Tag

Leading Watch Retailer

Browsing
A. Lange & Söhne

Wempe Jewelers

About Wempe Jewelers

Since 1878, Wempe has strived to deliver the ultimate customer experience, and during the last 139 years it has developed into one of the world’s leading internationally operating purveyors of exquisite timepieces and fine jewelry. The German-based company today owns and operates 25 stores located at the best addresses in Germany, London, Paris, Vienna and Madrid, and it also maintains offices in Beijing. Wempe can also be found on the five-star luxury cruise liners, the MS Europa and MS Europa II.

The company’s five mono-brand boutiques include a Rolex boutique in Berlin and on New York’s Fifth Avenue in the Rolex Building, an A. Lange & Söhne boutique in Munich, a Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique in Frankfurt, and a Patek Philippe boutique in Hamburg, with more planned for the future. Wempe is also a proud producer of its very own watch lines, the Wempe Zeitmeister and Wempe Chronometerwerke, whose production site is located in the fully restored, historic Observatory, high above the city of Glashütte. There, Wempe operates Germany’s only official chronometer testing facility.

Wempe continues to be family owned. Hellmut Wempe and daughter Kim-Eva Wempe are both determined and committed to keep it that way. Their entrepreneurial spirit and democratic leader- ship style have empowered their store managers to give each Wempe branch its very own personal space within the Wempe philosophy.

“We have close ties with the company headquarters in Hamburg,” says Rüdiger (Rudy) Albers, President of American Wempe Corps. “We’ve taken the values we were taught there and brought them with us across the sea.” Albers, 53, has been at the helm of the New York Wempe store since 1990, and his staff of 34 professionals follow his lead, projecting a welcoming atmosphere that offers a pleasant break from the hectic pace of Manhattan.

This New York flagship location has been on the ground floor of the Peninsula Hotel since 1990, a landmark building on the corner of Fifth Avenue at 55th Street. In 2016, Wempe seized the opportunity to double its footprint to 5,500-square-feet after the expiration of the leases of its two neighbors, Swarovski and Lindt Chocolatier.

The architecture of the new store pays tribute to the rich history of the building, which was the first steel-construction skyscraper hotel in the city, built in 1905. The interior concept was motivated by the desire to provide more open space for Wempe customers, while maintaining its elegant atmosphere. Thus, rich materials, including hand-selected granite from the quarries around Verona and fine smoked oak, give the store a completely new, contemporary appearance. The ceilings were raised, and the numerous display cases and presentation areas are now directly accessible to clients. The Patek Philippe and Rolex shop-in-shops are harmoniously integrated into the open floor plan, flanking the store on the left and on the right.

The central entrance area is devoted to the luxurious jewelry collection from Wempe’s very own goldsmith atelier, and timepiece enthusiasts are greeted by a John Harrison-inspired H1 Sea Clock manufactured by Sinclair & Harding in Yorkshire England. This fully functioning clock is modeled after the historic marine chronometer that made it possible to calculate longitude while at sea. Eight exterior display windows, up from five, stretch along the half-block façade, inviting passersby to explore the treasures within.

The state-of-the-art service department was relocated and expanded, and customers have the opportunity to admire the skills of the highly trained watchmakers who are visible behind a large glass pane. With service as one of its highest priorities, Wempe has spared no expense in its equipment and the training of its staff to receive authorization from brands to work on many of their most sophisticated timepieces.

“Our ultimate goal is to achieve customer enthusiasm, not just satisfaction,” shares Albers, borrowing a term from one of his idols, “Danny” Meyer, CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group.

Wempe made its leap across the Atlantic in 1980, and ever since then it has been writing a German-American success story in the center of Manhattan. This recent $8 million investment in the renovation and expansion of the New York store demonstrates, once again, Wempe’s commitment to its role as purveyor of an unparalleled selection of fine timepieces and jewelry.

