelers is proud to support and be involved with a great list of local and national charities. Last year, we held a Shinola kickoff party and chose The Atlanta Boys and Girls Club as the benefactor. We felt the Boys and Girls club was the perfect charity to support since Shinola is focused to bringing back quality manufacturing to the US to help rebuild our economy, and the Boys and Girls clubs are focused on our children who our this country’s future.
Shinola Kickoff Charity Event
We enjoy a fun party, so throughout the year, we hold various in- store events, including our annual Antique Jewelry and Watch Roadshow. During this weekend, we have our estate buyer available to meet with customers who bring in their family treasures to learn more about them. This is a great event and we always find some great treasures. One year, a customer brought in her father’s early model Rolex chronograph to see if it was worth restoring! Needless to say, we brought it back to its original splendor and she is now getting to enjoy it in her weekly rotation.
Carroll Shelby Foundation Charity Event
We have also held car shows in our parking lot and had watch vendors in the store for the ultimate guys’ night out. This event benefited the Carroll Shelby Foundation. This year, we are proud to become the exclusive retailer for N80 watch straps and will be hosting a special day of watches, straps and bourbon tasting. We also have another watch specialty event in the works for this October – as a hint, it deals with beer and watches!
Heart of Giving Event
ABTW: What are some of the watch brands you are known for carrying? If you could pick a watch brand or model that epitomizes the culture or style of Atlanta what would it be?
Worthmore Jewelers: We carry Ball Watch, MeisterSinger, Shinola, Hamilton, Reactor, Luminox, an ever changing selection of pre-owned, and our collection of custom vintage Rolex. I would say the one watch that we carry that epitomizes the style of Atlanta is the Ball Aviator GMT. The watch has a rugged, sporty look, and great for travel with the GMT function.