German Watchmaking in World War 2 and Today - Part 1. STOWA
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- In this video I report about the German watch manufacturer Stowa, about the history of the company, the most famous wristwatches and the Flieger type watch.
You find here also the review of a Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 mm automatic and some thoughts about World War 2 and the moral implications.
Free content: Caseback Watches is not affiliated with Stowa.
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Do you have any suggestions for Part 2? Which company could be next?
Laco, surely?
Archimede.
Dornblüth & Sohn would be a good choice.
Well, more a suggestion for a series: Pforzheim seems to be one area with a few interesting companies - as is Glashütte with at least two. That's potentially six further parts right there, I think.
Damasko please
There is no moral issue. If you can't seperate a watch from the crimes commit in WW2 then you are very immature. I would like to see you make a tutorial on how to pick a suit.
Like you Tim, I don’t see swastikas, lightning bolts or glorification of a certain odious ideology, I see a finely crafted timepiece. It’s just a watch in my humble opinion.
Totally agree with you.
Some amazingly brilliant people made this watch
There's no bad ideology inside this watch, just good pure good and all the bad stuff was left outside of the watch factory.
It's simply a historic design that is still appealing. Also, the watches produced today are a far cry from the watches produced for the German troops - the size, the movements, sapphire crystal, blue treatment on hands and screws, a transparent back allowing viewing of the movement. The WWII fliegers were mass produced, the present day watches by Stowa, Laco, IWC, A. Lange, etc, are fine examples of the watchmaking craft.
@@balesjothe craftsmanship of the originals is much more impressive than the cheap modern ones, which aren’t even real pilot watches.
Concern over the "moral implications" of wearing a flieger watch is a symptom of too much time spent looking through the wrong end of a telescope.
That’s like being concerned about Volkswagen, Porsche, BMW, and that’s effed.
Don't buy an IWC then..
@@HeavyDragoon Too late.
@@HeavyDragoon reading comprehension, friend. The OP is on our side. Relax.
@@vmarsch btw what can you say about Dekla watches?
Good on you for facing the "moral dilemma" of the technology - STOWA makes good timepieces.
1.: I own this watch since over a year and I love it. It is more or less daily on my wrist. Very versatile and the quality is brilliant.
2.: There are many other watches which were worn by soldiers who killed other people... therefore many other watches should be criticised as well. Many of the luxuary timepieces have been worn by criminals and drug-lords and still people love the watches and don't think about crimes and so on...
So calm down and enjoy the watches and the hobby!
By the way: Please contunie with Sinn ;-)
Beste Grüße,
Frankie
An eloquent and yet modest take on WWII memorabilia. You handled this delicate subject with sensitivity.
I see no real moral issue and I was born in Coventry. Why?
a) The Luftwaffe themselves were not Nazis.
b) There is a history of honour when it comes to pilots on all sides that stemmed from the Great War. Also with a high death toll.on all sides, pilots in general are regarded as courageous or heroic even.
c) High ranking officers in the Luftwaffe took part in attempts to assassinate Hitler and other high ranking Nazis.
d) In terms of death as a result of bombing, bombing was conducted on both sides. More died in the British firebombing of German cities by RAF bomber command than those killed by both atom bombs dropped on Japan.
They say history is written by the victor, in some respects this is true.
The bottom line here is that the bombing was controversial on both sides, but just about qualified as within terms of war, its terms of engagement.
The pilots were not monsters or war criminals, they were brave men on both sides. We might not give the same latitude to those who ordered them.intk battle, but that is another matter. In any case - it does not pertain to the Nazis.
e) These were historic instruments, they are not related to the faults of men. They were objects to accurately measure time.
On a separate note:
The sins of the father are not to be visited upon the son. Modern Germans have done no wrong, Stowa is a modern company today. It is run by modern Germans who have no fault or tie to any questionable part of the past.
To take a watch and say this is terrible...Mmm. Do we do the same with a modern Porsche? How about Japanese goods? The British were making pocket watches whilst they were imperialists, should we ignore pocket watches?
Context is everything.
The watches are good. We are all good here :)
Totally agree and I'm from Poland. Cheers
Tim- when my wife asked me why I bought a Lange Datograph , I replied I was protesting the Swiss for being the banker of the Nazis .
