The premium brands from Glashütte in Saxony prove impressively that feminine luxury on the wrist doesn't have to be Swiss-made. With original details and German craftsmanship, these pieces are highly popular with stylish women. But the selection is huge and the choice is hard. We make it easier for you with five divas that deserve special attention and cover a wide price range from €800 to €6,000.
Glashütte Original Sixties Women's Watch
It ranks among the great retro icons of the Glashütte watch world and manages to revive the sixties with unmistakable features: the Glashütte Original Sixties. Alongside the strongly domed sapphire crystal, whose curvature continues in the dial of the galvanic blue edition (Ref. 1-39-52-06-02-04), it is above all the extravagant typography of the Arabic minute scale that catches the eye. The crescent-shaped "1" at 12 o'clock and the other numerals exude an oriental touch that meets a gorgeous sunray finish and the utmost attention to detail. Cut hour indices, the subtle luminous dots along the edge and the curved, rhodium-plated hands coated with Super-LumiNova complete the aesthetic harmony of the Sixties. This Glashütte women's watch deliberately forgoes complications to preserve the purity of its look.
On the wrist, the 39 mm piece in polished stainless steel could hardly be more comfortable. At a slim 9.4 mm thick, the Sixties slips easily under any cuff and features a magnificent sapphire caseback. The latter offers an unobstructed view of the in-house automatic caliber 39-52, whose finishing speaks for itself: beveled edges, an oscillating weight in 21-karat gold, a skeletonized rotor bearing the double-G emblem and the elegant swan-neck fine adjustment make for a majestic sight. Perfectly matched to the dial, the Sixties comes on a blue Louisiana alligator strap with a pin buckle and, according to the manufacturer, costs €6,300.
Mühle Glashütte 29er Women's Watch
If you want your Glashütte women's watch to be sportier and, above all, more affordable, the Mühle 29er (Ref. M1-25-21-MB) is a brilliant choice. Although the slim 36.6 mm unisex model was specifically designed as an entry point into the nautical heritage brand, it doesn't skimp on high-quality details and wins us over with its clean dial design. Framed by a flange ("rehaut") with a minute scale, the dial combines a three-dimensional look with applied indices, red accents and a proudly framed date window. Bright luminous coating on the hands and markers is included. All of this sits beneath anti-reflective sapphire crystal and is housed in a robust stainless steel case water-resistant to 100 meters.
Outdoor talents in a Glashütte women's watch? For Mühle, that goes without saying. Its angular profile shows that the 29er is at heart a unisex model: besides the substantial lugs, the crown guard for the screw-down crown lends a sporty flair that carries over to the stainless steel bracelet of this Glashütte timepiece. Turn the watch over and your gaze travels through a display caseback to the automatic Sellita SW 200-1, which has been upgraded from the base version and, in the "Mühle version," features woodpecker-neck regulation, a hacking seconds function and quick-set date. If you're looking for a Glashütte women's watch with strong everyday qualities and an attractive value for money, you're in business at a list price of €1,330.
Bruno Söhnle Abavia
That said, you don't have to spend four figures to combine Glashütte tradition and "Made in Germany" quality with feminine charm. The Bruno Söhnle Abavia (Ref. 17-63163-251) sells for €825 and delivers an impressive overall package. It's not just the imposing 41 mm diameter, which makes this timepiece the ideal companion for larger women's wrists, but also the sapphire crystal, 100 meters of water resistance and the typical Glashütte dial layout that define this gold-plated stainless steel model. Above all, its off-center elements connect the Abavia with its hometown.
While the leaf-shaped hour and minute hands with their luminous coating sit at the center of the watch, they are accompanied by three striking elements: the (rather large) small seconds, a retrograde day-of-the-week display and the legendary panorama date, whose digits are mounted on two separate discs – very much in the style of the famous five-minute clock above the stage of Dresden's Semperoper. The Abavia's functions are powered by the proven Ronda 7004.P BS quartz movement. This Glashütte women's watch is fitted to a simple brown leather strap with the brand's signature BS plaque.
Union Glashütte Sirona
Red women's watches are like cut rubies on a ring: rare, coveted and true eye-catchers that stand out regally from the crowd. One of our absolute favorites is the Union Glashütte Sirona (Ref. D006.207.16.426.00), whose dial glows in a magical Bordeaux hue. This explosion of color is accompanied by a gorgeous sunray finish with a guilloché pattern and eight fine diamonds. Striking features include the large, high-polished numerals at 6 and 12 o'clock and the practical date window at 3. Its imposing aesthetic blends seamlessly into the dainty 32 mm diameter of this Glashütte women's watch, spanned by the artfully crafted stainless steel case.
Besides the elongated, centrally mounted lugs, the fluted winding crown and the dark red leather strap catch the eye, the latter perfectly matched to the color of the dial. Like every member of our top 5, the Sirona is fitted with sapphire crystal. Inside this compact piece ticks the ETA-based automatic movement U2892A2, which is manufactured, finished and regulated entirely in Glashütte. Price point: €1,830.
NOMOS Glashütte Metro neomatik Midnight Blue
Small seconds, big entrance: the dial of the deep blue NOMOS Metro neomatik (Ref. 1110) features bold contrasts. Alongside a neon orange seconds hand, this modern design classic offers a green minute track at the edge that brings life to the already lively design of this award-winning (Red Dot Award) Glashütte women's watch. Impossible to miss is the domed sapphire crystal, which enhances the sculptural impression of this 8.1 mm slim trendsetter. Like the famous Tangente and many other NOMOS models, the stainless steel model comes in a traditional 35 mm diameter, an ideal size for women's watches.
Also traditional: the U-shaped, pocket-watch-style lugs, fitted with a black Cordovan leather strap with quick-release spring bars. The fashion-conscious woman enjoys mechanical delight on the caseback, where the in-house DUW 3001 caliber is visible through sapphire crystal. The standout feature of this 3.2 mm slim automatic caliber is its exceptional degree of in-house development; even the complex escapement known as the NOMOS swing system comes entirely from its Glashütte home. Women with a penchant for a modern look, timeless beauty and first-class engineering can get the Metro neomatik women's watch for €3,120.
