Govberg Jewelers

What Govberg Jewelers does

The 1916 Company, founded in 1916 as Govberg Jewelers in Philadelphia and rebranded in 2026 (operating as Govberg LLC d/b/a The 1916 Company under parent WBQ USA LLC), is a multi-generational authorized dealer and luxury retailer specializing in new and certified pre-owned luxury watches, fine jewelry, and authenticated pre-owned luxury handbags. The company holds Official Rolex Jeweler and Patek Philippe Authorized Retailer status and represents 30+ watch brands including Cartier, TUDOR, OMEGA, Breitling, BVLGARI, De Bethune, Grand Seiko, H. Moser & Cie., Hublot, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, Panerai, Tag Heuer, and Zenith. It also carries fine jewelry brands such as Buccellati, Mikimoto, Roberto Coin, and CHANEL Fine Jewelry, and authenticated pre-owned Hermès, CHANEL, and Louis Vuitton handbags.

The company generates revenue primarily through one-time unit sales of high-ticket timepieces, jewelry, and handbags, with secondary revenue from professional services such as watch and jewelry repair, custom jewelry design, appraisal, and a sell/trade program that purchases pre-owned luxury watches and jewelry with complimentary insured shipping and 48-hour payment terms. Distribution is anchored by 16 physical showrooms across the United States (Philadelphia flagship, NYC, Miami, Newark, Baltimore, Ardmore, Denver, Scottsdale, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach) and international wholly-owned subsidiaries in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Neuchâtel (Switzerland), and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), with multiple shop-in-shop brand boutiques (Breitling, IWC, Omega, Hublot, Tudor, Panerai). E-commerce operates through the1916company.com and is supplemented by content (the Journal, Live Shopping video programming such as Watches Tonight and Market Wrap), social/mobile engagement (Instagram Live Shopping, WeChat, a branded mobile app with collector community), and a Rolex Certified Pre-Owned program.

Customers are high-net-worth individuals and collectors across three overlapping segments: luxury watch collectors (primary, including both new authorized and pre-owned/secondary market buyers), fine jewelry enthusiasts, and pre-owned luxury accessories buyers. Pricing is primarily unit-based with selective transaction-fee economics on the trade-in/sell program; prices range from approximately $2,700 (entry-level Grand Seiko) to seven-figure quote-based haute horlogerie pieces. The company operates within a regulatory-style moat structure: authorized dealer allocations from constrained-supply brands, brand boutiques, and a vertical service stack (repair, appraisal, trade-in, custom design) that retains customers across the ownership lifecycle.

Name

Govberg Jewelers

Legal name

Govberg LLC d/b/a The 1916 Company

Website

https://govbergwatches.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The 1916 Company (formerly Govberg Jewelers), founded 1916 in Philadelphia, is an authorized luxury watch and jewelry retailer operating 16 showrooms across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, serving high-net-worth collectors of new and certified pre-owned luxury watches, fine jewelry, and authenticated pre-owned handbags.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Watch and Jewelry Retail

NAICS

Jewelry Retailers (458310), Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)

SIC

Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944)

akta.pro primary industry

Watch Retail (Authorized Dealers, Boutiques, Omnichannel) (CRAKADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pre-owned, Vintage & Certified Pre-owned Watches (CRAKADAM), Pre-owned Watch Dealers & Exchanges (CRAKAKAB), Multi-category Luxury Maisons (Jewelry/Watches/Leather/RTW) (CRAKAFAA)

Keywords

• Luxury watch retail
• Authorized watch dealer
• Fine jewelry sales
• Pre-owned timepieces
• Watch repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pennsylvania Furnace

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Inventory or Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Watch Sales: Revenue from selling new luxury watches as an authorized dealer for brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Grand Seiko, and other haute horlogerie manufacturers.
2. Pre-Owned Watch Sales: Revenue from certified pre-owned luxury watches, including Rolex Certified Pre-Owned program and authenticated secondary market timepieces.
3. Fine Jewelry Sales: Revenue from new and pre-owned jewelry including bridal, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and rings from luxury brands such as Buccellati, Mikimoto, and Cartier.
4. Pre-Owned Handbags: Revenue from authenticated pre-owned luxury handbags including Hermès, CHANEL, and Louis Vuitton.
5. Watch & Jewelry Services: Services including watch repair, jewelry repair, custom jewelry design, appraisals, and engraving.
6. Trade-In and Sell Services: The company purchases and trades pre-owned luxury watches, providing valuation services and complimentary insured shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The 1916 Company, operating the legacy Govberg Jewelers brand, is a multi-brand luxury watch and jewelry retailer that sells new and pre-owned luxury timepieces, fine jewelry, and pre-owned luxury handbags through 16 showrooms across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, complemented by an e-commerce site. It is an authorized dealer for Rolex, Patek Philippe, and more than 30 additional luxury watch brands, and offers ancillary services including custom jewelry design, watch repair and restoration, appraisals, and a buy-and-trade program for pre-owned watches.

