From content partner JustLuxe iW Magazine
Watch and jewelry retailer Wempe celebrates the 35th anniversary of US President Ruediger “Rudy” Albers with a special exhibition of watches from the Wempe museum collection in Hamburg.
Exhibited in October at Wempe in New York, the commemorative selection includes vintage Wempe watches, watches from the 1980s and co-branded limited editions.
Wempe collaborated with Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and Chopard.
Albers began his tenure with the Germany-based retailer in 1987 as master watchmaker at the Wempe boutique in Hamburg and moved to the New York location a year later.
Ruediger ‘Rudy’ Albers, President of Wempe US
Appointed president of Wempe US in 2002, Albers has contributed to Wempe’s long-term success in the United States. The US retailer earns more than $100 million in annual sales and has been the company’s flagship store worldwide for the past 25 years.
Inside the Rolex store run by Wempe in New York.
Under Albers’ leadership, the brand’s US arm launched an eCommerce platform and expanded its New York store three times to create its current 5,500 square foot space on Avenue No. 5. In addition, Albers also spearheaded the opening of the first independent Rolex boutique in the United States in 2012. Run by Wempe, the store is located inside the Rolex Building in New York, also on Fifth Avenue.
Wempe Vintage stainless steel, anti-magnetic wristwatch with blue-green central gradient dial.
“Rudy is simply the heart of Wempe New York,” said Kim-Eva Wempe, Owner and CEO of Wempe Jewelers. “He has the ability to make anyone who walks through the door feel like family and leads his team, many of whom have been with him for at least a decade, some even is two, in the same way.”
Wempe Vintage Sea-Cup, an automatic, anti-magnetic and impact resistant stainless steel dive watch with a second crown to set the dive time on the diving bezel inside the case.
Commemorative watches on display at Wempe including watches by Patek Philippe, Chopard, A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier and Wempe.
Wempe Vintage Zeitmeister stainless steel manual chronograph with silver dial.
