By Press Release
Edwards Lowell is celebrating 100 years of timeless luxury across three generations, marking the vision and dedication of the family business in the realm of quality watches and jewellery. From its beginnings in other ventures in Valletta to representing iconic international watch brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe, the company is looking back at its journey of growth in the luxury goods business and ahead to an equally bright future as the third generation steps in. Over the past century, Edwards Lowell Co. Ltd has built a fine reputation, based on the values of 鈥渜uality, style and attention to detail鈥. Speaking about the significance of the milestone anniversary, Malcolm Lowell Sr, who was instrumental in introducing luxury watches in the 1970s, said: 鈥100 years is a long time for any company, especially a small business in a small and very competitive market.鈥 He expressed his satisfaction at having gone 鈥渇rom strength to strength, while at the same time achieving and retaining full family ownership鈥. As regards the highlights and key turning points throughout the last century, Lowell Sr credited his wife Isabelle for her 鈥済reat help鈥 in managing to completely turn around the activities of the business from wholesale foodstuffs and clothing 鈥 鈥渂eset with enormous problems of government-imposed import substitution and import licence restrictions鈥 鈥 towards quality watches and jewellery, which 鈥渨e have always loved鈥. The emphasis has always been on full control of retail boutiques in the most prominent positions, Lowell Sr continued about the winning strategy. 鈥淎fter all those years, it was with great pride for both Isabelle and myself to see our children Annabelle and Malcolm take a very strong interest in our business. 鈥淭hey have now taken over the general day-to-day running with great success, providing the key to the future, while allowing us to relax and take a back seat in full confidence.鈥 As to how the scenario has developed over the years, Edwards Lowell managing director Malcolm R. Lowell said the luxury goods business has changed dramatically since the dawn of social media, turning the top brands into megabrands and relatively niche brands into highly coveted and well-known icons. The auctions business also had an impact on this, and there is no indication of things slowing down in the coming years, he continued. 鈥淲e were in the fortunate position to be able to invest and build on our past. At the right moment, the family did exactly that. It was not apparent at the time, but in hindsight, it was very much about taking advantage of the opportunities at the apt time,鈥 Lowell said. The company will now be honouring this achievement 鈥 100 years of 鈥渜uality, detail, luxury, experience, heritage, style, dedication, family and hard work鈥 鈥 with special celebrations throughout the year and surprises in store. The main event is a gala dinner this month that Edwards Lowell intends to 鈥渕ake memorable鈥, for an intimate group of patrons and business partners. 鈥淲e will have a curated exhibition of our main brands along with some novelties and memorabilia,鈥 Lowell revealed. Telling the timeline Edwards Lowell was established in 1925 by Charles E. Lowell, who started his journey in the textiles and food products business, moving into luxury watches when he was appointed the official distributor for Rolex in Malta in the 1940s. This was the catalyst for his son Malcolm Lowell Sr, who, driven by his love for fine Swiss watches, gradually turned the business around in the 1960s and 1970s to concentrate exclusively on the finest quality timepieces and, later, expand the company鈥檚 portfolio to include the best jewellery brands on the international market. Together with his wife Isabelle and children, Annabelle Bonello Lowell and Malcolm R. Lowell, and in keeping with their commitment to give their valued clientele a dedicated service and that personalised touch, the company is today a leader in this sector in Malta. Now run by the third generation, together with the rest of the Lowell family, Edwards Lowell remains the exclusive Maltese distributor for all the brands it represents. The company expanded to represent the prestigious Patek Philippe brand in 1980.鈥圱he landmark watch shop in Zachary Street, Valletta, opened in 1980, followed by the launch of The Music Shop opposite in 1984, which later transitioned into a bookshop. Next came the unique Chopard agency in1995 and Breitling in 1998. The Spinola Bay boutique opened in 2007, and Edwards Lowell went on to represent more high-end brands, including Hublot, Pomellato and Girard Perreagaux that same year. The family business was restructured in 2013, with the third-generation son appointed managing director and daughter director, paving the way for significant expansion. The Rolex Boutique opened in Republic Street, Valletta, in 2018, and a year later in 2019, the Portomaso Concept Store in St Julian鈥檚 was also launched, while 2020 marked the opening of the Cartier and Patek Philippe boutique in Valletta鈥檚 Republic Street. Edwards Lowell Books, representing big brands such as Taschen and Assouline, also came to life in Zachary Street in 2023, while 2024 saw the inauguration of two more boutiques, Breitling and Tudor, in Mercury Towers, St Julian鈥檚, taking the number of brands to 16 in seven shops. The Swiss connection Other key moments in the company鈥檚 timeline include its appointment as general sales agents for Swissair in 1961 and that of Malcolm Lowell Sr as honorary consul of Switzerland in 1972, aged only 24, where he took over from his father Charles who had been honorary consul since 1937. The role of consul of Switzerland has been handed down along the generations, and when Malcolm Lowell Sr stepped down in 2015, after 42 years of service, the baton was passed on to Annabelle, who is continuing the family鈥檚 legacy of honorary consul general for Switzerland in Malta.