While Switzerland often dominates the conversation around watchmaking, the horological cognoscenti know that watchmaking prowess extends beyond the borders of the neutral country. The aforementioned neutrality of the Alpine region allowed Swiss manufactures to flourish undeterred by wars, however, across the border in Germany, watchmaking is experiencing something of a renaissance.
Reflecting the reputation the nation has for superlative engineering and impeccable craftsmanship, German watches tend to be sober yet refined and exude timeless elegance — think the inimitable A. Lange & Söhne and Lang & Heyne. Thanks to the military influence on the country’s watchmaking industry, German watches also excel when it comes to tool watches, with the likes of Sinn, Damasko, and Laco producing durable, purpose-built pilot and dive watches that prioritise utility first.
That said, there are also rising independent German manufactures deviating from the stark minimalist aesthetic. Newer manufactures like Moritz Grossmann, Kudoke, and Alexander Shorokhoff are taking a more experimental and artistic approach to great effect.
History of German watchmaking
The first wearable timepiece is thought to have been invented by Nuremberg clockmaker Peter Henlein in the 16th century, well predating Swiss watchmaking. The history of German watchmaking can be traced back to the 18th century in the town of Pforzheim, where several watchmaking schools were established.
Shortly thereafter, watchmaker Ferdinand Adolph Lange chose the town of Glashütte — buoyed by financial support from the government which wished to reinvigorate the sleepy town — to establish his watchmaking business, with the A. Lange & Söhne manufacture founded in 1845. While several German watchmaking companies were born in the early 20th century, World War II disrupted much of this activity, with most of them destroyed, shuttered, or forced to form a single state-controlled entity. In the 1990s, following the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the German watchmaking industry began to revive, with the launch and relaunch of some of the finest German watch brands.
Characteristics of German watches
Aesthetically, German watches tend to allow form to follow function, often drawing upon the philosophy of the Bauhaus movement. They tend to be more sober than their Swiss counterparts, often boasting clean, minimalist dials. There are also some classic signatures of German watchmaking:
- While Swiss watches usually use rhodium-plated brass for their movement, German watches typically use German silver.
- German movements usually use a two-third or three-quarter brass plate.
- Two-third and three-quarter plates often have a large opening for the bridge, meaning the balance cock is larger than that of Swiss watches. The balance cock and bridges are often engraved and turned into works of art.
- External-facing screws are thermally blued.
The best German watch brands in 2023
From notable independent manufactures to watchmaking giants, these are the best German watch brands to know about.
1. A. Lange & Söhne
Thought of as the forefather of German watchmaking, A. Lange & Söhne is revered for its intricate hand-finished movements (often showcased through an exhibition or hinged sapphire crystal caseback), beautiful dials, and use of precious metals. The manufacture dates back to 1845, when it was founded by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in Glashütte. The original company ceased to exist after the Soviet Union took over East Germany (a theme common to several German watch brands), with A. Lange & Söhne in its current incarnation revived in 1990 by Walter Lange, the great-grandson of the original founder, and the late entrepreneur Günter Blümlein.
Uniting German functionality with undeniably gorgeous design, an A. Lange & Söhne timepiece represents the pinnacle of watchmaking for many horological enthusiasts.
Established in: 1845, relaunched in 1990
Founder: Ferdinand Adolph Lange
Relaunched by: Walter Lange, Günter Blümlein
Best for: classic dress watches, mechanical artistry, high complications
Notable models: Lange 1, Zeitwork, 1815
2. Lang & Heyne
Independent manufacture Lang & Heyne was founded in 2001 by fifth-generation watchmaker Marco Lang and Mirko Heyne in Dresden. Despite its relative youth, Lang & Heyne has quickly become known for its ultra-traditional watchmaking style; with time-honoured techniques exacted through intricate hand-craftsmanship, resulting in classical timepieces with a twist. As beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside, Lang & Heyne movements feature detailed finishes and engravings which transform each calibre into works of art.
Its timepieces are highly limited, making them ideal fodder for in-the-know collectors. The Georg collection is perhaps the manufacture’s most well-known. Despite its seemingly traditional aesthetics, the calibre within eschews Saxon watchmaking tradition (such as the three-quarter plate and hand-engraved balance cock). Instead, each element of the movement is left on display, with finely finished gold wheels held by steel balance cocks with domed tops. A combination of polished and brushed surfaces contributes to the avant-garde appearance of the movement.
