You have probably heard Parisian monuments and restaurants celebrated many times before, but I bet you are much less aware of the amazing vintage watches that you can find in some shops in the city. Therefore, I wish to take you on a special tour of my hometown. Get ready for an unusual travel guide to Paris, solely dedicated to vintage watches. Fair warning, you might see a good number of dreamy watches.
Horlogerie Antoine De Macedo, A Big And Beautiful Store
In between the Luxembourg garden and the Church Saint Sulpice, you will find this incredible place: on display there is a freaking vintage Rolex Sea-Dweller – the original reference 1665 – immerged in a fish tank, exactly how the first waterproof Rolexes were initially marketed. The sight is pretty memorable, but the rest of the vintage watches should not be overlooked; you can find dressy Vacherons, sporty Heuers, much-coveted Universal Geneves, and more. There is a whole stand dedicated to Breguet Type 20s, most with military provenance. You also get a direct view into the in-house workshop, reassuring proof that servicing vintage watches is not taken lightly here.
Euro Art Et Collection, For The Love Of Rolex Memorabilia
There are other places focused on vintage Rolex in Paris, but none can boast the same amount of Rolex goodies as this one. If you think a Rolex tie is cool, wait until you see the vintage Rolex binoculars, the 1950s Rolex restaurant guides, and all the original ads on the walls. And yes, their watches – Rolex and others – are not bad either. Note that the shop is not far from the Place de l'Opera and near Drouot, the main auction place in Paris, so there is always the possibility that some additional watch action is going on nearby.
Charly La Passion Des Montres, The Ermeto Paradise
If you don’t know what an Ermeto watch is, this shop's collection will introduce you to a new world. All these vintage "purse watches" and the military dashboard instruments belong to the personal collection of the owner, and thus, are not for sale, but the wristwatches there are very much worth a visit as well. You can find a wide range of vintage pieces, from oversized chronographs to some dressy Jaeger-LeCoultres. The shop is located only feet away from the Place de la Madeleine, and near the Jardin des Tuileries, so you should not have any issues convincing others to visit the area with you.
Shop Locations
Antoine de Macedo
28 rue Madame, 75006 Paris
Website
Euro Art Et Collection
5 Rue de la Grange Batelière, 75009 Paris
No website
Charly La Passion des Montres
10 Rue Godot de Mauroy, 75009 Paris
Website
And while you are in Paris, don't forget the excellent Breguet Museum, which we visited previously, right in the middle of Place Vendome – where you can also find all the boutiques of major brands.
Photos: Hubert W.
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