The tradition of fine Glashutte Original watches began in 1845 with a craftsman named Ferdinand Adolph Lange.  By 1845, Lange (who was born in 1815) had become a master watchmaker in the Saxon court.  However, during that time, the town of Glashutte was having significant problems.  Up until the mid-19^th century, all of the money brought in by the town was a result of the silver that had been plentiful in that area.  However, once the silver had dried up, the town was faced with major financial problems.  As a result, Lange came to Glashutte to start his first watch manufacturing facility.  His goal was to create a Saxon watch industry that was thriving and independent.  Lange thought that the best way to do this was to create fewer watches with an even higher degree of precision and quality.  Other watchmakers in Saxon joined in Lange’s vision, including renowned watchmaker Julius Assman.  In the 1860s, Glashutte Original watches continued to advance from a technological standpoint.  During this time, Glashutte produced its first watch with a stop function.  By the end of the 19^th century, Glashutte watches had become known for their exclusivity and innovation.  

The Glashutte Original

Throughout the 20^th century, Glashutte Original watches continued to be at the forefront of the watchmaking industry.  During the beginning of the 20^th century, Glashutte Original began developing movements for observation watches with large compensation balances that were made of two medals.  This new feature ensured an even higher level of precision.  In 1921, the official Glashutte Original logo appeared on a watch for the very first time.  During World War II, Glashutte Original was playing an important role in developing and advancing the wristwatch design.  Glashutte provided a pilot chronometer to the military that was considered to be a military secret.  As a result, in 1945, air raids targeted Glashutte Original, forcing them to later rebuild.  In the years following the rebuilding process, quartz-driven watches started to become popular among those in the business.  However, Glashutte Original continued to produce precise watches that were mechanically driven.  In 1995, the company celebrated their 150^th anniversary.  To commemorate the occasion, Glashutte Original released the Julius Assman 1, which was an extremely complicated watch that featured a perpetual calendar and a flying tourbillon.  

The Glashutte Original Collections

There are several Glashutte watch collections that are currently featured.  The first is the Masterpieces collection, which features models that represent the company’s most complicated and innovative watches.  Other collections include the Senator, Pano, Star Collection and Sport Evolution.  

Glashutte Original at Wingate’s

Wingate’s is proud to offer numerous models from the Glashutte Original watch collections, including the Pano Matic Lunar, the Senator, the Pano-Reserve and the Senator Karree.