Junghans watch factory

Junghans watch factory came into being in 1861. Businessman Erhard Junghans founded the company in Schramberg, a small town in the Black Forest, together with his brother-in-law Jakob Zeller-Tobler. At first, they specialized in manufacturing individual parts for watch production. The precision of Junghans work quickly became synonymous with outstanding quality of manufacturing, and the foundation was laid for a complete watchmaking enterprise. The first watches bearing the Junghans brand were designed and constructed by the company's own master watchmakers in 1866.

Following the registration as early as 1877 of the first factory trademark, "eagle with flag", the JUNGHANS trademark, a clock cogwheel fashioned into a eight-pointed star, became the brand symbol in 1890. Three years later, the millionth timepiece was produced. In 1903 JUNGHANS was the largest clock-maker in the world. They were well-known for producing a wide variety of clocks as you can see from the (clickable) photos on this page. The company further expanded over years merging with other well-known German clockmakers including Lenzkirch, Thomas Haller and Gustav Becker.

After war and dismantling, the end of the Black Forest clockmaker seemed to have come. But under great-grandson Helmuth Junghans the work of reconstruction was begun. Today, this clockmaking factory, largest in Germany, is owned by Diehl. By the mid-19th century, German Black Forest clockmakers went into decline because they were unable to compete with American-made clocks. Junghans was one of the first Black Forest clockmakers to adopt American production methods, first making American-style clocks and later adopting more of a German style. However, by 1900 German clockmakers, having successfully embraced American production methods, were once again become the dominant force in clockmaking worldwide.