Inside the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)
Inside the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)
This is what it looks like inside one of the most exclusive areas of Everton’s new stadium. The Christopher Ward suite, hidden away in the West Stand of Hill Dickinson Stadium, is believed to be the only specialist watch showroom inside a major sporting venue in the world.
It is one of the many unique features of the club’s new waterfront home and has quickly become a popular experience - both on matchdays and during the week, when it remains open for pre-booked appointments.
The private rooms mix the watchmakers’ specialist designs with the glory of Everton’s history in an area curated by CEO Mike France, a lifelong Blue who has used his success in business to support his beloved club through a series of sponsorship deals.
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The highlight of that work is the showroom, one of the only places in the world where potential customers can inspect the brand’s watches up close before committing to buying one.
Showroom manager Neil Greig explained: “Because we’ve always been primarily a direct to consumer online business it can be hard seeing the watches online and deciding what you want. We have got almost all of our watches available in the showroom, so you can come in and try the watches on, look at the size, fit and style that you like before making your decision. It is a really unique opportunity to come and try Christopher Ward on.”
The experience has proved enticing - with guests taking advantage when are playing and in the calm of the week. When Neil gives a tour it is after a morning appointment that ended with the sale of one of the brand’s intricate C60 Sapphire models.
Among the watches on show is the sold-out special edition model called The Goodison - the watch sitting next to segments of the turnstile that was used to make the backplate of each of the 1,892 made available.
On matchdays, the room can be booked out to host more than 30 guests who are treated to a six-course taster meal under the 53º Degrees North format (53º is the latitude of Liverpool). The suite - which includes hospitality seating in the West Stand - is the hub for guests before and during the game, with Neil explaining: “53º Degrees North on a match day is a hospitality experience you can get through Everton where we offer an English-Swiss inspired six course taster menu for up to 32 people.
“You can have that three hours before the game, you can come in at half-time, and at full-time there is a cheese board. Everyone loves finishing on a cheese board! It's a good experience and we are getting great feedback from all the clients that come through - both about the hospitality and about the shopping experience because it's unique - you don't feel any pressure, it is not like walking into your normal watch shopping experience or your jewellery experience, it is very relaxed, it is very played down, so you can just come in and feel completely at ease and enjoy the experience.”
The showroom is very much open for business when the crowds have dispersed, with appointments starting from 10am from Monday to Friday. It represents a rare opportunity for watch enthusiasts to take a closer look at what GQ hailed last month as a rising star in a competitive industry - aside from a pop-up opening in Mayfair, London for Christmas, the only other UK showroom is in Maidenhead, the company’s HQ. The only other destinations are in the US, in Virginia, Dallas and New York. None of those offer the chance to step inside a state-of-the-art Premier League stadium, however.
Inside the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)
Inside the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)
2. Goodison Park limited edition watch at the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)
Goodison Park limited edition watch at the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)
3. Inside the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)
Inside the 53º North Christopher Ward watch showroom at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. (Pic Andrew Teebay)