D. Dornblüth & Sohn

[JasH]

This finally arrived.

D. Dornblüth & Sohn

Weltzeit Regulator, bespoke piece unique. It’s the 10th watch they have made with this movement. The watch is almost entirely hand made using old tools and old machines, and of course fully hand finished.



The watch is in stainless steel, with a silver plated dial, with red gold plated movement and yellow gold filled movement text and Khanda.

True travel GMT, and just like my Aquanaut Travel Time, easy to set local time simply with a button press.

I was expecting it to be very good, but it’s exceeded expectations.

Deeply hand engraved brass dial, silver plated, then hand painted black. With five heat blued hands.

I removed all text from the dial except the markers and brand name.

My Khanda on the dial is hand engraved and silver plated, but not painted, to keep it subtle. The Khanda on the movement is filled with yellow gold though, on a red gold-plated elevated module plate.



My name is on the case-back in Gurmukhi script (not Roman script), making is effectively invisible to 99.8% of the population.

The dial is visibly 3D, and the movement is extremely 3D. Louping it, even the dial work is extremely impressive, never mind the movement.





Hand-made wooden display box, which can be used to display the watch as a desk clock.





Definitely worth the 1 year 8 months wait, and more than worth the money.

Technically, this is my second bespoke, as it preceded my Bel Canto Phoenix by over a year.

[sparmar1]

Wowser, that really is a beauty!

Congratulations,
Sanjay


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[TaketheCannoli]

That’s a work of art and amazing to be so personalised. Always lovely to read that someone thinks cost and wait are worth it.

[Bondurant]

Amazing. What a lovely watch.

[Gyp]

Exquisite!

[ben4watches]

A Superb and very special watch.

As a point of note, how can this be called a regulator? A regulator watch has the hour and minute hands separated running off separate pinions.

This looks to be a standard 3 hander with independently adjustable 24 hour dial with power reserve indicator.

Im not knocking the watch in any way, it’s just the name it’s been given seems odd.

[Faiz]

Wow that is absolutely stunning!
I like all the personal touches too, makes it a really special watch.

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[JasH]

Thanks all

As a point of note, how can this be called a regulator?

I agree, and it's just how Dornbluth named it (Worldtime Regulator).

I call it a GMT.

[HJ.]

Oh my, gorgeous!

[MartynJC (UK)]

How shall I say - you must be one happy bunny! Christmas come early and the wait time not long compared to the regular firms! Superb. More pictures?

[earlofsodbury]

I have yet to see a Dornblüth that I did not like a good deal, and that is no exception: lovely, a proper 'destination' watch

[sweets]

Glorious, a really lovely watch with sensible, usable complication, arranged nicely on the dial. And the dark lizard texture strap suits it very well too (do I see that it is a Geckota strap? Surely not).

[W124]

Outstanding - I have owned an early 99.0 for many years, and it lifts my mood every time I wear it.

This is real homology, a truly unique piece that you will keep for life and enjoy every day :)

[theancientmariner]

Exquisite.

[Stuno1]

Incredible watch. I have known about this company a while now and am always impressed with the watches they create. Enjoy.

[leo1790]

Beautiful

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[stevet1]

Really like that, I'm not going to check the price though, but as you say it's worth the money and I believe you. Gorgeous, a real heirloom piece

[Bonzodog]

Simply stunning piece.

[helidoc]

Their prices have gone up a bit recently (like so many other brands) but price wise I would say they are around the Glashutte Original price bracket.

I’m not sure about that, unless prices have changed a lot in the last 2 years


My 99.1M with the hand engraved and filled silver dial was £4266 ex tax and was delivered 12 months ago after a 14 month wait. The closest GO is the time only Senator Excellence, £8600 in today’s money.

D


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[Onelasttime]

This finally arrived.

D. Dornblüth & Sohn

Weltzeit Regulator, bespoke piece unique. It’s the 10th watch they have made with this movement. The watch is almost entirely hand made using old tools and old machines, and of course fully hand finished.




Definitely worth the 1 year 8 months wait, and more than worth the money.

Technically, this is my second bespoke, as it preceded my Bel Canto Phoenix by over a year.

Absolutely stunning watch, from the dial to the movement, through to the strap. Congratulations.

