The recent recipient of the Knighthood insignia of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour, Nathalie Célia-Koch-Chevalier is a prominent figure in the world of horology in France and abroad.  Indeed, following several top positions in various fields and countries, her entrance into the watch industry in 2012 as Managing Director of Bucherer France has developed into a rich passion and knowledge for the intricacies of watchmaking and the customers who buy them.

Victoria Townsend had the opportunity to sit down with Nathalie in Dec 2023, during the “Rolex acquisition of Bucherer” period. Her interview made at the time for WatchPro has been slightly amended to account for recent updates.  Essentials remain the same.

As an added feature, we’ve included the link to the 2026 Watches & Wonders novelties at the Bucherer store.

Bucherer Paris, 12 Boulevard des Capucines, 75009 Paris
December 18 2023.

  Young collectors today will create the tendencies of tomorrow, and we like to go out of our comfort zone to meet them. ”

The announcement was made on August 24th 2023: Rolex had decided to acquire watch distributor and long-time partner Bucherer.  And even if it was stipulated that Bucherer would keep its name and maintain its activity in an autonomous way, numerous questions were raised among the watch community.

Founded in 1888 by Carl-Friedrich Bucherer with the company’s first luxury watches and jewellery boutique in Lucerne, Switzerland, Bucherer has grown into an impressive heavyweight with eponymous creations, brand partnerships, and the largest network distribution in the world, thanks notably to the foresight of the founder’s grandson, the late Jörg G. Bucherer. Leading the company’s expansion from 1977 to 2023, he opened Bucherer stores outside of Switzerland, in Austria, Germany, and Denmark, and purchased existing distributor stores and networks throughout Europe, in England, and in the U.S.A. (Editor’s note: in 2024 an Asian store opened in Shanghai.)

In 2013 he opened a store in the heart of Paris.  Located between Opera Garnier and Place Vendôme, Bucherer Paris is the largest watches and jewellery store in the world. With 2,200 square meters over3 floors, it displays more than 40  exceptional brands, a Certified Pre-Owned department, a fine jewellery showcase area, and its own workshop for maintenance and repairs.  A large central marble staircase and personalised luxury spaces for all brands, with Rolex and Tudor adjacent to the entrance, procure a feeling of confidence, validated by store advisors and their perfect knowledge of watchmaking, jewellery and customer well-being.

In 2012, one year before the Paris opening, Nathalie Célia-Koch-Chevalier was ‘headhunted’ and brought In as Managing Director.  “And I did not hesitate for a minute” says this Master Business School graduate, who began her career in 1992 as an auditor at Ernst & Young before confirming her passion to develop luxury brands with a proven track record in top management positions at Christian Lacroix, Louis Vuitton, Sephora and Printemps Haussman Department Store in Paris.. During those years she also followed a psychomotricity formation to work with multi-handicapped adolescents.

With such an exceptional background, we understand better how, in addition to her corporate skills, she places great value on human relations, exemplified by her courteous, friendly staff, the numerous customer and public events held at the store, and her own generous (and authentic) smile.

I was able to meet with her during her very busy pre-Christmas schedule.

  You joined Bucherer as Managing Director France in 2012, one year before the official opening of the Paris store. What convinced you to decide so quickly, and what was your role at that time?

Indeed, I took the lead of this project following contacts made by a headhunter. I did not hesitate one minute, because the values of the magnificent House of Bucherer, the commitment made by our Swiss colleagues and the desire to carry through Mr. Bucherer’s plans for France immediately and sincerely motivated me! I arrived before the opening to coordinate the installation, hire the teams, establish contacts with the different partners, and be the link between our Swiss colleagues and France.  

We all followed a formation at the Bucherer Academy, for both watchmaking and jewellery, formations that are regularly updated.

  In August 2023, Rolex announced its decision to take possession of its long-term partner: Bucherer. How did the brands react, and what changes do you anticipate?

The agreement will be ratified in January 2024, and while I do not know what the future will hold, we know that Monsieur Bucherer was extremely pleased with this “marriage”.  Without a descendent, this was the way to ensure the perennity of the House.

Mr. Jörg Bucherer was the last member of the family to have known Rolex founder Mr. (Hans) Wilsdorf. In his formative years, he was even the apprentice of Mr. Wilsdorf.  Bucherer was the exclusive distributor of Rolex for many years in Switzerland, and here in Paris we are delighted to have Rolex watches in our store. Our relationship was reinforced when we became the exclusive distributor for the first year of the Rolex CPO (RCPO) program, parallel to our own existing CPO department. Rolex is a wonderful Manufacture, and in 2024 we celebrate our 100th anniversary partnership together.  

