PROFILE Exclusive Podcast W/ Neel Alwani @NeelTPT of TimePiece Trading [Full YouTube Interview]

PROFILEmiami had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Neel Alwani, the CEO of Timepiece Trading to learn about his experience as an entrepreneur in the watch industry and get some insight into some of his favorite timepieces which include the Richard Mille RM35-02 Black TPT, which he actually named TimePieceTrading after the watch.

Founded in 2018, Timepiece Trading is a leading luxury watch retailer, specializing in the sale of high-end timepieces from some of the world's most renowned brands including Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Rolex, amongst others. With a focus on providing exceptional customer service and a wide selection of the latest and most sought-after models, we have quickly become the destination of choice for discerning watch collectors and enthusiasts.

Indulge in Luxury: PROFILEmiami's Valentine's Day Gift Selection

This Valentine's Day, immerse yourself in pure luxury with our handpicked selection, designed to infuse every moment with warmth and romance. Picture this: soft candlelight flickering, a glass of fine wine in hand, and the air filled with the intoxicating scents of Diptyque. From the timeless charm of Brunello Cucinelli to the impeccable craftsmanship of Bottega Veneta, our collection is a testament to elegance and refinement.

Whether you're searching for the perfect token of love for that special someone or treating yourself to a moment of indulgence, let us be your compass in the world of luxury. And why not take it up a notch by basking in the opulence of the Diplomat Hotel? Let this Valentine's Day be a celebration of love, passion, and the finer things in life.

From leading Miami-based timepiece curators, Time Piece Trading, comes this ruby and diamond Graff Halo watch. It comes in white gold and features a mother-of-pearl dial, inlaid with pave diamonds. The perfect way to say, “I love you.”

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The Diplomat Beach Resort, the largest hotel and beach resort in the greater Fort Lauderdale vicinity, boasts expansive oceanfront views, two sun-drenched pools, 26 poolside cabanas, and two fitness centers. The Diplomat Spa + Salon is offering three Valentine’s Day spa packages, that will ensure a day of pure bliss and self-care, and are available throughout the month of February. Diplomat Prime, the award-winning luxury boutique steakhouse inside The Diplomat Beach Resort, will be serving a special Valentine's Day menu on Wednesday, February 14. Romantic Room Packages are also available for suite bookings, offering 100 faux rose petals in a heart pattern, 6 red heart balloons, neon sign of choice, disposable camera (pack of 2) & easel hand painting activity, room walkway of faux candles & choice of "I Love You" light-up bags.

Our choice? The Oceanfront Couples Massage with rose petals, chocolate strawberries and champagne.This 2-hour experience includes 30 minutes in their exclusive and private Oceanfront Lounge to enjoy fruit, chocolate, and champagne plus an 80-minute Signature Couples Massage with direct ocean views. 

To book, click the button above or call 954-602-6000.

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A bouquet of fresh flowers, blooming in deepest winter. For the first time, the Rose scented candle is available in a large format. Its porcelain vessel, stamped with the oval of the Maison, is an invitation to make this luminous ritual last. Gradually, the air fills with fresh, flowery notes. A tribute to a timeless emblem.

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A classic top handle bag by Bottega Veneta with a soft rounded shape and signature knot realized with Intrecciato craftsmanship with a contrasting woven heart shape for an added romantic touch. 100% lambskin and 100% love.

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Made from Monogram Vernis leather, the gorgeous Louis Vuitton Keep My Heart bag with its heart-shape features a delicate removable and adjustable golden chain embellished with a LV Circle charm. The pink leather features the Monogram motif embossed onto the shiny surface.

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House details add a logo touch to this signature pair of sandals by Gucci. Inspired by the origins of the brand, the emblematic Horsebit defines the shoe. Presented in a romantic lilac leather, this pair of sandals is completed by an ankle buckle closure, perfect for day or night.

