Tutima

Tutima is known for creating robust, powerful, and sporty wristwatches. This German manufacturer calls the small southeastern town of Glashütte home. They are best known for their chronographs and have had a manually-wound chronograph with an in-house caliber and flyback function in their catalog since 2017. Its movement is a modern take on the legendary caliber 59, which first appeared in pilot's chronographs from Glashütte over 70 years ago in the 1940s. These vintage watches are highly coveted among collectors.

Developed for the German military in the 1980s, the Tutima Military Chronograph is yet another popular timepiece. Thanks to its durability and reliability, the German Air Force still outfits their pilots with this military watch today. Push-pieces integrated into the case and rounded edges minimize the risk of watch-related injuries to the pilot in the case of heavy turbulence. This is particularly fitting considering the company's name: The word "Tutima" comes from the Latin word "tutus," which means "safe" in English.

Tutima's current top model is the Hommage Minute Repeater. When it debuted in 2011, it was the first German wristwatch to feature a minute repeater. The manual in-house caliber 800 is comprised of over 550 components. In total, 25 examples of this magnificent watch exist. Of those 25, 20 are in rose gold and five are in platinum. The platinum model has a list price of 179,000 euros (approx. 204,000 USD), while the rose gold edition officially sells for 168,000 euros (approx. 192,000 USD.)

The pilot's watches in the M2 collection follow in the footsteps of the design and success of Tutima's military chronographs from the 1980s. Unlike the original model, the current pilot's chronographs are powered by the Tutima caliber 521 based on the Valjoux 7750. Earlier models used the legendary Lemania 5100 instead. Both movements come with a 24-hour display below 12 o'clock, a 12-hour counter at 6, and a 60-minute counter operated via a fourth central hand.

The titanium case is a bit larger than before, measuring in at an impressive 46 mm. You can even wear this watch while swimming thanks to its water resistance of 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft). An inner soft iron cage protects the movement against magnetic fields. The Tutima M2 Chronograph is also available with a bidirectional bezel for measuring periods of time. For the band, you can choose between a titanium link bracelet or a bulletproof Kevlar strap.

You can purchase a mint-condition Tutima M2 Chronograph on a titanium strap with a non-rotatable bezel for around 4,600 USD. The version with a rotatable bezel costs a few hundred dollars more. The original model from the 80s bears the reference number 798 and demands about 1,800 USD pre-owned.

The M2 Seven Seas is Tutima's diving watch. This 44-mm timepiece comes with a black or dark blue dial, both of which have a day and date display at 3 o'clock. The pearl-blasted titanium case is water resistant to 500 m (50 bar, 1,640 ft) and can keep track of dive times thanks to its unidirectional bezel. As with the M2 Chronograph, the M2 Seven Seas is worn on a titanium bracelet or Kevlar strap. The Tutima caliber 330, based on the ETA 2836-2, powers this watch and provides it with its 38-hour power reserve. You can purchase a never-worn example for around 1,500 USD.

The Saxon One is yet another important Tutima collection. These watches are sporty yet elegant, making them perfect companions for the office. A rotating bezel with an angular edge, push-pieces integrated into the chronograph case, and an integrated bracelet define this series' design.

Tutima outfits these watches with one of two movements: either the 330 with a day-date display or the 521 with a chronograph function and Tutima's distinct central minute counter. At 43 mm, the chronographs are only one millimeter larger than the three-hand models. This collection's smallest timepiece is the 36-mm Saxon One Lady. The Saxon One M Automatic sits in the middle of the pack with a diameter of 40 mm.

Introduced in 2017, the Tutima Saxon One M is a mid-sized watch. Its list price comes in at 1,950 euros (approx. 2,200 USD), making it this collection's entry-level model. You can find the 42-mm automatic watch in mint condition on Chrono24 for a few hundred dollars less. Set aside around 4,000 USD for a never-worn chronograph on a leather strap. Those on a stainless steel bracelet are a bit more expensive.

