The Origins of Glashütte Original

Glashütte Original’s roots stretch all the way back to 1845. More than 175 years ago, the first watchmakers came to Glashütte in Saxony to manufacture watch parts and watches in the small town. The Glashütte watch soon became a byword for high quality worldwide. Glashütte Original is descended from this tradition of precise, elegant craftsmanship, and continues to write the uninterrupted story of the art of German watchmaking to this day.

How it all began In the middle of the 19th century, in a small valley in the Ore Mountains, just 30 kilometres from the Saxon state capital of Dresden, a unique success story was beginning to unfold. In 1845, the first watchmakers began to settle in Glashütte, thanks to financial support from the government.

With the help of a loan from the Kingdom of Saxony, they began to train the town’s inhabitants, who then became independent watchmakers. This laid the cornerstone for the Saxon watch industry and the outstanding quality of Glashütte watches soon gained a worldwide reputation. In order to preserve this knowledge for the future, the German School of Watchmaking Glashütte was founded in 1878.

A tumultuous history

Both world wars left their mark on Glashütte, putting the tenacity and steadfastness of the Glashütte townspeople to the test. Thanks to their adaptability, ingenuity and respect for tradition, they enabled their artisan craft to evolve further, despite the difficult economic and political circumstances.

The changes to the economic system led to the merger of all existing Glashütte watchmaking companies in July 1951. After German reunification, the Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb GmbH was entered into the commercial register on 16th October 1990. The company became the official legal successor to the majority of the watchmaking enterprises that had existed in Glashütte since the end of the Second World War.

Internationalisation

In 2000, Glashütte Original became part of the Swatch Group. This watch group – the largest in the world – allowed the brand to begin a process of internationalisation. Nowadays, Glashütte Original watchmaking masterpieces can be found in more than 40 countries across the globe.

Today, Glashütte Original is synonymous with the pinnacle of the German art of watchmaking. The manufactory combines the tradition of working by hand with innovative technologies. The brand is proud to possess not only a rich legacy, but also an extraordinary wealth of watchmaking expertise; as much as 95% of all their watch parts are manufactured in-house, including their filigree dials. Over the years, Glashütte Original has nurtured a culture based on excellence, the results of which are clear to see in the timeless elegance and sophisticated technology of the company’s timepieces.