Footnote. Would not presume to speak for veterans of the Far East conflict but no one has any moral qualms, it seems,about buying Japanese stuff.
I wouldn't worry about government imposed industrial production to support war efforts.
In reality that's what it was in Germany during that time.
How about the USA and it's companies involved in war ?
Even today , the US involvement in war is it's economic engine and not many question it.
The USA is the biggest spender on the killing industry , I wouldn't worry to much Tim.
People are to pre-occupied collecting irrelevant gadgets (like watches) to have any concern about it's heritage.
The human mentality doesn't stretch further than 2 sports teams ducking it out.
The system is a farce and is gobbled up by its sheep.
I wear a white poppy , the red one is stained in blood.
I am a passive anarchist (voluntarist) and I wear that label with pride.
Nothing offends me more than the claim of an individual or country pronouncing he/she/it owns any part of this planet.
Nice to know their existence is short lived and so is their claim.
They'll be replaced by other eager fucks claiming their worth in this capitalist society I am sure.
Let's just blame it on human weakness to exert it's claim to fame.
It takes a mentally wise individual to see through the smokescreen of "superficial reality".
You're clearly a good man, Tim, and I respect you. But when you yield to the misguided sensibilities of others' over-stimulated sense of outrage, you normalize Grievance culture, create more space for it. I say no. There is absolutely nothing wrong with owning a historically-accurate recreation of a war relic (or even the real thing, as long as it's not illegal). The object is inanimate, is not good nor evil. The intent of the collector is everything.
Another well thought out and presented video Tim! Another aspect to justifying the conflicting feelings of wearing a "WW2 inspired" watch is to realize that, although the opposing characters and the motives of that war were horrendous and defied all human decency, there were many things that were developed and used that became part of everyday post-war life for the rest of the world. One example is the Saturn rocket developed by the German scientist, Wernher von Braun, which propelled American men to the moon. Also, if we are to judge a particular watch style as "immoral" or "as a homage to evil" then we must hold accountable all the other watch brands that come from the venerable Bauhaus. Consider also that we should ban all German chocolate cake, Volkswagons, X-rays, gummy bears and even the Easter Bunny!
I consider the “moral issue” to be completely addressed via consumerism. Anyone is free to choose not to spend their money on any German, Japanese, Italian or American product. Three of my great uncles served in the 101st Airborne and U.S. Army and saw action during WW 2; two of them in Germany. Yet I was raised, by my family, including my uncles, to appreciate craftsmanship and masterful engineering as an affirmation of life. Yes, in it’s day, a B-Uhr watch was a war tool that contributed to death and destruction. Today, however, it is practically antiquated as a war tool. I don’t think there is anything wrong with appreciating it as a beautiful object. As an American, in fact, issues of our own Civil War in the 1860s raise more pressing “moral issues” than do WW 2.
I can say as a Jewish men from Israel.
I don't have no problem to Wear a stowa watch.
In fact I want to buy the Flieger Classic Baumuster B
It's just a watch a tool
Thats it.
@Desiigner hay mate
if I will buy a stowa it will be new from official trusted recommend store.
@Desiigner thank you and good luck with the next watch.
Me I'm just starting and I can't stop I'm looking at watches every day. I don't have a big wallet but I'm doing my best.
I have the seiko SNZF17 sea urchin and the seiko green Alpinist SARB017.
my next Purchase will be at the middle or end of 2020 depending on the price of the watch. so I have time to decide. I like stowa, sinn, alpina, oris. and also was thinking about NTH.
My dream watch is 😍 ruclips.net/video/FFwWC6LdrJ8/видео.html
Personally I dont see a morale issue with German made time pieces, I have been collecting "Dirty Dozen" time pieces with my now up daughters at flea markets for over 15 years & just got a nice full collection at Auction. Many people collect various types of miltary items Tim.
Excellent work, Tim. This is the most intelligent watch channel of them all (& often very funny, too!).
I own a Stowa and I gotta say, they have great leather straps.