Our development continues as planned. For distribution, and in particular in England, at Covent Garden, we have recently opened several boutiques, for Tudor, Girard-Perregaux, and one specifically for RCPO.  In the USA, we are in the process of installing the Bucherer identity in the Tourneau stores.

As for the brands, the Richemont Group had already decided to withdraw their watches from distributors, opting for own boutiques. Those brands that left us made room for us to welcome new brands, notably Breitling, Czapek, Frank Muller, Grand Seiko and Löbner, and to allocate more space for Moser.  

Celebrating our tenth anniversary in Paris in 2023 was a good moment to completely redesign the space in our store, notably to integrate the important addition of our workshop with all the services of a Manufacture, and the creation of a special showcase for our beautiful Bucherer Fine Jewellery collection that was so dear to Monsieur Bucherer.  Our customers continually ask us for it, and we will continue to surprise with daring innovations such as the Rock Diamonds collection, very contemporary with stepped facets on our trapeze-cut diamonds.

With regards to space and the location of each brand, this is continually updated, and especially these past few years in response to market trends, resulting in more visibility for independent brands.  And as at Bucherer, service and client experience are as important as the product itself, we have created comfortable lounge areas for discussion, installed a bar in the CPO area in addition to a large table for dinners. We organize on average 2 events every week; this is the best way for us to establish and maintain good relationships with our customers. During the year-end holiday week, we organise 5 events over 7 days!  Today, we are no longer in a situation of “pure sales”, we meet passionate collectors who want to discuss and exchange ideas. None of this will change.

  Bucherer is the king of collaborations, starting with the limited editions Bucherer Blue; followed by the Bucherer Exclusives.  Will you continue with these partnerships?

Yes. And with Bucherer Exclusives we are going even further, expanding our possibilities to develop collaborations with products that are not limited to watches, such as bicycles, luggage and even cars.

  Who are your customers?

In addition to confirmed collectors, we have more and more young enthusiasts.  We work with a certain number of their horology clubs such as the EDHEC (Business School) Watch Club.  Young collectors today will create the tendencies of tomorrow, and we like to go out of our comfort zone to meet with them, to lead rather than follow. Women are also very much a part of our clientèle: they’re well-informed and feel comfortable to ask questions and make decisions.  We welcome The Women and Watch Club and other women’s networks and organize conferences and workshops for them here. 

That being said, we treat all our customers as “passionate watch enthusiasts”, regardless of gender, and watchmaking today goes in this direction, with new materials, colours, shapes and reduced sizes that can be worn by men and women alike. We look forward to attending Watches & Wonders in April 2024 to discover the new tendencies, a pleasure that we share with certain of our customers to offer them a brief peek “en avant première”. (Editor’s note: the visit to Watches & Wonders takes place every year, including the recent 2026 edition.)

  Watch prices have increased considerably.  How has this affected your sales?

Certain brands raised their prices 3 or 4 times during the year, and that becomes difficult, especially for local customers, who find it acceptable only when the increases are due to new functions or new materials.  Happily, our offer consists of watches at all price points, and we also have our pre-owned watches that allow a customer to find a beautiful watch for a smaller budget, and with a 2-year warranty.

  What does the CPO represent for you today compared to new watches?

For us, it is a brand of its own.  And is of interest notably for younger customers, for budget reasons, but also for the feeling of being a legitimate horological insider due to the history of the watch, and for environmental social responsibility

  Are on-line sales important for Bucherer France?

They developed during the Covid confinements and continue to increase.  But what has particularly developed is the search for information on our site, paving the way for an in-store purchase.  Buying a watch is such an important moment; you must see it, feel it and try it on, while all that time being pampered by our attentive in-store team!

At Bucherer in June 2026 you can find Rolex, Bucherer Fine Jewellery, Rolex Certified Pre-Owned and Bucherer Certified Pre-Owned, Blancpain, Breguet, Breitling, Carl F. Bucherer, Chopard, Czapek, Frédérique Constant, Girard-Perregaux, Glashütte Original, Grand Seiko, H. Moser & Cie., Hamilton, Hublot, L’Epée, Longines, Mido, Oris, Rado, Tissot, TUDOR, Ulysse Nardin, Zenith + other luxury watch brands in the CPO department.