The Starhill’s revamp as one of Kuala Lumpur’s premier horological destinations has hit another milestone with the reopening of the refreshed Rolex boutique by Cortina Watch. Occupying the ground floor, its street-facing façade has long been a landmark at Bukit Bintang. When it first opened 20 years ago, it was the first Rolex boutique in Malaysia.
The new 134sqm interior has all the hallmarks of the business-like but welcoming atmosphere that is in sync with Rolex locations all around the globe: clean lines, soft lighting, and walnut wood offset with beige surfaces. A key characteristic of the store is that is designed for viewing watches. Gone are the traditional glass cases that double as countertops; instead, the various Rolex collections – iconic all, whether Submariner, GMT Master or Datejust – are in dedicated display cases, while leather-lined tabletops are a far more inviting area to examine timepieces.
And try you certainly can. Despite the immense spike in recent demand that makes an actual purchase difficult, the display cases are indeed full – albeit with ‘for exhibition only’ signs. Even so, the browsing part of the process can still be enjoyed.
“Cortina Watch’s relationship with Rolex started back in 2002 when we launched the first Rolex boutique together in Malaysia, right here in The Starhill. Two decades have gone by, and now, with the refurbished boutique in place, we aim to bring another level of experience to our customers. It has always been our commitment to present the best of luxury experience through great partnership and this new boutique is indeed a milestone in our history. We are extremely honoured to embark on this expansion with Rolex and look forward to many successes in the future,” said Tay Liam Khoon, Managing Director of Cortina Watch Sdn Bhd.
For Cortina Watch, 2022 is a landmark year marking the retailer’s 50th anniversary. It started as a single family-owned Singaporean store 1972 and has since become a household name that is deeply connected to the local horological scene. With its acquisition of Sincere Watch last year, the group has some 50 locations across the Asia Pacific region.
