Last year, Glashütte Original celebrated the 180th anniversary of watchmaking in Glashütte.This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of full-scale production of wristwatch movements in the same town. To mark this milestone, we are launching a series that explores the 100-year history of watchmaking in Glashütte through the stories of the pioneers who opened a new chapter in the watch industry.In this first installment, we’ll explore the beginning of the transition from the pocket watch industry to the wristwatch industry. Also, be sure to check out the information at the end of the article regarding the 100th-anniversary exhibition to be held in August.
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The Beginnings of Wristwatch Manufacturing in GlashütteOvercoming an Unprecedented Economic Crisis: Shifting the Industry’s Focus from Pocket Watches to Wristwatches
The economic impact of World War I drove many industrial companies in Germany into bankruptcy.Amid these circumstances, in Glashütte, the Glashütte German Precision Watch Factory (DPUG) was established in 1919, following the end of the war, to consolidate the production capacity of struggling watch factories and revitalize the pocket watch industry.This factory was operated as a cooperative and was expected to breathe new life into the region’s watchmaking industry.
However, in the early 1920s, Germany was struck by unprecedented hyperinflation—a crisis that even experienced business leaders could not have predicted—which dealt a direct blow to the company’s operations.The value of the currency plummeted rapidly; a loaf of bread that had cost 80 pfennigs before inflation soared to as much as 200 billion marks by 1923. Wages were paid daily, and even when workers piled banknotes into wheelbarrows to take home, it was difficult to support their families.
Although the DPUG had grown into one of Germany’s largest production cooperatives with approximately 3,000 members, sales fell far short of members’ expectations, and confidence in management gradually eroded in the face of mounting debt.Ultimately, the main creditor, the Giro Central Bank of Saxony (Saxon Central Clearing Bank), filed for bankruptcy on June 17, 1925.
Following approximately a year and a half of complex negotiations, all bankruptcy assets became the property of the Giro Central Bank headquarters (Saxon Central Clearing Bank).To preserve the production facility in Glashütte, the bank established two new companies on December 7, 1926. It made the decision to begin full-scale production in Glashütte of modern wristwatches—which were becoming increasingly popular—to replace pocket watches, for which demand was declining.This marked a new beginning for wristwatch manufacturing in Glashütte.
By the way, did you know that the first wristwatch to be mass-produced in Glashütte was a ladies’ watch? Today, one of the models carrying on that legacy is the Glashütte Original “Serenade Luna.”Details on the Serenade collection, which blends traditional watchmaking techniques with modern design, can be found on the brand’s official website.
In the second installment of this series celebrating 100 years of watchmaking history, we’ll explore the story of a young lawyer who redefined Glashütte’s quality standards and paved the way for success in a competitive market through shrewd strategy.
A New Beginning—From Pocket Watches to WristwatchesCommemorative Exhibition Celebrating 100 Years of Watchmaking in Glashütte!
To commemorate this 100th anniversary, a commemorative exhibition will be held from Saturday, August 8, 2026, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at Cité du Temps Ginza, an event space located on the 14th floor of the Nicolas G. Hayek Center in Ginza.This is a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the essence of German watchmaking, so why not stop by?