Collections:
A. Lange & Söhne  •  Audemars Piguet  •  Baume & Mercier  •  Breguet  •  Breitling  •  Buben & Zörweg  •  Cartier  •  Chopard  •  Glashütte Original  •  Hublot  •  IWC  •  Jaeger-LeCoultre  •  Kieninger  •  Longines  •  Montblanc  •  Nomos Glashütte  •  Officine Panerai  •  Patek Philippe  •  Roger Dubuis  •  Rolex  •  TAG Heuer  •  Tudor  •  Vacheron Constantin  •  Wempe Maritim Ship’s Clocks  •  Wempe Zeitmeister

Locations:
700 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019, USA
665 5th Ave, New York, NY 10022, USA

Social:

www.wempe.com

by
Keep Reading
Leading Watch Retailers

Time Square Jewels & Time

Vacation is the perfect time to consider purchasing a watch at Time Square Jewels & Time, situated in Palm Beach, Aruba. Founded in 1978 in St. Thomas by Peter and Nina Alwani, the family-owned business, now comprising three stores, is represented by the second generation, with Girish and Satish Alwani at the helm. The two Aruba locations, Little Europe Jewels & Time and Time Square Jewels & Time, five star rated by Tripadvisor.com, are operated by Girish, who is also the watch buyer. (See this book for information about Little Europe Jewels & Time.)

The 1,500-square-foot Time Square Jewels & Time offers such well-known watch brands as Bell & Ross, Frédérique Constant, Glashütte Original, Graham, Ulysse Nardin and many more. Ulysse Nardin is one of the store’s most popular brands, with its enviable selection of timepieces in a broad range of prices and designs—including those with complicated movements. The store’s most popular price range overall is between $5,000 and $20,000.

“My favorite part of the watch industry is seeing new innovations,” says Girish of his multi-year involvement in the watch business. “The watch industry is forever changing due to young and passionate watchmakers who push the limits and take risks.”

In 2013, the company took on several new brands, including Richard Mille, Franck Muller and in 2015 added SevenFriday and Tissot to their brand list. According to a company spokesperson, classic designs are of particular interest among both men and women. There is a large demand for pre-owned watches which are also available here and Time Square has a trade-in and upgrade policy for clients.

Jewelry brands include Belle Etoile, Hidalgo and Nina Nguyen and writing instruments by Montegrappa are also represented, as are watch winders, boxes and accessories by Underwood and Wolf1834.

Each product is carefully displayed within the store’s polished showcases, which add yet another touch of elegance to the modern décor.

Time Square Jewels & Time is proud of its staff of 18, each of whom is highly trained via watch magazines, brand trainings and administrative feedback. In addition, international trade shows provide additional information. Each staff member makes customer service their number one priority, providing the highest level of service to a sophisticated group of customers, a full 95 percent of whom are from outside the area. Both Time Square Jewels & Time and Little Europe Jewels & Time have service centers in Los Angeles and New York. According to Girish, the holiday season is the store’s busiest time of the year, since so many people are traveling to this region during that time.

The clientele ranges from neophyte watch afficionados to those who own upwards of 10 watches. In addition many celebrities and other public figures passing through Aruba make Time Square Jewels & Time their one-stop shop. They come back for both the service and the quality of the merchandise available here—and the vacation atmosphere is no doubt an additional plus.

Time Square Jewels & Time stays in touch with its customers via a variety of initiatives, including an informational website, though future plans include an e-commerce site. Social media is also playing an increasing role.

“With so many changes in the digital landscape, it is imperative that our presence is known through social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest,” says Girish.

The store participates in the Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF), which has become high on the list for members of the film community because of its great location and its potential for growth. As for philanthropic commitments, Time Square Jewels & Time is very active in assisting the local orphanage and senior living facilities.

With its enthusiasm for watches, jewelry and its location at large, Time Square Jewels & Time’s future is on track for continued growth and influence in its community and beyond.

Collections:
Alpina  •  Bell & Ross  •  Citizen  •  Franck Muller  •  Glashütte Original  •  Graham  •  Hamilton  •  Michael Kors  •  Michele  •  Mido  •  Mulco  •  Oris  •  Perrelet  •  Rado  •  Richard Mille  •  Roger Dubuis  •  SevenFriday  •  TW Steel  •  Ulysse Nardin

Locations:
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 382A, Noord, Aruba

Social:
www.timesquarearuba.com

by
Keep Reading
Leading Watch Retailers

The Timepiece Collection

About The Timepiece Collection

Childhood friends turned business partners, Michael Rosenberg and Jeffrey Khalaf share a passion and respect for luxury watchmaking, which is the foundation for their flourishing Englewood, New Jersey watch boutique, The Timepiece Collection. It all began at a point in their early adulthood, when they recognized a void in Bergen County’s retail environment, as there wasn’t a local jeweler with the comprehensive selection of fine timepieces they were seeking. Fueled by the strong economic outlook of the early 2000s, their entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, and by 2001 they were actively working to make their grand vision a reality. The Timepiece Collection—a then-400-square-foot storefront on South Dean Street in Englewood, New Jersey—was opened soon thereafter.

