Northshore Magazine

ne Business electronic oscillator-powered timekeeping regulated by a quartz; and other technological milestones. Yet the desire for traditional mechanical watches remains strong. "It's more than just about telling time. You could look at your cell phone at any given time," says Steven B. Leed, the co-president of Royal Jewelers—an Andover-based, family-owned operation founded in 1948. "Ninety-nine percent of what we're selling is mechanized watches. They are the epitome of fine watchmaking." Leed explains that the world of luxury timepieces is changing: "I came into the business in the 1970s. It used to be about people getting a watch as a major gift or for a wedding. Today, most people have multiple watches. No one really owns one watch." Leed believes there is something for everyone. "Whether you want a style that is traditional like Cartier or bold like Panerai, there has been a resurgence of wonderful watch brands coming back, which is truly a reflection of where they came from." He explains, "Panerai is an extremely popular, great watch designed Image Maker Steven B. Leed of Royal Jewelers; Below, Cartier Ballon Bleu (left) and Panerai Radiomir (right) originally for the Italian Navy and at that time had to be [made] large. Now, that size makes a bold statement." Other brands that clients seek out are Breguet, Vacheron Constantin, Omega, and Ulysse Nardin. "I've visited all these [watchmakers] in Switzerland—their attention to detail is painstaking," says Leed. Leed is passionate about the watches he sells, and his sales staff shares his enthusiasm. "They are well educated in what they're selling, and we enjoy sharing our love for watches." Leed says that the trend in timepieces is smaller watches for men, but larger ones for women. As an example, he mentions the Ballon Bleu watch by Cartier—available in a variety of metal combinations, the model features Roman numerals, a sapphire (or polished) cabochon winding mechanism protected by an arc of precious metal, a guilloché 128 nshoremag.com December 2013 KJ NBDec13 Watches.indd 128 10/25/13 2:15 PM

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