Glashütte Original has been partnering with the Dresden Music Festival for fifteen years now. The collaboration between minds musical and horological has been fantastic. This year, Glashütte Original brings us two representatives of the Sixties line. The spirit of the sixties lives on in the two timepieces as they evoke the smooth and the cool. When the Dresden Music Festival began in May this year, Glashütte Original continued as their Premium partner and released the Sixties and the Sixties Panorama Date.
Now I tend to prefer watch dials in more classic interpretations – clean white, a strong black, maybe a nice dark blue. But I can’t deny that the green dégradé on this watch is just beautiful. The shimmering dial changes color – lighter in the center, growing darker towards the bezel. The look is timeless and elegant, and it echoes the style of the Sixties into the 21st century. Inspired by the musical field, the feel is somewhat bohemian yet still contemporary. It is perfect for the concert hall or the board room.
The shimmering dial is in itself a tribute to the 1960s. The manufactory used the original tools and methods form the 1960s to achieve the alluring design. The dies, dating back to the actual 1960s, are held in the dial manufactory archives in Pforzheim. I like that part about this story – that ‘old’ methods are being preserved and still used instead of just cast aside. Modernity and innovation is also necessary and beneficial, but valuing the past and where we all came from is critical.
A 60-tonne presse was used to create the guilloche pattern. For the degrade effect to be achieved, first a galvanic base coat was applied to the dial. Several coats of lacquer were then applied, each one needing to dry completely on its own before the next layer is applied. This process is time-consuming but the wait is so worth it. The last layer of lacquer to be applied is the black layer, and this is where it gets even more interesting. The black layer us applied by spray gun. Yes, spray gun. The gun is held at different angles resulting in a different look each individual watch. I would love to see this process occur, and honestly, I’d probably ask to give it a go myself. (See this line on my watch? I did that myself – with a spray gun!) The final step is firing the lacquered (and spray-gunned) dial to be fired at a high temperature to burn in the color.
The curved hands and the Arabic numerals are distinctive of the 1960s, and the Sixties maintain that tradition. The Sixties is powered by the 39-47 automatic movement, while the Sixties Panorama Date is powered by the 39-52 automatic movement, both developed by the manufactory. The date window on the Panorama Date is just above the 6 o’clock. The three-hand Sixties model is a 39mm stainless steel case, while the Date is a 42mm stainless steel version. The black calfskin strap is a nice touch – it complements the deep green dial without overpowering it.
If the Sixties watch – classic or Date – has caught your eye, then head to a Glashütte Original Boutiques soon. They are only available for one year.
