Wempe and Chopard are more than just business associates, the companies’ owners are also long term family friends.

So, when it came to Wempe wanting to create a special limited edition watch to mark its 40^th anniversary on Manhattan’s 5^th Avenue, the solution was just a speed dial call away.

2020 is also an anniversary year for Ruediger Albers, who has been running Wempe in the United States for 30 years.

Wempe chief Kim-Eva Wempe and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, co-president of Chopard set their teams the task of creating a watch that exemplifies their shared love of refined luxury, and they settled on a three-hand Alpine Eagle in pale gray with blue accents and — notably for collectors — the Wempe logo on the dial.

There are 40 of the steel on steel Alpine Eagle Wempe 5th Avenue Edition going on sale exclusively at Wempe boutiques, including London, for the equivalent of $12,900.

It uses the Chopard 01.01-C manufacture-made automatic movement with a 60-hour power reserve.

“When it came time to deciding how we would celebrate our milestone anniversary, Chopard was a natural partner,” says Mr Albers. “The Maison has been a part of our New York journey from the very beginning and this new Alpine Eagle Wempe 5th Avenue Edition timepiece really brings us full circle. It’s also just a great looking watch.”

Mr Scheufele adds: “The Wempe Fifth Avenue flagship is a destination for serious watch connoisseurs, and for the last 40 years, their New York team has been offering clients with the world’s best timepieces. Together with Kim-Eva Wempe, we had the idea to create a commemorative limited-edition watch, to celebrate this important anniversary — a timepiece that truly represents the spirit and savoir-faire of our family business and expresses the excellence of both companies.”