“We’ve always loved watches but realized that no one in the area carried a large selection of watch brands under one roof,” explains Rosenberg. “Englewood was growing into one of the most elite shopping districts in the state and we wanted to fill that void.”

An exclusive boutique for customers looking to buy, sell or trade sophisticated timepieces, The Timepiece Collection, which later relocated to 58 East Palisade Avenue, also in Englewood, was designed to serve the horological desires of both the long-tenured watch collector as well as the novice luxury watch buyer. The showroom, which is almost ten times the size of the original retail space, houses an impressive selection of high-end and often hard-to-find pieces, representing some of the most revered names in high-end watchmaking.

The selection of unique products coupled with a strong and loyal clientele—as well as the confidence gained by their success in weathering the economic challenges that faced the nation over the years they’ve been in business—spurred Rosenberg and Khalaf to set their sights even higher. They thoughtfully fine-tuned their product assortment in recent years, and chose to represent a select group of watch brands that spanned price points and styles, and outfitted a modern yet elegant showroom in a manner that best conveyed each brand’s heritage. This “editing” enabled a broader inventory of each brand to be represented, and The Timepiece Collection recently renovated its showroom to integrate elegant shop-in-shops for each of their partner brands.

“We pride ourselves on being able to offer our customers the very best the watch industry has to offer,” shares Rosenberg. “We are very selective about the watches we carry, and our customers know they will find pieces here that cannot easily be found elsewhere.”

Among the varied collections found within The Timepiece Collection’s polished showcases are pieces by Hublot, Ulysse Nardin, Glashütte Original, Bell & Ross, Harry Winston, Parmigiani Fleurier, Girard-Perregaux, TAG Heuer and many more. And in answer to growing trends, The Timepiece Collection includes more women’s pieces than ever before and a larger variety of watches across the board.

The Timepiece Collection boasts an ever-growing assortment of pre-owned timepieces for sale, as well as trade-in and traditional estate buying services. Rosenberg elaborates, “We have found trade-in transactions to be on the rise. Following the past decade with so many new brands that came and went, and collectors buying anything and everything, they are now being more selective in the brands and models they are buying. In regard to purchases of more complicated watches, approximately 30 percent of sales are accompanied by a trade in.”

Leading a team of dedicated industry professionals, Khalaf and Rosenberg may always be found on the showroom floor, or within one of the two exclusive boutiques they opened in 2013 in partnership with Bovet and Ulysse Nardin. Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan within the Ritz-Carlton Central Park, these boutiques showcase the craftsmanship and innovative technologies of two globally admired brands, and reinforce The Timepiece Collection’s commitment to elevating the local watch experience.

Since its founding, The Timepiece Collection has taken an active role in community, collector and philanthropic initiatives. Partnering with its elite brands to amplify the respective brand exposure, or in the case of charitable events, financial support garnered, The Timepiece Collection has earned a reputation for excellence and helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local organizations. Among these worthy causes, The Timepiece Collection has regularly demonstrated support for the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and the Center for Integrative Medicine, Artists for Peace and Justice, Hollywood Domino and many more.

The Timepiece Collection has grown remarkably over the years, from its humble beginnings in a small shop to the 3,500 square-foot luxury timepiece destination and elite boutiques it operates today. And as it ventures into a new chapter in its story, all will remember its roots as a small company founded by two men who simply love watches.

Collections:
Audemars Piguet  •  Bell & Ross  •  Blancpain  •  Breguet  •  Breitling  •  Breitling for Bentley  •  Chopard  •  Girard-Perregaux  •  Giuliano Mazzuoli  •  Glashütte Original  •  Harry Winston  •  Hermès  •  Hublot  •  Jaquet Droz  •  Longines  •  Nomos Glashütte  •  Omega  •  Parmigiani Fleurier  •  Perrelet  •  TAG Heuer  •  Ulysse Nardin  •  Zenith

Locations:
58 E Palisade Ave, Englewood, NJ 07631, USA

Social:



www.thetimepiececollection.com
by
Keep Reading
Leading Watch Retailers

Stephen Silver

About Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver has served California’s Silicon Valley and beyond for thirty-seven years. As Chairman and CEO, Stephen’s philosophy of uniting Old World opulence with modern-day luxury has earned the company a brilliant reputation among collectors of rare jewelry, magnificent gemstones and exceptional timepieces. Respect for exquisite craftsmanship and innovation has kept the company at the vanguard of elegance and taste.