Great review - your videos are some of the most intelligent in the watch world. In re. the moral dilemma, we live in an absurdly sensitive era. People can always find something to offend them, don't worry about it. Remember that one of the most popular autos in the US and UK during the 60s - only 15-25 years after the war ended - was the VW Beetle, which was actually designed by F. Porsche for Hitler. I think Stowa Fliegers can get a pass 75 years later. Also note that one of the original flieger manufacturers contracted by the Luftwaffe was IWC, which also made watches for the allies - they're just mechanical tools, no moral issue at all. Laco nachste, bitte.
Not to mention Wernher von Braun, the Nazi aeronautical engineer that later became the father of Nasa space program. No comments!
Tim, I commend your decision to address the 'moral issue', but not sure why you need to. A watch is not a weapon or a symbol of any ideology, it's just something that tells the time. Yes of course there are 'military' watches, but they still only tell the time - just with large clear markings.
It's interesting to note that amongst gun collectors (mostly in the US) German WWII rifles, pistols and especially machine guns are highly valued. Actual weapons that may have killed tens or even hundreds of people. So I feel those complaining about watches are looking in the wrong place.
David B , I suspect anyone complaining about a watch, especially a watch with a sterile dial, is merely looking for an excuse to be outraged. The logical extension is to be outraged with German, Japanese and Italian cars and products. Pizza, sushi and lager beer - the horror (I’m obviously making a mocking sentence here). Time for everyone to not forget but, move forward with a proper understanding of historical context and it’s relevance to today’s world.
Thanks for the review Tim. RE: the moral aspect of buying a watch that is an homage to a German WWII pilots model, I personally don't see a problem. My family is Jewish, so anything Nazi related is a sensitive topic for us. Despite this, I had an Archimede Flieger that is of a similar design to your Stowa that I gifted to my son and he wears it most of the time. It is no more a problem morally than someone buying a Volkswagen, or maybe a Mitsubishi. That said, in my minds, the moral aspect of owning a homage to something from that period of history has to do with why you are collecting such an item and is it part of a larger interest in collecting Nazi memorabilia. If your interest is watches, or Fliegers, or even WWII vintage Fliegers, than I don't see a problem. When would I say you have a problem? I have a story.
Some years ago, I was taking care of my father's estate in Florida and I needed transportation to the airport. Surprisingly often, these airport limo guys talk about themselves, this limo driver was no exception. This guy started telling my his passion, which was WWII German aviation. His personal favorite was the Messerschmitt ME 109. So, he tells me, he has a room full of stuff related to German fighters and bombers from that era.. He assured me he was in no way a Nazi, but nonetheless had a great admiration for the technical achievements of the Luftwaffe.
Frankly I was not so sure. If the guy told me that he was interested in WWII aviation and as part of that, he collected memorabilia from both the RAF, US Army Air Corps, and Luftwaffe, I would be less perpelexed. But just Nazi aviation memorabilia? To quote Shakespeare, "The lady doth protest too much." My bet is, he collects all kinds of Nazi memorabilia and frankly, this is a collection I have no interest in seeing, or even hearing about.
Love Flieger styled watches and love Stowa as a brand/mfg.
Your apologetic speech of 3 reasons to consider others feelings was tastefully done, as always. We can’t move to the future without acknowledging the past. As the human race, we have done and unfortunately, will do ignorant and vile things on and to this world. But to talk about it is to not forget about it. The danger comes when we forget about it or not speak of it... then we are doomed to repeat history.
Thank you for your hard and tasteful work my friend!
When TGV can boast about the Vietnam war and watches worn in that war, you can freely talk about watches made and worn in WW2. Every war is ugly. Watches were a necessity, not a means to kill.
god I LOVE this watch I want it
yes I saw Stowa at the windup watch fair in new york. I was impressed by the quality and styling of the pieces
There isn't a moral issue with wearing this watch, it's not in ANY way different from driving a VW car, or from the other side of the coin, a Rolls Royce Car. It's no different to a Japanese person seeing a Boeing plane, same make as the one that bombed Hiroshima. Just because this sort of watch was worn by people during the Second World War doesn't make ANY difference. The War is in the PAST, it's OVER!!
People are very happy to buy Mercedes, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi cars, so Stowa wrist watches should hold no baggage either.
