The Mühle Glashütte company has been around for more than a century. Precisely the year 1869, in the Glashütte town of Germany. This company was established by Robert Mühle, whose family had long-settled in the town. Till today, the family still owns and operates the company. They are very dedicated to exceptional artistry, excellent craftsmanship and design. There is always a member of the Mühle family massively involved in the course of watchmaking, who provides answers to demanding design questions and finds creative solutions to any challenge that presents itself.
The qualities of Mühle Glashütte—reliability and precision—are what the company is built on. When a Mühle Glashütte movement is put together, it is managed by just one watchmaker to promise perfection. Every watch is tested at all six positions a watch can be worn on a person’s wrist to guarantee the detail that is required and expected from a Mühle Glashütte timepiece. Their expertise plays an essential role in designing and manufacturing the high-end timepieces the brand is known for today.
One of the models in its Classic timepiece collection is the Mühle Glashütte Teutonia II. This model has six diverse variants, but we will stick to the most sought after models in this review.
Teutonia II Chronograph
This watch has a black leaf-shaped hour and minute hands that are finely and notably printed on the silver-coloured dial. The curved and thin hands point to their main markers with sharp tips made with a pointed aim. The guilloché dial puts in much detail regardless of how simple it looks at the first peek at it. Teutonia II Chronograph has a tri-compax design that features a twelve-hour chronograph register at six o’clock, a tiny seconds window at nine o’clock and a thirty-minute chronograph register under noon. Each sub-dial has Arabic numerals and a little black hand with shortened tip.
The dragged hour ring displays beautiful circular patterns. The printed pattern is more detailed and less apparent than the adjacent pattern on the main dial area. Each hour is indicated with an applied oblong wand, with tilted flanks; it works with light to provide the hour markers with some visibility.
The Teutonia II Chronograph is driven by the MU 9413 automatic movement in a stainless steel case measuring 42mm diameter with a case height of 15.5mm. The case back comes with a sapphire crystal letting the wearer view the self-winding movement. The modest case diameter and the lugs recede downwards and guide the strap around the wrist. The case band is satin-brushed and modifies the look of the watch, making it appear slender as a result.
The crocodile leather strap is available in two colours: black and brown. The leather straps can also be switched to stainless steel bracelets. The aesthetics of the watch allow flexibility, making it even suitable to fit with casual or formal wear. Prices start from £2,600.
The Pros
- Clean display
- Effective stopwatch function
- Useful day-date indication
The Cons
- Occasional clustered dial
Teutonia II Chronometer
The Teutonia II Chronometer goes through a rigorous series of tests. Its movement is tested for 16 days at different temperatures (from 8°C to 38°C) and in various positions for rate variations. The movement only receives official certification if it meets the high requirement set by the COSC chronometer control. After that, every Teutonia II Chronometer released has its certificate – ascertaining the wearer of owning a chronometer which is both elegant and accurate.
It has a white dial, featuring applied indices and blackened hands with a guilloché finish. The timepiece possesses dimensions of 39mm diameter and 11.9mm case height. Brushed/polished stainless steel with domed, anti-glare sapphire crystal. Transparent case back. Screw-in crown. Water-resistant to 10 bars, and a power reserve of 38 hours.
An automatic Mühle version Sellita SW200 movement drives the chronometer with a woodpecker neck adjustment. It has its rotor and distinctive exterior finishes. Boasts of chronometer certificate (Glashütte observatory), stop-second, and fast date correction.
It is provided with two strap options; black crocodile leather or stainless steel with stainless steel butterfly strap clasp. Prices start from £2,100.
The Pros
- Simple but elegant design
- Distinctive finishes
The Cons
- Sub-standard power reserve
Teutonia II Kleine Sekunde
This is an attractive, elegant handmade watch. Simple but fashionable, the Mühle Glashütte Teutonia II Kleine Sekunde timepiece mirrors German watch design, with a neat legible dial. It has a strong and reliable case and a modest but premium leather strap. It comes with a night-blue dial with solarisation, also, applied indices and guilloché finish. The key feature on this dial is the off-centre placement of the second hand at six o’clock and the Mühle engraving at twelve o’clock. It gives the face of the watch a specific congenial look.
The case is 41mm wide, 13mm thick stainless steel, with domed anti-glare sapphire crystal, and its lug is 20mm wide. The timepiece has an exhibition case back to see the movement in all its entirety. Inside the case is a Swiss Automatic movement, with sub-second dial and date function. Teutonia II Kleine Sekunde features world-time function with a bi-directional inner bezel and nickel-plated hands. There is a clear viewing panel on the rear that makes the mechanism visible. This adds that extra level of beauty, something only the wearer will recognise.
The automatic movement is a Mühle-modified Sellita SW-300-1. Quite similar to Teutonia II Chronometer; it has woodpecker neck regulation, own rotor, characteristic surface finishes, second time zone/24-hr display, stop-second, fast date correction. It possesses a screw-in crown, power reserve of 42 hours, and a 100m water resistant capacity.
The watch fastens on a supple and luxurious black or brown crocodile leather strap that features a butterfly clasp. The strap is available in stainless steel. The timepiece is all-round and can serve as an everyday dress watch for the office and evening occasions. Generally, an exceptional watch that will not break the bank. Prices start from £1,200.
