Moritz Grossmann pays tribute to its founder with a new Tefnut 36 model, showcasing the very best of German watchmaking artistry and know-how.
Talking about the German watch industry usually brings about the same heavy hitters, like A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original, and Nomos. Don’t get me wrong, all three of those brands have certainly earned their position in both regional and global horology.
But for as small a place as Glashütte is, the density of watchmaking talent active in the town is immense. Brands like Wempe, Kallinich-Claeys, and Bruno Söhnle are cases in point. However, none expresses the true lineage of German watchmaking tradition better than Moritz Grossmann.
The brand was named after and founded by Carl Moritz Grossmann, one of four founders of the entire Glashütte watchmaking industry alongside contemporaries such as Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Though it faded on the eve of its founder’s death, Moritz Grossmann was brought back to life in 2008, picking up right where they left off over a century ago.
Now, on the 200th anniversary of Carl Moritz Grossmann’s birth, the independent brand has elected to celebrate the only way they know how. This year, they’ve released a commemorative watch expressing the very best of German watchmaking traditions, and one worthy of carrying their esteemed founder’s name.
Fit For A Founding Father
The new watch in question is the Moritz Grossmann Tefnut 36 Silver-Plated By Friction Turquoise Blue 200th Anniversary Edition. No, I’m not kidding – That is its actual full name. The extremely German-coded nomenclature, beyond its ability to make the watch unmistakable from any other in the catalogue, also highlights the very best features of the watch.
Standing at a delicate 36mm with an 8.5mm thickness, the steel watch flows elegantly, optimising comfort on the wrist above all. Fitting, given Tefnut is the Egyptian goddess of rain and dew. The rounded and polished case gives the watch a surprising smoothness, while the curved lugs move elegantly downwards, keeping the profile low and close to the wrist.
The watch is paired with a grey leather strap, enhancing the comfortable wearing experience even more, and is secured by a steel pin buckle. No news on a water-resistance rating for this one, but I’m sure we all guessed it was a dress watch from the outset. No swimming for the Tefnut 36!
Silver Medal, Gold Standard
As simplistic as the case structure is, though, it only serves to highlight the extreme level of craftsmanship on display dial-side. From the outset, it looks rather simple: turquoise Roman numerals, a black printed minutes track, and a slightly recessed small seconds subdial. But what you see here is a process that cannot be replicated by more conventional means, as the dial of the watch has been, as its name indicates, silver-plated by friction.
What does this even mean? Well, the technique dates back to the early 19th century, when Mr Grossmann himself was still active in the watchmaking scene. The craftsman first creates a mixture of pure silver powder, salt, cream of tartar and water, applying it to the dial’s base with a small brush. The mixture is then painstakingly rubbed in by hand, which creates that ultra-fine, grained texture you see on the dial. It’s then polished and protected with a thin topcoat of lacquer, sealing and preserving the finish.
Keep in mind that the entire process actually happens after the Roman numerals are both hand-engraved and lacquered turquoise. Thus, the making of this dial is one of the most arduous and challenging crafts a watchmaker can put themselves through.
Because of how manual the whole process is, it’s extremely rare to see it replicated elsewhere in Glashütte or the rest of the world. Yet, Moritz Grossmann does it not to show off, but to showcase the DNA of both their company and Germany’s watchmaking culture. Complete with an ultra-thin set of heat-blued hands, for both the hour and minute as well as the small seconds, the new Tefnut 36 offers one of the subtlest yet highly refined aesthetics one could ever produce for a single watch.
Schönstes Deutsches Handwerk
But it wouldn’t be a proper tribute to German watchmaking without the inclusion of an incredible movement. And given the horological clout that a brand like Moritz Grossmann possesses, they were highly unlikely to disappoint.
Turning the watch around proves this, as within the sapphire caseback the Cal. 102.1 can be seen. Beating at a steady 3Hz (21,600VpH) atop a 48-hour power reserve, this manual-wind movement doesn’t exactly have the crazy innovative spec sheet of most mass-produced modern watches. But that’s hardly the point, as what it lacks in specs it makes up for to the atomic detail.
The Cal. 102.1 uses Glashütte’s traditional three-fifths plate construction, along with raised chatons, a stepped balance cock, and a micrometer regulation system invented by Carl Moritz Grossmann himself. To explain simply, the system lets a watchmaker change the active length of the hairspring with extreme precision, allowing for deadly accurate time adjustments without play or removing parts.
Not only is the movement far easier to regulate, but it’s also incredibly easy on the eyes. The three-fifths bridge, made from German silver (atomically an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel), sports Glashütte ribbing, while the balance cock bears delicately hand-engraved floral detailing. It’s a beautiful sight, distinguished by one simple addition to the engraving: ‘1826’, Carl Moritz Grossmann’s birth year, emblazoned on the movement.
Initial Thoughts
In short, the Moritz Grossmann Tefnut 36 Silver-Plated By Friction Turquoise Blue 200th Anniversary Edition is Glashütte made manifest. The resurrected brand has not only re-established one of the biggest names in the Glashütte watch industry, but also that name’s weight and reputation. The new watch exemplifies this, combining historical craftsmanship and insane detailing to make a piece that was crafted as lovingly as it was painstakingly.
While Moritz Grossmann still remains a watch brand out of time, competing with other regional powers like A. Lange & Söhne and Glashütte Original, it’s opted not to oppose, but to champion their collective heritage all at the same time. By creating this watch, Moritz Grossmann has written a love letter to the historic town in both method and result. It’s almost a shame that there are only 12 of them, but I’m sure the craftspeople were glad they didn’t have to make any more after this.
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | MG-004153 |
| Dimensions | 36mm case diameter x 8.5mm thickness |
| Case | Stainless steel |
| Dial | Beige silver-plated by friction wth turquoise blue accents |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Caseback | Open, sapphire |
| Movement | Manual wind Cal. 102.1 with small seconds complication |
| Power Reserve | 48h |
| Beat Rate | 3Hz / 21,600VpH |
| Strap/Bracelet | Grey leather strap with steel pin buckle |