Hey Tim! Nimmst du Hanhart auch mal mit rein? Ist ja auch aus dem Schwarzwald. Soweit ich informiert bin, wurden manche SS-Piloten damit ausgestattet... Weiters war Steve McQueen war ja ein megafan von dieser Firma. Daher denke ich dass es gerechtfertigt wäre!
Lg aus Salzburg,
Clemens
While the design of these watches has long appealed to watch enthusiast, it is important to remember that under the Nazi Regime the German military-known as the Wehrmacht-participated in Nazi crimes, including the Holocaust. Germany's air force during WW2 called Luftwaffe commissioned IWC, Stowa, Laco, Wempe and A. Lange & Söhne to build the B-Uhren. Pretty dark history surrounding these watches.
People need to chill out, history is important. I collect WWII equipment and memorabilia. Unfortunately I cannot afford real watches but I own a few similar Lacos from that time. Even the remakes are out of my price range. I have a A-11 Elgin original and a mirobrand remake. The remakes is interesting as the case is made in Germany & and it has a NH35A Seiko movement lol. I also have many Востокs, with a K-35 remake from 1943. Equipment is not ideological get over it.
I'm glad you touched base on the "Moral aspect" of the Flieger watch. Seems like everyone else that reviews these watches and is German act like there is no dark side to this historic watch. What the Nazi war machine did was terrible...no doubt. But we shouldn't blame items or the current German people for what the Nazi party did. Just like we should blame Jews/Romans(Italians) for killing Jesus. We shouldn't blame VW/Porsche/Mercedes Benz..etc for making vehicles during WWII. So many other companies from around the world used the war to make money including the US. As for the Flieger watch...they are simple, great looking and engineered to work. I love the design and am going to buy that watch because of it technical aspect.
Nice, honest video. Thank you. I just feel war, esp. that war, was destructive enough, so let's not further destroy that which has survived it, in this case, Stowa aviation watches. I do fully understand that others may view it differently and that is quite OK. I appreciate your honesty in tacking the issue. Folks have made similar issues with regard to Panerai. But I think we should celebrate the military virtues these watches convey in an effort to come together and move on.
I can't help but comment further, are we not to appreciate BMW, Mercedes, Walther, or Mauser? How about Seiko, Mitsubishi, or for that matter Ford, & GM? The dismantling of history because it's offensive is in & of itself offensive.
I don't think it's a moral issue. If you have a problem with people wearing these watches then you should have a problem with people driving Volkswagons or Fords (who manufactured the engines for Panzer tanks), or using Shell oil (who provided the fuel).
I really cannot understand the people who would get offended by a person for wearing a flieger/b-uhr watch. By this logic they would get offended by every person who is driving a Volkswagen (beetle especially which is a beloved icon world wide), Porsche, or wearing Hugo Boss clothing. The argument simply does not hold. Its utter rubbish.
According to the info provided by STOWA's chatbot, the crown position issue has been solved.
Hans, bring me ze Fliegerwatch! Jk, lovely pieces and nicely explained and reviewed!
I have just discovered and liked very much your channel. I just find the morals discussion to be somehow weak. I think the discussion is better served in a different approach: Flieger watches are military watches, as England, France or the USA also produced. German military were not necessarily Nazis. Rommel and many others were even involved in the attempt of assassination of Hitler. So, separating the military and the Nazi believes and party is a first issue. Secondly, there have been several Nazi inventions, not just military but directly attributable to Hitler, like the VW Beetle that have been very successful all over the world. Paradoxically a Flieger watch has a weak relation to nazism, while the Beetle has a strong one. I don't want to fall into a logic fallacy, it is just a description of a fact, not a part legitimation. Germany, weather under the Nazi regime or under others before that and after that had, as all European countries an army, and armies use tools..., like watches or like codification machines, which governments used widely after the german example. Anyway the moral sanctions over this are very disputable.
I just bought one of these used on ebay, I can't wait!. Oh and I find it about as controversial as buying a new VW, BMW or Mercedes Benz...
There isn’t anything wrong with owning the fleiger. We all know Nazis are bad.
But if we all went with the philosophy of that. No one should by Japanese (or at least Americans). Mitsubishi made the engines for zero fights.
People get upset about these things, because they want to control how other people think.
