A second-hand watch retailer has reported record-breaking revenues of £36 million after investing in its stock and opening its first store in Kent.

Watchfinder, based in Maidstone, has also put its rapid growth down to increased consumer confidence in its brand and buying on the web.

Founded in 2002 as an online seller of pre-owned luxury watches, the firm opened a store in Bluewater shopping centre in December having opened its first bricks and mortar shop in the City of London’s Royal Exchange in 2012.

The Kent store helped the company – which sells brands like Rolex, Omega, Tag, Cartier, Patek Phillippe and Breitling – attract sales of more than £4.3 million in its first month.

The business was able to increase its stockholding from 1,900 to 3,000 watches after it attracted a $10 million (£6.18m) investment from private equity firms Piton Capital and Beringea in September.

With over £140milion worth of pre-owned watches sold to date, Watchfinder continues to plan for aggressive growth with further UK boutiques set to open new territories.

The company, which has a showroom at Invicta House, Maidstone, has sold more than £140 million of pre-owned watches so far and aims for turnover to reach £103 million by 2018.

It aims to raise its profile further with classes in watchmaking at its Bluewater store over the May Bank Holiday from Saturday to Monday, May 2 to 4.

Lloyd Amsdon, co-founder of Watchfinder, said: “It is with great pride that we opened the store in Bluewater in Kent.

“Though multichannel and dominating the online market, Watchfinder was born in Kent and still very much runs as a local business. its great to have a foot on home turf.”