Early Glashütte see where German Ingenuity Meets Sixties Flair
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| Size | 36mm |
| Movement | GUB Cal. 74x automatic |
| Condition | Excellent! |
| Lug Width | 18mm |
| Owned | Yes |
If you close your eyes and picture a classic 1960s cocktail party, the soundtrack is probably cool jazz, the furniture Danish teak, and the wrist-candy a slim, gold-toned dress watch with a cheeky flourish of mid-century typography on the dial. Open them again and you’ll find that exact spirit encapsulated in this early Glashütte Original “Automat” — the very reference that introduced the now-famous script later revived in the modern Sixties line. This is no mere footnote in horological history; it’s the prototype font that sparked a twenty-first-century renaissance.
A Brief Stroll Through GDR Watchmaking History
While Switzerland was busy refining higher-beat calibres and dabbling in the space race, watchmakers in the Saxon town of Glashütte were quietly regrouping under socialist ownership. By 1951, the disparate pre-war firms had coalesced into VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe (GUB), charged with proving that East-German manufacturing could still compete on the world stage.
In 1964–65, GUB launched a new automatic calibre family aimed squarely at export markets: the Calibre 74x “Automat” series. These movements were robust, thin for their day, and—crucially—finished with enough panache to charm Western buyers. To signal this international ambition, the design office commissioned a fresh, almost playful Sixties script for the dials. That font first appeared on the reference you see here—and more than forty years later, it became the template for Glashütte Original’s modern re-edition.
1. The Font That Launched a Thousand Reissues
Look closely at the word “Glashütte” arcing under twelve: the exaggerated horizontal stroke on the G, the naughty little flourish of the umlaut, the sweeping terminal of the e. In 2007, Glashütte Original’s design team lifted this exact lettering for the inaugural Sixties collection—proof that good graphic design never dies, it just goes into hibernation.
2. Patina Worth Tweeting About
Most 1960s GUB dials either turn blotchy or lose their lacquer completely. This example has done neither. Instead, the silver sunburst has aged into a warm champagne with an even constellation of micro-freckles. Under direct sun it shimmers like parchment dusted with gold leaf—chef’s kiss.
3. Case & Crystal: Time-Capsule Condition
Gold-plated brass was notorious for brassing at the edges, yet this case shows only hairlines and retains sharp lug chamfers. The domed acrylic crystal is original, free of clouding, and delivers that delicious edge distortion collectors crave. One glance at the seconds hand skating around the periphery under that dome and you’ll understand why sapphire can feel sterile.
The Movement: Socialist Workmanship, Collector Cred
The Calibre 74x isn’t haute horlogerie—but it’s reliable, easy to service, and historically important as one of the first thin automatics made behind the Iron Curtain. Key talking points:
- Bidirectional rotor riding on a Glucydur bushing (not a ball bearing—quieter, slimmer).
- Indirect centre seconds keeps the movement under 4 mm high, allowing that svelte case profile.
- Shock protection on balance and escape wheel—progressive for mid-’60s GDR output.
Servicing parts are abundant thanks to decades of Spezimatic production, so owning this watch is low-stress compared with, say, a 1960s micro-rotor.
On-Wrist Impression
At 34.5 mm, it wears exactly as a dress watch should: confident yet discreet. The wide dial aperture and minimal bezel fool the eye into thinking it’s closer to 36 mm, while the 40 mm lug span means it sits flush even on a 19 cm wrist. Pair it with a thin Merino turtleneck and you’re suddenly the lead in a Jean-Luc Godard film.
Collector’s Angle: Why It Belongs in Your Watch Box
- First-generation dial font – literal birth certificate of the modern Sixties series.
- Condition crossover – immaculate case and crystal plus honest dial patina, the sweet spot investors hunt for.
- Undervalued movement lineage – Spezimatic automatics remain a bargain compared to equivalent Swiss calibres.
- Cold-War provenance – few watches can start a conversation about design, politics, and typography in one breath.
Pricing for solid examples still hovers south of €1,500, but that gap is closing as more collectors clue into the reissue connection. Think of it as buying the original Beatles single before the remastered box set dropped.
Final Thoughts
The Glashütte Original “Automat” isn’t just a charming dress watch; it’s the Rosetta Stone of a design language that bridged two very different eras of German watchmaking. From its playful typography to its time-capsule case, every element whispers authentic 1960s optimism—tempered by the realism of life behind the Iron Curtain.
Strap it on, and you’re wearing a slice of design history that still turns heads in 2025. Not bad for a watch born in a country that no longer exists. If you’re building a collection that tells a story about style, politics, and sheer human creativity, this little Saxon stunner deserves a starring role.
