D. Dornblüth Ref. 99.5

The year was 1959. The place was Chemnitz, or as it was then called: Karl Marx Stadt in the former DDR. Watchmaker Dieter Dornblüth designed his very own movement, based on inspiration provided by a silver pocket watch he had serviced for a client. He had only just started building his design when he was called to take over a watchmaker’s business in Kalbe and had to abandon his plans for his own movement.

Forward forty years, to 1999. Dieter’s son Dirk had designed his own steel watch, which he presented to his father for his 60th birthday. Based on the Glashütte 60.3 caliber, it was the trigger for father and son to sit down together that same night and start sketching their very own base movement. So many years after Dieter had abandoned his dream, the father/son team launched their cal. 99.2 movement. Dornblüth Manufacture was born.

Today, D. Dornblüth & Sohn is well established as a maker of fine watches. The brand offers a range of in-house movements, visible through glass case backs, in classically designed watches. Many of the timeless Dornblüth designs are reminiscent of naval chronometers with their “spade” hands and rail-road minute tracks.

Based around the 99.2, Dornblüth offers a range of variations. Simplified variants such as the 99.0 and 99.1 feature time only. More complex variants such as the 99.3 add complications such as power reserves and pointer dates. Different sizes and a specific women’s model are available as well.

If you like the pointer date sub-dial of the 99.3 but prefer a large central seconds hand, this is the Dornblüth for you! The small power reserve indicator we find at twelve o’clock on the 99.3 is scaled up and moved to nine here. This leaves space to place the logo back on top. At three we find the pointer date sub-dial. The overall look is still asymmetric due to the size difference of markings on both sub-dials. The overall look is not entirely dissimilar to classical big-eye chronographs, putting the focus where it matters. The 99.5 comes in all the lovely configurations Dornblüth is known for.

Specifications:
Case: Stainless steel or 18k rose gold, 42mm diameter / 12,5mm height
Crystal: Sapphire, slightly domed with single sided anti-reflective coating (inside)
Movement: 18.000 BPH with +/- 50 hours power reserve with date and power reserve indicator
Dial: Black or silver with superluminova or heat blued hands