Glashütte Original is a rare kind of watchmaker. Few manufactures can boast what Glashütte Original proudly does. For a watch to legally bear the “Glashütte” designation, more than 50% of its movement’s production value and all key assembly steps must be completed within the town of Glashütte, Germany. Glashütte Original, however, cuts no corners, with over 95% of the watch and effectively 100% of the movement produced in-house.
This is what Zach Blass, Time+Tide US Editor, and Ariel Ramos, Brand President of Glashütte Original North America, sought to share with our guests. Glashütte Original is a brand that most watch geeks have on their radar, but, due to the watchmaking history of the region, shared lineages, and consolidations, people do not always recognise that the ‘Original’ in Glashütte Original is literal. The brand is the only watchmaker in the region that can say it is over 180 years old, while the remainder, though with roots that date back centuries, were only established or revived within the last 30 years. Armed with over 180 years of watchmaking know-how, the brand fabricates and assembles nearly everything themselves – ensuring all aspects of the watch are built, finished, and put together to Glashütte Original’s high standards.
Though guests were treated to an exclusive sneak peek of Glashütte Original’s latest novelties, the North America-exclusive SeaQ ‘Northern Tide’ Limited Editions, and afforded the first opportunity to be able to purchase one of the limited editions before anyone else, the night was by no means limited to the pair of debuting dive watches.
Really, the evening was built to be a moment of discovery for all five pillars of Glashütte Original – Senator, Pano, Spezialist (SeaQ), Vintage (Sixites/Seventies), and Serenade. All of our Discovery Studio’s cases were filled with Glashütte Original watches, from clean three-handers to moonphases and chronographs, all the way up to even tourbillons. And all of these watches could be taken out for a closer hands-on look and were all available for purchase – nothing for “exhibition only”.
Surrounded by exquisite German watches and tasty pints of German beer, the night was an excellent time for everyone to get a more intimate look at the expansive brand catalogue than ever before. Glashütte Original is really a detail-driven brand, and the best way to truly understand the level of quality and attention to detail is, of course, by holding the watches ‘in the metal’. German watches can often be quite sterile and less adventurous with colour and texture. Not Glashütte Original.
Glashütte Original does not shy away from modern appetites, blending traditional German watchmaking – 3/4 bridgeplates, engraved balance cocks, etc. – with bolder dial executions in vivid blue, smoked turquoise, and textured purple, orange, and green, and more. They look good in renders. They look even better in person.
Our evening with Glashütte Original was definitely a must-attend event, so to ensure you do not miss out on future events and moments of discovery we host in our NYC Discovery Studio, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter mailing list here.
