Asked to name the country that is known worldwide for its watches, most people would probably immediately name Switzerland. But in fact, it is by no means only the Swiss companies that have been able to position themselves at the center of the watch world for years and decades. Especially in the field of luxury watches, there are numerous German watch brands that enjoy an excellent reputation and produce watch models that adorn the wrists of proud collectors in many countries around the world. In this article, we focus on German watch manufacturers, highlight the core characteristics of German watches, go into the history of the watch industry and present the top 10 German watch manufacturers.
History of the German watch industry
First, we take a short trip through the history of the German watch industry. What many people don't know is that, as far as we know today, German watchmakers were the first to produce watches that were handy enough to be worn as wristwatches. The watches made by German blacksmith and watchmaker Peter Henlein in the 16th century were even dainty enough to be worn as discreet pendants.
In the course of industrialization in the 18th century, a milestone in the German watch industry followed: Margrave Karl Friedrich von Baden ordered the construction of a pocket watch factory in Pforzheim, which was implemented by Jean Francois Autran, Jean Viala and Amédé Christin - watchmakers from France and Switzerland. This was the birth of the first "modern" German watch manufacture.
Today, when people talk about German watch brands, the focus is often on the manufactories in and around the town of Glashütte in Saxony. Several renowned German companies in the "watch brands" category are now based there.
Watches Made in Germany - Characteristics
Now, of course, you may wonder what makes watches made in Germany stand out from the competition. There are actually several characteristics that are specifically attributed to German watches. German watchmaking thus sometimes stands for excellent functionality, highest precision, innovative technologies and reliably good quality. In addition, there is the functional yet chic design that German luxury watches are known for.
Another characteristic associated with brands of the watch industry in Germany is the realistic, fair pricing. The products have top-notch movements and come in stunning watch designs, and in many cases, the price-performance ratio is second to none. It's no wonder, then, that "made in Germany" is something of a seal of quality for luxury watches.
Top 10 German watch manufacturers
Let's take a look at the ten most famous and successful brands on the market that are native to this country and make German-quality watches.
A. Lange & Söhne
The fact that Glashütte is today called the city of watchmakers is thanks to a certain Ferdinand Adolph Lange. He founded the company we know today as A. Lange & Söhne in 1845. The products of the A. Lange & Söhne brand, which has long since established itself in the watchmaking scene, combine excellent technology and detailed designs with recognition value. Many of the wristwatch models that the A. Lange & Söhne brand offers for selection feature the characteristically large date display.
Glashütte Original
The Glashütte Original brand enjoys a worldwide reputation for its stylish collections and technically advanced wristwatches. Behind this is essentially the knowledge and wealth of experience of watchmaker Alfred Helwig, who during his lifetime passed on the secrets of the highest watchmaking art to the next generation in the Glashütte Original watchmaking school. The Glashütte Original range includes extravagant watches with asymmetrically designed dials, as well as wristwatches with a timeless, classic design.
Junkers
If you're looking for high-quality pilot's watches with unbeatable value for money, you're likely to find what you're looking for at Junkers. The company, which was founded by a descendant of aviation legend Hugo Junkers, always bases its watches on anecdotes and events from the history of aviation in terms of design and naming. The watch manufacturer is strongly oriented towards the so-called Bauhaus design, which gives the timepieces that certain something.
Junghans
The watch manufacturer Junghans exists since 1861 and has its headquarters then as now in the Black Forest. Junghans definitely belongs to the companies among the watch brands, which can shine with a great variety in their product selection. The manufacturer from the Black Forest, which was one of the largest companies in the watch industry with up to 3,000 employees in the meantime, has both the automatic watch and classic wristwatches with manual winding in its range and was able to establish itself as a German watch brand early and sustainably on the market.
Mühle Glashütte
Movements of the highest quality, sophisticated wristwatch designs, and a manufacture with over 150 years of history: this is Mühle Glashütte, another German company that has been able to make a name for itself worldwide, starting from Glashütte. While the manufacturer's focus was formerly on measuring instruments, it now uses its wealth of knowledge from this field to produce wristwatches that are hard to beat when it comes to precision. Mühle Glashütte's timepiece product range includes, for example, models that have been specially developed for use in sea rescue operations and have enormously easy-to-read dials.
NOMOS Glashütte
Anyone who thinks that Glashütte is home only to brands that have been producing watches "made in Germany" for decades or even centuries is mistaken. NOMOS Glashütte has only been asserting itself on the market of watch manufacturers since 1990 and was quickly able to secure a firm place among the most popular watch brands. The watches from NOMOS Glashütte come in a minimalist design and are comparatively affordable, but again the excellent price-performance ratio should be emphasized.
Montblanc
Montblanc is one of the brands that are not necessarily associated with watches at first glance. After all, the watch manufacturer originally gained fame through the production of exclusive writing instruments such as ballpoint pens. However, Montblanc now also produces first-class mechanical wristwatches, which are in no way inferior to the popular writing utensils in terms of elegance, quality and design.
Sinn
Founded in 1961 by Helmut Sinn, the German watch manufacturer Sinn mainly produces highly functional mission watches for divers, pilots and emergency personnel in the military and fire departments. The manufacture, located in the city of Frankfurt am Main, distributes special watches to many countries around the world, but on the other hand, it also has some models for the "normal" watch fan.
Bruno Söhnle
The company Bruno Söhnle GmbH Uhrenatelier Glashütte is a watch brand that produces products for the somewhat smaller purse, but does not compromise on quality and design. Thanks to the great variety of modern collections, you can find watches at the watch manufacturer Bruno Söhnle, which meet the most diverse tastes.
Union Glashütte
When it comes to the top 10 German watch manufacturers, Union Glashütte, of course, can not be missed. The manufactory, which was founded in 1893 by Johannes Dürrstein, is - as the name suggests - located in Glashütte and has been part of the Swatch Group since 2000. At Union Glashütte, watches are assembled and refined from proven individual parts purchased externally. The result is unique watches that can easily keep up with competing brands.
German Watches Manufacturer List
Of course, there are more than ten German watch brands worth mentioning. For this reason, we would like to conclude by compiling a list of the most important German watch manufacturers - but absolutely without any claim to completeness.
A. Lange & Sons
Askania
Bauhaus
Bruno Söhnle
Glashütte Original
Hanhart
Iron Annie
Junghans
Junkers
Laco
Lilienthal Berlin
MeisterSinger
Montblanc
Mühle Glashütte
NOMOS Glassworks
P. Nitzsche
Sinn
Tutima
Union Glassworks
Wempe
Conclusion - Watches Made in Germany
From Union Glashütte and Bruno Söhnle to A. Lange & Söhne and Sinn to Junghans and Junkers, the world of German watch brands truly has everything to offer the heart of the expert watch enthusiast. All German watch brands - whether from Glashütte, Pforzheim or the Black Forest - represent what distinguishes the German art of watchmaking: high quality, chic, functional design and diverse collections.