It sounds so strange to hear people get angry at people who find Fliegeruhren bad. The whole German army is still using WW2 parade inspired uniforms and same tactics.
Im German and i see no issue !
I don’t think there is anything wrong with producing a watch that has ww2 related iconography if there’s a market for it. However what is wrong is that stowa needs to reinvent the flieger and move on. Unfortunately this has become its best seller and now they are in a trap to keep producing these. I would not buy a replica ww2 era watch. Simply save up and buy the original. Other watch manufacturers have done brilliant things with the flieger. Just look at Sinn and nomos for bauhaus. I would not ever consider buying stowa purely because it lacks originality and relying too heavily in the past. Infact in my opinion it falls in the category of novelty more than serious horology
Great historical update on a great timepiece. Not sure why it should be upsetting for some when the focus is on talking about past history of a watch. The woke brigade should really get a life and move on.
I love the Stowa Classic 40, I want to get one with the date though! Great watch and review!!
theres alot of crazy people and you cant care what disturbs them lol ITS A WATCH
Excellent video. I am very glad I ordered mine sterile with no date or branding like yours. It’s a tool watch as you said
ridiculous moral problems ! - they are just haters. That watch is beautiful and works. I fly with it all them time and it beats other that cram all kinds of junk on the face of the watch.
Learning proper pronunciation of German horological contributions by listening to a German.
German engineering should be appreciated and world needs such engineering marvel
I think you have a pretty good balance Tim.I am of course biased toward more guitar outros but would happily watch other stuff as well.
i agree the germans make some of the best quality watches...good job tim
No it is not the same as wearing a German steel helmet. It's more as if driving a Volkswagen, which is totally ok.
I don't have the Stowa (nice watch) but a similar one from Aristo.
Guinand in the future plz..they get v little recognition …
Hi Tim. With me you were talking to the converted, I purchased my Stowa Flieger 40mm about three weeks ago after much deliberation. I was prepared to spend considerably more but in the end I couldn't see the point, this is a great everyday watch at what I consider a very reasonable price. Love your work by the way, keep them coming.
Subscribed!
Every country has its own moral dilemma. Belgium with the Congo, the UK with India and many other places, America with its own Indian genocide etc etc.. Germany is in living memory so a somewhat open wound. But anyone implying you shouldn't talk about Flieger watches is simply deflecting.
Thanks for the subscription!
It's not a dress watch but it still looks good with your men's shirt.
I don't care about any moral issues. I just like German watches with interesting history behind them.
Would absolutely LOVE to have a Glashutte Original Senator Chronograph. Black dial. So handsome.
Greetings from Australia! I have the limited edition 90th anniversary Stowa 41mm Klassik Flieger 6498. I love it! It is one tough looking watch and the movement is a joy to see.
The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys!
Very interesting thoughts Tim. Personally I would buy a Focke-Wulf watch if I could.
for the next session? LACO of course!! the best version of fliegers!
I get it, fascination for the product, the product from a certain timeframe. This doesn’t mean you agree with the situation the watch was used in or for.
Thank you for attempting to address the elephant in the room. I think it is a personal choice. As a younger man I owned Porsche and VW, and I wore Hugo Boss…but as I matured I made a decision not to support any companies with a nazi history. I have many German friends and I do not hold anything against this current generation but for me it is a choice not to support these brands. I am somewhat hypocritical though because I love flieger watches and still have an IWC but I would not buy a Stowa or any other brand with this connection. Thanks Tim your channel is great
Thank you!
Hey Tim! You are doing a great job with your videos! Thanks for all the information and entertainment!
odd... I bought my Stowa Flieger few months ago and it has the first position deactivated. maybe Stowa heard feedback and implemented this on the newer made ones like mine? Anyway, great review. at the end of the day, it's a watch with historic design. Personally don't think too much about it. It's just a watch after all
I think so. I've acquired a Marine classic a few months ago and the first position is deactivated.
thank you for the delicate and acurate analisys of the Germean history and watch fenomenon.
I agree and empathise with all you said. ( Scottish living in France ).
Thanks for watching!
