D. Dornblüth & Sohn is a name relatively unknown in the world of watches, although the small independent brand has more than twenty years of experience. Dieter Dornblüth and Son have interesting pieces, customisable with the client’s wishes. I would like to present you one of the most “simple” watches of the brand – the small seconds D. Dornblüth & Sohn Q-2010 Classic.
I had the pleasure to meet Dirk Dornblüth during the AuroChronos Festival in Poland. I felt ashamed that, besides Dijkman Watches, the name D. Dornblüth & Sohn was completely unknown to me.
D. Dornblüth & Sohn Q-2010 Classic
The brand’s story starts in 1999 when Dirk Dornblüth presented to his father, Dieter Dornblüth, a stainless steel piece. This watch was created by Dirk with a movement based on the Glashütte calibre 60.3.
The watch presented today, the D. Dornblüth & Sohn Q-2010 Classic is a traditional small seconds complication, hand wound watch. A lovely piece, in steel.
A classic wristwatch
The 38.5mm case has a height of 10mm bears a polished and brushed finish. The case can be ordered in steel or rose gold. One of the perks of being independent is the freedom to bespoke any piece.
The oversized crown is adorned with the embossed brand’s name. The crown is manufactured in the same material as the case. In this case, solid nickel-free stainless steel, polished/burnished.
The Q-2010 Classic is covered on top with a slightly domed, 1mm thick sapphire crystal. The watch’s layout is simple: central, the hour and minute hands, the small seconds at 6 o’clock.
The frost dial is stunning. A piece of brass is engraved with a grained, silky matte finished surface. The blue hands make a lovely contrast with the rest of the dial, while the black numerals and minute railway track assures excellent visibility.
The sunken seconds’ subdial is decorated with a concentrical circles pattern. The seconds’ hand touches the black rail track and numerals, offering good legibility. The hands are manufactured in steel, hand polished and thermally blued.
A beautiful movement
Long after the show, I realised that I forgot to photograph the movement of the Q-2010 Classic. The watch is powered by the brand’s Calibre 99.1
Since the differences are displayed on the back through a screwed caseback fitted with a sapphire crystal, I decided to show you another movement, the Calibre 99.9. The movements are similar in finishes.
The movement belongs to a central seconds watch with power reserve indication showed below.
All the brand’s movements look similar on the back side. The differences are, most probable, hidden under the dial as various modules (date, power reserve etc).
The frost finish of the dial can also be seen on the back. What strikes at first, are the jewels set in gold cabochons and fixated with thermally blued steel screws. Another detail is the red gold plated, grained three-quarter plate with a yellow gold engraving of manufactory name – a detail met in several German wristwatches.
The beautifully executed brush with double sunburst finish on the crown’s gear train can be only surpassed by the chamfered and polished screws.
The balance’s cock is engraved, a tradition in the Glashütte manufactured pieces, but also in other German manufactured pieces. The balance wheel uses a Glucydur screw balance with Nivarox-1-Spring and swan-neck fine adjustment.
The rather slow movement (18.000 vph) has an impressive power reserve of 50 hours.
A beautiful independent
D. Dornblüth & Sohn Q-2010 Classic is a beautiful watch. The Q-2010 Classic is bliss on the wrist – comfy and eye-catching. Great legibility, a classic appearance and an independent brand – three characteristics that make this watch a hard to refuse offer. The German brand does a magnificent work at a very good price.
For more information, please visit D. Dornblüth & Sohn Official Website.