The world's first OMEGA flagship store opens its doors in Zurich

Bahnhofstrasse 52
Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich, Switzerland, 5 December 2000 - OMEGA today announced an important new step in its distribution strategy with the opening of the first flagship store in the world dedicated solely to the OMEGA brand. Numerous VIP guests attended the official inauguration of the store on Bahnhofstrasse in the heart of Zurich.

During a press conference held at Zurich's exclusive Baur-au-Lac hotel, the new store was presented by Nicolas G. Hayek, Chairman and CEO of the Swatch Group, as well as Stephen Urquhart, President of OMEGA, and Thomas GÜbelin, Chairman of GÜbelin Jewellers. The international press was subsequently treated to a tour of the store live by videoconference, after which the guests proceeded to the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store in a special tram decorated with the OMEGA livery.

The new store has a prime location at Bahnhofstrasse 52, in the heart of Zurich's exclusive and world-famous shopping street. It will be operated under a joint venture between OMEGA and GÜbelin Jewellers, whose decades of partnership with the OMEGA brand provide the necessary retail experience. The Zurich store represents an historic milestone in an ambitious project that aims to open 50 such stores in famous shopping areas throughout the world in order to offer a suitable environment for presenting the strong OMEGA brand.

The concept for the new stores has two primary objectives: firstly, to consolidate the position of the OMEGA brand at local, national and international level, at the same time giving full support to the existing worldwide distribution network of authorised OMEGA retailers thus making the sales experience more dynamic; secondly, to offer a centre for information, activity, service and permanent communication with today's discerning customers. Naturally the Zurich store has its own repair workshop staffed by qualified OMEGA watchmakers.

This first OMEGA store is above all a testament to the worldwide success of the OMEGA brand - a trend that this exciting new venture can only stimulate.

Photographs of the interior and exterior of the store are available for download from the OMEGA website at www.omegawatches.com.