Time+Tide City Watch Buying Guide – Honolulu
Adam ReederHonolulu is one of the most isolated cities on earth. It also boasts over four million visitors every year, in addition to the nearly one million residents. If you happen to be one of those lucky travellers to land in this beautiful tropical capital, you might just want to check out a few of your favorite watch brands. Thankfully, Honolulu is a watch-lover’s paradise. For those lucky enough to find yourself in this beautiful island state and tire of lounging with a mai tai on the beach, check out some of these great watch boutiques. Maybe you can even bring back a great new watch as a memento of that special trip.
Ben Bridge Timeworks
Located in the beautiful Ala Moana Shopping Center, this large boutique may be the best one stop shop in the islands. The store boasts an impressive stable of brands that includes Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hamilton, Zenith, Cartier, Breitling, Grand Seiko, Tissot, IWC, Rolex, Norqain, Panerai, Oris, Tag Heuer, Franck Muller, Tudor, and more. With watches ranging from affordable to high end luxury, it’s easy to walk in, but hard to leave.
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2700, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808)951-5600
Breitling
A new addition to Ala Moana’s list of brand boutiques, this Breitling location is small but mighty. The staff is exceptionally friendly and welcoming. They’re full of knowledge about the brand and eager to help you try the watches on. This boutique may just serve up the most aloha of any shop on the list!
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 808-9178
Bulgari
While this Bulgari boutique may not have the most extensive collection of watches in town, they definitely serve up quality over quantity. Stroll through the narrow but beautifully decorated store and take in the sights of some of the gorgeous jewellery they offer along with some of their most popular watch models.
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2221, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 941-8338
Cartier
The large Cartier location in Ala Moana Shopping Center is a great way to spend the better part of an afternoon. Their watch selection is impressive and there’s always plenty of staff to help with whatever you need. It’s also directly upstairs from the food court, so feel free to grab a snack and come back for more!
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2203, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 955-5533
Chanel
Directly across the street from the famed Waikiki Beach is a large multi-storey Chanel boutique. Here you’ll find a small selection of Chanel watches in addition to all the great purses, clothing, perfumes, and other offerings that has made Chanel such a beloved luxury brand. With a second location in Ala Moana Center, you’ll be able to check out some great Chanel pieces, no matter where the day takes you!
Address (Waikiki): 2116 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815
Contact: +1 (808) 923-0255
Address (Ala Moana): 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 942-5555
Hermes
Hermes has all your bases covered in Honolulu, with three locations. Just across the hall from Ben Bridge Timeworks in Ala Moana Center is a large open Hermes store. They have a separate modern looking showroom for their current selection of watches. They also have a Waikiki location on Kalakaua Ave. and one in the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Hermes has recently joined the big boys of watchmaking and these boutiques seems to make a point of highlighting that fact.
Address (Ala Moana): 1450 Ala Moana Blvd.. Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 947-3789
Address (Waikiki): 2201 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815
Contact: +1 (808) 922-5780
Address (Airport): 300 Rodgers Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96819
Contact: +1 (808) 837-3236
Honolulu Time Company
Honolulu Time Co. on Kapiolani Avenue is the only family owned local store on the list. Having been open since 1978, this store carries both new and used pieces from just about every major luxury watch brand. They also offer consignment and special order pieces for those looking for something specific and special. It’s definitely worth a visit for some local Hawaii hospitality.
Address: 1311 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 101, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 591-2611
Hublot
Hublot is another recent addition to the Ala Moana Shopping Center list of watch boutiques. It’s a small location right across from Breitling that’s packed with inventory. It’s a great place to stop in on a whim and try on all the fun and flashy watches on offer from the important, yet controversial brand.
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2015, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 582-1073
Louis Vuitton
With two Waikiki locations and one in Ala Moana Center, Louis Vuitton is not hurting for floor space. In the heart of Waikiki, the Louis Vuitton boutique stands out in the very best way. On Kalakaua avenue, amongst the throngs of tourists and locals, LV is housed in the “Gump’s Building”. The building’s distinctive blue roof is a beacon in the madness. Once the home to the Gump’s, a now defunct San Francisco retail chain, the building once boasted Hawaii’s first ever neon sign. Now it boasts one of the world’s great luxury brands, with a newfound respect in the world of watchmaking. The Hilton Hawaiian village and Ala Moana Center locations also offer the definitive luxury experience.
Address (Waikiki): 2200 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815
Contact: +1 (808) 971-6880
Address (Hilton Hawaiian Village): 2005 Kalia Rd., Honolulu, HI 96815
Contact: +1 (808) 973-3388
Address (Ala Moana): 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2212, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 973-0580
Montblanc
If you’re in the market for a luxury watch, why not add a world class pen to the list while you’re at it? Montblanc’s Ala Moana boutique is in that goldilocks zone between large and small. It’s a great option if you only have a short time to try on one or two watches, but want to really get something out of your time.
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2215, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 942-4810
Omega
The Omega boutique at Ala Moana Center is an Omega fanboy’s paradise. With a large open floorplan and a small service area in the back, this boutique makes you feel right at home, no matter how far you came from. From Seamasters to Speedmasters and beyond, this boutique will make you feel just like James Bond.
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2225, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 955-4411
Rolex
The recently renovated and expanded Rolex Boutique at the centre of Ala Moana is truly a sight to behold. The large spacious location feels more like a private luxury lounge than a retail space and that’s surely the exact feeling that Rolex was hoping for. The brand also has a Waikiki location just outside the newly renovated International Marketplace.
Address (Ala Moana): 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2212-B, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 946-5657
Address (International Marketplace): 2330 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815
Contact: +1 (808) 922-4900
Shinola
Shinola offers an alternative to the hype and the fashion brands. Based in Detroit, Shinola has garnered respect lately for its affordable yet well-made watches with a sometimes quirky fun design. If you’re hoping to dip your feet into the watch market without worries of a financial shark taking your toe, check out Shinola in the glitzy new International Marketplace in Waikiki.
Address: 2330 Kalakaua Ave., #124, Honolulu, HI 96815
Contact: +1 (808) 206-9840
Swatch
The Swatch boutique on the parking level of Ala Moana offers a great alternative to the shopping centre’s hundreds of high-priced luxury shops. Located on the ground level (just outside the food court no less) is the cosy and unpretentious Swatch boutique. It’s a great place to stop by when you’ve already spent all your other cash on food and entertainment!
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 1118, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 947-8513
TAG Heuer
The brand new TAG Heuer boutique is a great addition to Ala Moana Center. What’s better when you’re strolling around a huge open air mall in Hawaii than to stroll into TAG Heuer and try on one of those amazing new Carreras? You’ll be racing around the small shop looking at every watch you can!
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2010, Honolulu, HI 96814
Contact: +1 (808) 646-6196