Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Moritz Grossmann Benu 1878, Tribute to the German School of Watchmaking
Celebrating two anniversaries in one with an engraved dial depicting the famous German School of Watchmaking in Glashütte.
Catching two fish with one hook, Moritz Grossmann celebrates the bicentenary of its founder’s birth and the 18th anniversary of the revived brand under Christine Hutter with the release of the Benu 1878. Marking the eighth anniversary piece dedicated to Karl Moritz Grossmann (1826-1885), one of the founding fathers of Glashütte’s watchmaking tradition, the Benu 1878 features a relief engraving of the renowned German School of Watchmaking on its dial. A limited edition of 26 pieces in stainless steel, the watch is powered by an in-house calibre.
German School of Watchmaking 1878
Invited by his close friend Ferdinand Adolph Lange, Moritz Grossmann set up shop in Glashütte in 1854, producing high-precision measuring instruments before turning his hand to astronomical pendulum clocks, marine chronometers and pocket watches. Committed to passing on his knowledge and perpetuating the Saxon town’s legacy, Grossmann founded the German School of Watchmaking in Glashütte in 1878.
Revival of Moritz Grossmann in 2008
The revival of the historic Moritz Grossmann name took place on November 11, 2008, and since then, Grossmann Uhren GmbH has consolidated 15 original in-house calibres, combined with its commitment to Schönstes deutsches Handwerk – the most beautiful German craftsmanship.
3D Relief Engraving
Crafted in German silver and engraved in relief using a specialised three-dimensional technique, the dial depicts the main building of the German School of Watchmaking, constructed in the Historicist style. Displaying classical features like the railway minutes track on the periphery and the track surrounding the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock, time is indicated by the brand’s elegant in-house lance-shaped hands with incredibly sharp tips. Manually crafted from thermally annealed steel, the hands have a lovely brown-violet colour.
Calibre 100.1
The Benu 1878 is powered by the manual-winding manufacture calibre 100.1, a beautifully engineered 198-part movement visible through a sapphire crystal caseback. It features the brand’s signature in-house Grossmann balance, designed for optimal aerodynamic efficiency, along with traditional Glashütte details like an untreated German silver pillar structure, white sapphire jewels set in gold chatons, annealed violet screws and a hand-grained 2/3 German silver bridge. The German silver balance cock and escape wheel cock are hand-engraved with a floral pattern. The slow-beat frequency of 18,000vph requires less energy from the mainspring, allowing the watch to run for up to 42 hours on a single wind.
Availability & Price
The three-part 41mm stainless steel case is 11.35mm thick. It is paired with a brown kudu leather strap and a steel prong buckle. The Moritz Grossmann Benu 1878 is limited to 26 pieces and retails for EUR 38,500 (excl. tax). More information at grossmann-uhren.com.