Established in: 2001
Founders: Marco Lang, Mirko Heyne
Best for: classic dress watches, intricate movements
Notable models: Georg, Augustus, Friedrich August
3. Montblanc
Montblanc may be best known for its luxury writing instruments, however it’d be remiss to overlook their watch selection. While Montblanc is based in Hamburg, Germany, its timepieces are manufactured and assembled in Villeret, Switzerland at what was formerly the Minerva factory. Despite its Swiss production, the timepieces boast the clean, form-follows-function aesthetic emblematic of German timepieces.
Established in: 1906, watchmaking since 1997
Founders: Alfred Nehemias, August Eberstein, Claus-Johannes Voss:
Best for: heritage-inspired pieces, moonphases
Notable models: Star Legacy Moonphase, 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date
4. Alexander Shorokhoff
Despite its founder’s Russian heritage, Alexander Shorokhoff timepieces proudly bear “Made In Germany” labelling on their dials. Founded by Muscovite Alexander Shorokhoff in 2003, the eponymous independent watch brand is based in Bavaria and specialises in highly limited timepieces that take on an artistic, off-beat tone. The niche timepieces draw inspiration from Russian authors and artists, among them Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Alexander Pushkin, and Wassily Kandinsky.
Established in: 2003
Founder: Alexander Shorokhoff
Best for: artistic dials, avant-garde designs
Notable models: Leo Tolstoy Unique, Neva
5. MeisterSinger
Need a hand? No matter, MeisterSinger already has one. An anomaly in the horology industry, MeisterSinger stands out for its single-hand watches which keep time in a decidedly unique way. While a single-handed watch may sound complicated, the result is rather the opposite; with MeisterSinger’s dials uncluttered and easy to decipher. The true embodiment of form follows function.
Established in: 2001
Founder: Manfred Brassler
Best for: single-handed watches, minimalist dials
Notable models: No. 01
6. Archimede
Combining German engineering and precision with vintage aesthetics, Archimede creates stylish yet utilitarian pilot and field watches. While Archimede was technically launched in 2003, it draws upon the heritage of Ickler, founded by watchmaker Kark Ickler in 1924. A family business to this day, Archimede is helmed by Lisa Ickler, the fourth-generation of the family. Archimede watches are beloved for their clean and legible dials, with its 1950s collection in particular proving a hit.
Established in: 1924 (as Ickler), 2003 (relaunched as Archimede)
Founder: Kark Ickler, Lisa Ickler (relaunched)
Best for: pilot watches, field watches, vintage aesthetics, minimalist dials
Notable models: 1950-3, Outdoor 41 Chronograph
7. Sinn
Initially founded as Helmut Sinn Spezialuhren by Helmut Sinn, Sinn was founded in 1961 in Frankfurt, where it continues to operate today. Known for its robust tool watches, Sinn watches are crafted to withstand extreme conditions, making them the timepiece of choice for astronauts, police officers, and explorers alike. While best known for its pilot and dive watches, Sinn has also made timepieces for those relegated to the concrete jungle; with its Frankfurt World Time Watch 6096 tracking time in three time zones, nodding to Frankfurt’s status as the most important financial hub in continental Europe.
Established in: 1961
Founder: Helmut Sinn
Best for: pilot watches, dive watches
Notable models: 104 St Sa, T50 GBDR
8. Moritz Grossmann
One of the most interesting independent manufactures in the world — and one of the few independents to be founded and helmed by a woman — Mortiz Grossmann was founded by watchmaker and marketing specialist Christine Hutter and inspired by the 19th century German watchmaker of the same name, who, alongside Ferdinand Adolph Lange, was one of the pioneers of the Glashütte watchmaking industry. Committed to the principle of ‘manufactum’ — i.e. everything crafted by hand — Moritz Grossmann timepieces are made to exacting standards and extremely limited in quantity. Employing hallmarks of Glashütte watchmaking, Moritz Grossmann timepieces feature calibres with Glashütte stripes, hand-engraved balance cocks, and three-quarter plates.
Established in: 2008
Founder: Christine Hutter
Best for: intricate movements, dress watches, high complications
Notable models: Backpage, Universalzeit, Tremblage
9. Junghans
Despite having well over one-and-a-half centuries of heritage, Junghans continues to fly under the radar. That’s kind of the point though. Founded in 1861 by Erhard Junghans and Jakob Zeller-Tobler, Junghans began as a clock and (pocket) watch company, producing its first wristwatch in 1921. The Junghans aesthetic as we know it today can be attributed to its association with Swiss designer Max Bill in the 1950s and ‘60s. A proponent of Bauhaus style, Bill designed timepieces that prioritised aesthetic purity, with that timeless design language remaining to this day.
