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Wempe Teams With Girard-Perregaux

Watch and jewelry retailer Wempe teams with Girard-Perregaux to launch the newest model in Wempe’s Signature Collection of limited editions.

The new Wempe Signature Collection x Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph is a 42mm by 12.1mm edition of the watchmaker’s well-known integrated steel-cased series. With Wempe, Girard-Perregaux has created a special copper-colored dial with a Clous-de-Paris pattern specially designed to reflect and refract light.

To enhance the light play here, Girard-Perragaux has also coated the watch’s baton-shaped hour markers and its hour and minute hands with luminous gold. Within the copper dial are the three subdials, each with a silver-colored background.

As a reminder, the running seconds is located at the 3 o’clock position while the two other counters display elapsed minutes (at 9 o’clock) and hours (at 6 o’clock). Chronograph seconds are read from a central chronograph second hand.

Inside, Girard-Perregaux’s superb automatic Caliber GP03300-2361 powers the chronograph, which offers a strong 46-hour power reserve.

“Ever since Girard-Perregaux introduced the newest generation of the Laureato collection in 2017, originally born in 1975, the model has been a top seller for Wempe,” says Ruediger Albers, President of Wempe U.S. “There are a lot of synergies between the two brands, both being independently owned and rooted in tradition; I am delighted to have the opportunity to offer such an exceptional watch to our clientele.”

The Wempe Signature Laureato Chronograph is a limited edition of 100 pieces.

Price: $18,600.

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Wempe Launches Two Ship Chronometers 

Wempe teams with British ship designer Tim Heywood to launch two new marine chronometers for yachts: The Wempe Marine Chronometer Cube by Tim Heywood and the Marine Chronometer Coco de Mer by Tim Heywood,

Wempe has made such instruments for seagoing vessels since 1905, and the new series adds a modern twist to the so-called ‘unified chronometers.’

The Wempe Marine Chronometer by Tim Heywood.

Heywood has equipped the two new clocks with large blue dials and contemporary typography. But perhaps the most revealing addition to the series are two openings at 4 and 8 o’clock that allow the ship’s captain and visitors a view of the Wempe Type 07 mechanical movement through the dial.

The new Wempe Marine Chronometer Coco de mer by Tim Heywood.

In addition, both new clocks are topped with highly domed clear borosilicate glass crystal. Twelve meridian lines radiate from the center of the glass and continue onto the wide, curved glass back.

Wempe notes that while the clock is turned over to be manually wound by key, the gimbal of the gold-plated brass case takes center stage and looks much like an abstract sculpture.

The movement offers a maximum rate variation of only 0.3 seconds per day while maintaining fifty-six hours of power reserve.

You’ll see an elaborate chain-and-fusée assembly through the clear case of each clock that ensures that the energy the mainspring feeds to the gear train remains constant.

The dark brown case of the Marine Chronometer Cube can be ceremonially opened using its three folding doors. The case for this model includes a gold-plated time zone map in the lid plus sixteen coats of varnishing and hand polishing. Price: $57,460. 

Heywood chose the curvy, feminine three-part case of the Marine Chronometer Coco de Mer in part because of the fact that ships are the only objects referred to using feminine pronouns in the English language.

Wempe explains that the case is also modeled after a coconut, which “can traverse enormous distances at sea unscathed, making it a perfect symbol for marine chronometry.”

Wempe coats the top of this model’s lid with bronze while the inside boasts gold leaf. Like its partner clock, the case is coated with sixteen layers of varnish. This marine chronometer is limited to fifty numbered pieces. Price: $91,825. 

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The Watches

Wempe Expands Iron Walker With Larger Chronographs

Wempe Glashütte, the manufacturing arm of esteemed watch and jewelry retailer Wempe, this week amps up its sporty Iron Walker collection with Iron Walker Chronograph XL, a new line of slightly larger 44mm automatic chronographs.

The new Wempe Iron Walker Chronograph XL.

Not only are the new watches larger in size than the initial set of 42mm Iron Walker chronographs (which debuted in 2020), the new collection also offers customers the option of buying a model with a rubber strap. Wempe carries this enhanced sportiness to the watch’s crown, bezel and pushers, all of which are coated with matching rubber.

The new collection is also distinct from its forebear inside its newly rubber-accented case. Wempe fits a Sellita SW500 automatic caliber inside each of the four debut Iron Walker Chronograph XL models. This differs from the ETA 7753 Valjoux chronograph inside the Iron Walker Automatic Chronograph collection.

Like the earlier models, all the new watches are chronometer-certified by stringent German chronometric testing according to the ISO 3159 standard. This means each watch is certified to a maximum average rate variation of only two seconds per day when mounted in the case.

Wempe added Iron Walker in 2020, and at the time the company noted the collection was designed to create moderately priced watches with high-end specifications. (See the full list of Iron Walker Chronograph XL specifications below.)

Wempe also devised Iron Walker to complement Wempe’s other two wristwatch lines, which include Wempe Chronometerwerke (made with Wempe manufacture calibers) and Wempe Zeitmeister, which features basic mechanical models.

