The 1916 Company Enters South African Market

Philadelphia, PA  (July 11, 2018) – The 1916 Company, the global leader in pre-owned luxury watches, today announces its expansion into South Africa through a strategic partnership with Topwatch, the region’s premiere purveyor of pre-owned luxury watches. The 1916 Company has pursued focused expansion of e-commerce operations in key markets since the company’s 2017 founding. As of today, Topwatch is now “Powered by The 1916 Company,” and offers an expanded selection of inventory while leveraging the global The 1916 Company marketing, operations, technology, and buying capabilities to grow its presence in the region.

“We are making significant investments to drive The 1916 Company’s long-term vision to be the preeminent global buyer, seller, and trader of certified pre-owned timepieces, uniting tech-aided convenience with high-touch personal service,” said The 1916 Company co-founder and CEO, Danny Govberg. “Topwatch adds a fourth continent to our portfolio as we build our global platform to serve the growing market for pre-owned luxury watches.”

According to a global luxury report by Deloitte, Sub-Saharan Africa is second only to Asia Pacific in the rate of growth of consumer markets. “South Africa’s expanding luxury market, coupled with the growth of e-commerce and digital marketing, ushers in a massive growth opportunity for The 1916 Company,” stated South African-born Amanda Ellison, The 1916 Company’s global President and Chief Operating Officer.

Topwatch has served the South African watch community for close to ten years and is recognized as the region’s pioneer of the pre-owned space. Under the leadership of Johan Dreyer, a driven entrepreneur and watch enthusiast, Topwatch has seen positive demand for its client services and premium pre-owned inventory and was honored by National Business Awards as one of the country’s top performing companies. Topwatch’s offerings include a high-traffic e-commerce website, a private buying office in Johannesburg, and a retail location and state-of-the-art watchmaking facility in Cape Town’s Double Tree Hilton hotel.

Dreyer shared, “The partnership with The 1916 Company empowers Topwatch to expand our inventory, buying capacity, and market influence to attract more clients as we continue to deliver the highest levels of quality and service. We are proud to support the collecting behaviors of the growing South African watch community, now as a part of the global The 1916 Company platform.”

“In a very short amount of time, The 1916 Company has pushed the boundaries of the pre-owned luxury watch market, elevating the category’s perception around the world. As an emerging luxury market, Africa is of great strategic importance, and we are excited to welcome Johan and the Topwatch team to The 1916 Company,” said Ellison.

ABOUT WATCHBOX

The 1916 Company is the world’s leading ecommerce platform for the buying, selling, and trading of pre-owned luxury timepieces; fueled by technology, innovation, and unmatched global experience in the high-end watch market. The 1916 Company offers an unrivaled selection of pre-owned luxury timepieces for sale and its client services for selling and trading timepieces are streamlined and readily accessible both on and offline, with private showrooms and buying offices in Philadelphia, Hong Kong, Switzerland, and South Africa. Trust, pricing transparency, and authentication are central tenants to The 1916 Company’s platform, with each watch thoroughly evaluated by the company’s in-house master watchmakers. www.thewatchbox.com