I love german watches .. thanks for the videos Tim, alway great. and yeah i think you it would be no harm branching out on topics for your channel
Fake tan on your hands? 👍🇬🇧🤣
I like the watch but my Hamilton field automatic looks better and has a better movement ( swiss made H10 ) cost me $500 in Canada. Have a look at them .
No need to apologize/explian your self. This is about watches. That is it.
I bet they wear two watches. They obviously have too much time on their hands.
Thanks for talking about this moral aspect! I also like the Flieger watch style for its simplicity and boldness and I always appreciate historic connection of a piece. But this being a watch type used by the Nazis also gives me mixed feelings. I think Stowa makes it pretty clear that they just keep their own history alive by also having a reference to the first true Bauhaus watch in their collection. Nazis hated the Bauhaus ideas. Does this make other brands which don't have such a thing, like Laco, Nazi brands? Not at all! Nobody could expect them to not keep a connection to their own past. You also don't blame VW for having their new Beetle/Käfer. But if you want a classic Flieger-style watch and you don't want any connection to Germany at the time, you could always get a remake of a non-German model, like a Hamilton or an IWC for example. Or you could go for a more modern Flieger-inspired design.
I would love to see more about tayloring and menswear! A video series on the leather briefcase would also be incredible!
Cheers for pointing out the ghost date thing. Hate that, and it hadn't occurred to me despite knowing it's a 2824, duh. Happily these can be ordered as manual wind ... though I don't think they're any thinner that way, which would be nice. Or it can be had with the date window if one wanted ... that. Anyway, I may get one, perhaps the Verus version. They seem like actual watchfolk there at Stowa, and it shows. And I need a banger, which is one step above beater. I like the SARX035 too, but they're impossible to find, and this seems like more watch for similar numbers.
You should use imperial system,it is too clear with the metric,i am used to never know what we are talking about.
Thanks, good reason, will consider that! ;-)
The best support I can give is to watch, like and subscribe, which I have.
Thank you!
5:35 "no fancy crap at all" - and that's why I got a flieger last year.
BTW the Flieger Klassik 40 is such a strap queen. You can put it on anything and it will look good - shark mesh, alligator, crocodile, ostrich, lizard, NATO, Zulu, calfskin, two-stitch vintage Italian, shell cordovan...anything you can think to try will probably work.
More Diesel Punk? Yes, please 🙏... About the moral issues... I think at least in the watch community the liking of this German pilot watches is taken with more broad vision: we like the style, the design and mechanical aspects, we're not accepting ideologies but craftsmanship about the watches of that period. Is like I shouldn't wear my military field style watch Hamilton Khaki because it would be offensive for people from Vietnamese or Korean descendants (or any other people from a country US was on military intervention about that time), or my Vostok Amphibia or my Seagull Chronograph. I like the style of my watch not the ideology of the country from it were is, me wearing the watch is an expression of my liking about the design and the company which manufacture it not the ideologies of that time and place. We love watches, not global politics...
I have both Stowa & Laco...love them!
On the side note: if you are Watch enthusiast, don't mix politics & hobby. Watches are just watches, period!
Cheers...
Just from the standpoint of a person who likes the art on crafting hand watches I absolutely adore the class and minimalist/vintage look of this hand watch, and I really enjoyed your video plenty of interesting historical facts and technical information. I hope can afford one or two of these legit Flieger Watches in the future. Thanks for your content.
Don't forget their marine designs. Very nice, too. Part of the larger appearance of the b-uhr watch despite its 40 mm diameter is due to not having a sloped chapter ring and having a narrow bezel. Gives you a 34.5 mm diameter dial. Love the blued hands. Yes, that price is a bit much for a simple watch, considering I put together a very close replica for around $250 with a very nice Miyota 9xxx series. You could also grab a San Martin on eBay and upgrade with an ETA 2836 (next project?) My own moral conflict with the the watch is that I don't feel super comfortable buying one from a German mfr with war production history, especially when the price seems out of line, like Laco at $400+ with an asian movement. For me it is more about the wearing and enjoying design of the watch, so I buy it and additional parts from a nation known for it positive support of human rights.... China! So, yes, it's something we have to decide for ourselves. Now, what to do about my Krups coffee maker? And our dessert in the USA, German Chocolate cake. And Bosch spark plug made by... the Bosch. On a serious note, I really appreciate your sharing your father's story with us. No one wins in these conflicts except the industry titans with Swiss bank accounts. Kind regards, Mark
I’ve never understood why anyone would want to re-enact the SS. A watch from the past is a different matter, however. I view it as an inanimate technological masterpiece no matter what nation it originated from. In comparison, what kind of person would drive around in a classic restored gas van from the WW11 period? That, to me, is the difference here.
