Christiaan v.d. Klaauw Watches

The Netherlands has a centuries-old tradition of watch making. Technical skills and creativity in this beautiful country are passed from generation to generation. The Dutch province of Friesland is famous for its technically brilliant and amazing wrist watches that are designed and made there. However, the history of the watch company Christiaan van der Klaauw started in a picturesque village Joure in the province of Friesland, when in the early 70th Christian van de Klaauw began designing and manufacturing of exclusive fine astronomical watches by hand. Christian van de Klaauw received his education at the school of creating a variety of tools, which was founded in 1901 by Nobel laureate physicist professor Heike Kamerlingh Onnes. In this school in 1908, was first liquefied helium gas, and there worked such well-known contemporaries of Christian, as Albert Einstein, Niles Bohr, J. Lorenz and V. Rontgen. Christian was a student in one of the oldest observatories in the world, which was founded in 1633. In this observatory also studied the world-renowned astronomer professor Oort, who discovered the Asteroid Belt, named in his honor. Over the years, more and more Christian was fond of astronomy, and this enthusiasm was soon reflected in the watches created by him. Famous astronomer from Leyden, Christiaan Huygens, creator of the first pendulum clock, inspired Christian to develop his first watch. The first watches made by Christian, were technically very complex and even at the early stage were provided with ingenious astronomical applications. Today, these unique watches are collectible.
In 1990, Christian van de Klaauw introduced a true masterpiece of astronomical watch to the world. The creation of this unique watch was the main reason for which he was invited to become a member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) (Academy of Independent Watchmakers), whose members belong to the best watch manufactories in the world. Some of the most famous member of this organization are Vincent Calabrese, George Daniels, Franck Muller and Sven Anderson.
In 1992, Christian van de Klaauw won the gold medal at the world-famous watch exhibition in Basel, with his model of watch “Pendule Variable” and took his rightful place among the great modern watchmakers. At this famous exhibition he deserved following praise from the jury: "With the design of model “Pendule Variable” Christian van de Klauv was a true pioneer in the area of design and technology of watch making. His creative abilities allow him to circumvent the seemingly intractable problems, and it deserves the admiration of his colleagues and connoisseurs of the original watch".
As in creating of his usual watches as in creating of his first wristwatches, he drew his inspiration from astronomy. His first wristwatch was the model “Satellite du Monde”. Design and specificity of this watch at once struck the whole watch world, and the watch brand Christiaan van der Klaauw has become one of the most exclusive.
In the late nineties, Christian van de Klaauw developed a model of one of the most brilliant watch “The Planetarium”. Inspired by such astronomers as Christiaan Huygens and Eysinga, he managed to place a planetarium into watch, which has become the smallest planetarium in the world. Besides the time, date and month, the watch also shows the relative placement of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn around the sun. 40mm case of this amazing model is made of pink gold, and its dial is covered with sapphire crystal.
In 2009 at the exhibition BaselWorld Christian van de Klaauw once again surprised the world, presenting a model of wristwatch “Tourbillon”. This unique technical masterpiece once again proved that Christian van de Klaauw is one of the greatest watchmakers.
Time in relation to the universe is characterized by infinite. It has a unique and wonderful collection of Astronomical Masterpieces, Collection of the Stars and Collection of the Atelier, which are in limited quantities. The materials used in the manufacture of these original products are of high quality. Their beauty is reflected in the astronomical elements, which are equipped with these models. This astronomical complexity of watches deserves, without doubt, the qualification “haute horlogerie”.