Re-discovering (other) German Brands -
Muhle Glashutte and Stowa
Thanks to the retail
franchise/ import agent (Tic Tac/ Neuve-A) for those two brands, I had
an opportunity to see their latest offerings as well as meeting CEO/
Owner of both brands at the event held
recently.
The shop in the station building
at JR Ebisu Station.
Profile of both - Jorg Schauer, Owner and Designer
for "Stowa" which he succeeded from the founding family, as well as his
own brand "Schauer", and Thilo Muhle, CEO of Muhle Glashutte who is
actually the fifth generation of the Muhles since the brand's inception
in 1860s.
1. Muhle Glashutte
Mr. Thilo Muhle - the fifth generation of
the Muhle family (the brand is still owned by the family).
A
bit of history: The Muhle's started making the measurement instrument
FOR the watches made in Glashutte in 1869. In 20th century,
they started serving the auto industry with Speedometer and
Tachometer. The first motorcycle of BMW had Muhle's
Tachometer. Even after the WWII, they were allowed to continue
what they had been doing and it was easy to restart as a private
company again. In 1994, they entered the watch
making.
On his wrist.... Terra 1
Chronograph. Muhle's chronograph is really "bang for the
buck", IMHO.
He says, "I want people to have at least
one watch made in Glashutte, which doesn't have to be Muhle, but any
Glashutte watch to appreciate the tradition and history of the village
with attention to details motto...."
This
year's top novelty - Seebataillon GMT
44mm/
12.7mm
Countdown inner bezel
See the
"Glashutte/SA" logo? - there are certain requirements (e.g. more than
half of the value of the movement MUST be added in Glashutte) to have
this "seal", like Lange.
Titanium case
ETA2893-2 Muhle version, 42 hours power
reserve.
Another notable novelty this year - M29
Classic
Design motif from measuring instrument which is Muhle
DNA
42.4mm/ 11.3mm
SW200-1 (Sellita) Muhle version with "woodpecker"
regulator
38 hours Power Reserve
Existing line-ups -
Terra 1
Chronometer
Terra
Sport II
Terra Naut III
Trail
Germanika V
29er
Big
Germanika I
Terra
Naut I Trail
Manual
winding movement - see the Glashutte DNA here: 3/4
plate!
All
the base movements are outsourced, but they are modified by Muhle
Glashutte at various levels.
My
favorite... to be available after September: Teutonia
II
Interesting vertical
hairline....
At
41mm, maybe tad big for my wrist, but I could forgive myself to wear
this...
They
should apply for patent of this!
...
and back to the existing line -
S.A.R. Rescue
Timer
S.A.R.
Flieger CHronograph
Marinus
2. Stowa
Stowa started making watches in 1927 near
the Schwarzwald and soon moved to Pforzheim, the southwestern part of
Germany. It is an interesting contrast between Eastern
Glashutte watches and Western Pforlheim watches. Stowa was the
main supplier to the German Air Force at WWI and WWII, but
unfortunately after the "quartz shock", the brand had to go through
tough times....
...and
this gentleman, Mr. Jorg Schauer who had already owned his own brand
"Schauer" bought the brand from the founding family in 1996 and
restarted the brand in 2004. Those two brands are
distinctively segregated. While "Schauer" makes exclusively
hand-made watches, "Stowa" aims to be more diversified and more broadly
marketed brand.
Now 70% of revenue comes from
exporting to more than 70 countries, and 15% come to Japan
(!). According to Mr. Schauer, Japanese market understands
"attention to details" well and gives back sophisticated feedback which
he appreciates very much.
He is excellent about finishing - all
hand made beauty.
Old
Stowa advertisement - Mr. Schauer will keep making dress watches like
this, but at the same time, more sport watches as
well.
This is from "Stowa Museum Collection" -
Original Flieger. Stowa was one of a few brands which
supplied pilot watches to German Air Force, together with IWC and
LACO.
Antea
365
36.5mm
ETA automatic, 40 hours Power
Reserve
Stowa uses many ETA movements (with lots of
modification), and Stowa can buy from Sellita and such, but also tries
to stock the parts as much as possible in case ETA movement becomes hard
to acquire in the future (for now, supply is okay).
Considering the scale of operation, in-house movement is not really the
option now.
Marine
Original Roman (18K YG case)
41mm/ 12mm
Unitas 6498-1
Hand Wind, 46 hours Power Reserve
Unitas
And
these are.....
Marine
Original Solid Silver Dial for Japan - wow!
Existing Flieger Chrono with automatic
Valjoux 7753
41mm/ 14.7mm
40 hours Power
Reserve
And this is Flieger Chrono Handwinding
with Valjoux 7753 modified.
Same design, same size, same power
reserve.
Display back of handwind
7753
Flieger with Logo and Date
40mm/
10.2mm
ETA2824-2 automatic, 40 hours Power
Reserve
Flieger without Logo
Same size, same
movement.
And
this is THE top of this year's novelty: Flieger T01
TESTAF
TESTAF stands for "Technischer Standard Fliegeruhren",
i.e. this model complies with the new technical standard for the pilot
watches.
With white hands on black dial, much darker logo and
TESTAF seal, legibility is the top priority of this
watch.
Titanium Case
45mm/
12.9mm
ETA 2824-2 automatic
40 hours Power
Reserve
Made
with the same TESTAF standard, but for racing: 24H Racing
Countdown
Countdown bezel - surely eyed Le Mans 24H
race.
Seatime Prodiver with various
colors
Flieger with Logo and Date, special
dial.
Mr. Schauer's prototype 24H Racing
Countdown (yellow/ green version).
The feel of bezel "clicking"
is so comfortable and "just". Here is what his "attention to
details" spirit is poured in, too.
Titanium case
Both brands made me re-realize what
German watchmakers are capable of. I would like to keep both
eyes to these brands.
Special thanks to:
Mr.
Muhle, Mr. Schauer
Mr. Ishii (Tic Tac/ Neuve-A)
and,
Tic Tac Ebisu staff
Thank
you!
Best,
Ken