Established in: 1861
Founders: Erhard Junghans, Jakob Zeller-Tobler
Best for: minimalist designs
Notable models: Max Bill
10. Nomos Glashütte
Like Junghans, Nomos Glashütte is known for its dedication to Bauhaus style. Epitomising the “less is more” ethos central to the design philosophy, Nomos Glashütte watches represent the ideal entry point to German watchmaking for those who enjoy minimalist aesthetics. In recent years, the independent watchmaker has begun to experiment with making its own in-house movements.
Established in: 1990
Founder: Roland Schwertner
Best for: minimalist designs
Notable models: Ludwig, Tangente, Orion
11. Stowa
Beautiful and precise. Almost a century on from its founding in 1927, Stowa has remained unwavering in its commitment to design watches that sit at the intersection of accuracy and aesthetics. Stowa watches run the gamut from classic Bauhaus style — seen in its Antea collection — to pilot watches that represent a contemporary take on the traditional Beobachtungsuhr.
Established in: 1927
Founder: Walter Storz
Best for: tool watches, vintage aesthetic, minimalist designs
Notable models: Antea, Marine, Flieger
12. Damasko
Placing reliability and functionality at its forefront, Damasko was founded in 1994 by Konrad Damasko, who realised that the technical materials he developed for aerospace applications would be well-suited to robust tool watches. Among the materials used are submarine steel and a patented DAMEST coating which ensures extreme strength and scratch resistance. Embodying reliable German engineering, Damasko timepieces boast a minimalist, utilitarian aesthetic befitting of a tool watch. In recent years, the young watch brand has focused on developing its own in-house movements and has even developed its own silicon balance spring and escape wheel.
Established in: 1994
Founder: Konrad Damasko
Best for: tool watches, pilot watches, utilitarian style, outdoor activities
Notable models: DA38, DC80
13. Laco
Founded in 1925 in Pforzheim as Lacher & Co., Laco is known for being one of the five watch brands contracted to produce flieger watches for pilots in the German Luftwaffe, alongside A. Lange & Söhne, Stowa, and Wempe. Today, Laco is known for its fusion of classic aesthetics and contemporary functionality, with its tool watches boasting legible dials, durable construction, and balanced proportions.
Established in: 1925
Founders: Frieda Lacher, Ludwig Hummel
Best for: pilot watches, sport watches, minimalist style, vintage aesthetics
Notable models: Pilot Watch Original, Flieger Pro
14. Mühle Glashütte
Another Glashütte watchmaker interrupted by the war, the Mühle Glashütte story originates in 1869 when Robert Mühle began producing time measuring instruments for other Saxon watch manufacturers. Despite holding the title of the oldest family-owned watchmaking company in German, it’s simultaneously one of the youngest, producing its first wristwatch in 1996.
At the end of World War II, following the postwar division of Germany, most other German watchmakers consolidated into a single state-owned entity (more on that shortly), Mühle continued as a family-owned business under a different name, expanding into camera equipment and temperature guages. In 1994, following the union of East and West Germany and the reemergence of other manufactures under private ownership, Mühle Glashütte was reformed by Hans-Jürgen Mühle and his son Thilo. Today, the brand is known for both its mil-spec timepieces like the S.A.R. Rescue Timer, used by the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service, and the S.A.R. Flieger Chronograph, used by rescue pilots, as well as sporty daily drivers, dress watches, and even a moonphase or two.
Established in: 1869, relaunched in 1994
Founder: Robert Mühle
Relaunched by: Hans-Jürgen Mühle
Best for: tool watches, minimalist dress watches, nautical-inspired
Notable models: 29er, S.A.R. Flieger Chronograph, S.A.R. Rescue Timer
15. Glashütte Original
Another good thing to come out of the fall of the Berlin Wall. As mentioned above, the aftermath of World War II saw the Soviet Union which controlled East Germany (which encompassed Glashütte) consolidate all watchmakers in the region under a single state-owned entity called the Volkseigener Betrieb Glashutter Uhrenbetriebe (GUB). Under GUB, the skilled watchmakers were forced to churn out inferior ‘people’s watches’ (urgh, communism!) using cheap materials and devoid of the decoration the town is known for. Following the union of East and West Germany, the state-owned enterprise was privatised, leading to the formation of Glashütte Original.
Today, Glashütte Original is best known for its horological flair and quintessential Glashütte signatures, evident in its asymmetrical Pano collection and the expansive Senator collection. Glashütte Original also has several avant-garde creations such as the PanoInverse, wherein the movement has been flipped to form the dial of the watch, putting the Glashütte striped three-quarter plate and hand-engraved balance cock on full display.
