A Guide to German Watch Companies

Switzerland is the so called "Mecca" of the high-end watch making industry. But Germany is also no that far behind in manufacturing exceptional wristwatches. German watch companies are known for producing high quality watches with very unique designs and great watch movements. Most German watch companies manufacture their watches with either manual (hand-wound) or automatic (self-winding) watch movements. Some German watch companies are manufacturing luxury watches that have the same status as high-end Swiss watch companies like Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet. German watch companies like A. Lange & Sohne and Glashutte Original have extreme popularity amongst watch collectors and watch enthusiasts. Also because of the very small production rate watches manufactured by A. Lange & Sohne and Glashutte Original are extremely scarce and are very collectible.

In the Free State of Saxony, located in Germany, there is a city called Glashutte. The city of Glashutte is considered to be the birthplace of the German watch making industry. Glashutte has a population of only a few thousand people. Couple of high-end German watch companies still have their factories there. German watch companies like A. Lange & Sohne, Glashutte Original, NOMOS Glashutte, Tutima, UNION Glashutte and Muhle Glashutte have been all founded and some still manufacture watches in the city of Glashutte. However, not all German watch companies are located in the city of Glashutte. Famous German watch companies like Meistersinger, Stowa, Limes, Archimede and Sinn have been all founded and are all located in various parts of Germany.

Lets start with the most prestigious and luxury German watch companies. They are A. Lange & Sohne and Glashutte Original. Both of those two watch companies still manufacture all their watches in the city of Glashutte. All of their watches are hand made and individually numbered. The production rate is very low and the exclusivity makes their watches cost more than their competition in Switzerland. A. Lange & Sohne is particularity expensive with prices starting at about sixteen thousand dollars for gold watches with basic watch movements and can go up to over five hundred thousand dollars for platinum watches that have watch movements with various complications like chronograph, power reserve indicator, moon phase calendar and tourbillon. As far as Glashutte Original, their watches are priced a little bit lower. Prices on Glashutte Original watches start at about five thousand dollars for stainless steel watches and at about twelve thousand dollars for gold watches. However, prices can go up to over one hundred thousand dollars for gold and platinum watches that have watch movements with various complications like chronograph, power reserve indicator, moon phase calendar and tourbillon.

NOMOS Glashutte, Tutima, UNION Glashutte and Muhle Glashutte are watch companies that are from the city of Glashutte and manufacture great watches that are lot more affordable than A. Lange & Sohne and Glashutte Original. Of course, all of those four watch companies might not have a prestigious status like A. Lange & Sohne and Glashutte Original have, but nevertheless they are as close as you can get to the Saxony watch making for less than two or three thousand dollars. Most of the watches that are manufactured by those four watch companies have automatic (self-winding) watch movements and usually are made of stainless steel and more rarely of gold. NOMOS Glashutte, UNION Glashutte and Muhle Glashutte manufacture more classic style watches, while Tutima manufactures a lot of sporty and military style watches. The prices on NOMOS Glashutte, UNION Glashutte, Tutima and Muhle Glashutte watches start at about two thousand dollars for stainless steel watches with automatic (self-winding) watch movements.

Meistersinger, Stowa, Limes, Archimede and Sinn manufacture very high quality watches at reasonable prices. Just like other German watch companies mentioned above, Meistersinger, Stowa, Limes, Archimede and Sinn, manufacture most of their watches with either manual (hand-wound) or automatic (self-winding) watch movements. Most of their watches are usually made of stainless steel and more rarely of gold. Stowa, Archimede and Sinn are famous for manufacturing affordable and very high quality aviation watches. They also manufacture other great sport and casual watches. Meistersinger and Limes manufacture mostly classic style watches. Meistersinger is famous for very unique watches. Meistersinger manufactures a watch collection called "Single-Hand Watches". Watches from this collection have only single hand that shows both hours and minutes. Limes manufactures many affordable and high quality classic watches. The prices on Meistersinger, Stowa, Limes, Archimede and Sinn watches start at about one thousand dollars for stainless steel watches with automatic (self-winding) watch movements.

German watch making industry is a very unique. Watch companies from the city of Glashutte and from other parts of Germany have added a lot of unique watch designs and great watch movements to the watch making industry. German watch companies manufacture great quality watches at very reasonable prices. Mentioned above watch companies might be less known than Swiss watch brands but they manufacture watches that are as collectible and as high quality as Swiss ones. German watch companies like A. Lange & Sohne, Glashutte Original, NOMOS Glashutte or Sinn are definitely great alternatives to more famous Swiss watch companies like Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Omega or Longines.