On a recent afternoon out in Soho Manhattan, Trevor Guilday and I had the fortune of spending a few hours in Material Good.
Standing outside the entrance to Material Good, and its second floor location.
It’s a relatively new “concept” store that’s trying to shake up the traditional watch and luxury goods buying experience. The store has been featured in the New York Times and Esquire among others, so we wanted to see what the fuss was all about!
Furthermore, if like me you’ve ever bought a high-end watch, you’ll know what I mean when I say things could change. The likes of Omega and their fresh boutiques with the customer centric service approach have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, but has Material Good taken the next step towards “saving” high-end retail? Let’s find out…
Material Good Review – The Ambiance & Sales Process
Upon entering the store, you immediately know it’s like no other watch shop you’ve ever been to [maybe IWC on Madison Avenue is the closest I’ve seen]. The best way I can describe it is that if you are like me and you are a fan of Million Dollar Listing New York, it looks and feels like a multi-million dollar swanky New York apartment.
With that being said, however, it does not feel unapproachable or stoic like many high end stores I’ve been to.
Both Trevor and I were warmly greeted by Yoni, who is the Chief Marketing Officer. He was very generous with his time, showing us around, detailing the store’s story, and answering all of our questions.
What I also liked about Yoni was the fact that he’s a true watch guy. We chatted away for some time about our current collections, the watches on display in the store, etc…
When some clients came into the store, Yoni left us with a generous pour of some fine scotch whisky and told us to enjoy the space and look around encouraging us to take all the time we needed.
We took full advantage of this, looking at the fine watches on display and admiring the overall ambiance of the set-up. I was truly taken aback by the quality of the artwork and book collection, it was a feast for the eyes.
Watches For Sale
Authorized Dealers: Audemars Piguet & Richard Mille
Material Good is an official dealer for both Audemars Piguet, which one of the “big three”, as well as Richard Mille, one of the most contemporary and cutting edge watch manufacturers.
The selection of watches from Audemars Piguet was very impressive, with a large collection of Royal Oaks and Royal Oak Offshores.
I’m currently lusting over getting an all gold model like those seen below on the top and bottom rows… Needless to say, my interest has not subsided!
The collection of Richard Mille watches was smaller, but this stands to reason with their respective higher price points. Moreover, if you’re a fan of the brand you will not be disappointed as they had some very fine and high-end pieces on offer.
Bamford Watch Department Stockist
One of the coolest parts was to see a nice collection of Bamford watches in the flesh. I’ve seen many online and on Instagram.com/BamfordWatchDepartment/, but to see them in person really brings a different perspective to the work that they do.
Not matter if you love what they do, or hate it, one has to respect the quality of the work they accomplish.
It’s good to know there is an official stockists in NYC, if the desire ever arose.
Curated Pre-Owned Watch Collection
In Stock
The pre-owned collection was well-curated, featuring modern models like the Rolex Batman, all the way back to some historic and important vintage references from brands like: Rolex, Omega, AP, Patek Philippe, etc..
Procurement Service
Talking to Yoni he also informed us that they have a procurement service for vintage timepieces. In other words, if a client is looking for a vintage watch then the team at Material Good has a dedicated department that can help the client find that piece.
This is a great value add service, that I’m sure is of high quality from all the other top-notch elements of the experience.
Other Luxury Goods: Handbags, Jewelry & Art
Aside from watches, Material Good also has a large collection of handbags, including one of the world’s biggest collections of Birkin bags from Hermes.
Further, there is a nice collection of high end jewelry, books, and fine art including an original Picasso!
Material Good has something for everyone, from the watch geek, to the handbag collector.
Location, Contact, Hours & How To Get There
Email: Info@MaterialGoodNY.com
Phone: 212-359-9688
Address: 120 Wooster Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10012
Instagram: instagram.com/materialgood/
Final Thoughts About Material Good
Overall we really enjoyed our time at Material Good.
They have certainly come up with a new, unique and enjoyable concept. The best thing I can say is that when I’m in the market for my dream Audemars Piguet, I know where I’ll be going….
The team here at Bespoke Unit wishes them all the best!
New York, NY 10012
"Highly recommended! Material Good is located in the heart of Soho Manhattan, and is taking a stab at mixing up the luxury shopping experience. If you're in search of a fine timepiece or high-end jewelry this could be the spot for you."Rating: 5.0 ★★★★★
About the Author: Paul Anthony
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