Sylvester Stallone Loves Watches And WEMPE: An Exclusive Look At His Latest Boutique Visit
The star of the just-released Rambo: Last Blood steps off Fifth Avenue and into WEMPE, New York’s premier address for high horology.
By Thomas Hendricks
Contributor
On a Wednesday in Manhattan, world-famous actor, director, screenwriter, and producer, Sylvester Stallone, walked into WEMPE's boutique on Fifth Avenue to greet some familiar faces. He’s been a valued client for several years and has picked up some serious timepieces with the help of Raik Krause, Assistant General Manager of the renowned flagship store. More than that, he’s become a passionate enthusiast whose knowledge and patience take over where his star power and buying power leaves off.
A Bit About Sly
Sylvester Stallone is a New York City boy, born and raised. His working-class neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen is less than a mile away from his favorite watch boutique. He got his first big break as an actor in 1976 with the movie Rocky, which he wrote and starred in. From there, he’s made a name and made millions from his work in the Rambo and The Expendables franchises, cementing his legacy as one of the biggest action stars of the last century.
His taste in watches is also well-documented, from his early Panerai days to forays into Rolex, Patek Philippe, among others. He even recently collaborated with Richard Mille on the ultimate go-anywhere-do-anything watch, the RM 25-01 Tourbillon Adventure Watch.
Building a Relationship and Building a Collection
Stallone became a client of WEMPE years ago by chance. While his daughter was walking the red carpet at the Met Gala, Stallone took a walk of his own down Fifth Avenue and stopped by the boutique for a look around.
As one can imagine, the staff was a bit star-struck and wasn’t quite sure what to say, but Raik Krause stepped forward and said, “Mr. Stallone, I’m a big fan, you’re my childhood hero. Welcome to WEMPE!” The two men chatted as Stallone browsed around the boutique, and before long the Rocky star walked out with a solid gold Rolex Daytona.
This time around, Stallone was fresh off an appearance at Good Morning America just a few blocks up the street where he was promoting his latest film, Rambo: Last Blood, the final installment in the Rambo series. In the film, Stallone reprises his role as the gutsy commando, John Rambo, and goes toe-to-toe with Mexico’s most ruthless cartel in order to save a friend’s kidnapped daughter.
On The Wrist of Rocky
Stallone made sure to try on a few watches while in WEMPE. First up was a Ulysse Nardin Executive Skeleton Tourbillon. The 45mm case in 18kt rose gold with a ceramic bezel was a fitting addition to Stallone’s tough guy wrist, and the flying tourbillion with a 170-hour power reserve helps explain the $49,000 price tag.
Next up was WEMPE’s own limited edition Zeitmeister Chronograph Ceramic Camouflage. Dressed in PVD-coated stainless steel, the 44mm case comes with a soft but not subtle matching camouflage calfskin strap. The chronograph here is backed by the chronometer-certified Valjoux 7753 movement. And although the watch is decked out in ample amounts of camo, it might be better suited for standing out than blending in.
Closing Thoughts From Raik and Rudy
From talking to the team at WEMPE, there was no doubt that Stallone had a very special place in their hearts. While some of the team members were not yet born when Rocky threw his first punch, many “grew up” with him. The star could go anywhere to buy his watches, but he consistently turns to his go-to guy, Raik, to expand his by now well-curated collection of extraordinary timepieces. And while WEMPE is typically extremely discreet about their clientele, Stallone has sort of become part of the family and gave permission to share this moment with the world.
Raik told us, “He’s a very down to earth guy who appreciates us for our integrity and honest guidance.“ Raik would know, after all as he and Stallone are frequently strategizing about potential purchases. According to Raik, Stallone will text or call him up asking for an insider’s opinion on which stars of the watch market are overpriced or undervalued or would otherwise complement his collection.
Ruediger “Rudy” Albers, President of WEMPE US, agrees with Raik’s assessment, adding “He loves watches and knows what he likes. Raik is always keeping him up to date about the market and upcoming new releases, and he has always been most gracious with the entire team. We’re grateful to have him as our client.”
And the piece that Stallone walked out with today? All lips were sealed. The most they could reveal was that it was “a very unassuming yet highly sought-after watch he had been very patiently waiting for.” Leaving much to the imagination, we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for what we’re sure will be some rarified watch spotting.
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)
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