THE THOMAS MERCER MUSEUM UNVEILED AT PISA OROLOGERIA MILAN

Luxury brands all have unique identities, but one trait makes them even more unmistakably distinctive: heritage. As world-renowned branding strategist Jean-Noel Kapferer says: “History gives depth to a brand, and timelessness to his creation. It does not mean imprisonment to the past, but rather heritage and continuity shaping the present and the future”. And again, according to said luminary of luxury, “A museum represents the pinnacle of uniqueness, a sanctum of non-comparability which is at the origin of an authentic lineage from which each new product can lay claim.”

This is the reason why Thomas Mercer has jealously built its own private museum: to attest the most crucial physical expression of its heritage, and to share its 160 years of history with the world.

The world premiere of the Thomas Mercer private museum was during the Montenapoleone Yacht Club in 2017 at Pisa Orologeria Milan.

Set in Milan’s epicentre of luxury, the Quadrilatero della Moda, there was no better choice of setting for the Museum’s debut: among the most important Watch retailers in the world, Pisa Orologeria shares Thomas Mercer’s values of exclusivity and elegance; furthermore, its multi-brand boutique, and particularly the ‘Observatory Room’, earn it the accolade of “temple of watchmaking”.

A selection of 15 chronometers dated from 1875 till 1984, covering nearly all models and types made throughout the brand’s long history, were displayed in the Osservatorio (Observatory) Room, a distinctive space on the top floor where collectors can enjoy horological journeys through the wonder of exhibitions and events. To complete this extraordinary showcase, the three books on the history of the company, respectively written in 1978, 1993 and 2004 by Tony Mercer, the third generation of the dynasty.

In the early twentieth century, spurred on by his passion for the Watchmaking Art, Divino Pisa took the brand from being a small workshop in the family’s roots in rural Gualtieri to chic Milan, to become a modern, but still family-owned, business: recognised at award level as among the world’s best retailers in the industry; for tradition, competence and range of products offered.

Although respecting its unique history, the shop in Via Verri enjoyed a complete up-to-the-minute makeover in January 2016. The new Flagship Store, spread over 1000 square metres, offers a selection of over 40 prestigious brands that represent the elite in the Watchmaking Art, with the latest novelties. It also hosts two modern labs capable of offering swift service and assistance according to the highest quality standards. A unique space, where one can live an exclusive experience.

In addition to the Flagship store, since 2008 the Pisa Family manages the first European Rolex mono-brand store based on four floors in Via Montenapoleone – the first, and the only, Italian Patek Philippe boutique.

The MonteNapoleone Yacht Club was the perfect occasion for unveiling this gem of the brand’s history. A celebration of the historic connections between the luxury and boat-building sectors, it offered Thomas Mercer a unique opportunity to reinforce its indissoluble link between timekeeping and navigation.  For a week in May the famous street becomes a refined marina, where many select boutiques play host to the top shipyards, presenting scale models of prestigious vessels, videos, photos and cutting-edge designs, all in a truly incomparable atmosphere.