Inside the Hamptons’ Newest Standalone Rolex Boutique

Mark Udell still remembers the persistence it took. In 1976, as a young man working in his parents’ small Glen Cove jewellery store, he spent two years calling Rolex, determined to carry the iconic brand.

“They kind of blew me off at first,” he recalls, a grin in his voice. “But I didn’t stop. Finally, Bob Reynolds came out to meet me and said, ‘You are so persistent, we’re going to sell you the line.’ I was over the moon.”

That first Rolex? A modest gold Day-Date President. Retail price: $2,700. “I said to my dad, ‘How are we going to sell a watch for $2,700?’” Udell laughs. “He said, ‘We have no choice.’

By that evening, a local doctor saw the watch in the window, and it was sold.” Today, a similar model, 40mm Everose gold with a green dial, retails for $47,500, and that’s before factoring in the secondary market premium.

Fast-forward nearly 50 years, and Udell’s vision has scaled magnificently. London Jewellers has just unveiled its newest Rolex boutique in East Hampton, a sprawling 4,800-square-foot space at 28 Newton Lane, on prime real estate Udell once leased to Chanel.

It is the company’s second standalone Rolex boutique, joining Short Hills, New Jersey, alongside the Rolex showroom in Manhasset, New York. Since opening two weeks ago, lines have regularly stretched down the block.

The boutique itself is an exercise in quiet grandeur. Housed in the historic Odd Fellows Hall, built in 1897 by architect Joseph Greenleaf Thorp, the grey cedar-shingled building with crisp white trim sits amid manicured lawns, towering evergreens, and pristine hydrangeas.

Inside, brown leather couches beckon, Rolex-green velvet chairs gleam under the soft light, and chevron-style parquet floors reflect the subtle shimmer of Verpi Alpi marble with fluted patterns that echo the brand’s iconic bezels. Even the custom lighting pays homage to the Cyclops date window, a nod to Rolex’s meticulous design philosophy.

Every corner of the boutique is curated for both spectacle and intimacy. On the ground floor, gleaming vitrives display the hottest GMT-Master IIs, pastel Oyster Perpetuals, and rare gold Deepsea models. Upstairs, clients can linger at a bar serving London Jewellers’ signature watermelon margarita or negotiate access to the coveted Daytona collection in a private VIP salon. Outside, a tranquil patio with firepit and hydrangea-framed tables offers the perfect backdrop for mingling.

Udell has noticed a new wave of international clients, including Europeans seeking the safety and serenity of the Hamptons. “If you come out here, you can walk around with anything,” he says, noting the town’s swift and attentive police force. “We had a false alarm last week; they were here in two minutes.”

The boutique has already become a magnet for the discerning and famous. Mark Wahlberg, John Mayer, and Andy Cohen have reportedly visited, reinforcing that even celebrities must navigate the Crown’s world with care. “Time is luxury,” quips store manager Maria Triburgo, blending a wink with sage advice as staff encourage patrons to savour both the watches and the experience.

From a small mom-and-pop shop to one of the East Coast’s most spectacular Rolex destinations, London Jewellers has proven that persistence and an eye for elegance never go out of style. In East Hampton, luxury isn’t just on display; it’s lived.