Sixties Iconic Red
The Glashütte Original Sixties Iconic collection
This collection travels back to the haute horlogerie brand’s past, back in East Germany, and pays a beautiful tribute to its watchmaking legacy.
By Rémy Solnon
Specialised journalist
The German watchmaking manufacture has recently introduced the new Sixties Iconic collection, which includes five bold versions of its iconic model from the sixties, the Spezimatic.
Long before the current vintage trend, the German manufacture Glashütte Original paid tribute to the 1960s and 1970s, the two decades that have marked History and changed the world. The Sixties and Seventies ranges, introduced in 2007 and 2011 respectively, were joined in the 20th Century Vintage collection. They mirror the watchmaking design in vogue at the time through a modern and deliciously vintage interpretation of the manufacture's iconic pieces.
The Sixties 3 hands without date is definitely the most classic version in the collection and features a streamlined design similar to the style of the 1960s. The five versions of the Sixties Iconic collection are based on this piece. They are a tribute to the iconic Spezimatic (1964), pride of the German Democratic Republic at the time and the first self-winding watch produced in series in East Germany. It was a revolution that proved the skills of the watchmaker from Glashütte, next to the international monopoly of Swiss watchmaking manufactures.
The five versions of the Sixties Iconic stand out thanks to the particular and strong vintage esthetics of their dial. They are named according to their color: Sixties Aqua, Sixties Red, Sixties Golden, Sixties Brown and Sixties Grey.
The 39-mm steel case (water resistant to 30m) is of the standard size from back in the 1960s. That is much appreciated today after the 2000s saw the rise of watches of unusual size; over 48mm. As well as thin (9.4mm) and light (50g), the case sits very well on the wrist and can easily be slid under the musketeer cuff of a Seidensticker shirt.
The thin bezel emphasizes the dial that is protected by an anti-reflective domed sapphire glass on both sides. The Louisiana alligator strap, available in either black or brown, is attached to small lugs similar to those found on the watch from the 1960s.
The Sixties Iconic watches are driven by the in-house self-winding caliber 39-52. It is the worthy successor of the Spezimatic caliber 74 from 1964. It has a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and it features a 42-hour power reserve. Just as every movement produced by Original Glashütte, each component has the manufacture’s signature finish: three-quarter plate with Côtes de Glashütte (and not Côtes de Genève) finishes, polished and satiny pieces, chamfered edges, blued screws, precision setting through swan-neck spring, and a skeletonized oscillating mass with a 21K gold segment. Visible through the case back’s large sapphire glass, which provides a panoramic view, each detail brings endless fascination. That's what we call a real wonder.
But in all five versions of the Sixties Iconic collection the domed dial is the most appealing feature as they delightfully remind us of the 1960s. The dial features slightly curved, thin white gold and Superluminova-coated baton hands. They are enhanced by small baton indexes underlined by a luminescent touch that provides perfect readability day and night. This piece is all about balance and simplicity.
The distinctive typology of the deliciously retro numerals is eye-catching. Finally, it features a small discreet inscription that is a reference to the German origin of the watch.
Each dial has a unique vintage hue, which contrasts with the traditional design of the case, and their finishes are entirely hand-made. They are first galvanized and then several layers of lacquer are added. The final layer is applied with a spray gun to produce the special "dégradé" and contrasting effect. The turquoise, golden and red dials feature a bright sunray finish, like a strong shimmer that starts from the center and blends into deep black on the rim. The brown and grey dials are enhanced by a stamped engraving that creates a unique and slightly elevated pattern.
The Sixties Iconic collection is only available in the nine stores of the manufacture in Dresden, Paris, Geneva, Dubai, Hong Kong, Macao, Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo as well as at the Swatch Group’s luxurious Tourbillon stores. Finally, in an endeavor to cater for all watch enthusiasts, they have not been produced in limited editions.
