The ’60s is once again an inspiration for the German watchmaker.
German watchmaking history differs from the rest of the world, particularly between the ’60s and ’80s. The Quartz Crisis did not affect East Germany as much, and therefore mechanical watchmaking continued to proliferate under the GUB, the state-run organisation that would later become Glashütte Original. The design aesthetics of the ’60s, in particular with Space Age and Anti-Design movements, shaped the minimalist styles of utilitarian German watchmaking in later years.
The Glashütte Original Sixties Iconic collection was introduced in 2015 in an homage to the GUB’s elegant and highly precise Spezimatic watches, which were produced from 1965 to around 1980. The collection features domed dials with various finishes and textures, bold colours, and vintage-style fonts. The round polished cases feature thin bezels and gently curved lugs with chamfering. The Sixties models so far have included a chronograph, oversized date display, and a central seconds model.
The Sixties Small Second
Today, the German watch brand is introducing a new reference, the Sixties Small Second, in a rose gold case. The watch case follows the same styles as previous models, with a small seconds display positioned at 6 o’clock. The silver opaline dial has a smooth matte finish, with circular graining on the small seconds sub-dial that’s slightly sunk in.
The small seconds counter’s design mirrors the main dial’s, with fine bar markers that match the slim rose gold applied indexes and minute track. The hands are also similar, with a long minute hand that curves slightly following the domed dial for legibility.
The watch has a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback, which reveals the self-winding Calibre 39-60. This movement has a 40-hour power reserve and uses the same base movement as the rest of the Sixties collection with a small seconds modification. The 39-60 movement is carefully finished with Glashütte stripes, bevelled edges, and polished screws. The full-sized oscillating rotor is partially skeletonised to reveal more of the movement.
Compared with the standard Sixties watch, it’s sized slightly larger at 42mm and 12.4mm thick. The rose gold case is paired with a matte green Louisiana alligator leather strap and rose gold pin buckle. The Glashütte Original Sixties Small Second has timelessness encoded in its design and will be available from today at all Glashütte Original boutiques and authorised retailers.
