German watch manufacturers & watch brands

If asked about the country that is known worldwide for its watches, most people would probably immediately name Switzerland. But it is not just the Swiss companies that have been able to position themselves at the center of the watch world for years and decades. In the field of luxury watches in particular, 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, shed light on 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 will take a short excursion through the history of the German watch industry. What many people do not know is that, according to current knowledge, German watch manufacturers were the first to produce watches that were handy enough to be worn as wristwatches. The watches made by the German blacksmith and watchmaker Peter Henlein in the 16th century were so delicate that they could 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 of 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 manufacturer.

When people talk about German watch brands today, the focus is often on the factories 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 - Features

Now you may naturally ask yourself what makes watches from Germany stand out from the competition. There are actually several characteristics that are specifically attributed to German watches. German watchmaking stands for excellent functionality, the highest precision, innovative technologies and reliably good quality. Added to this is the functional yet chic design that German luxury watches are known for.

Another characteristic associated with brands in the watch industry in Germany is realistic, fair pricing. The products have first-class movements and are offered in breathtaking watch designs, with the price-performance ratio in many cases being unrivalled. It is therefore no wonder that "made in Germany" is a kind of seal of quality for luxury watches.

Top 10 German watch manufacturers

Let's take a look at the ten best-known and most successful brands on the market that are based in this country and produce watches of German quality.

A. Lange & Söhne

The fact that Glashütte is now known as the city of watchmakers is thanks to a certain Ferdinand Adolph Lange. In 1845, he founded the company that we now know as A. Lange & Söhne. The products of the A. Lange & Söhne brand, which has long been established in the watch scene, combine excellent technology with detailed, recognizable designs. Many of the wristwatch models offered by the A. Lange & Söhne brand are characterized by the characteristic large date display.

Glashütte Original

The Glashütte Original brand enjoys a worldwide reputation for its stylish collections and technically advanced wristwatches. This is essentially the result of the knowledge and wealth of experience of the watchmaker Alfred Helwig, who passed on the secrets of the highest watchmaking art to the next generation during his lifetime at the Glashütte Original watchmaking school. The Glashütte Original range includes extravagant watches with asymmetrical dials as well as wristwatches with a timeless, classic design.

Junkers

Anyone looking for high-quality pilot's watches with an unbeatable price-performance ratio will probably find what they are looking for at Junkers. The company, which was founded by a descendant of the aviation legend Hugo Junkers, often bases its watches on anecdotes and events in the history of aviation in terms of design and naming. The watch manufacturer is strongly influenced by the so-called Bauhaus design, which gives the timepieces that certain something.

Junghans

The watch manufacturer Junghans has existed since 1861 and has its headquarters in the Black Forest, both then and now. Junghans is definitely one of the watch brands that can boast a wide range of products. The manufacturer from the Black Forest, which at one point was one of the largest companies in the watch industry with up to 3,000 employees, has both automatic watches and classic hand-wound wristwatches in its range and was able to establish itself early and sustainably on the market as a German watch brand.

Mühle Glashütte

High-quality movements, sophisticated wristwatch designs and a manufacturer with over 150 years of history: that is Mühle Glashütte, another German company that has made a name for itself worldwide from Glashütte. While the manufacturer used to focus on measuring instruments, it now uses its extensive knowledge in this field to produce wristwatches that are hard to beat in terms of precision. Mühle Glashütte 's range of timepieces includes, for example, models that were specially developed for use in sea rescue and have extremely easy-to-read dials.

NOMOS Glashütte

Anyone who thinks that Glashütte is only home to brands that have been producing watches "made in Germany" for decades or even centuries is mistaken. NOMOS Glashütte has only been on the watchmaking market since 1990 and has quickly secured a firm place among the most popular watch brands. The watches from NOMOS Glashütte have a minimalist design and are relatively affordable, with the excellent price-performance ratio once again being highlighted.

Montblanc

Montblanc is one of those brands that you don't necessarily associate with watches at first glance. The watch manufacturer originally became known for producing exclusive writing instruments such as ballpoint pens. However, Montblanc now also produces first-class mechanical wristwatches that are in no way inferior to the popular writing utensils in terms of elegance, quality and design.

sense

Founded in 1961 by Helmut Sinn, the German watch manufacturer Sinn mainly produces highly functional watches for divers, pilots and emergency personnel in the military and fire brigade. The factory, which is located in the city of Frankfurt am Main, sells special watches in many countries around the world, but 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 those on a smaller budget, but does not compromise on quality and design. Thanks to the wide variety of modern collections, the Bruno Söhnle watch manufacturer has watches that suit a wide range of tastes.

Union Glashütte

When it comes to the top 10 German watch manufacturers, Union Glashütte cannot be left out. The manufacturer, which was founded in 1893 by Johannes Dürrstein, is - as the name suggests - based in Glashütte and has been part of the Swatch Group since 2000. At Union Glashütte, watches are assembled and refined from tried-and-tested, externally purchased individual parts. The result is unique watches that can easily keep up with competing brands.

German watch manufacturers list

Of course, there are more than ten German watch brands that are worth mentioning. For this reason, we would like to put together a final list of the most important German watch manufacturers - but we make no claim to completeness.

• A. Lange & Söhne

• Askania

• bauhaus

• Bruno Söhnle

• Glashütte Original

• Hanhart

• Iron Annie

• Junghans

• Junkers

• Laco

• Lilienthal Berlin

• MeisterSinger

• Montblanc

• Mühle Glashütte

• NOMOS Glashütte

• P. Nitzsche

• sense

• Tutima

• Union Glashütte

• 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 really has everything that the heart of the expert watch lover desires. All German watch brands - whether from Glashütte, Pforzheim or the Black Forest - represent what characterizes German watchmaking: high quality, chic, functional design and diverse collections.