The Tutima Grand Flieger (Grand Aviator) collection contains both classic and modern pilot's watches. The more modern pieces belong to the Grand Flieger Airport series and feature a black rotatable bezel with a 60-minute scale. This bezel rotates in two directions and has a luminous marker at the zero position. The Grand Flieger Airport is available as a three-hand watch with a day-date display or as a chronograph. Each model has a 43-mm stainless steel case. Tutima outfits these timepieces with bands made of stainless steel, Kevlar, or leather. Plan to spend around 2,100 USD on a three-hand Grand Flieger Airport in mint condition. The chronograph models require an investment of about 3,800 USD. These timepieces use the Tutima caliber 320, which is based on the Valjoux 7750.

The Grand Flieger Classic also comes as either a three-hand watch or chronograph. As its name suggests, this model has a much more classic design. More specifically, it resembles the pilot's chronograph that came out during World War Two in 1941. The current series has the following design elements: a bidirectional fluted bezel with a red zero marker, a matte black dial, luminous Arabic numerals, and luminous pear-shaped hands. You can wear this timepiece on a stainless steel bracelet or leather strap. The 43-mm cases are water resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft), putting them on the same level as those from the Grand Flieger Airport line. Tutima equips each timepiece with one of two famous and proven calibers: the 320 or the 330.

You can purchase a pre-owned Grand Flieger Classic with three hands for just over 1,100 USD. Never-worn models cost around 1,900 USD. If you're looking to call a classic pilot's chronograph your own, be prepared to spend anywhere from 2,200 to 3,500 USD. Only 100 copies exist of the limited edition model in 18-karat gold. Prices for this timepiece come in at slightly more than 13,500 USD. Original pilot's chronographs from the 1940s sell for between 4,500 and 10,500 USD.

In addition to their sporty titanium or stainless steel pilot's and diving watches, Tutima also produces a few gold watches. One of the finest examples is the Tutima Tempostopp with the in-house caliber T659. This movement has a flyback function, just like the legendary UROFA caliber 59 from the 1940s. This iconic caliber also had flyback function, which they referred to as a "Tempostopp" at the time. The T659 is comprised of 236 components, manually wound, and has a 65-hour power reserve. What's more, the "Tutima" name is beautifully engraved on the balance cock. The Tempostopp's 43-mm case is made of rose gold. The watch has a list price of 28,600 euros (approx. 32,500 USD).

The gold watches in the Patria collection are somewhat more affordable. Their designs are simple and elegant, with silvery-white dials, a small seconds dial, and hand-finished hands. Inside these watches, you'll find the in-house caliber 617 or 619. These manual calibers offer a 65-hour power reserve and an oscillation system or regulator. The surfaces of the plate, balance cock, ratchet wheel, and crown gear all have intricate finishes. What's more, the caliber 619 has a 12-hour display that can also be used to keep track of a second time zone on a subdial at 6 o'clock. List prices for the different Patria models fall between 13,800 euros (approx. 15,500 USD) and 14,900 euros (approx. 17,000 USD).

Tutima traces its roots all the way back to 1927. It was in this crisis-ridden year that the lawyer Dr. Ernst Kurtz founded the Uhren-Rohwerke-Fabrik Glashütte AG (UROFA) , (Glashütte Ébauche Factory AG), and the Uhrenfabrik Glashütte AG (UFAG) (Glashütte Watch Factory AG). Kurtz recognized the potential of the wristwatch, which wasn't so widespread at the time, and decided to industrialize its production. This crucial decision rescued Glashütte's watch industry. In the 1930s, both companies employed some 1,000 workers. The most high-quality watches received the "Tutima" distinction, a name that lives on in this watch brand today.

Near the end of the Second World War, a bomb destroyed Glashütte's production facilities. Kurtz immediately fled to the southern German state of Bavaria, where he founded a small watch factory. He then relocated his company to the northern town of Ganderkesee in 1951. Three years later, Dieter Delecate joined the company. Delecate bought the rights to the Tutima name in 1960 and subsequently founded the Tutima Uhrenfabrik GmbH (Tutima Watch Factory GmbH). The Delecate family still owns the business to this day.

The fall of the Iron Curtain opened up a lot of opportunities, including the potential to return to Glashütte. The company finally managed to relocate from Ganderkesee back to this small town in former East Germany in 2011.