Ever the forefront of German watchmaking, Glashütte Original have doubly debuted a pair of new, more accessible renditions of their Senator Chronograph line.
Germans have always had a knack for exacting craftsmanship. Beyond the borders of Switzerland, only they and Japan have become hot commodities in the watch world for their unique takes on the art and science of watchmaking. But where Japan focuses on precision and Switzerland competes to innovate against itself, Germany’s philosophy is about upholding the traditional values of watchmaking alongside modern technology.
Glashütte Original is exemplary of this, holding a near-two-century unbroken line of both heritage and design cues. While the ‘how’ has changed, the ‘what’ hasn’t: crafting timepieces with the same passion and refinement as they were made 181 years ago. In 2026, they look back once more to revive heritage references from the 1940s, enhancing and reintroducing them for the industry of today. Within their Senator Chronograph line, they hearken back to the brand’s original pioneering spirit that endured through countless hardships.
German Gemütlichkeit
A common difference that often occurs in German watchmaking is the region’s opposing ideals on ergonomics relative to majority opinion. However, the new line of Glashütte Original Senator Chronographs are markedly sportier, and smaller, alternatives to the original collection brought forward in 2014.
Measuring 41mm in case diameter, 48.5mm lug-to-lug, and 12.9mm thick, their stainless steel cases feel a lot more in line with modern sensibilities. Even on my 6.4in (16.3cm) wrist, they didn’t feel overtly bulky or broad, though you still get a lot of that profile on the wrist.
Interestingly enough, one subtle difference distinguishes the two watches from each other, sans the dial. On the black matte ‘Navigator’ version, the watch sports a more pilot-oriented design with an onion crown alongside its pushers, built for better grip on the fly (literally) through pilot’s gloves. On the other hand, the standard Senator Chronograph, which I’ll call the ‘Dress’ for brevity’s sake, uses the standard crown.
Either way, both watches come with a screw-down crown that permits 50m of water resistance. For that rating, a screw-down crown might seem like overkill, but it does still help by not allowing the watch to wind or pull out during rigorous activities.
As always, Glashütte Original goes all the way in providing straps for the watches, giving you the choice between three versions each for the new pieces. Both the leather and synthetic fabric straps come with a butterfly clasp-and-pin-buckle combo and are interchangeable, while the steel bracelet carries a micro-adjustable butterfly clasp.
A Date With Destiny
As with the case profiles, the designs of the new Glashütte Original Senator Chronographs are easily recognisable against one another. The more practically oriented of the two, the Navigator, uses simple matte black lacquer to serve as its backdrop.
A white printed tachymetric scale and minute track encircle the dial, which itself is marked by Arabic numerals applied with lume. Tinted a light green, perhaps a historical nod to the original’s use of luminescent radium, the numerals glow even brighter in the dark. They’re matched by a pair of sword hands that have been similarly green-tinged, while the chronograph seconds and subdial register hands have all been marked white for contrast.
On the other hand, the ‘Dress’ flexes many of Glashütte Original’s craftsmanship ideals as well as the elegance of German watchmaking. A silvery-white brass dial has been topped with a frosted grenage finish, while the numerals have been swapped from Arabic to Roman.
Instead of lume, however, these numerals are heat-blued, following in accordance with all of the hands. As you might expect, the minute track and tachymetric scale have been turned black for contrast.
One detail I really love about both watches is how Glashütte Original goes the extra mile to reinforce each watch’s identity. This can be best seen in the font they’ve chosen for each version’s Panorama Date: the pragmatic design of the Navigator necessitates a clean, legible sans-serif font, while the more romantic ‘Dress’ model gets the rounded serif embellishments. Overall, the watches offered are striking for two completely different reasons, giving the consumer complete freedom of choice when deciding what kind of attitude they’re pursuing when purchasing the watch.
The Original G
But if there’s anywhere that German watchmaking truly shines, it’s in the creation of its movements. This is no different when you turn the watch around, as you reveal the automatic Cal. 37-24 movement. Beating at 4Hz (28,800VpH) atop a versatile 70-hour power reserve, the movement is as gorgeous as it is technologically advanced.
Beginning with the latter, it powers the Panorama Date complication on top of being a completely integrated flyback chronograph movement. If you’re new to watchmaking, that means it was made for this specific purpose, not as a modification of an already existing calibre. To fit both the complexities of the Panorama Date and a flyback chronograph into a watch is no easy feat, but Glashütte Original already did so in 2014, so there’s no reason why they couldn’t do it now.
Outside the complications, the silicon balance spring ensures outstanding resistance to magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations. Combined with gold regulating screws on the balance wheel rim and Glashütte Original’s signature swan-neck fine adjustment, it’s an incredibly accurate and easily adjustable movement.
As for finishing, all the hallmarks of what you know and love about Glashütte Original are apparent: blued screws, bevelled edges, and the like. However, this watch has introduced one more new element to the table in the skeletonised automatic rotor. While it still bears the signature mirrored double ‘G’, the heavy skeletonisation permits more of the movement to be seen at all times.
Initial Thoughts
Almost all of you know by now that I’ve been a massive fan of Glashütte Original from day dot in my Watch Advice adventure. This was only further compounded when the brand invited me to their manufacture back in 2025, with Chamath trailing not too far behind with a visit this year. Both our respective trips confirmed something that both of us already knew: the brand was one of the finest examples of watchmaking in the world.
German engineering is often restricted to just that: Germany. But these Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph duos are incredible by any standard, offering a take on watchmaking traditions not so often heard about in the mainstream. So, do they deserve a place in your collection? Well, stay tuned to my upcoming review, and you may just find out…
References & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | 1-37-24-20-12′-61’/’-64’/’-71′ (Navigator leather/fabric/bracelet) 1-37-24-01-02′-61’/’-64’/’-71′ (Dress leather/fabric/bracelet) |
| Dimensions | 41mm case diameter x 48.5mm lug-to-lug x 12.9mm thickness |
| Case | Stainless steel |
| Dial | Matte black lacquer with green accents (Navigator) Galvanic silver grenage with blue accents (Dress) |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Caseback | Open, sapphire |
| Movement | Automatic Cal. 37-24 with flyback chronograph (30min register), small seconds, & Panorama Date complications |
| Power Reserve | 70h |
| Beat Rate | 4Hz / 28,800VpH |
| Water Resistance | 50m / 5bar |
| Strap/Bracelet | Interchangeable black/blue leather strap with steel butterfly clasp & pin buckle Interchangeable tan fabric strap with steel butterfly clasp & pin buckle Stainless steel bracelet with micro-adjustable butterfly clasp |