Actually, yes. I was always fascinated with cars and my dream was to own my own business restoring classic cars. Nothing fancy with plug in electronic engine controls but just rugged first time oldtimers. It was always the mechanics that fascinated me the most. Better, it's the fascination to understand and master the mechanics that was the driving force in my career.

... by myself, Dieter Dornblueth. Dirk's sister is also a watchmaker and still working as such. However, I was the first in our family to become a watchmaker.Originally an electrician, I had to switch to a profession that would enable me to work in a seated position for health reasons. The first years of my watchmaking education, I had no fun at all and even so I really didn't like my work, I won a regional competition on watchmaking and from thereon everything started to evolve.

Dirk Dornblueth at one of the workbenches in his manufacture. His older son Torsten is watching closely while dad is applying gold chatons to the 3/4 plate of the delicate movement.

The brand D. Dornblueth & Sohn stands for our own handcrafted watches only. In earlier years, we only assembled third party movements and mainly did repairs on other watches. But the brand D. Dornblueth & Sohn as the creation of our own manufactured wristwatches came into existence only some four years ago. Although, the first drafts of an own movement were done back in the fifties, it all started with that Caliber 99.2 on my dad's birthday.

That's quite a story! It all began on a cloudy evening in November 1959. Germany was split in two - for the next thirty years. At that time, the master watchmaker Dieter Dornblueth, born in Salzwedel, Altmark, spent three years in the Erzgebirge to expand his knowledge in watchmaking. One evening, when he was sitting in his scarcely furnished room, he started creating his own movement from scratch. The idea was spoiled by a pocket watch he got in for repair from his then boss. It was a massive sterling silver watch that featured an extra large eccentric second hand and was driven by a high quality yet very sturdy movement. My dad was supposed to repair this piece that was thought of as being a hopeless case. However, spending hours after hours, night after night, Dieter Dornblueth completely disassembled and reassembled the watch, partly recreating bits and pieces of the movement and after a long while, the watch was like new again, in perfect working condition. It must have been a sad moment for my dad back then on that cloudy November day, when he had to let go of his beloved piece and hand it back to its owner. The very same evening he sat down and started creating a wristwatch in the image of the watch that he grew so very fond of.

The movement was half finished, when Dieter Dornblueth was offered to take over the store of a watchmaker's widow in Kalbe in Saxony-Anhalt. As he followed this call, the first Dornblueth watch went into the drawer only half finished and the dream of a truly self manufactured movement seemed to vanish in the dust. The daily routine of the fast growing business left now time to follow up on this dream.

I had no idea about all this until October 1st, 1999. That day, my dad celebrated his 60th birthday. I had a special gift for him: Having become a master watchmaker in the meantime myself, I created and assembled a wristwatch for my father that was done all by myself in its entirety. Based on the legendary caliber 60.3 from the Glashuette manufacturers, I created my own movement and housed it into a stainless steel case.That gift was dead-on and immediately reminded my dad of his long forgotten plans to built his own movement. That very night on October 1st, 1999, the two of us sat down and started to create what should become the D. Dornblueth & Sohn caliber 99.2. I still hold on to the first sketches of the base caliber that my dad and I were drawing on a paper napkin in the very restaurant that he was celebrating his birthday.

The heart of the Dornblueth manufacture: In this room of his recently relocated workshop, Dirk Dornblueth assembled all the machinery to produce all the bits and pieces he needs for his handcrafted movements.

Well, the original design was clearly spoiled by the famous B-Uhr [B-watch as in Beobachtungsuhr, German for Observer watch used during WWII by the air force]. I had the horological (otherwise questionable) honor to repair some of the originals. As a watchmaker, you have to fall in love with that movement. I wish I had one here that you could hold against your ear. It goes 'dschiing, dschiing, dschiing' - fascinating [Dirk Dornblueth very realistically imitates the sound of the oscil-lating and resounding balance spring of the B-Uhr]. I wanted to create something like that.

Well, but we were done with the general design of the watch when we realized that we are not all that happy with the second hand subdial at 9 o'clock. It didn't take us a long time to realize that we need to balance out that one-sided dial by filling the space with something at 3 o'clock. That is where we entered into a lengthy process of drafting back and forth. We had some designs done. You have to know that development cost was crucial for us back then. Every single model had to be paid for and we had plenty of energy but certainly not plenty funds.

We then wanted to include a power reserve indicator, since we though it is a nice and very useful function. However, we weren't quite happy with the existing wheel trains for that module as they would heavily expand the movement the way we created it. More importantly, though, we really disliked the many wheels usually included in the power reserve module. Each of these wheels has minimal clearance to its counterpart and thus causes a little back lash that multiplies, even raises to higher power as it passes on the back lash to the next wheel causing an additional back lash itself. This way, you might fully wind a watch but not see the power reserve indicator move for the first couple of hours as the energy is all absorbed in the back lash of all those wheels. We definitely disliked that idea.

The uniquely designed dial of the Ref. Kal. 99.2 (1) produced by Loerach firm Cador. Only few parts of the movement are not produced 'in-house' at the Dornblueth manufacture.

