Since 1845, Glashütte, a small town in Saxony, has become known for crafting refined timepieces. Now widely considered the epicentre of German watchmaking, Glashütte is home to nine companies. Glashütte Original is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Swatch Group. This provides the German marque with access to extensive resources and technical expertise. However, the Glashütte Original has much know-how under its own roof.
The company’s production facilities include a vast array of cutting-edge machinery, allowing it to make its own high-end movements. This state of the art machinery is complemented with traditional craftsmanship. Indeed, the movements are enriched with superb finissage and stand comparison with some of the best examples in the industry.
In 1920, Alfred Helwig invented the flying tourbillon. Helwig also taught at the watchmaking school in the town. Glashütte Original proffer flying tourbillons in its present-day catalogue, doffing its hat to Helwig’s work. The brand also perpetuates local watchmaking traditions by endowing its watches with a three-quarter plate. Moreover, it has created some unique features all of its own such as its large date display, the ‘Panorama Date’.