Out of interest, what's the background? It looks like a model building and I'm probably being entirely ignorant, but that looks brilliant as well.

[robert75]

I’m not sure about that, unless prices have changed a lot in the last 2 years


My 99.1M with the hand engraved and filled silver dial was £4266 ex tax and was delivered 12 months ago after a 14 month wait. The closest GO is the time only Senator Excellence, £8600 in today’s money.

D


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My mistake,

Dornbluth prices may have gone up but GO have gone up more

Dont take my comment as a criticism of the brand I will always love Dornbluth.

- - - Updated - - -

I’m not sure about that, unless prices have changed a lot in the last 2 years


My 99.1M with the hand engraved and filled silver dial was £4266 ex tax and was delivered 12 months ago after a 14 month wait. The closest GO is the time only Senator Excellence, £8600 in today’s money.

D


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My mistake,

Dornbluth prices may have gone up but GO have gone up more

Dont take my comment as a criticism of the brand I will always love Dornbluth.

[kace]

Their prices have gone up a bit recently (like so many other brands) but price wise I would say they are around the Glashutte Original price bracket. That being said you are getting a watch made to that standard for YOU. Aside from the quality of the watch its being made to your specifications and you can have a watch that literally nobody else has. Yes, there is a bit of a wait but to me its a genuine wait to have something of quality built for you not some nonsense "wait list" During order of my second there was a delay which they apologised for as a number of their watchmakers were sick! I just love that, sorry for the delay the chap building your watch is unwell at the moment. I of course wrote back to them to say not a problem get well soon. When my watch arrived a note in the box read "Thank you for your understanding"

Its stuff like this that puts Dornbluth a cut above the rest. How many high end watchmakers send you pictures of the progress of your watch being built?

That's amazing, real bespoke service.

I love the watch in the op, the personal touches are so well done, the watch oozes class and looks to be beautifully made.

[JasH]

Thanks all for your extremely kind and generous comments :)

There is a v good review of the brand here: https://youtu.be/moPHxraLIyA?si=4Th1jJr39F85OYmZ



sweets, the strap is indeed Geckota, but is ostrich and must have been specially made for them as I don't see it listed on their site.


robert75, yes I noticed they have gone up recently, but I feel they are still a complete bargain for what you get. Mine was locked in at the price I was given 20 months ago, so they are completely fair to buy from. I agree with your comments about the company & the quality of their watches btw.


onelastime, the background in that pic is a Lego Taj Mahal model and a candlestick holder in shot on the left.

[Onelasttime]

onelastime, the background in that pic is a Lego Taj Mahal model and a candlestick holder in shot on the left.

I knew it was brilliant

[dandanthewatchman]

What a special watch. And superb photography. That really is a watch to enjoy


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[Corryvreckan]

Stunning! I love the dial texture and design, and it's wonderful to have something made just for you to your specifications. I'm also particularly fond of that rather 'Germanic' case and dial design too.

[Watch_Collector]

Congrats on your new watch, it’s a real beauty!

I dont think I’ve ever been disappointed by what I’ve seen from them, very tempting.


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[banie01]

Incredible watch, I had not known that Dornbluth offered a GMT option.
An acquaintance I've made thanks to watches, I've bought a couple of lovely bits from him and he lives local to me.
Has a Dornbluth and it really does evoke a lovely feeling of awe and appreciation when I handled it.
Incredible piece of craftsmanship.

Watches and in particular watch forums....
Are a gateway drug!

I started into appreciating and buying my 1st mechanical 5 or so years ago. I went from my all singing all dancing Citizen Promaster ana-digi costing 500 or so and thinking that was mad money.

To now, having amassed a small collection and traded into and out of a couple of grails including a VC.
And looking at the OPs Dornbluth, and appreciating that for what it is, and especially compared to a steel sports watch😉 that it actually is decent value for money and worthy of heirloom status.

Especially interesting to see that alternate script like Gurmurki is doable. I wonder if Cló Gaelach is doable🤔
I'm also a tad jealous of the OP's Gurmurki monogram looking a tad Star Wars too 😁

I can't believe that in 5 yrs I've gone from thinking 500 is expensive, to now seriously considering a 5figure purchase that I can justify to myself as relative value and as a mini artwork!

Watches! They're a helluva drug!