Dear Tim,
Thanks again for another interesting Video.
Suggestion? Since you started with Pforzheim and you mentioned the Black Forrest, why do not do a video about another very interesting company from Schramberg? They also had a very moving history ;-)
Interesting to see what you come up next for the second part.
BR,
MIguel
A fleiger watch has no more "moral" baggage as the Luger or the Colt 45 or any such WW2 related items. Killing and destruction was caused by both sides bombing entire cities in Germany. Therefore a fleiger watch is nothing but a style of watch that is part of our collective history and needs to be remembered.
Good stuff again. I doubt there was much choice about producing for the state . Like my Marine Klassic Roman 40 no date very much.Discrete logo,timeless dial with blued hands,TOP movement. Excellent customer service. Coming up to our Rememberance Day my father and his comrades don't seem to hold any grudges and have moved on .
I would enjoy your vids on other subjects . I add that I read on another vblog I follow that too many subject matters confuses the youtube algorithm . In that case they separated their brewing vids from their jam vids on a new Chanel or something like that . Anyway it’s a thing . Best richard
Das Boot was denied Oscars just because the movie gorifies "the bad guys". Stupid brainwashing, since an British admiral said during the Nürenberg trials: "I wish we fought as clean as the Germans (Kriegsmarine).
So: suggestion for another movie: the watches and the chronograps of Kriegsmarine during WW2. Please!
Love your videos, Tim! Would definitely like to see more style videos. Also, have you had much experience with Certina watches? They don't seem to get much coverage, but I recently picked up a vintage Bristol 235 and it's become a favourite.
My parents were both in the armed services during the war as were 4 of my uncles. The two on my father's side did not survive the war. My wife's father was forced into the German army and she was a baby in Berlin during the blockade so I have a lot of history with WWII even though I was born after the war. I bear no malice towards Stowa; they likely had no choice about producing watches for the Luftwaffe. I find the 36mm Stowa marine classic very appealing.
Nice watch.
I enjoy my Flieger Classic. Not sure about the Antea. Next one might be the Marine Original.
Hi Tim. Thanks for a thoughtful video. Regarding moral implications I think the watch is fine so long as it is not being worn as a fetish object. In itself the watch is just a watch - what matters is the motive of the wearer. This issue comes up a lot. Think of the Chile sailing ship Esmeralda. It is a glorious and beautiful thing. But the Pinochet fascists used it as a prison where they tortured their enemies. Did that change the ship? Did its beauty change? I say no, and still feel joy when I see the Esmeralda. The ship should not be blamed for the conduct of some terrible people who for a while controlled it. But it is easy for me to say that - the families of the victims may think differently and that has to be respected. This is a difficult issue. But I don't think things have meaning in themselves - that comes from the people who own them and use them.
You have done a very good job of addressing the german watch history. I personally think it is a little too sensitive and far fetched for people to attack you yourself for reviewing watches, but you did a very good job. I look at them as I look at BMWs or Mercedes. Great quality and tradition of german engineering.
Nice video and would be an interesting series. A watch like this wouldn't be a problem in my opinion, a lot of fashion goods(jackets and boots for example) are inspired by historical military products. Wearing a real beobachtungsuhr would maybe be a bigger problem to some
I have a flieger klassik 40mm handaufzug. Love it. It's a great daily wear piece.
Nice video Tim I personally like the hand winding version of this watch one reason is that the movment fills all of the case as in my opinion it should do I have actually built a a watch like this using a 6497 movment with very nearly the same dial for under £300 pounds it does not have sapphire glass but looks very good .
I don't have an Instagram account and I don't want to get one but I would like to see more on RUclips. Stowa is a great watch and you would take the 40mm. You can't test them in a shop, so I wasn't not sure.