The 9 Best Watch Shops In Melbourne

Despite the tyranny of remoteness that all watch enthusiasts face in Australia, there are more than a couple of excellent watch shops in both Melbourne and Sydney that carry some of the world’s rarest and most collectable timepieces.

But what are the best watch shops in Melbourne, and how do you know which are reliable? We wanted to address this question head-on, not only as fellow members of the local watch collecting community, but as experts who have visited or patronised many of the city’s boutiques.

No matter if you’re hunting a hard-to-nab modern Rolex at retail, or you’ve been lusting after a micro-brand known for its value proposition, we cover all of the best addresses to view and handle timepieces in Melbourne. Let’s get into it.

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Note this list is not ranked.

Boss Hunting’s Favourite Watch Shops In Melbourne

Monards

Owned and operated by watch expert, tailoring enthusiast, and passionate cyclist Bernard Fung (whose family, between them, have over 30 years of experience in the biz) Monards is a must-visit spot when you’re watch shopping in Melbourne.

The range of brands offered is very impressive, with a focus on many of Swatch Group’s heavies (including Omega, Breguet, Blancpain, and more), as well as household names like Grand Seiko, Tudor, and TAG Heuer.

The roster of indie watchmakers is nearly peerless in Australia; the service you can expect is immaculate; and if you’re lucky enough to meet Bernard in the flesh, you’ll find that he’s a fount of wisdom whose recommendations extend far beyond the topic of luxury watches.

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Watches Of Switzerland

Another long-respected player within the Australian watch-buying landscape, Watches Of Switzerland is based in the heart of Collins Street, with its other Melbourne-based location at Tullamarine airport.

The service you can expect is friendly and knowledgeable, with more of a focus on education and understanding than hard-selling of any one particular brand (exactly what you want if you’re going in cold).

Additionally, the Collins Street boutique has recently undergone a significant renovation and now spans three full levels. If you’re in the Melbourne CBD, it’s well worth a visit.

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Kennedy

Helmed by man-about-town James Kennedy, this is a name you’re likely already familiar with through its affiliation with spring horse racing and the AFL (including personal ambassador relationships with Christian Petracca and Dustin Martin).

While the Crown location is most conveniently situated and stocks popular brands the likes of Cartier, IWC, Tudor and more; the boutique in Chadstone is where you need to go when you’re on the hunt for Rolex or Patek Philippe.

Overall, the quality of the offering is good across both locations; and the level of service is about as high as you’d expect.

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The Hour Glass

Originally founded in Singapore, The Hour Glass has built up an enviable presence all over the Asia Pacific; and now operates more than 55 boutiques across the region.

Its Collins Street location is a spectacular building (renovated a couple of years ago); covering a number of levels and boasting separate concessions for Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet. The Hour Glass also owns and operates the Tudor boutique across the road.

Expect a consistent level of service across the entire network of boutiques, with expert and generally enthusiastic staff.

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Hardy Brothers

With an establishment date that reaches all the way back to 1853, Hardy Brothers has been a reliable fixture of the Australian watch and jewellery landscape for a very long time. Today, its focus remains split between timepieces and jewellery, offering a number of well-known names such as Omega, Longines, and Floyd Mayweather’s favourite, Jacob & Co.

Hardy Brothers also stocks a number of smaller watchmakers including Angelus, Speake Marin, and more, making them a store to visit if you’re keen to check out some watches you might not have seen before.

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Swiss Emporium

Well-situated in the busy thoroughfare that is St. Collins Lane, Swiss Emporium splits its offering between brand-new watches from Tissot, Oris, and Raymond Weil, while also selling quality pre-owned stock from the likes of Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet.

If you’re after a specific watch that you can’t find from an authorised dealer, the family team at Swiss Emporium will be able to help you source almost anything you can think of.

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Time+Tide Watch Discovery Studio

The Time+Tide Watch Discovery Studio is operated by the Aussie watch mag of the same name, and was opened with a vision to give locals a chance to handle a range of smaller brands that don’t otherwise have any physical presence in-country. These include the cultish likes of Studio Underd0g, Baltic, Fears, and Furlan Marri, which are all available to see in the very nicely appointed space, staffed by expert enthusiasts who love collecting as much as you do.

Even if you’re just passing through Melbourne as an international or local traveller looking for some retail therapy, this is probably the single best watch boutique in the city for something more characterful.

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The Watch Gallery

For the last four decades, The Watch Gallery has been one of the best places to buy rare and collectable pre-owned and vintage watches in Melbourne. It’s not the largest boutique in the city, but its range of watches is almost unbeaten and owner Chris La Galle is a trusted expert in all of the timepieces he deals in.

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The European Watch Gallery

Another of Melbourne’s most well-respected pre-owned and vintage watch dealers, The European Watch Gallery is where you’ll find everything from hard-to-obtain modern Rolex to obscure Patek Philippe dress watches from the mid-20th century.

While the timepieces in stock are always worth a closer look, they are also able to source almost anything that your heart desires.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Melbourne’s Best Watch Shops

What is Australia's leading official luxury watch retailer?

There are a number of great luxury watch retailers in Melbourne, including Kennedy, Watches of Switzerland, and Rolex.

How to buy Rolex in Australia?

The best place to find a Rolex in Australia is via an Authorised Dealer, which includes the likes of Watches of Switzerland, Kennedy, and Rolex itself.

What is the best place to see rare watches in Melbourne?

The best spot to see rare and unusual watches in Melbourne is probably the Time+Tide Watch Discovery Studio.

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If you’ve enjoyed this guide to all of the best watch shops in Melbourne, then why not check out a few of our favourite related articles below?

• The Best Watch Shops In Sydney
• The Best TAG Heuer Watches
• The Best Breitling Watches
• The Best Tissot Watches