Silver took an important and heartfelt step into the future, as he worked with his son, Jared, watch industry veteran Andrew Block and Richard Caniglia to add a curated collection of haute horlogerie to their flagship retail store located in the Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel in Menlo Park, California.

“We have built the premier destination for luxury buyers seeking exceptional jewelry and timepieces,” explains Block. “We are constantly evaluating the brands in our curated watch collection to deliver the ultimate shopping experience for our elite clientele.”

The company’s trademark light, modern and inviting spaces were designed by award-winning architect Joel Miroglio of MAD Architecture and Design. The company’s original boutique at Rose- wood Sand Hill is 100 square feet and designed for hosting rotating exhibits. At 1,300 square feet, the flagship boutique features notable watch brands such as Audemars Piguet, F.P. Journe, Greubel Forsey, Laurent Ferrier, MB&F, and Richard Mille. The space also features a 300-square-foot private garden and private consultation room with two couches, an espresso bar, wine collection and television. The two boutiques complement the corporate offices and showroom located just 2.5 miles away on Woodside Road, where a 500-square-foot private salon houses an exceptional collection of jewelry and gemstones.

“The curated collection of unique watch brands we carry positions Stephen Silver as the destination for connoisseurs and collectors of haute horlogerie. Our boutique is the only West Coast location where many of these brands can be found,” says Block.

At the core of the company’s development lies its estate jewelry business, which specializes in signed and period pieces from houses such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., J.E. Caldwell, Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels. They also create handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces via a vast network of jewelers in San Francisco and New York. In keeping with the tradition of great jewelry houses, all of the company’s pieces are handcrafted in platinum or 18-karat gold with extraordinary attention to detail. Stephen Silver also specializes in cutting, re-cutting and re-polishing diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

The store’s timepiece customer is typically one of two individuals: the collector interested in adding a rare or limited production piece to his collection and the young-to-middle-age gentleman looking to purchase his first or second watch. They visit for milestones in their lives, and given the location in the heart of the world’s venture capital and technology industries, these often include the sale of a company through merger, acquisition or IPO. In addition, business travelers and watch collectors often make Stephen Silver a highly anticipated stop when in the area.

With a desire to share its success with members of its community, Stephen Silver regularly supports more than 30 organizations, including the V Foundation, Hero Foundation, All Stars Helping Kids, and a host of local schools and art programs. An annual anniversary party is held each year for clients as well as the public, ensuring the opportunity to greet old friends and make new ones.

Collections:
Audemars Piguet  •  Bell & Ross  •  F.P. Journe  •  Greubel Forsey  •  Hermès  •  HYT  •  MB&F  • Richard Mille

Locations:
2825 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
2055 Woodside Rd, Redwood City, CA 94061, USA

Social:

shsilver.com

by
Keep Reading
A. Lange & Söhne

Shreve, Crump & Low

About Shreve, Crump & Low

America’s oldest jeweler, Shreve, Crump & Low’s story began in 1796 when young watchmaker and renowned silversmith John McFarlane opened a workshop across the street from Paul Revere’s own silversmith shop. McFarlane had an affinity for luxury and built a business procuring such items as sterling silver tea sets and other wares. With the entry of globally influential Benjamin Shreve into the company landscape, they soon delivered diamonds, jewels and other rarities from Europe and the Orient to the elite patrons of Boston.

The firm changed hands, ownership and names through the ensuing years, before it consolidated, reorganized and presented itself by its current name, Shreve, Crump & Low, in 1869. Shreve, Crump & Low was one of the first retailers in the country to offer Patek Philippe and Rolex timepieces, and the company fittingly earned a distinction of excellence and became regarded as an American business legend.

Two-thousand-six proved another turning point in Shreve, Crump & Low’s history as it joined the ranks of Boston’s renowned jeweler David Walker. Walker grew up against a backdrop of the jewelry industry and was running the successful store David & Company at the time of purchase. He later transitioned his eponymous shop into Shreve, Crump & Low’s Chestnut Hill location. Recalling the allure of Shreve, Crump & Low from his childhood, Walker made a pledge to restore the company’s grandeur.