[JasH]

Thanks again all.

Really nice to see old school watchmaking so appreciated. And the customisation too, as I had expected my choices to be rather marmite, as this one was a one-off piece only made to appeal to me.

Incredible watch, I had not known that Dornbluth offered a GMT option.
An acquaintance I've made thanks to watches, I've bought a couple of lovely bits from him and he lives local to me.
Has a Dornbluth and it really does evoke a lovely feeling of awe and appreciation when I handled it.
Incredible piece of craftsmanship.

And looking at the OPs Dornbluth, and appreciating that for what it is, and especially compared to a steel sports watch that it actually is decent value for money and worthy of heirloom status.

Especially interesting to see that alternate script like Gurmurki is doable. I wonder if Cló Gaelach is doable樂
I'm also a tad jealous of the OP's Gurmurki monogram looking a tad Star Wars too 

I do wonder for how long Dornblüth will be able to continue to use such old machines, tools and hand techniques. It is astonishing craftsmanship, particularly given the price. But they seem to have an even lower cost base than Christopher Ward, so I guess the cost savings are passed to us watch buyers.

I definitely see it as a mini work of art.

I hadn't seen the script as evoking Star Wars script, but I can see what you mean now :) In any case, to anyone looking, it looks like a motif or hallmark. Which was why I didn't use Roman script. I am sure Cló Gaelach can be done, as the watch is hand made and hand engraved after all. Remember that every single line, mark and shape on the dial is engraved by hand too.

[theancientmariner]

Remember that every single line, mark and shape on the dial is engraved by hand too.

Genuine question, not argumentative, is it actual hand engraving or old school machine engraving by hand or other? I'm intrigued as to how they're actually done.

[helidoc]

Genuine question, not argumentative, is it actual hand engraving or old school machine engraving by hand or other? I'm intrigued as to how they're actually done.

The engraved dials are engraved using a pantograph and a supersized template.

https://fb.watch/o_GhJOQpjX/


I find this a bit more interesting than Glashutte Original engraved dials (Senator range) which are done by laser. Old school v high tech, a personal choice.

Dave


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[theancientmariner]

The engraved dials are engraved using a pantograph and a supersized template.

amazing - thanks for that.

[abraxas]

A Superb and very special watch.

As a point of note, how can this be called a regulator? A regulator watch has the hour and minute hands separated running off separate pinions.

This looks to be a standard 3 hander with independently adjustable 24 hour dial with power reserve indicator.

Im not knocking the watch in any way, it’s just the name it’s been given seems odd.

Not all Regulator clocks have a separate dial for the hour-hand although when the term transferred to watches it usually means that. I can see where Dornbluth are coming from. Gorgeous watch.

[bwest76]

very nice.

A couple of questions


When you say "I removed all text from the dial except the markers and brand name".

You did it yourself or you had them do it?

Who made the box?

[JasH]

Genuine question, not argumentative, is it actual hand engraving or old school machine engraving by hand or other? I'm intrigued as to how they're actually done.

They use a pantograph.

[JasH]

The engraved dials are engraved using a pantograph and a supersized template.

https://fb.watch/o_GhJOQpjX/


I find this a bit more interesting than Glashutte Original engraved dials (Senator range) which are done my laser. Old school v high tech, a personal choice.

Dave

Thanks for sharing that Dave :)

[JasH]

very nice.

A couple of questions


When you say "I removed all text from the dial except the markers and brand name".

You did it yourself or you had them do it?

Who made the box?

When I said "I removed", I refer to my scoping/designing. Hence "removed" meaning these text items (e.g. Made in Germany) are always on these dials, but text I deleted was never engraved onto my dial.

They did it. I would never try to modify anything once the watch was made.

That is the usual box Dornbluth deliver their watches in. I assume they make it themselves, or it's made locally by an artisan. It's lovely, and the only watch box I have that's actually functional and useful.

[Topcat30093]

I have admired the Manufacturer for many years and even approached them with a view to ordering one for a special occasion.
But then reflected on my purchase and selling history and decided that I wouldn't do them and the watch justice.
Amazing skill and craftsmanship.

[JasH]

A nice in-depth review of the manufacture/brand here:

https://youtu.be/Fb5pI914DYM?si=-uaMDYBGpbduoa0M