New Watch! • 15 Jul 2019
Glashütte Original Channels the Sixties
Glashütte Watchmaking
When you hear the Glashütte name, you immediately think of fine watchmaking. The namesake brand of the small German town, Glashütte Original, exemplifies the creativity and quality one expects from the region. Dedication to the town’s rich horological heritage is another pillar of Glashütte watchmaking. Glashütte Original celebrates the brand’s own history and the art of Glashütte watchmaking with their Sixties Collection.
Galvanized Dials
The Sixties Collection first debuted in 2016 as a limited edition. As the name suggests, it celebrates a decade marked by bold visionaries, unpresented freedom, and courageous ideas. It also commemorates one of the most iconic watches from the 1960s, Glashütte Original’s Spezimatic. The initial Sixties Collection was comprised of five watches in five unique 1960s inspired hues: brown, gold, red, turquoise, and grey. However, the design is not simply a flat, uniform colour on the dial. The dials are curved and feature a distinctive degrade effect. To achieve the look, the watchmaker galvanizes the dial, applies layers of lacquer, and finally adds colour using a special spray gun. The way the lacquer work reflects the light almost creates an appearance that the dials are wet. The overall combination of techniques results in an intensely dimensional look. To complete the design, the coloured variations – gold, red, and turquoise – feature a sunburst finish while the neutral hues – brown and grey – showcase a guilloche stamp imprint.
Anything But Uniform
In the years since the launch of the Sixties Collection, Glashütte Original has continued to enhance the line with new shapes and colourways. In 2017, they gave the line a twist with a square case and the addition of a chronograph function in five colour options similar to the original. Then, in 2018, they introduced an eye-catching emerald green variation at Baselworld. Though blue is arguably one of the most popular dial colours, green has been on the rise for the past couple years. While some may feel that green is not quite their taste, it is hard not to take a second look at Glashütte Original’s interpretation of the hue.
They used vintage dyes from their archives to achieve just the right shade. Like the original Sixties Collection models, the hue is anything but uniform. To achieve the effect, Glashütte Original employs the same multi-step process, resulting in a metallic, iridescent, and totally mesmerising appearance. And, because the intricate process is done by hand, each dial is entirely unique. Moreover, the influence of the 1960s spans beyond colour. Another distinguishing feature of the green iteration is the texture of the dial, which is, again, completely one-of-a-kind. Designers created the texture using some of the brand’s original tools and methods from the 1960s, like a 60-tonne press that imprints the pattern.
Retro Contemporary Appeal
This year, we are excited to see another colourway added to the Sixties Collection. The 2019 hue certainly feels like a call back to the decade that inspired the line. It is a striking, multi-faceted burnt orange that has a certain retro appeal while feeling contemporary at the same time. The new orange colour scheme builds upon last year’s green model from the construction of the watch to the design process of the model’s cornerstone: the dial. Like the 2018 variant, the latest addition to the Sixties Collection is available in Panorama Date and time-only options as well as two sizes: 39m and 42mm. The time-only version is powered by the brand’s Calibre 39-52 automatic movement with a 40-hour power reserve. Alternatively, the Panorama Date iteration houses Glashütte Original’s Calibre 39-47 movement, also with a 40-hour power reserve. The radiant, fiery dial effect is achieved by another tedious and labour-intensive process, one that actually includes fire. First, the galvanization step leaves the dial a golden shade of yellow and creates the iridescent and metallic-looking sheen. Then, layers of both orange and black lacquer are applied. Next, it is fired in a kiln to burn in the colours. The last step is to emboss the pattern onto the dial, creating the same texture as the green variation.
The lasting beauty of the Sixties Collection is not just in Glashütte Original’s spirited colour play. It is the contrast of the rich, bold hues with the otherwise timeless design. The models feature classic round cases and alligator leather straps – marks of a traditional dress watch. Aside from the colour of the dial, the layout is rather conservative and refined. If you gravitate toward a timeless construction but want to spice up your collection with something a little more out-of-the-box, the Sixties Collection makes the perfect statement piece without totally stepping out of your comfort zone.