A look behind the scenes: This is HORANDO

After a turbulent last year, we have finally arrived in 2021. Like so many others, we have made resolutions for ourselves and are already hard at work keeping them for more than a few weeks.

One of these resolutions is: You should get to know us and HORANDO better. We would therefore like to take this opportunity to invite you to take a look behind the scenes.

Who is behind Horando?

The founders

HORANDO was founded in 2013 in Bamberg. The two managing directors Stefan Sebök and Christopher Fischer have been very good friends for 20 years and are now also successful business partners.

Stefan founded his first company at the age of 16 and sold clothes on the internet. He came into contact with the luxury watch business on a permanent basis. During his studies in Heidelberg and Nuremberg, he worked for auction houses and jewellerys, and later he traded in second-hand watches on the side.

Christopher gained his first experience in purchasing and product management directly after graduating from high school by working for a wholesale group in Hong Kong. During his studies in Heidelberg and the USA, he worked for an advertising agency and then for a management consultancy in Frankfurt am Main.

The idea to revolutionise and digitalise the conventional watch market came a few years later over a shared glass of wine. HORANDO was born. Initially completely self-financed, Stefan and Christopher were quickly able to obtain a 500,000 euro loan through crowdinvesting. In 2019, they announced the closing of their Series A financing. Institutional investors such as NBank Capital and vbw Beteiligungskapital, among others, invested a seven-figure sum in the company. The venture picked up momentum….

The employees

…so quickly that reinforcements were hired shortly afterwards. The team, which now consists of four people, is young and motivated – and proves once again that in 2021 you no longer have to work together spatially in order to work in a great atmosphere. Our agility and flat hierarchies allow us to work from (almost) anywhere and always react flexibly. Nevertheless, there are of course fixed points…

Where we work

HORANDO was born in Bamberg and is still based there today. But there is more than just an office here: our showroom is also part of the premises. If you have an appointment, you can see a comprehensive selection of our precious watches on display – live and to touch. And free of charge, you also get the personal expert opinion of our two specialists.

And Bamberg is just the beginning. HORANDO is not only growing in terms of staff. A new office branch is being built in Hanover – for the employees who are already there and those who are yet to come: Because that’s another resolution, nay, plan for 2021. Growth.

How we work

We are growing. And fast. It’s not for nothing that HORANDO was ranked as one of the fastest growing companies by Focus Business and Financial Times in 2018 and 2019. In addition to team and premises, the market will be added in 2021. The focus will be on further The focus will be on further expanding international trade.

HORANDO is already active worldwide, supplying both consumers and retailers. An international network of more than 450 suppliers and brand partners makes it possible to offer products at the best conditions – namely 15 to 40% cheaper than in specialised stores. The business model has proven itself in recent years: In addition to new and limited edition luxury watches, we offer consignment purchases of pre-owned watches including inspection and reconditioning before resale.

We want to make sure that our customers receive all the services they could also use in a stationary trade. Our services range from repair, insurance and certification to financial services, engraving and warranty services. We always work transparently, and our quality is clearly visible to our customers: our authorisation as an auction house and certification as a “trusted seller” or “trusted shop”, as well as our reliably short delivery times, ensure that HORANDO customers feel competently looked after throughout the entire process.

For many people, buying a luxury watch means taking a special step in life. HORANDO makes sure it’s worth it. When do you want to take the plunge?

As an extra – and perhaps also as a little inspiration – here is a glimpse of our personal highlights:

Our first watch sold:

Rolex Submariner 16610 LV “Kermit”

Our best-selling watch:

Rolex Sea Dweller Single Red 126600

Our most expensive watch:

Patek Philippe 18 carat roségold for 220,000 EUR

The bosses’ favourite watches:

Stefan: Vacheron Constantin Overseas / blue dial

Christopher: Patek Philippe Nautilus / blue dial

Staff’s favourite watches: