Swatch opens the biggest Australian store on Melbourne’s Collins Street

Borna Bošnjak

With all of its luxury storefronts, exquisite restaurants, and cozy pubs, Collins Street is pretty much the place to have a lunchtime stroll in Melbourne. Bringing colour to the St. Collins Lane arcade, the new Swatch shop becomes another place to dip into. This is no ordinary store, however, as the brand’s largest Australian location will also serve as their country flagship.

Since Swatch closed its Myer concession, you’d need to travel outside of the CBD to pick up any of their limited-edition releases, but no longer. As someone with a drawer-full or two of Swatches, I can’t be more excited about this development, because there’s nothing like walking past a Swatch store and seeing the latest colourful thing, and just picking it up because it makes you smile. For those wondering whether they’ll be stocking the Bioceramic MoonSwatch and Scuba Fifty Fathoms, fret not – this is Australia’s flagship store, after all.

As for the interior design itself, you can expect a healthy dose of quirky and playful, as it should be. Stretching over 239 square metres, the open-plan space is divided by translucent brick walls hosting display panels with the brand’s latest releases.

The shop’s newest concept occupies much of the central portion, with a large, retro-futuristic bar setup. Swatch is hoping this area will allow customers to get more comfortable in the space, providing an area to look at the watches without bringing the stuffiness of heavy, plush furniture of luxury boutiques.

Large LED screens surround the space, with metallic brick walls taking inspiration from Melbourne’s many laneways. In this case, they’re free from the incredible street art that gives those small passageways an extra dimension, but it gives Swatch the proverbial blank slate for more fun down the line.

Swatch Melbourne location and opening hours

The new Swatch store is located on 260 Collins Street, at the entrance of the St. Collins Lane arcade mall, officially opening on the 1st of March, 2024. You can find the latest opening hours and contact details on the brand’s store page here.