Our Story

1950

Founded on 1 July 1950 as „VEB Feingerätewerk Weimar“, the company’s initial 24 employees produced, among other things, alarm clocks.

1953

In 1953 the company was incorporated into the „VEB Carl Zeiss Jena“. During this time, the TK35 sound cinema device, the narrow film projector „Weimar“, the hand exposure meter „Weimar Lux“ and clocks were produced.

1956

In 1956 the factory was separated from the association of the VEB Carl Zeiss Jena and became an independent company with over 1000 employees.

1960

On 1 January 1960 the „Uhrenwerk Weimar“ was incorporated into the „Vereinigung Volkseigener Betriebe (VVB) Mechanik“ and a high-quality production for dials and hands was developed.

1967

In 1967, the „VEB Uhren- und Maschinenkombinat Ruhla“ was founded on 1 March. At the same time, the integration and creation of new production areas began, among others in Blankenhain, Gotha, Chemnitz (then Karl-Marx-Stadt) and Dresden. The number of employees rose to about 1500 by 1976.

1990

In 1990, the Treuhand took the „Uhrenwerk Weimar“ out of the combine in Ruhla, thus ending the history of the company, which last employed about 2000 people.

2017

In 2017, watch enthusiast Thomas Phillip Reiter from Hamburg acquired the trademark rights to the name „Uhrenwerk Weimar“ for the production of watches. „Watches are no longer mere time measuring devices, smartphones can do that better, especially wristwatches are so much more,“ says Reiter. „They are jewellery, emotional companions of special events or also an investment.

2018

In autumn 2018 the new „Uhrenwerk Weimar“ presented its first wristwatch collection in the traditional Hotel Elephant at the Weimar market. Three watch models were developed together with the Antwerp designer Ronald Steffen: „Henry van de Velde“ in ladies‘ and men’s versions, „Berlin Airlift“ for aviator watch enthusiasts and the sporty „Royal Union“ based on the legendary Brussels football club „Royal Union Saint-Gilloise“.

2019

Against the background of its long history, public attention and the first success were enormous. The German Television Lottery of the ARD, which was founded in 1948/49 with the so-called „Raisin Bombers“, brought the model „Airlift Berlin“ as a special prize into their anniversary raffle of the year 2019. A „Douglas DC 3“ aircraft used at that time is engraved on the watch cover on the back.

Traditional lines play an important role in the company. So it is certainly no coincidence that the designer of the first wristwatches of the „Uhrenwerk Weimar“ is Belgian, as is the founder of the Weimar Bauhaus, the architect Henry van de Velde. The history of cooperation with the watch manufacturer in Ruhla was also revived and a close sales partnership was established with the successor company there.

2020

But despite its great history, the focus is above all on the future: in 2020 the Weimar-based company launched its first automatic model „Palaemon“, which was presented in Timmendorf beach on the Baltic Sea.

In 2021, the company intends to closely follow the Weimar Classic and present a shape-reduced, elegant line: technically sophisticated and „Made in Germany“, true to its self-imposed motto: precision from tradition.