Wempe
Hamburg, Germany · Est. 1878
Founded by Gerhard-D. Wempe
Wempe is a German luxury jeweller and watchmaker founded in 1878 by Gerhard Friedrich Wempe in Hamburg. Known for their flagship boutiques across Europe and their in-house Glashütte-based movement manufacture, Wempe produces high-end Swiss and German mechanical timepieces.
- Founded
- 1878
- Headquarters
- Hamburg, Germany
- Group
- Other
- Price Segment
- Entry
- Status
- Active
Key Collections
- Zeitmeister — Wempe's in-house watch collection, assembled in Glashütte and certified as chronometers through the brand's own Sternwarte (observatory) testing facility. The Zeitmeister offers classically styled German watches with decorated movements, three-quarter plates, and Glashütte stripes, positioned as an affordable entry into genuine Glashütte watchmaking. It is available in multiple variants including date, power reserve, and moon phase models.
- Chronometerwerke — Wempe's highest-tier collection, featuring movements subjected to rigorous in-house chronometer certification at the Glashütte Sternwarte. The Chronometerwerke represents the pinnacle of Wempe's own watchmaking ambitions, using hand-finished movements with traditional German decoration and classic case designs. Only a limited number of these watches are produced annually.
Timeline
- 1878 — Gerhard-D. Wempe founds his jewellery and watch retail business in Elmshorn, Germany.
- 1900 — Wempe opens its Hamburg flagship store, beginning the brand's development into one of Germany's leading luxury watch retailers.
- 1980 — Wempe establishes its own watch production facility in Glashütte, beginning the transition from pure retailer to watch manufacturer.
- 1995 — Wempe opens a chronometer-testing observatory in Glashütte, enabling the brand to certify its watches in-house to strict accuracy standards.
- 2010 — The Zeitmeister collection is expanded, establishing Wempe as a recognised independent manufacturer within the Glashütte watchmaking tradition.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wempe
- Is Wempe a watch brand or a watch retailer?
- Wempe is both. It is one of Germany's leading luxury watch and jewellery retailers, with boutiques carrying brands such as Rolex, Cartier, A. Lange & Söhne, and Omega. Simultaneously, it produces its own watches under the Wempe Zeitmeister and Chronometerwerke names, assembled in Glashütte and certified at its own observatory.
- What is the Wempe Sternwarte in Glashütte?
- The Wempe Sternwarte (observatory) is Wempe's own chronometer-testing facility in Glashütte, established to certify its watches in-house using standards similar to official observatory trials. Watches tested there receive a Wempe chronometer certificate, and the facility demonstrates the brand's serious commitment to precision timekeeping beyond its retail operations.