German Watches

German Watches (translation: Armbanduhren) are also another great gift idea. If you wish to buy a German wrist watch my advice for you is to consider the following informations before you make a decision.

We help you here to understand the most important facts about tiemepieces made in Germany (e.g. brands, history, movements, models prices, etc).



And if you like, the free video below will help you to learn the most common terms for watches & clocks.

Why we love them?

We are big fans of German wrist watches. Read here for which reasons we love them:

1. Limited Production Quantity
2. Watchmakers own their Brands
3. Reasonable Pricing
4. Partly Use of Discontinued/Rare Calibres
5. Harmonious Dials
6. Swan-Neck adjustments
7. Innovative Time Display

Popularity is fast growing

german watch



In the last years we experienced that the demand for German timepieces is fast growing and sometimes even overtaking their Swiss rivals. And this is happening despite the lack of publicity and government support - and despite the fact of smaller production quantity.

Talented perfectionists and engineers

The history of the watchmaking industry in Germany can be dated back to 1840. Watch manufacturers were and are regarded as talented engineers and perfectionists but the most of them didn't/don't have the financial power to market their products. They were often underestimated by the watch experts. But the situation changed when they showed their watches at the Basel exhibition.

Nowadays German watches like A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original, Junghans, Martin Braun and Chronoswiss have penetrated the worldwide watch segment with their innovative and attractive timepieces and successful marketing.

What price should you invest?

You have to take into account many factors like quality, demand, supply, movement, services, production costs, marketing costs, branding and many more. Before your buying decision, it could be an advantage if you know:

- the production volume per year
- types of calibre/movement used (ETA, Valjoux, Unitas, STT, Ronda etc.)
- types of components/parts used (stainless steel, saphire crystal etc)
- source of the parts (Germany, Japan, China, Swiss etc).

Rough Price Orientation

For a decent automatic watch with ETA 2824-2/2834/2896 movement the minimum price is USD 300/-. A manual winding Unitas-based watch is USD 400/-. A chronograph with Valjoux 7750/7751 movement is USD 700/-.

a good investment potential

Due to their rarity there are several German watches and pocket watches that offer a great investment potential. These types of watches have usually the name of their creaters imprinted. For example, those mainly created by AHCI members like Frank Muller, F. Journes, Vincent Calabrese, Svend Anderson, Rainer Nienaber and other.

Stylish high level watches: Sothis, Schauer and Temption

Sothis, Schauer and Temption aim to transfer the value of the watch into the timepiece itself. The percentage of marketing costs is moderate. Their main goal is to achieve breath taking, eye catching watches with a unique and special look. They combine quality, design and functionality and build watches, that have a long lasting value on their own:

- with an unmatched look alike and style
- they have and even exceed international standards
- they are original and unique
- they contain everything technically feasible
(waterproofness, sapphires, material)
- they stand in detail for the label "Made in Germany"


Photo: iStock Photo
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