Yes but only due to another coincidence. My dad was waiting for his car to be repaired at a local body shop in Kalbe when he was browsing over little engine models on display in the office of that garage. He discovered the model of a central pivot rear axle with a differential gearbox. That was how we came up with he solution for a almost frictionless, very precise and small power reserve mechanism: A spiral bevel gear transmission as it is found in the rear axle of a car!

One other thing about the design that bothered us. We felt the second hand in the wheel train of the Unitas caliber to be placed to far on the outside of the dial. We used the space created by the power reserve module to add another wheel for the second hand, tying it closer to the center of the watch. That is, how we could achieve the largest subdial second hand that is available in this segment.

Well, the balance wheel and components like the Incabloc shock protection are not ours. The case and the dial are done by others as well and so is the engraving. We are particularly glad about our cooperation with Cador in Loerrach for our dials.

No. Nothing will change. First of all, I don't think that the Swatch Group will succeed with its plans. But whatever the result of the confederate antitrust agency will be, it doesn't affect us. We will just buy the whole ebauche and toss out all but the wheels.

I guess you are referring to the cases?! Before I started working on the Caliber 99.2, I was very much into refinery of Russian made chronograph movements. I had a couple of customers that collected older Russian watches that where fitted with very interesting but plainly finished column-wheel and cam-lever chronograph modules. Over time, I developed an extra fly-back mechanism for the cam-lever modules, won a prize on that innovation and was granted a patent [Dirk pulls out a yellowed certificate from the patent office]. That patent went into the drawer like so many other things and when I was in the market for my first cases for the 99.2, I offered Walter Fricker in Pfortsheim to trade my patent for the first 40 cases. Once those first 40 cases are gone, I guess I'd have to raise the prices a little bit.

But there's many more that I did in a trade instead of for cash deals in the beginning. One of my first watches made was traded in for a measurement projector - a very useful device that is re-sponsible for a lot of precision in the house of Dornblueth. And the device that I use to cut and grade my own gear and wheels I bought from Joerg Schauer. Lastly, I traded in for the hands that I currently use. I found a NOS lot with a dealer in Scandinavia. Once I run out of those, I will have to raise the prices again: Can you believe that I would have to pay almost Euro 100 for one full set of four blued hands of this quality?

Some of the machinery, Dirk Dornblueth uses to produce the parts of his movements still stem from the former German Democratic Republic. Those machines, marked with the illustrous VEB [Volkseigener Betrieb = public national enterprise under the communist regime of the GDR] are now modified by Dornblueth and integrated into a complex system of specialized tools.

One of the first watches produced went as a trade into this optomechanical precision measuring projector. Dornblueth uses this device to ensure perfect preciseness in all parts of his movements.

Dirk Dornblueth at his modified teeth sawing machine. This device, traded in from watchmaker colleague Joerg Schauer, is used to cut equal numbers of teeth into the wheels used for the modified wheeltrain of the extra large seond hand.

For some reason today's blued hands are different - seems like they are almost not as deep shining or radiant anymore. One thing that we are going to change in the near future for many reasons, is the sapphire crystal. In order to even better bring out the contrast and details of the dial and the wonderful hands, we will have a very slightly curved crystal. A domed crystal will also enhance the overall design as it would integrate better into the case and the verve of the lugs.

You say so because of the silverish slot - that doesn't mean that the screws aren't heat blued. In fact they are. It's just that we do the flame bluing ourselves and thus, we are still working on a technique that would remove the nickel residue in the slots. We are currently talking to a local pharmacist to have a special brew mixed up that would help us along with this issue. Rest assured, the slots will be blue any time soon as well.

Btw, you missed something on the plate that is hardly recognizable as special or distinctive with other movements of this kind. The name "D. Dornblueth & Sohn, Kalbe i./S.A." is hand engraved and not machine engraved. It's my understanding that only some very rare pieces like the Breguet anniversary Tourbillon have the brand name hand and not machine engraved.

Also, we decided to add the Geneva stripes instead of the traditional turn of the century plain gold plated because we either wanted to do it the right way or not at all.

All, the watch enthusiast is asking for: rose gold plated 3/4 plate with Geneva stripes and beveled edges, screwed 18kt gold chatons, screwed balance wheel, sunray finish on crownwheel and ratchet, hand engraved balance cock and brand name, prolonged Glashuette click spring, swan neck fine adjustment and so forth - Cal. 99.2, the first own creation by D. Dornblueth & Sohn.

You have to know that the matte gold fine grain surface of the original Glashuette movement is done in a very elaborate process. There's only one master watchmaker left in Glashuette who has the knowledge to do that job: The cut and polished plate was first treated with a sterling silver finish that was applied with a brush not a galvanic process that silver layer was then gold plated and thus resulted in a very fine and grainy finish. It's all about the details.