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Luxurious yarns elevate the rustic feel of this Dazzling Stripe cardigan by Brunello Cucinelli. With a distinct dry, cool appearance, jute and cotton threads are embroidered to create a striped pattern in the season’s colors. This precious, feminine texture is the result of meticulous workmanship carried out by expert artisans in numerous steps that require the utmost precision and skill.

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Bottega Veneta card case in signature Intrecciato nappa leather with black and white contrast stitching. Made in Italy.

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The excellence of Brunello Cucinelli materials enriches the casual, timeless style of these loafers in suede, a thin, velvety leather that enhances the season’s colors. The upper’s classic shape is enriched by the horse-bit detail and the thin leather and lightweight rubber outsole.

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The 90s was a glorious era, characterized by rawness, radicalism, sexiness, loudness, and extra fun. It marked the beginning of Blu Scarpa’s journey and brand, initially focusing on the 80s but now transitioning to the next chapter in the 90s. Building upon the foundation laid by the 80s runner, a key element in the brand's evolution, Blu Scarpa just introduced a limited release of the 90s runner. This new addition reflects the progressive nature of sneakerhead culture, hip hop, and all things 90s.

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Sporty inspirations define the style of this baseball cap. The base is made of twisted cotton gabardine, a classic casual fabric tinged with the season’s colors. The accessory features a lightweight cotton lining and is complemented by a practical adjustable back closure.

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From Matthew Chevallard’s Blu Scarpa, the Signature Tennis Racket Corda Necklace is a dazzling fusion of sporting grace and refined elegance. Crafted in luxurious 14k Yellow gold, this 2mm necklace boasts a meticulously detailed tennis racket pendant adorned with a radiant blu sapphire.

The exquisite sapphire nestled within the tennis racket pendant adds a touch of opulence and sophistication to this iconic piece. The sleek corda chain complements the pendant's intricate design, creating a harmonious blend of sporty allure and timeless luxury.

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This GG Duffle Bag by Gucci is crafted in soft, brown suede and is the perfect travel bag. Two archival design elements - the Double G and the Web, complete the silhouette with a nod to the House founder.

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Impress this Valentine’s Day with an original Jeff Koons Dom Pérignon Balloon Venus, investment grade art that can hold your champagne for the special holiday celebration. Curated by Avery Andon of ArtLife, the piece is crafted of lacquered polyurethane resin and comes with champagne bottle and original box. The Dom Pérignon Balloon Venus is an edition of 650 + 40 AP.

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From leading Miami-based timepiece curators TimePiece Trading comes the Richard Mille RM011 "Ghost" White Ceramic x Black NTPT Sides. This Richard Mille RM011 has a 50mm white ceramic case that surrounds a skeletonized dial with white Arabic numerals.

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FIRST ON PROFILE: Audemars Piguet Signs Lease at Eighteen Sunset To Open Miami's First AP House in Sunset Harbour

A new level of luxury is coming to Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour district in the form of AP House. The boutique hospitality experience created by the Swiss luxury watch brand Audemars Piguet has leased 11,841 square feet at Eighteen Sunset – the landmark mixed-use project designed by DOMO Architecture + Design, which will also be home to the only Class A+ office product currently under construction on Miami Beach. It is slated to deliver late this year, with AP House projected to open in 2024. Just two office spaces on the fourth and fifth floors remain for lease.

Once complete, AP House will be an innovative residential salon concept made for intimate browsing, socializing and entertaining amongst existing and potential Audemars Piguet clients. This will be the 16th AP House location, following the recent opening of one in Los Angeles, adding to a portfolio of 14 others in major cities around the globe such as Bangkok, Barcelona, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York City, Shanghai, St. Barth’s, Tel Aviv, Tokyo and Zurich.

“The influx of best-in-class businesses and high net worth residents in Miami and Miami Beach has created a burst of demand for premium brand experiences,” said Bradley Colmer, Founder of Deco Capital. “Audemars Piguet’s arrival, in its most exclusive form, signifies Miami Beach’s evolution as a first-rate international destination and home for global luxury, brimming with five-star offerings.”

