On September 4, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York officially debuted The Vault, the department store’s first-ever dedicated high-jewelry and luxury watches department.
Featuring heritage brands rich in history and craftsmanship, The Vault will feature 25 of the world’s most revered brands, including Chopard, Graff, Tiffany & Co, Piaget, Hermès, Franck Muller, Martin Katz, Lorraine Schwartz and Bulgari, among others. There are six storefronts (the first in-shop for many in New York City) and eight vendor-designed areas for watch brands, such as Vacheron Constantin, Baume & Mercier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Roger Dubuis, Tag Heuer and more. All six stores will have private VIP rooms, and there are two private VIP rooms available for any brand to use.
Within The Vault, many brands will debut pieces exclusive to Saks Fifth Avenue. Brands with exclusive pieces include: Chopard, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Repossi, IWC, Hermès, Robert Procop, Martin Katz, Nini Jewels, Dena Kemp and Oscar Heyman.
The 10,673-sq-ft space was formerly an unused cellar in the department store and since the building’s inception hasn’t been used as retail space until now. You enter the lower level via a Rem Koolhaas-designed, rainbow-hued escalator, and from the moment you get to the open-plan space, it feels bright, sparkly and fresh. The well-lit area provides an immersive shopping experience with design details that recall a 1920s bank: There are walls with vaults on them and safety deposit boxes as decoration between the stores.
The Vault also plays host to The International Lounge, a private lounge designated for guests traveling from abroad that features a multi-lingual concierge. The concierge can help assist with luggage and coat storage, package pick-up and will also provide tours of the historic Saks Fifth Avenue for international guests’ first-time visits. There will also be a jewelry and watch repair department in the International Lounge for all customers.
Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 5th Avenue, +1 212 753 4000, saksfifthavenue.com