Dieter Dornbluth and his son Dirk are producing some exceptional watches in their small workshop in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The designs found in their small collection of timepieces are a study in the perfect fusion of classic design elements and a contemporary eye.
The D. Dornbluth & Sohn 99.3 has a thoughtfully arranged sterling silver dial that indicates hours and minutes over the large arabic numerals that circle its outer track. Subdials at 9 and 3 o'clock display subsidiary seconds and the date respectively while a smaller subdial just south of 12 o'clock indicates the power in reserve (50 hours).
Equally as impressive as the work that Dornbluth does on the topside of their watches is the detailed attention that each movement gets before it leaves the D. Dornbluth & Sohn shop. The Dornbluth 99.3 is powered by a ETA Unitas 6497 manually wound movement that's been extensively reworked and decorated by the watchmakers in Saxony. Most obvious is the rose gold 3/4 plate that's decorated with Geneva stripes and adorned with a deep yellow gold lined engraving of the D. Dornbluth & Sohn monachre and reference. Even the crown wheels receive a double sunburst finish. There's a recessed corrector for fast date changes (2 o'clock), a screw balance, and a swan neck regulator for fine adjustment. Also available is Dornbluth's Quattro Arret functionality, the result of a collaboration between Dirk Dornbluth and Klaus Kontzog, that stops (and starts) the seconds indication in increments of 90 degrees (0, 15, 30 and 45 seconds) and makes setting the seconds both simple and precise.
The D. Dornbluth & Sohn 99.3 is 42mm in diameter and 11.5mm high; a perfect compromise between legibility / wrist presence and wearability.
The Dornbluth 99.3 is a great watch that's sure to get a lot of attention from collectors looking for a striking and classic timepiece that exhibits a high degree of hand finishing that separates it from a crowded field of 'fine watches' that are produced en mass.