The AP House experience will begin on the ground-floor of Eighteen Sunset, where guests will enter into the brand’s exclusive lobby and take a private elevator to the top floor where they’ll be met with breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami via floor-to-ceiling windows and incredible wrap around balconies.

AP House joins a list of blue-chip tenants at Eighteen Sunset, including Pretium, a specialized investment management firm occupying 11,591 square feet on the fourth floor; a multi-billion dollar, publicly traded Canadian firm that signed an almost 20,000 square foot lease for the entire the third floor; and Uchiko, a restaurant concept by award-winning Hai Hospitality group, that will occupy approximately 6,000 square feet on the ground floor.

Eighteen Sunset’s ownership was represented by Stephen Rutchik of Colliers International and Neil King of CBRE. Audemars Piguet was represented by Jonathan Schley of CBRE and Lyle Stern of Miami-based Vertical Real Estate.

“Eighteen Sunset stands in a league of its own on Miami Beach and in the Greater Miami area. From the building’s tenant mix to its finishes and location, the development rivals best-in-class office properties in the Financial District, while offering the benefits of a boutique building in one of South Florida’s most desirable lifestyle destinations,” said Stephen Rutchik.

Located in Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour district, one of South Florida’s most desirable shopping, dining and lifestyle destinations, Eighteen Sunset is Deco Capital’s signature mixed-use development project, rising five stories directly across from Biscayne Bay. The ground floor is home to approximately 17,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, a central breezeway, and a cantilevered sidewalk connecting to Maurice Gibb Park. This is followed by parking on the second floor, and then Class A+ office totaling 40,000 square feet on the third and fourth, topped by an exclusive penthouse space, including a rooftop deck.

Images via Deco Capital & Audemars Piguet

Iconic Swiss Brands Hublot and Nespresso Join Forces To Reveal Big Bang Made From Recycled Nespresso Capsules

Hublot and Nespresso, two Swiss icons, have joined forces to reveal a fusion of innovation and sustainability with the creation of a Big Bang timepiece based on recycling and circularity. The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is the first watch to be made using recycled Nespresso aluminum capsules and coffee grounds.

As part of its Second Life initiatives over the last seven years, Nespresso has partnered with prestigious Swiss brands to create new products from used aluminum capsules. In a world’s first, Hublot’s and Nespresso have transformed the used coffee grounds from the capsules into watch straps; the recycled aluminum fused with the aluminum capsules becomes the case, the bezel, the crown and the pusher.

The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin shares the values of innovation, excellence and sustainability, which are at the core of both brands. Founded in 1980, Hublot is renowned for its Art of Fusion, developing new alloys, materials and composites, pushing the boundaries of different materials and placing rubber at the heart of the watchmaking industry by using it for its straps.

Since 1986, Nespresso has not only revolutionized the Art of Coffee with its portioned system that perfectly blends precision with an unforgettable taste, but has also added even greater value with its recycling system, designed in 1991, that separates the aluminum from the coffee grounds, enabling each component to be repurposed. And that’s how a coffee capsule can now become a watch, from strap to case.

This is an unprecedented collaboration, signaled by Nespresso’s iconic “N” engraved on the crown, and its iconic colour – a nod to the Master Origins Peru Organic capsule. The density of the two materials is expertly blended to ensure the durability of the product. The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin’s 42-mm case is crafted in recycled aluminium, of which 28% comes from Nespresso coffee capsules, anodised in vibrant green, then satin finished and polished. The crown and pusher undergo the same treatment. The bottom of the case and the container are both made from Eco-Titanium (recycled titanium). The titanium deployant buckle of the rubber strap, with its decorative recycled aluminium cap, and the sport buckle of the Velcro strap are also in the same anodised green colour.