Product overview

The 1916 Company (formerly Govberg Jewelers) is a luxury watch and jewelry retailer operating as a multi-brand showroom and authorized dealer. The core offering comprises new watches from major Swiss manufacturers (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, TUDOR, OMEGA, Breitling, and others), certified pre-owned timepieces, fine jewelry across multiple categories (bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, bridal), and pre-owned luxury handbags from Hermès, CHANEL, and Louis Vuitton. Supporting services include custom jewelry design, jewelry repair, appraisals, authentication, and a sell/trade program. The company operates physical showrooms across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, with video content and editorial coverage through its Journal platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Luxury Watches Brand-new, authenticated luxury Swiss timepieces sold by an authorized dealer across more than 30 premium watch marques including Rolex and Patek Philippe, for individual collectors and luxury gift purchasers.
• Pre-Owned Luxury Watches Authenticated, pre-owned luxury Swiss watches available for purchase, sourced through the company's trade-in program and offered to collectors seeking specific references, discontinued models, or vintage pieces.
• Fine Jewelry Fine jewelry pieces sold to individual luxury buyers for personal wear, gifting, and special occasions, complementing the company's watch assortment.
• Pre-Owned Luxury Handbags Authenticated, pre-owned luxury designer handbags sold to luxury consumers as an adjacent category to the company's watch and jewelry business.
• Custom Jewelry Design Bespoke jewelry design service that creates custom pieces tailored to an individual client's specifications, typically for engagement, milestone, or self-purchase occasions.
• Watch Repair and Restoration Watch repair, servicing, and restoration performed for owners of luxury timepieces, covering routine maintenance and restoration work.
• Jewelry and Watch Appraisals Professional appraisal service for fine jewelry and luxury watches, used by clients for insurance, resale, and estate documentation purposes.
• Sell and Trade Program for Pre-Owned Watches and Handbags Trade-in and outright purchase program that allows customers to liquidate or trade pre-owned luxury watches and handbags, providing authenticated supply for the company's pre-owned inventory.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• De BethunecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDe Bethune partnership as part of 'Friends of Our House' program. Professional tennis players Lorenzo Musetti, Jessica Pegula, and Tommy Paul wear De Bethune watches on court. The partnership aligns elite athletic performance precision with independent watchmaking excellence.
• RolexcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial Rolex Jeweler status. The 1916 Company is an authorized dealer for new Rolex watches and participates in the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned program for authenticated pre-owned Rolex timepieces.
• Patek PhilippecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPatek Philippe Authorized Retailer. The 1916 Company is authorized to sell new Patek Philippe watches including Grand Complications, Calatrava, Twenty~4 collections.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Goldsmiths: UK authorized Rolex retailer owned by Watches of Switzerland Group, with comparable multi-brand showroom format and high-street luxury positioning.
• Watches of Switzerland Group: The largest publicly-traded authorized luxury watch retailer globally, holding Official Rolex Jeweler and Patek Philippe Authorized Retailer status across the UK, US, and Europe. Most direct comparable in business model, brand portfolio, and multi-showroom strategy.
• Bucherer: Swiss family-owned authorized dealer for Rolex, Patek Philippe, and other maisons, with showrooms across Europe and the US (including the recently acquired Tourneau). Closely comparable in brand portfolio, collector focus, and authorized-dealer model.
• Mayors Jewelers: US-based authorized Rolex and Patek Philippe retailer owned by Watches of Switzerland Group. Direct competitor in the same US Southeast market with overlapping showroom formats and product mix.
• Ben Bridge Jeweler: Family-owned US authorized luxury watch and jewelry retailer (founded 1912) operating multi-brand showrooms in the West and Pacific Northwest. Comparable in heritage, authorized dealer mix, and fine jewelry positioning.
• Hochstetler & Associates / Hyde Park Jewelers: US authorized Rolex/Patek retailer with multi-state showroom footprint, comparable in mid-market authorized luxury positioning and bridal jewelry adjacency.
• Tourneau (now part of Watches of Switzerland Group): Historic US authorized luxury watch retailer with major showrooms including Madison Avenue — direct showroom-level competitor to The 1916 Company's NYC flagship.

Emerging players

• Jomashop: Large online grey-market and pre-owned luxury watch and jewelry retailer. Represents the price-disciplined online channel that pressures authorized retail pricing on pre-owned inventory.
• Chrono24: Global online marketplace for new and pre-owned luxury watches. Comparable in pre-owned inventory breadth and authentication focus, and a structural competitor in the secondary market.
• Hodinkee: Watch-focused media and commerce platform with strong editorial credibility and a growing pre-owned/watch-shopping business. Comparable in content-led collector engagement and pre-owned authenticity positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GovbergJewelers
• Xx.com/govbergjewelers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/govberg-jewelers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Govberg Jewelers