High-quality handcrafted timepieces are the best thing to come out of Germany since Porsche, Oktoberfest and Bratwurst.
One German Independent that hasn’t gotten a tremendous amount of recognition but deserves your attention is D.Dornblüth & Sohn. Run by a father-and-son team of master watchmakers, D.Dornblüth & Sohn has developed a small but ravenous following for their beautifully crafted precision watches, utilizing pure design principles and traditional tools and machine manufacturing techniques. The resulting watches are a delight to handle and the high-level watchmaking is immediately recognizable.
This piece, a Reference 99.5, features a 42mm stainless steel case with satin and polished finishing, a signed crown and a sapphire exhibition caseback which offers a view into its three-quarter plate movement adorned with Côtes de Genève, sunburst finishing, beveled edges, blued screws and intricate hand engraving on the balance cock.
Its silvered dial features a subtle frosted texturing, applied Arabic indices, power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock, pointer date sub-register at 3 o’clock and a blued steel ‘spade’ handset. Fitted to a signed black alligator leather strap with pin buckle, this piece is mechanized by the manual-winding Calibre 99.5, packing 50 hours of power reserve.
Consider yourself introduced to D.Dornblüth & Sohn - you won't want to sleep on this one!