The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin takes the recycled coffee grounds from Nespresso capsules and applies the magic of Hublot’s patented One Click interchangeable strap system to them. To create the rubber strap, Hublot has skilfully balanced the ratio of each ingredient to achieve the perfect colour and quality. For the fabric strap, Hublot has collaborated with SingTex, one of Nespresso’s partners who was already using recycled coffee grounds to produce a fabric called Scafé. This 100% recycled fabric (composed of 5% coffee grounds and 95% recycled polyester) is being used for the first time to make a watch strap. A subtle balance, to ensure the durability of the bracelet, which also sees the rubber strap fusing 4.1% coffee grounds, 8.2% recycled white rubber and the usual Hublot formula.

It took Hublot an entire year of R&D, working closely with Nespresso, to finally achieve the perfect harmony of colors between seven different materials that make up the watch, from its case to its straps (anodized aluminum, the varnish on the dial and hands, the Hublot logo decal on the glass, the rubber of the strap, and the fabric, lining and hook & loop tape of the Velcro strap) and to ensure that this uniformity of color would stand the test of time.

In another first, the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin will come in the Hublot Greenbox case, a brand new case developed by this watchmaking manufacturer that will be used for all its watch collections in the future. Created entirely from oak, including its hinges, it is carved from mostly massive, traceable wood, whose sourcing and manufacture both promote short supply chains. It is designed to be a reusable item, with 98% of its removable interior made from eco-friendly and recycled components. It is made from recycled fabrics, plastic yarns and PET, as well as recycled paper and cardboard that are eco-labelled. For the collaboration with Nespresso, the Hublot Greenbox case is specially decorated with the two brands’ logos, affixed using coffee grounds.

“The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is a watch born out of a close collaboration between the product development teams of Nespresso and Hublot, two pioneering Swiss brands, both of whom were founded in the 1980s. This is a watch that delivers three world firsts: a symbol of the infinite possibilities for upcycling: a Big Bang made from the recycled aluminum of Nespresso coffee capsules; the first watch with a rubber strap containing 4.1% recycled coffee grounds from Nespresso capsules and 8.2% recycled rubber; and finally, the first watch with a Velcro strap made with SCafé, a fabric containing 5% recycled coffee grounds and 95% recycled polyester. It took the R&D teams a whole year to achieve the uniformity of colour of the watch’s seven different materials, find the right balance of ingredients and perform the quality and durability testing on all the product components.” Said Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe.

Images via Hublot

Hublot X PROFILEmiami Watches & Wonders Cocktail Debuting Hublot Novelties Collection

On Friday, May 5, with all eyes on Miami for Miami Race Week and the FORMULA1 Miami Grand Prix 2023, Hublot and PROFILEmiami teamed up to host Watches and Wonders Collectors Cocktail as Hublot debuted their ultra-exclusive, limited edition novelties for the first time in the United States. The lavish invite-only cocktail party was hosted overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Haulover Inlet at The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour.

Guests enjoyed champagne and caviar while getting intimate with some of Hublot’s most exclusive timepieces and novelties including the $527,000 Integrated Tourbillon Full Blue Saphire, the Integrated Tourbillon Full Carbon, the Square Bang Unico Sapphire and Ceramic, the Unico Golf Sky Blue Carbon and other limited edition timepieces such as the Classic Fusion Chronograph Orlinski Titanium. The invite only event was attended by business leaders, watch collectors and influencers such as real estate developers Michael Konig of One Thousand Group, architect and designer Denio Madera, Marc Chasin of Eden Multifamily, Cullen Mahoney of Continuum Company, the newly minted President of Hublot North America, Natacha Lamour-Nahim, and was hosted by Demetri Demascus and Katya Demina of PROFILEmiami with Thierry Richard of Hublot’s Bal Harbour Boutique.

