Inside look at the first ever Ulysse Nardin boutique in the United States
It was a momentous occasion at Boca Raton’s Town Center mall on December 16, as a special ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official unveiling of Bobby Yampolsky’s latest venture in the world of fine timepieces—the first ever Ulysse Nardin boutique in the United States.
It’s In His Blood
Bobby is no stranger to glitz and glamour; he’s been in the business of buying and selling luxury jewelry for more than twenty years. But this “King of Bling” was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. In fact, when Bobby first joined his father Michael in the family business, the two were selling jewelry out of a small kiosk at the Pompano Outlet Mall (now The Festival Flea Market). Over time, with their genuine passion, unprecedented instinct, and savvy business skills, the father-son duo soon expanded the modest jewelry stand into four opulent East Coast Jewelry boutiques. Their current locations include their flagship Sunny Isles Beach location, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and the Trump International Beach Resort. They boast a collection of new, vintage, and limited-edition jewelry and timepieces, which are comprised of top luxury brand names like Audemars Piguet, Glasshute Original, Gaspari, Hublot, Bovet, and of course, Ulysse Nardin. A stellar, top-name inventory lineup coupled with the Yampolsky approach to business and unparalleled customer attention has been the driving force behind the success of East Coast Jewelry, and promises to do the same for Ulysse Nardin.
Making Friends
It’s easy to get along with the charismatic and charming businessman. So it’s no surprise then, that as East Coast Jewelry flourished, so did Bobby’s relationships with many major jewelry and watch brands. His relationship with Patrik Hoffmann, President of Ulysse Nardin North America became a special one. “When I visited their store on Worth Avenue, it was love at first sight,” Hoffmann explains. Likewise, Bobby cannot rave more about Ulysse Nardin. “I’ve had a very successful relationship with Patrik Hoffmann for a decade, and I have tremendous respect for the brand,” he says. “They are one of the few brands that is still privately owned and is not run like a financial institution. They continue to endure the personal touch and unique experience of owning a luxury timepiece.” This mutual love and respect for one another created a strong bond and solid business partnership. “East Coast Jewelry is always looking to market and promote Ulysse Nardin in new and innovative ways,” says Hoffmann. “It was Bobby who had the foresight and intuition that Ulysse Nardin would be a successful brand in the US.”
Innovation. Determination.
Ulysse Nardin was historically notorious for manufacturing marine watches, which were considered the most accurate timepieces on the market. Today, under the direction of Hoffmann and UN President Rolf Schnyder, the brand upholds a reputation for excellence that has been built on strong technological advances since the get go. “Ulysse Nardin is one of the most innovative brands out there. They are always coming out with something new and ahead of the curve, appealing to a broad audience,” Bobby explains.
In 2007, his intuition and inherent entrepreneurial drive put Bobby’s mind gears in motion, and he soon set his sights on a new project—the Ulysse Nardin luxury cell phone. “Before mobile phones, technically wristwatches were mobile technology,” Bobby explains. “The development of the UN smart phone was born when we had a vision of fusing the art of watch making and mobile technology. And because Ulysse Nardin is one of the most innovative brands out there today, and I felt it was the perfect marriage.” A quick phone call to Hoffmann and the two were soon brainstorming their ideas.
After years of research, innovation, and determination, the world’s first luxury hybrid smart phone, “The Chairman,” was unveiled, an appropriate name for the quintessential communication tool for any established businessman. The hand-assembled Chairman isn’t just fancy on the outside, but boasts a unique mechanical rotor to compensate for the natural discharge of the internal battery displayed through an exhibition back, much like the rotor of a Ulysse Nardin timepiece. Along with the advent of The Chairman, Bobby also founded two additional companies, SCI Innovations and UN Cells Ltd, which manufacture the phones and manage their sales and distribution, respectively. The chairman comes in a variety of precious metals and diamonds, and recently made headlines with its upgraded version that now comes with an impressive 32GB of memory and Android operating system. Only 1,846 of each model will be made, in honor of the founding year of Ulysse Nardin, with a starting retail price around $12,800.