Established in: 1994
Founders: Heinz W. Pfeifer (purchased the company); UROFA and UFAG (now Tutima) and A. Lange & Söhne were among the seven watchmakers that initially formed GUB
Best for: classic dress watches, mechanical artistry, intricate movement, avant-garde designs
Notable models: PanoInverse, Senator Cosmopolite
16. Daniel Malchert
Fourth-generation watchmaker Daniel Malchert founded his eponymous company in 2011, following several years servicing watches. A contemporary take on Bauhaus style, Daniel Malchert watches are classically understated and satisfyingly svelte, allowing them to flit between casual and formal settings with ease.
Established in: 2011
Founder: Daniel Malchert
Best for: minimalist dress watches
Notable models: Schlossberg
17. Wempe
Founded in 1878 by Gerhard Diedrich Wilhelm Wempe as both a watch reseller and manufacturer, Hamburg-based Wempe was one of many companies conscripted into service during World War II as a producer of military timepieces. Today, it’s best known for its pilot and dress watches, both which sit within the low- to mid-luxury price point — and continues to sell watches from the likes of Cartier, Rolex, Patek Philippe, and fellow German brethren A. Lange & Söhne.
Established in: 1878
Founder: Gerhard Diedrich Wilhelm Wempe
Best for: dress watches, pilot watches
Notable models: Chronometerwerke, Zeitmeister
18. Leica
Perhaps the most recent brand to enter the chat, Leica branched into watchmaking in 2018. Embodying the same commitment to technical excellence as its photography division, Leica created its first two mechanical timepieces — the three-hand L1 and GMT L2; now known as the ZM 1 and ZM 2, respectively — alongside renowned German product designer and frequent collaborator Achim Heine. Subtle design cues nod to the brand’s photographic equipment heritage, with the domed sapphire crystal recalling that of a camera lens and the ruby-set crown nodding to the iconic Leica red dot. There’s also a shutter-button-inspired crown which stops the movement by being pushed rather than pulled.
Established in: 2018
Best for: minimalist style
Notable models: ZM 1, ZM 2
19. Hanhart
Founded in 1882 in Schwenningen by Johann Hanhart, Hanhart originally produced hand-held stopwatches for runners and other athletes, before its second-generation owner Wilhelm ‘Willy’ Hanhart began producing precision chronograph wristwatches for military pilots. The latter is what it’s best known for today, with Hanhart watches renowned for their accuracy, reliability, and durability.
Established in: 1882
Founder: Johann Hanhart
Best for: pilot watches, chronographs
Notable models: Pioneer, Racemaster
20. Jochen Benzinger
Jochen Benzinger founded his eponymous workship in 1984, specialising in guilloché for the jewellery industry (including the famous Fabergé eggs). Towards the end of the millennium, he turned his attention to watchmaking. Each Jochen Benzinger timepiece acts as a work of art, displaying its creator’s flair for hand-engraved details, enamelling, and guilloché. For those who truly want a unique timepiece, Jochen Benzinger takes bespoke commissions.
Established in: 1990s
Founder: Jochen Benzinger
Best for: skeletonised watches, dress watches, intricate movements, Métiers d’Art
Notable models: Benzinger One, Skeleton Floral Classic
21. Tutima
While once known for its tough and precise tool watches (which it still produces), the rise in interest surrounding Glashütte watchmaking has led Tutima to lean into its heritage. Its Patria line embodies the region’s watchmaking traditions with a traditional Glashütte three-quarter plate, gold chatons, and screwed balance wheel.
Established in: 1927
Founder: Dr Ernst Kurtz
Best for: pilot watches, dress watches, intricate movements
Notable models: Grand Flieger, Patria
22. Kudoke
Founded by Stefan Kudoke — an alumnus of Glashütte Original, Breguet, Blancpain, and Omega — in 2005, eponymous independent watch brand Kudoke began with a focus on finishing mechanical watch movements from Switzerland through skeletonisation and intricate engraving. The art sees Kudoke dissect and refine the movements, and is attempted by a select few watchmakers. Kudoke also has its own in-house movement, the Kaliber 1, which features a dramatically large engraved balance cock that contrasts the sobriety of the dial of the timepieces it inhabits.
Established in: 2005
Founder: Stefan Kudoke
Best for: intricate movements, skeleton watches, unique timepieces
Notable models: Kunstwerk, Kudoke 1
Other watch brands by country
Join us as we venture out of Switzerland to find the best watch brands in countries often overlooked.
- The 12 Best Japanese Watch Brands To Know
- The Best Chinese Watch Brands Are Changing Perceptions Of ‘Made In China’
- The Best British Watch Brands Are Doing Things Differently
Enjoyed this article? Why not check out our Ultimate Guide To Watches here; covering everything from the anatomy of a watch to watch styles and complications.
Words by Theo Rosen
