When you think of luxury watches, you tend to think of Switzerland first and foremost. And why not? Some of the world’s most famous watchmakers call the tiny alpine country home: Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, Rolex, Omega, IWC… The list goes on.
But Germany, Switzerland’s biggest neighbour and a country world-renowned for precision engineering, isn’t quite as well known for its timepieces. Which is a shame, because some truly world-class watches come out of Deutschland. Renowned brands like A. Lange & Söhne, Montblanc and Tutima all hail from the home of Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and BMW.
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Much like how the Jura Valley is the epicentre of Swiss watchmaking, many of Germany’s finest watchmakers call the small Saxon village of Glashütte home. One of the best is one named after the town: Glashütte Original, which has been making exceptional timepieces for almost 200 years.
Glashütte Original remains one of the few watchmakers that manufactures its own movements: every part of their watches are made right in the town of Glashütte. Classy, understated and torchbearers of the classic Glashütte style – a more traditional style than what most Swiss manufacturers exhibit – Glashütte Original is widely respected as one of the finest watchmakers in the world.
In 2019, Glashütte revived their tradition of making exceptional combat watches and debuted a new model: the SeaQ. A classic diver’s watch par excellence, the SeaQ was a perfect addition to the German watchmaker’s storied stable, harking back to the exceptional Spezimatic Typ RP TS 200 from 1969. Glashütte have recently debuted two new SeaQs for 2020 – the Panorama Dates above.
These gorgeous twins, part of the technical ‘Spezialist Collection’, are a beauty to behold. The red gold model keeps things classic (Glashütte watchmakers are known for their love of golds). Its sheer black dial and Super-LumiNova details make it not only a practical diver’s watch, but a dapper one at that.
However, our pick of the new pair of SeaQs is the stainless steel model, which features a unique galvanic grey dial with sunray finish that produces a somewhat iridescent effect, mimicking the dappled way light refracts underwater. It’s a subtly brilliant touch that elevates an already delightful timepiece.
For more details, check out Glashütte Original’s international website.