Though this first attempt will be far from perfect, I’d like to flesh out the idea that not all finishing is created equal, and nor should it be. Haute finishing should exist as a concept alongside haute complications, primarily to act as guidance for collectors to see who is going above and beyond with their finishing work.

I wanted to pursue a similar line of thought in navigating how culture impacts watchmaking. More precisely, what makes German watches German and where is German watchmaking headed? Fortunately, Esperluxe friends Christine Hutter at Moritz Grossmann as well as Ev and Stefan Kudoke from their eponymous brand lended a hand. As independent watchmakers and brands in Glashütte, the seat of historical and contemporary German watchmaking, both helped shed light on what the key characteristics are of German watchmaking and its future.