I mean it's the details but then the details don't stand by themselves alone. It's the composition of all the details together that makes a - coherent whole. If you ask me which detail stands out, I'd say the change of the wheel train for the second hand, the hand cut swan neck and ratchet latch. But most of all, it's the little power reserve gearbox. That's really unique [a bright smile on both faces]. You know, the epicyclic gears that are used by most manufacturers these days use eight to ten wheels for the power reserve indicator. We use three!

Some of the tools and machines that Dornblueth uses to produce his technical innovations first needed to be developed themselves. This lathe adaptor is used to produce the particularly small counter rotating wheels of the bevel gear for the power reserve indicator.

Once the raw blank for the wheels is cut, Dornblueth drills the miniature hole through the entire component before it gets sliced up into several wheels. Since the drilling is done at high revolution speed yet slow feed (to ensure utter preciseness) the drill (diameter of 0.25mm has to be constantly oiled and cooled.

Once sliced of the blank, each single wheel is trimmed on the lathe to exact 0.2mm thickness. One blank is large enough to be cut into ten single wheels. Usually six or seven of those get tossed out because they wouldn't meet Dornblueth's strict parameters of precision.

Well in the long run maybe. At the moment, I wouldn't have the time to do even more myself. There's not much left anyway. I really like the process of natural development and growth. Now that the demand is so much higher, I will employ another watchmaker soon - a prominent one I might add [Dieter smiles astuciously]. Then over time, I am sure we will add this and add that and one comes to another. One day, we will certainly end up with something that even more deserves to be called "in-house".

I am interested in my watches. Of course I need to make a living from it and feed a family but I certainly don't put the economic development of the brand D. Dornblueth & Sohn first. I could do so and streamline the production, aiming for higher output. Outsource some of the parts, include third party modules here and there and thus, have a capacity of 30 over what is 5 per month at the moment. I'd rather end up cutting each part myself and do only 3 watches a month. So far, I know all Dornblueth owners more or less personally. I like the idea that whoever owns a Dornblueth could know that he truly owns a piece of master workmanship. That sense would need to get lost for the sake of a higher output.

We are planning on bringing out a smaller watch soon. The fact that our current models cater to the large case size hype that is going on these days is rather accidental. The aforementioned philosophy includes not to care about what seems to be currently phat. So next, we will create something smaller. Since I have some experience there, I am also further thinking into Chronographs. And a secret that I don't want to tell yet ...

Clear as daylight: The Dornblueth Tourbillon.

No, I wouldn't want to call that a Dornblueth Tourbillon. I am really excited and looking forward to cut, drill, lathe and finish that cage [bright smile again].

Oh, there's so much to do in the meantime. You asked me to dream. So we are talking about years. We are at the beginning right now. There's so much in between to look forward to.

Compassionate for the detail: Dornblueth assembling his manufacture movement. One day, he says, he is looking forward to work on the cage of his own Tourbillon.

You mean Dieter, Dirk and then Lukas also? Yes, maybe. my older one is not that much into watches. he wants to become an artist or go into show business. The younger one, though, is very interested. Indeed, the brand might one day turn into D. Dornblueth & Soehne.

No, of course Lange is different, and certainly I am not quite yet where Lange is with regard to quality or finish. But that's not where I want to go. Compared to what I am looking for, Lange is a mass produced product. That's not what I want. Rather let's talk about people like Paul Gerber or Beat Haldimann, that's where I want to go and those are my real role models.

I pretty much want to keep it the way it is and slowly expand the number of authorized retailers. With regard to overseas sales, I might also add an exclusive point of sale sometimes in the future. At the moment, however, I will do direct sales off my workbench myself. With a capacity of some five watches a month, I could easily handle the direct sales myself. The fact that customers have to get in touch with me is part of the fascination of owning a Dornblueth watch. Both parties benefit as I like to know and choose who gets to wear my watches as well.

Producing almost all of the pieces of his watches himself, Dornblueth wants to keep monthly output capacity as low as 5 to maximum 10 watches.

[With a very humble voice] I wish people would realize that my watches represent real German watchmaking and as such, someone who buys a Dornblueth watch buys a piece of German craftsmanship. More importantly, though, my watches embody the dying mastership of mechanical watchmaking.

Most of the timepieces that you see in the market today that are considered 'high end' are certainly great pieces of horology. However, the way they are produced has nothing to do anymore with what master watchmaking used to be. You spend Euro 35000 on a watch that is claimed to be manufactured and the plates have been computer designed and laser cut. Of course, the bridges might be beveled by hand and the assembly might be done manually. But these are no individual timepieces any more. The art of watchmaking always encompassed the ability to work with unconventional ideas and methods. Today's watchmakers learn how to operate a CNC machine. When I grew into this profession, I constantly had to come up with alternatives and better ways to do things. I feel like there's been a lot more struggle and that is why I completely penetrate and interfuse the so very complex phenomenon of manufacturing a watch. I still think to create a great movement requires not only a lot of effort but also hours and days, sometimes years of tears and sweat.

Dornblueth defines mastership in watchmaking as the finding of unconventional solutions based on own creativity and 'sweat and tears' know-how gained over the decades. "Skills need to be developed in years and can't be replaced by advanced machinery."