With Hublot’s Novelties collection the watch brand is taking a step to showing the industry that they are among the highest quality brands and manufacturers who produce their own materials and movements. In its 1.5 million square foot manufacturing facility on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, Hublot is constantly pushing the boundaries of horological innovation.

Hublot operates by the “be the first, be unique, be different” philosophy which has enabled Hublot to gain a remarkable reputation for excellence in the space of just a few decades in the fiercely competitive high-quality timepiece market. The focus is embodied in the art of fusion that Hublot has constantly advanced since 1980, when it designed its first watch combining natural rubber and gold. In 2004, the brand made this art of fusion the cornerstone of a founding spirit, expressed in infinite variations with a blend of traditional watchmaking savoir-faire, cutting-edge technologies and unexpected materials. In 2005, the Big Bang collection, a chronograph with an elegant, contemporary design, enjoyed resounding international success.

At the 2022 edition of Watches & Wonders, Hublot created a stir by unveiling a new square-shaped watch design inspired by the iconic Big Bang. True to form, Hublot took the opportunity to demonstrate its technical expertise. The specific features that contributed to the Big Bang Unico’s popularity were reinterpreted in this new format, including the case’s sandwich-like construction and the use of high-tech materials.

One year later, Hublot has taken the model back to the drawing board, this time exhibiting the Maison’s exceptional skills through the use of sapphire with the exclusive Square Bang Unico Sapphire, offered in a limited run of 250 pieces. Despite the two-fold challenge of its square format and the case’s multi-layered sapphire construction, Hublot’s engineers have successfully ensured that this timepiece is water-resistant to a depth of 5 ATM. The watches were on display at the Hublot X PROFILEmiami Watches & Wonders event.

In March 2023 Hublot also debuted the MP-13, a new 100% Hublot manufactured complication bringing together for the first time a Double-Axis Tourbillon and Dual Retrograde Display complications. To further enhance its magic, Hublot has crafted a tourbillon with two refined attributes: it is skeletonized and suspended. This architectural design grants the tourbillon a weightlessness that more traditional versions lack. The watch was also on display at the Hublot X PROFILEmiami ‘Watches & Wonders’ event.

Images by Bryson G Visuals, Hublot and PROFILEmiami

Is The Watch Market in a Bubble? Will it Burst Anytime Soon?

Article by Thierry Richard, Watch Expert

Something in the watch market has changed. Many say that this change is due to a “bubble” generating a surprising increase in price. The price of luxury items, more specifically pre-owned watches, has skyrocketed in the past 20 months leaving all buyers perplex on what is going on. But can it really be said that this market is in a bubble? 

Let start by saying that a bubble is generally characterized by an unjustified or rather irrational increase in prices fueled by scarcity, speculation and greed. Of course, this is a sensitive topic as it creates strong feelings, as value is so often subjective. That said, those who are participating in a certain way whether from passion, profit or both will always have something to say about if a bubble is forming or not and when it might burst.

Like the real estate and stock market, luxury goods such as watches can have correction and often reflect the sentiment of the market but on smaller scale. Fear of a recession, a global event such as war, inflation and supply chain distortion can all have a consequence on the watch market. 

Because I am a watch guy, we will discuss how a bubble could transform the watch industry and when it might burst and why. 

The Recipe of a Bubble

First, let me walk you through how a bubble is formed. 

You will recognize a bubble by its’ five phases. First, we witness a Dwindling Availability when you see inventory and availability of a specific item shrinking or gone altogether. Then comes The Boom Phase, when price increases and gathers momentum as more participants enter the market. The media then takes over and the fear of missing out on what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity spurs more speculation from an increasing number of buyers. Then derives The Euphoria phase, when watch buyers throw both logic and caution out of the window. Prices are out of control. New valuation metrics are created to justify the price increase, the phenomenon is all over social media and buyers believe no matter how high prices go, there will be always other willing to pay more. Slowly comes The Price Top Out, when prices reach their peak and sellers start dumping. Profits narrow as prices fall. But this irrational bubble can last longer than we imagine as emotions are involved. Finally, The Burst occurs, and the market falls apart. Panic sets in for the speculators and they liquidate at any price flooding the market with merchandise. 

