Stowa is quiet excellence — a German watchmaker that’s been doing minimalist Bauhaus and proper pilot watches since before most brands were born.
If you like your watches clean, legible, historically correct, and built to real watchmaking standards (not just design fluff), Stowa is one of the best-kept secrets in the game.
Stowa (short for Walter Storz, the founder) was established in 1927 in Hornberg, Germany, and became a major supplier of military and civilian watches throughout the
20th century. Most famously, they were one of the five original Flieger (pilot) watch manufacturers during WWII, alongside IWC, A. Lange & Söhne, Laco, and Wempe.
In the modern era, under Jörg Schauer, Stowa leaned hard into heritage-driven modern watches, all produced in small batches in the Black Forest, with top-grade
Swiss movements and obsessive attention to detail.
As of 2021, Stowa joined the Tempus Arte group (alongside Lang & Heyne), but continues to operate independently — and very much in line with its legacy.
Stowa’s appeal lies in purity, history, and balance. No fluff. No fakes. Just great design, great specs, and models that stay true to their roots.
Popular models include:
Movements are typically ETA or Sellita, with top-grade finishing and optional hand-winding. Most models come in multiple sizes — often 35.5mm to 41mm, depending on model and dial.
Because it’s legit German watchmaking with real history and real integrity — and no marketing smokescreen.
Stowa builds heirloom-quality watches at accessibly luxe prices, with designs that honor tradition while still being fully wearable today. Every piece is assembled and
tested in-house, and the brand remains fiercely loyal to enthusiasts, offering logo delete options, personalization, and long-term support.
For under $1,500? It's one of the smartest buys in the hobby.
Stowa keeps a steady, build-to-order catalog — expect:
Pricing ranges from €800 to €1,500, with occasional special editions reaching €2,000+. Most orders ship direct from Germany and are made to spec.
Stowa is everything right about heritage watchmaking.
I’ve worn the Flieger Classic and the Partitio — and both punch way above their price. The blued hands, the finishing, the proportions — chef’s kiss. It’s the kind of brand you
buy when you know what you like, and you’re done chasing hype.
If you want clean, historically rooted design and honest quality, Stowa should be high on your list.
Delray Watch is always on the lookout for unique Stowa watches — especially Flieger Classics, Antea, and Marine Original models in hand-wound or top-grade configurations.
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