Carl W. Höhnel super rare original Glashütte SA pocket watch, gold-plated, circa 1930
Among connoisseurs and collectors of original Glashütte pocket watches, a genuine Carl W. Höhnel pocket watch is as rare as a needle in the proverbial haystack.
Höhnel initially trained as a watchmaker at what was then the best watch manufacturer in the world: Lange & Söhne in Glashütte. After subsequently passing his master craftsman's examination, he set up his own manufactory and made a name for himself, particularly with precision pendulum clocks.
From around 1920, Höhnel also produced high-quality pocket watches, like the example in this listing.
Description:
Case diameter: 50mm, 20 microns gold-plated, triple-case watch with inner movement dust cover, case apparently purchased externally, it bears a bison and/or cattle with wolf's grimace signature, presumably Gustav Rau from Pforzheim; in any case, it originates from Germany, as evidenced by the German signature.
Gold dial with inner, Arabic 12-hour scale and outer, continuous 24-hour scale, elegantly blued hands, gold-plated case finely guilloché with Art Deco diamond pattern (see photos).
The unsigned gold-plated movement, likely from the beginning of industrial production, clearly shows its origin from the typical Glashütte three-quarter plate.
This magnificent piece of watchmaking history starts and runs (accuracy not tested).
Condition: 2 normal, visible signs of age and wear, unrestored dial with barely noticeable signs of age or wear, highly precise movement, perfectly clean, all covers close firmly and flush, the magnificent artifact starts and runs.
History of the small Glashütte watch manufactory Carl W. Höhnel Glashütte SA:
Karl Wilhelm Höhnel (1885–1936)
- Born on April 21, 1885, in Altenberg (Saxony).
- He completed an apprenticeship with A. Lange & Söhne in 1904 and later passed his master craftsman's examination as a watchmaker. Interestingly: In a 1904 employee list of A. Lange & Söhne, he indeed appears as "Höhnel, Carl," watchmaker, 19 years old.
- On July 12, 1916, he founded his "Workshop for Watchmaking, Precision Hard-Turning, and Fine Mechanics" in Glashütte, initially at Markt 11, later at Hauptstraße 60.
- Among other things, he manufactured precision pendulum clocks, longcase clocks, and pocket watches. His Glashütte longcase clocks with gongs, which he produced from about 1922, became particularly well-known.
- His company used, among others, the markings "K. Höhnel / Glashütte" and "H / Karl W. Höhnel / Glashütte i.Sa.".
- Karl Wilhelm Höhnel died on December 27, 1936.
