The PanoLunarTourbillon, with a 40-millimetre platinum case and a striking rose gold-coloured dial, is an exquisite example of the 180 years of watchmaking celebrated in Glashütte in 2025. The dial colour also has a regional touch, as its hue is referred to as “Iron Ore”, symbolising the colour of the earth in and around Glashütte. Thanks to its crystalline structure, its salmon hue appears very different, depending on the angles of light hitting the grainy surface. This gives a vivid and lively effect, which is enhanced by the asymmetrical design leaving a lot of negative space, which is typical for the Pano collection.
Exactly 180 years ago, the first watchmakers started making watch parts and watches in the little town of Glashütte, south of Dresden. Glashütte Original is one of 12 brands here, in what has since then become Germany’s watchmaking epicentre. Being a true manufacture, part of Swatch Group’s premium brands and the owner of the local watchmaking school and museum, it has a leading role. The company is a direct descendant of the first watchmakers, even though it has a tumultuous past. This includes the post-war era when all brands were unified under one flag behind the Iron Curtain, as a so-called Volksbetrieb. After the German reunification, on October 16, 1990, the newly formed company of Glashütte Original became the official legal successor to the majority of the watchmaking enterprises that had existed in Glashütte since the end of World War Two.
Interestingly, the flying tourbillon seen on the PanoLunarTourbillon is a local invention from Glashütte by watchmaker Alfred Helwig, who was also a professor at the watchmaking school. In 1920 he developed the first tourbillon escapement held from the underside only, visually enhancing the eye-catching rotation of the mirror-polished and bevelled tourbillon cage. Today, Mr. Helwig’s invention is used by a plethora of brands and is one of Germany’s contributions to Swiss watchmaking. The brand also takes pride in its exactly toothed moon phase wheels, which make the function extremely accurate. Glashütte Original watchmakers are able to keep its deviation under 2 seconds per day, or 57.2 seconds per every 29.53059 days of a lunar cycle.
The off-centre placements of the snailed hours and minute sub-dial flanked by the mirror-polished flying tourbillon at 06.30, the moon phase at 01.30, and the panoramic date around 03.30, may at first glance seem random. But their locations are actually based on the principle of the golden ratio, which gives a harmonious appearance. Speaking of the generous panoramic date, its display is based on two rotating discs.
The automatic 93-03 manufacture movement made by Glashütte Original has a generous power reserve of 60 hours, and is visible through the sapphire crystal back window. Here you can see all the typical features of a Glashütte Original movement: Three-quarter plate, bridges with Glashütte stripes, main plate with perlage finish, engravings with blue inlays, bevelled edges, blued screws, and the signature double G on the skeletonised rotor made of 21-carat gold.
Last but not least, do not dismiss the Glashütte I/Sa indication on the dial side (just above the tourbillon) of the PanoLunarTourbillon in Platinum, which is a limited edition of 50 pieces. This signature shows that this is a timepiece complying with Glashütte standards, a top-shelf quality marking that has been 180 years in the making.