A significant company change came in 2012 when Walker relocated the company’s flagship store to Boston’s most prestigious address: Newbury Street. An immense undertaking to construct, the store re-opened in May 2012. The 8,000-square-foot elegantly designed boutique draws inspiration from European salons and boasts custom showcases, sleek brand build-outs and an appointed space for relaxed browsing.

David Walker’s sons, Brian and Brad, joined their father in operations and development of the family-owned-and-run Shreve, Crump & Low and became deeply engaged in all aspects of the Newbury Street store construction.

“Every aspect of the store was methodically calculated and exact, down to the trim and fixtures,” Brian shares. “In fact, lighting specialists from six different companies were hired to assess the space before we selected the perfect LED options.”

Comprising three levels of perfectly lit showroom space, Shreve, Crump & Low presents diamonds and precious jewels on its first floor, a mezzanine-level Watch Salon and a third floor giftware department and bridal registry. As the perfect complement to David’s expertise and professional accomplishments in the jewelry realm, he welcomed a Boston Store Director with an extensive pedigree in fine timekeeping, Christopher Hislop, to guide development of the watch category.

Shreve, Crump & Low has since forged relationships with some of the watch industry’s most elite and specialized brands, including A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Breitling, IWC, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin, Zenith, TAG Heuer, Blancpain, Chopard, Hermès and more. Brian shares, “It is a daily occurrence that the passionate watch sales associates on the Shreve, Crump & Low watch floor help guests to purchase, discuss and obsess about the latest and greatest the watch industry has to offer.”

In 2014, Shreve, Crump & Low opened a store outside of Massachusetts for the first time in its lengthy history. The Greenwich, Connecticut, boutique is situated in the former Putnam Savings & Trust location, a historic limestone structure whose exterior is as elegant as its interior, which includes well-placed shop-in-shops. This store brought the number of Shreve, Crump & Low locations to three. The most significant change in 2016 was the renovation of the Boston store’s watch floor to make room for Hublot and Panerai. Piaget can be found in both the Greenwich and Boston stores.

Shreve, Crump & Low’s dedicated associates are well versed in the history, romance and collections of each of their represented brands—including the newly acquired Hublot, H. Moser & Cie and Officine Panerai—as well as the general pulse of the watch industry. The Walkers point to service and product knowledge as the cornerstones of the business, which has truly taken the form of an extended family of loyal customers. A refurbished e-commerce website and the judicious use of social media keep fans in touch with all the latest news and information forthcoming from this ever-vibrant company.

“Know your product. Know your brand. Know your inventory,” Brian conveys. “To properly represent specialized product, you need to know the history, the collections and what differentiates one piece from the next. Shreve, Crump & Low is fully committed to helping both the seasoned watch enthusiast and the budding collector navigate the often ‘complicated’ offerings of the watch industry.”

Underscoring this commitment to service, Shreve, Crump & Low has an expertly trained watchmaker on-site, certified by the most revered watch brands to ensure precision and excellence when dealing with repair and restoration work. Working in a sophisticated in-store service center that is both air sealed and antimicrobial results in ideal conditions for watchmaking.

Knowledgeable, passionate and fully engaged in the continued growth of its horological offerings and services, the entire Shreve, Crump & Low extended family is well poised to meet the needs of watch enthusiasts in Boston and beyond.

“From traveling across the country to deliver a watch, to traveling across the street,” Brian remarks, “Shreve, Crump & Low’s commitment to service goes across the board. There is a level of expertise and superior service that is expected, and that we proudly deliver.”

Collections:
A. Lange & Söhne  •  Audemars Piguet  •  Baume & Mercier  •  Bell & Ross  •  Blancpain  •  Breitling  •  Bremont  •  Chopard  •  H. Moser & Cie.  •  Hermès  •  Hublot  •  IWC  •  Jaeger-LeCoultre  •  Longines  •  Montblanc  •  Nomos Glashütte  •  Officine Panerai  •  Omega  •  Piaget  •  Roger Dubuis  •  TAG Heuer  •  Vacheron Constantin  •  Zenith

Locations:
39 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116, USA
232 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116, USA
125 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich, CT 06830, USA

Social:


www.shrevecrumpandlow.com

by
Keep Reading