The Frauenkirche, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Elbe riverside… Dresden has many landmarks whose fame extends well beyond the borders of the country. Less well known is Dresden’s particular significance for the watchmaking town of Glashütte: the decisive impulse to establish the art of watchmaking in the Ore Mountains originated in the focal point of Saxony’s art and culture in the 19th century. Today Glashütte Original pays tribute to the historical importance and forward-looking character of Dresden with a hand-engraved special edition that celebrates tradition and modernity with considerable originality.
Florence on the Elbe
That Dresden is always worth a visit is as true in 2024 as it was 300 years ago. Today’s capital of the federal state of Saxony developed in the Baroque period into a fascinating metropolis in which art and culture, science and technology flourished. A number of the most famous sights whose silhouettes still mark the cityscape today have their origin in this time and earned Dresden its “Florence on the Elbe” nickname.
First and foremost is the distinctive dome of the Frauenkirche in the heart of the city. In close proximity lies the monumental Academy of Fine Arts, erected at the end of the 19th century on the banks of the Elbe, where a magnificent panorama attracts walkers, athletes and tourists throughout the year.
A tale of two cities
Although the town of Glashütte is set amidst the woods and meadows of the Eastern Ore Mountains, about 35 minutes by car from Dresden, its ties to the city have always been close. The Glashütte success story began long ago in Dresden: it was there that the decision was taken to establish the craft of watchmaking in the Ore Mountains and to set up an independent Saxon watch industry.
Even today its proximity to the state capital impacts the Glashütte Original manufactory. Along with a variety of cultural and commercial ties, since 2012 the watchmaker has operated a brand boutique close by the Frauenkirche. Now the firm’s design and watchmaking teams have taken inspiration from these and other landmarks to create a spectacular timepiece.
A watch with a unique architecture
The remarkable PanoMaticInverse, itself an architectural work of art, served as a canvas for the project. Its construction is based on a novel interpretation of traditional mechanics: the inverse arrangement of several different components reveals the movement from an unusual perspective, lending the watch an avant-garde, technical aspect. Glashütte Original’s engravers then added characteristic views of Dresden to the components by hand: a fine miniature homage to the city’s beauty, packed into a round 42-mm platinum case and executed in a splendid contemporary style.
Hand-engraved sights
Each of these special edition watches is engraved by hand, rendering it unique. The engraver’s delicate touch brings the silhouettes of familiar Dresden buildings and panoramas into view. The roof of the Academy of Fine Arts and its winged statue of Fama are memorialized on the front, next to the unmistakable “lantern” atop the Frauenkirche dome. Its form is taken up on the back of the watch by a skeletonised rotor that turns above an idyllic view of the Elbe promenade. With every glance this scene reveals new, lovingly drawn details.
The balance bridge, for example, is adorned with baroque ornaments, and in the sky over the rooftops of the city one sees not just birds and clouds, but a small hot air balloon as well — a familiar sight to every citizen of Dresden. The dial’s off-centre time display cedes centre stage to the engravings beneath: sapphire crystal rings ensure optimal transparency and make the dial appear to float above the artfully decorated three-quarter plate.
A movement with precision and character
Dresden today is a modern, multi-faceted city with much to offer, and the movement of the PanoMaticInverse Limited Edition beats just as tirelessly as the heart of this metropolis. The automatic Calibre 91-03 presents an off-centre display with hours, minutes and small seconds, flanked by the classic Panorama Date.
The balance oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 A/h and is carefully regulated using a duplex swan-neck fine adjustment. The movement is further distinguished by its elaborate decorative finishes: the hand-engraved and rhodium-plated frame components complement polished steel parts, bevelled edges, and blued screws. All can be easily admired through the sapphire crystal on both sides of the watch.
The new PanoMaticInverse Limited Edition takes the beholder on a journey to a fascinating city, always worth visiting once again. The Dresden Special Edition is limited to 25 pieces and will be available beginning April 25, 2024 at Glashütte Original Boutiques around the world.