What happened?

Before we jump the gun, let’s back track and see what happened during the past 24 months and where we stand today. 

During the pandemic, as the world stood still, money was printed and sent away, some people accumulated more disposable income and money floated into the real estate, stock, crypto and watch market boosting the consumer confidence and creating more millionaire than ever. The investor who didn’t care about luxury watches before suddenly saw an opportunity to make money. Flippers entered the game; popstars wrote song about their timepieces and social media became the vehicle of choice to share this unique opportunity.

At the same time, brands chose to tighten their inventory production on purpose or not, creating a perfect recipe for scarcity. Therefore, with close to no watches in store available for purchase or with 2-6 years long waiting list, the boom has been driven mostly by online platforms. With players like Watchfinder or Watchbox and Chrono24 which remain the world’s leading online marketplace for luxury watches with over $2.4 billion in transactions in 2020. This represents almost $1 billion increase compared to 2019. 

So, thanks to internet and social media, the second-hand luxury watch market has become not only acceptable but now, trending and cool. Clients have larger access to information and watch brands can no longer ignore the phenomenon. The pre-owned watch market is an opportunity to influence the long-term value of products, increase brand equity and most importantly, to recruit new customers. Some brands are taking initiative such as H.Moser & Cie and FP Journe with tailored Certified Pre-Owned offers, or more recently Zenith. For Julien Tornare, CEO of Zenith the brand’s Zenith icons program is the opportunity to “provide, via a trusted channel, a supply of second or third-hand Zenith watches that are authenticated, checked and maintained by the brand, so that we are sure that our end-users are getting the quality we want, and they deserve”.  That said, pre-owned watches from the big four such Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille and even some Hublot were selling 5X on the secondary market for all the reasons above. 

Will the Bubble burst?

What you see in today’s watch market is a balancing act between inflation and customer confidence. Two opposites, both high. Confident consumers spending money is the key. However, if inflation continues to stay high and shows no signs of falling soon, choosing between wants and needs becomes a bit easier. After a while, the cost of living won’t leave room for even a “sure bet” on a watch. 

Subsequently, with the world opening again, the opportunistic trader and flippers who over-leveraged themselves now find themselves in a bit of a pickle. They need to get rid of their acquired watches to meet financial obligations and/or to minimize their losses. The result will be lower prices on the gray market and eventually high stock at the official dealers. It’s also worth noting that because of various reasons, watch buyers are now so frustrated with gray market prices and the unavailability of steel sports watches from Rolex or Audemars Piguet that they have changed their behavior. It’s becoming a matter of “enough is enough,” you could say. Still, it took consumers long enough to reach that point and prices recently dropped -40% on certain pre-owned models. 

However, as we discovered, it can be almost impossible to correctly spot a bubble every time, although there are certain signs of which to be wary.

As I said, consumer confidence is high despite a high inflation rate. And one way to protect yourself against inflation is by buying a luxury timepiece, one with a stable level of demand like a Submariner Rolex. Unlike other assets, watches are goods that in addition to having potential investment value and the possibility of being used. Even the younger generations have come to understand this.

Consequently, despite the uncharacteristic market spike and the potential correction in price, I believe watches are still a good alternative investment. The demand will continue to grow because apart from an object that shows status, or the more refined idea that wearing a mechanical timepiece shows knowledge and appreciation of traditional craftsmanship, watches represent an alternative asset class that is collectible, highly portable, and scarce considering growing market demand and limited production. From a certain point of view, this could protect the timepiece market from a dizzying and rapid fall. Thus, I believe that even though we might be in a bubble, watches are still a promising market, and that We might even see new brands gaining in popularity. Time will tell…