In 1926 two well established watch manufacturers in the German town of Glashutte joined forces with the aim of producing their own mechanical movements to compete with the neighbouring Swiss. Two years after the start of World War II, work on the Tutima Flieger Chronograph was complete. Developed for the rigours of the new faster, higher flying, combat aircraft it was used by German pilots through ...
As the Russian Army advanced through Germany at the close of World War II they captured Glashutte, one of the most important watch manufacturing areas in Germany. The Soviets quickly recognised an opportunity and seized all the watchmaking machinery and equipment, technical diagrams and spare parts, that they could, loaded them onto trucks, and carried them off as war reparations to Moscow ...