Let me present you the new Wempe watch temple. I talked to Kim-Eva Wempe, Rudi Albers, Raik Krause and Sophie Hausherr and I took dozens of pictures and there is a surprise for you …
Yesterday Kim-Eva Wempe, together with her father Hellmut Wempe, officially opened her New York XXL store on 5th Avenue. The surface was doubled, watch aficionados now are able to discover the finest brands on a surface of 5500 square feet. Wempe on 5th Avenue is a temple (I have to insist and call her new store a temple, even when Kim-Eva did not like the expression – check it in the interview I recorded with her), a very spacious place, the place to be when you want to buy your next watch. Kim-Eva Wempe invested eight million dollars to offer her clients the best possible ambience, the best possible service and best possible shopping experience.
I travel a lot and I have seen almost all the watch temples worldwide, in my opinion the new Wempe XXL Flagship store now ranks among the top ten worldwide.
Integrated on the huge surface are a Patek Philippe and Rolex showroom. In-between the two showrooms almost all German and Swiss top brands are presented with their proper spacious displays.
A very important part of the new store is dedicated to the watchmakers and the watch service. A team of highly skilled and perfectly trained watchmakers is taking care of your watch. When you need help the Wempe team is ready to act quickly and efficiently. Although one would believe that is the standard at a good watch retailer, that´s in fact not the rule anymore today, since many (to many!) retailers don’t even employ a single watchmaker. They rely on the service of third parties or the brands themselves. But when you have a problem with your watch you don’t want your ticking baby to go on an endless journey to get repaired and you don’t want to wait for weeks to get it back. What you want and deserve is to talk to a qualified watchmaker that will solve the problem.
If you have never been to Wempe yet, I highly recommend you to visit the fabulous team on 5th Avenue. Either the next time you pass by or you travel to New York. Discover the difference and enjoy a service level that is hard to beat.
Rudi Albers and his Assistant General Manager Raik Krause for years now manage a team that really rocks. Among them, beside many others, is Sophie Hausherr, who is the watch purchasing manager.
Just in case you don’t know Sophie, Raik and Rudi yet, I invite you to listen to my interviews I taped with them.
But before doing this I have the great pleasure to present you Kim-Eva Wempe.
The family-owned company, which is based in Hamburg and was founded in 1878, is headed by Kim-Eva (who was born in 1962) today and has 32 branches in cities all over the world, including Paris and London. Wempe has been closely connected for generations with the renowned watch manufactures of Switzerland and Germany and today sells more or less all top watch brands.
In 2015 Wempe generated a turnover of 530 million Euro worldwide. The year before 452,7 million Euro.
27,3 % of the turnover is generated by Wempe´s branches abroad.
Wempe worldwide counts 721 employees. The turnover per employe was 798.100 Euro and per square meter 93.300 Euro. The average price of each watch sold was 8119 Euro.
Wempe sold 57.468 watches in 2015.
Looking back to the year 2009 Wempe sold 30.085 watches at an average price of “only” 5024 Euro. If you now compare the average price of 2015 that´s a gain of 63,2 %.
But attention, this is not only due the fact that Wempe sold more expensive watches, it is more linked to the fact that Made-in-Germany- and Swiss-made-wristwatches got more and more expensive each year since. I suppose you have noticed this.
The first half year 2016 Wempe generated a turnover of 203,6 Million Euro. That´s 21,1 % less than in 2015. Watches decreased by -25 % and jewelry increased by + 2,5%.
The predictions for the second half 2016 are guardedly optimistic. Wempe expects to at least reach the results of 2014 (= 452,7 million Euro).
Rudi Albers, who runs the business in New York since 1990 …
Sophie Hausherr, she is, as already mentioned above, in charge of purchasing the watches
This is one of the Wempe Zeitmeister watches Sophie talks about in the interview.
You find all information about the Wempe Zeitmeister Big Date „5th Avenue Limited Edition” on page 3 of my report.
Raik Krause, the Assistant General Manager in New York
>>> On page 2 please discover the pictures I took >>>
In a shaky high end watch market, Wempe must be one of the best to achieve such stellar results. 2017 will be an interesting and challenging year for sure!
The former store was exceptional and this should be even more so. My wife and I have both bought a watch from Michaela K – very professional and charming. She is able to guide you through all the Wempe assets including after purchase service and is always there to help you. Michaela + Wempe = Best there is!
This must be the world first high end watch super market in the world with shopping baskets, self pay points, open 24/7 and where you can have a cup of coffee free of charge.
2890 USD for the Wempe Big Date limited Editions. Am I dreaming ?….pinch me !
Some strive to climb the Seven Summits. An impressive accomplishment which I doubt I will attain. However, I have a fighting chance to visit the world’s great watch temples. Please share your “top 10” list.