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We are all very familiar with the “Swiss Made” mark. It does not just describe the place of the production, it also describes the level of quality which has proven to be the best of the best. I derive great pleasure from Swiss Watchmaking as most of us watch nerds. Regardless of who made their first debut, the Brits or the French- the Swiss nurtured the industry till it matured to become the legend we know of today. They did it all. Dedicating themselves, their lives, and their passion for the rising industry. From companies in the midst of the city, in which hundreds of thousands of finely finished pieces get produced, to the independent artist somewhere in a small workshop producing maybe a handful of delicate, handmade timepieces yearly or maybe even during his lifetime. They earned it. The Swiss Made.

Nevertheless, quality timepieces can be found across the globe. Dedicated, passionate, and creative artisans, carefully hand producing hundreds and thousands of identical watch parts. Germany, for instance, is a dear next-door-neighbor to the Swiss and produces some of the most magnificent, reliable, and over-engineered timepieces. Up to the German standard.

Glashütte, Germany

I have a sentimental attachment to this nation as my wife grew up in Dortmund, and she has certain German qualities that I greatly relish. Doing things the way they should be done is one of these golden qualities. German-made items are known to last forever, and they do. On your next time out, look at a Porsche, Volkswagen, BMW, or an Audi. You will notice; It’s in their DNA.

A small, modest town that you can walk from one end to the other, before finishing the cup of coffee and Marzipanschnecke (which translates to “Marzipan snail”, but is actually a delicious German dessert) you got at Gaffrons Cafe. Revived in the ’90s by Walter Lange, the great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange after he reconstituted his company to bring back the tradition to the town of Glashütte. Holding the name of the town, Glashütte Original. This is where we find a true sleeper.

Glashütte PanoramaDatum PanoMaticLunar

Offered in a 40mm case that comes in steel and a utopian green dial. The dial is unusually green, with various polishes to give contrast to the unique asymmetric dial while retaining its simplicity. There is a pleasure that arises in catching the two-disc big date window changing in front of your eyes. Then there is a relatively small time indicator with razor-sharp hands which suddenly reminds you of your primary purpose when you first decided to look at your wrist.

The swan neck regulator with the hand-engraved balance bridge and ¾ plate movement are all signs of German watchmaking and frankly, it’s not a surprise to find one on the exhibited case back of a fine, or the finest of German watchmakers, holding the name of the town and its almost two centuries old watchmaking history.

Flip the watch, to find another astonishment. The cal. 90-02 from Glashütte Original is state-of-the-art engineering and flawlessly finished with a skeletonized micro-rotor and not just one but two swan neck regulators, even the hand-engraved balance bridge, and inlaid with yellow 24k gold.

You can find the watch on Chrono24 at Uhrentrader w.c GmbH in Baden, Germany

Nomos Club Ref. 701

Nomos Glashütte is a rising talent further down the road. Bauhaus-inspired designs with an ultra-modern feel that looks so neatly executed. The Nomos catalog features 13 family members with unique characters. Their sportiest is the Nomos Club, and I especially admire its ref. 701 for so many reasons. Starting with the dial, galvanized white silver contrasting with black-framed hands and striking reddish-orange fill-ins and smooth grey hour markers so visible yet complimenting the contemporary design of the watch decorated by the red-orange minute markers. Comes with the option of a steel sports bracelet or a fine soft cordovan brown strap stitched in red.

Hidden in the watch, an in-house manually wound Alpha caliber. It features a ¾ plate, blued screws, adjusted to 6-positions, and has superb perlage and sunburst finishes, all rhodium-plated. Holding a price under $1,500 this is a piece to very much consider.

You can find the watch on Nomos Official Website

The City Am Main

The city on the river, Frankfurt. A major financial hub in the middle of Germany that was rebuilt post-WWII. Despite being the business go-to destination of Germany, it is a beautiful, energetic city full of museums, historic buildings and is very rich in art. This is not Glashütte. However, it has its very own spirit, a sway of a truly german city. As previously mentioned. German-made items are built to last, designed to be reliable, and executed in the best possible means, no matter how costly it might get, to deliver a high-quality product. Some watchmakers saw a brighter future in the technological advancements and capabilities of R&D of the very modern era we live in and take accuracy and precision to a whole new level at a very convenient price point.

The Sinn 6068

The city inspired the Frankfurt Financial District collection. You can tell from the simplicity of its looks and the richness you feel while wearing it on your wrist. A very wearable 38,5mm steel case that appears to be a time-only watch at first glance. Giving it a closer look, you will notice another crown at 10 o’clock for an internal rotating bezel which indicates another time-zone. The date window at 4 o’clock does not distract the deep sunburst black dial in any way.

The 6068 is driven by a Sellita SW-300 engine that is anti-magnetic as per DIN 8309 and beats at 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour. All of which is exhibited in a display back for your pleasure to view fine finishing with blue screws and the bull and the bear engraved on the winding rotor.

Conclusion

The watch industry is a wide ocean, and just like some pearls get buried deep in the ocean floor, the watch world has some hidden gems waiting for explorers to come along to breathe in their spectacular beauty. As true watch devotees, we need to explore and dig for these gems, making their beauty noticeable and recognized.

The wonderful Glashütte Original PanoMaticLunar in Green is a piece that is worth double its worth in my humble opinion. A chance to own a very special timepiece that holds a never-ending fashion and tradition. The Nomos Club 701 is a real keeper and will not harm your pocket. The Sinn 6068 is a very affordable piece that goes well on your wrist like a daily beater or even your only watch.

This is a glimpse of what German horology is offering for those who value its sincerity and appreciate the minds and craftsmanship behind every tiny unseen piece of the watch. Stay connected for more silent riches from around the world.