“We are making our own watches for daily use because many brands have withdrawn from the medium price range and only make luxury watches,” explains company director Kim-Eva Wempe. “Our strategy of making high-quality watches for smaller budgets as well has paid off.”

Price: $4,600.

Specifications: Wempe Iron Walker Chronograph XL

Movement: Automatic caliber SW500, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 48-hour power reserve, German chronometer officially tested according to ISO 3159.

Case: 44mm stainless steel, water-resistant to 100 meters, crown, button, and bezel with a rubber coating, sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, screw-in crown.

Dial: Black or Nordic blue, steel hour markers with Super-LumiNova, bezel with a rubber coating in black or Nordic blue. Rhodium-plated hands with SuperLuminova.

Bracelet: Stainless steel with a folding clasp or a rubber strap with a folding clasp in black or Nordic blue.

Price: $4,600.

 

 

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Watch Of The Day

Wempe Debuts All-Steel Iron Walker

Wempe Glashütte I/SA, the watchmaking division of German-based watch and jewelry retailer Wempe, this week adds a third watch collection to its roster with Iron Walker, a set of four steel sport-leisure watches for men and women.    

The new Wempe Iron Walker Automatic Chronograph

Named in reference to steel girders used to build skyscrapers, the new Wempe Iron Walker is the latest of many high-profile collections industry-wide featuring integrated stainless-steel cases and bracelets. Of the recent integrated steel-cased watch debuts we’ve seen, Wempe’s Iron Walker is among the most comprehensive (and affordable) with a chronograph, a diver’s watch and two dressy unisex models. All together, Wempe is launching sixteen models (including a few with quartz movements).

Wempe’s new Iron Walker Automatic Chronograph

Automatic Chronograph

At the top of the line is an ETA 7753 (Valjoux)- powered automatic chronograph offered with two dial treatments: steel blue or black-silver in a ‘reverse panda’ layout. The 42mm watch features a date, tachymeter and three totalizers in a tri-compax arrangement; all hands and markers are coated with SuperLuminova. Two protected rectangular pushbuttons control the chronograph.

As is the case with all Wempe chronographs, the caliber here is adjusted in the company’s own workshops in Glashütte so that it passes the more stringent German chronometric testing standards. These require the movement’s maximum average rate variation at only two seconds per day when mounted in the case. Price: $4,250.

Wempe Iron Walker Automatic Diver’s Watch

Automatic Diver’s Watch

Water resistant to 300 meters, the dive model in the new collection is also a certified chronometer that adds a folding safety clasp with an extension element to the Iron Walker’s signature integrated three-row stainless-steel bracelet. With the extension element, the watch’s length can be increased by as much as 17mm.

This dive model utilizes an internal bezel dive-time ring, mounted behind the sapphire crystal, to meet all DIN and ISO standards for dive watches. To satisfy all underwater visibility requirements, Wempe has marked the watch’s triangular zero mark and its hands and markers with SuperLuminova. Both crowns are screw-in for added water resistance.

The Wempe Iron Walker Automatic Diver’s Watch on the wrist.

Despite its dive-ready technical design, the Wempe Iron Walker Automatic Diver’s Watch is sleeker than most dive watches. The watch is only 11.7mm thick – a moderate size that means it will fit nicely under any sleeve.

Inside Wempe places an ETA 2892 automatic movement that it watchmakers have adjusted to meet German chronometer and ISO 3159 dive watch standards. Price: $3,450.

Automatic and Quartz Unisex 


Iron Walker Automatic Women’s Watch (36mm).

As a moderately sized (40mm) or smaller sized (36mm) three-hand dress watch, Wempe’s remaining Iron Walker option is a simpler model offered with a choice of automatic or quartz movement.

Wempe’s 40mm Iron Walker Automatic Men’s Watch, also offered with a quartz movement.

All four models are certified chronometers with central hour, minute, and seconds hands and a date, and each features raised, luminous markers.

Iron Walker Automatic Women’s Watch (36mm).
Iron Walker Automatic Women’s Watch (blue dial).

Available with a black, blue or white dial, the automatic models are powered by an ETA 2892-A2 (power reserve of 50 hours) while and ETA E64.111 powers the quartz models (constant running time 41 months).

To impress as a dress watch, Wempe has made the both the larger ‘Men’s’ size and the smaller ‘Women’s’ size with a sleek 9.75mm-thick case. Nonetheless, any of these four dress models offers the same solid three-link tapered steel bracelet that marks the entire Iron Walker collection.

Iron Walker Automatic Women’s Watch
Iron Walker Quartz Men’s Watch

Prices: $1,950 (36mm quartz), $2,650 (36mm automatic), $2,050 (40mm quartz) and $2,750 (40mm automatic).

I’ve long been impressed with high value Wempe has built into its Chronometerwerke and Zeitmeister collections. With Iron Walker, Wempe appears to again combine well-considered styling with top-level specs.

Iron Walker’s elegant look, backed by the collection-wide chronometer rating, new angular case and three-link solid steel bracelet, is a winning combination. For details see the Wempe website.  Wempe’s U.S. store is located at 700 Fifth Avenue in New York City.

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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

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