Nicolas G. Hayek Center

The Nicolas G. Hayek Center was inaugurated on May 23, 2007 in the Ginza business district of Tokyo, an area ringed by skyscrapers dating from the 1960s.

One of these, the Pearl Building, was purchased by the Swatch Group in 2004 for around 150 million Swiss francs. Under the leadership of the world-famous Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, winner of the design competition, the building was to be totally demolished then rebuilt in line with the new standards adopted by the district, with its height increasing from 31 meters to 56 meters.

The Nicolas G. Hayek Center provides a striking contrast with the surrounding buildings due to its wall of greenery that flows down from the roof to the ground.

Another unique feature of the Nicolas G. Hayek Center is its hydraulic elevators. These are in fact the entrances to the boutiques dedicated to the Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Omega and Tissot brands. They convey visitors directly from the ground floor to the exhibition areas of each of the brands.

The building is also home to the offices of Swatch Group Japan, and has three floors dedicated to after-sales service. La Cité du Temps on the 14th floor is dedicated to the interaction between the brands and the public, hosting exhibitions, concerts and press conferences.