Although the heart of horology beats in Switzerland, the steady rise of German watchmaking continues to create new alternatives and new opportunities for watch lovers.
There is only one country that I believe has undermined the indisputable superiority of Swiss manufacturers, especially in high watchmaking; Germany. The combination of superior engineering with disciplined and self-sacrificing work enables German-made micro-mechanical wonders to have a say in the global arena. Before trying to explain the reasons behind the "different" feeling of German brands, let's determine the extraordinary details.
A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original, Sinn, Nomos, Union, Tutima and others… When I wear a watch produced with German engineering and design on my wrist, the first thought that pops up in my mind is that I am faced with a product with higher performance for the price paid. So, what is this price/performance thing anyway? The surface workmanship of the material used, the clarity of the crystal, the care taken in the production of the dial and hands, the stitching of the leather strap, and much more. In short, the quality of all the components that make up a watch affects the benefit I get from the watch in a very positive way.
Lange manufactures its movements, cases, and dials with fine workmanship that can meet much more than high watchmaking criteria. Likewise, it is possible to make a similar comment for Glashütte Original in line with the price category it is in. The interesting thing is that these two companies based in Germany were bought by Swiss watchmaking and luxury consumption giants. Fortunately, neither Richemont group Lange nor Swatch group Glasshütte are making any attempt to make them Swiss.
I am one of those who think that Sinn should be looked at more carefully. Sinn is one of the first brands that come to mind when it comes to the perfect synthesis of traditional watchmaking and modern engineering. I think that behind this engineering effort lies a rebellion against the existence of watch cases that are still scratched or damaged in different ways, even though we are in 2022.
Nomos is one of the best examples of how eye-catching watches can be produced by combining minimalism and simplicity with modern watchmaking. Inspired by the Bauhaus school, Nomos models bring together important elements such as superior quality, functional design, and reasonable price under the same roof. What more could a watch lover want?
If you haven't heard of Moritz Grossman before, I highly recommend you do a little research. One of the heavyweights of German independent watchmaking, MG offers exciting moments to movement enthusiasts, especially with its Hamatic collection.
Montblanc, one of the most famous manufacturers of writing instruments in the world, is actually a name of German origin, although its production facilities are in Switzerland. The famous brand continues to consolidate its position in luxury watchmaking by having the support of Minerva, which is part of the brand today.
Laco, one of the oldest manufacturers of pilot's watches in the world, continues to produce military-themed pilot's watches. Of course, taking advantage of all the blessings of modern watchmaking.
Junghans, Junkers, Hanhart, MeisterSinger and many more. If you own a German watch or have had the chance to examine a model produced with this mentality, I do not doubt that you will see the high price/performance ratio. Not to mention the feeling of being exclusive brought by the rarity in the watch market.
