A visit at Glashütte Original

Dresden, 23. May 2018. Glashütte Original and German watchmaking started at this historical region. Dresden, the Saxon capital shows its most beautiful side: starting with the renowned art museums, the classical architecture and the pretty old town which was almost completely reconstructed after the second world war. 

Pictures & Rights by witwinkel.ch

Glashütte – A place with history

Switzerland is not the only country that masters the craft and art of watchmaking. A little outside of Dresden is the village of Glashütte, which has about 6500 inhabitants, most of whom work in the watch manufactory.

In 1845 watchmaker Ferdinand Adolph Lange settled in Glashütte. With a small subsidy from the government, he begins training the first watchmakers, the majority of whom were previously straw weavers and miners.

Despite some challenges and start-up difficulties, the watch industry later formed the backbone of the region. The first and second world wars and the division of Germany follow, but the knowledge and also the Glashütte watch factories survive. Even today, the local watch industry is still the most important branch of the economy and creates thousands of jobs in the region.

Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panoramadate Moonphase – Ref: 1-36-04-04-02-0

Glashütte Original – The art of watch manufacturing

The day in Dresden comes to an end, in the evening we visit the Dresden Music Festival to see Tan Dun and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. While I’m listening to this wonderful classic music, I notice an equality that unites every form of art – I think Goethe said it appropriately:

If you wish to have joy from the whole, you must become acquainted with the whole in its smallest parts. – Johann Wolfang von Goethe

The word ‘Philharmonie’ origins from the Greek and means ‘love of harmony’. Every single movement, every participant, every instrument and every sound is perfectly coordinated. And this is exactly what you will find in the art of watchmaking, it is a kind of perfection, a maximum capacity in its form.

It is the attention to detail that makes Glashütte Original an exceptionally beautiful brand. Even the smallest part of a movement is ground, polished and reworked down to the finest detail over hours – sometimes days.

Glashütte Original Vintage Collektion Sixties Panoramadate – Ref.: 2-39-47-04-02-0

What makes Glashütte Original special?

During our time in Dresden and Glashütte, we had the opportunity to visit the manufactory as well as the historical museum. There are a few things we definitely want to sum up:

• Useful functions, a robust construction and a reduced, clear design are typical of Glashütte Original. It is a kind of understatement that characterizes the German manufactory.
• The Swan-Neck Fine Adjustment is typical for the brand
• The Glashütte stripes is one of the characteristic signs of Glashütte watchmaking
• Balance bridges are decorated with hand engravings with great dexterity in accordance with Glashütte tradition
• A sunburst is applied to the large wheels with a lot of effort.
• The in-house toolmaking department supports the production of the factory parts
• Which means that around 95% of the watch parts are manufactured in-house.

Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panoramadate – Ref.: 1-36-03-03-02-0

A visit at Glashütte Original – our conclusion

We are still delighted about our trip and this incredibly beautiful brand and the great time with the team. And now I definitely have a few more models on the list!