# Sticky  Interested in Stowa history ? (2011 update)



## Guest

Here´s a time table I gathered from different sources:

1927 Stowa is founded by Walter Storz in Hornberg/Kinzigtal. *STO* (Storz), *WA* (Walter)

1935 Stowa moves to Pforzheim, production of watches started in a rented space

1938 An own factory building is ready, located at the Bismarckstrasse 54, Pforzheim

1938 Presentation of some Bauhaus watches ("precursors" of the Antea models)

1939 Manufacturing of the 55mm Stowa Flieger watch










23.02.1945 The factory building was destroyed close to the end of WW II

1945 Stowa moves to Rheinfelden (which is a small town close to the Swiss-German border) and re-starts producing watches

1947 Walter Storz becomes founder member of the german "Uhrenindustrieverband" (Watch Industry Association)

1949 The "Deutsche Uhrenkooperation" (German Watch Cooperation) was founded by Philipp Weber under the brandname PARAT. 
There isn´t much to read about the Parat Cooperation but from what I could find out the Arctos Uhrenfabrik Philipp Weber, Berg Uhrenfabrik (Berg was re-launched by W. Schumacher/HeinrichGeisen watches), Wilhelm Beutter, Osco Uhrenfabrik, Otto Schlund (brand was currently re-launched) and Stowa joined this co-op. 
When wholesalers got into economical troubles and decided to sell the PARAT-collection to greater department stores the cooperation lost a lot of money and disappeared from the market.

1951 A new production facility is set up at Rheinfelden. At the same time, the building in Pforzheim was reconstructed, and the production capacity of both factories was expanded enormously. The proportion of exports rose to almost 50%, and STOWA watches were distributed to some 80 countries worldwide.

1954 Foundation of the RUFA (Rheinfelder Uhrteilefabrik / Rheinfelder watch part factory), production of shock protection for PUW (Pforzheimer Uhrenwerke) and Durowe (Deutsche Uhren Rohwerke).








DUROWE is now owned by Jörg Schauer (www.durowe.com).

1960 Werner Storz took over responsibilities at Stowa (mainly covering the overseas markets)

1963 The brand name "STOWA Seatime" is registered as a trade mark.



















1970 STOWA launched the" smallest alarm watch of the world ("Kleinster Wecker der Welt" at the Hannover fair. At this time the Stowa collection is made of 1000 models !










1974 Walter Storz dies.

1974 STOWA gets partner of the German Watch Cooperation "Pallas". Other partners: PaRa (Paul Raff), Arctos, Hugo Weinmann (brand: Exquisit), Ormo.
Paul Raff was one of the men who founded Pallas.










Somehow a new marketing strategy in 1970 by using synergetic effects - that´s what it is called nowadays. (So it is quite possible to fetch a Stowa Pallas or Pallas Stowa or just a Pallas on ebay or elsewhere).

1996 Werner Storz continued to manage STOWA's business until 1996. He found a successor (Jörg Schauer), who took over and continued the production of STOWA watches.

1997 70th anniversary of Stowa and launch of the limted Flieger with an Unitas cal. 6300N.

1998 Werner Storz died.

2002 75th anniversary. Presentation of the limited pilot´s watch "Bremen D 1167".

2007 80th anniversary with some limited Flieger watches.


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## orahu

Mike -- very nice chronology of events in Stowa's history.

Thanks!


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## bullitt731

You should make that a sticky Mike.


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## Guest

bullitt731 said:


> You should make that a sticky Mike.


Done!


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## MikeW

Fantastic post Mike, thanks for taking the time to put that together :-!. That pic of the Fliegeruhr has me drooling on the keyboard!

Best regards, Mike W.


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## glh

Hi,
I'm intrested in the development of the distribution ways.
When did they start to completly sell by internet?
How was it before?
Are there more watches sold, the before?

I wonder if there were some VIPs wearing STOWAs, if they were sold in shops, AD. That would be perhaps marketing. Not in the way Omega does, but that direction.

thx,
glh


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## Guest

glh said:


> Hi,
> I'm intrested in the development of the distribution ways.
> When did they start to completly sell by internet?


 I am not sure, but about 2001. The Official Jörg Schauer & Stowa Forum became existent in 2002.


> How was it before?


 Via catalogue and direct contact to Stowa, Schauer watches always have been sold via ADs.


> Are there more watches sold, the before?


 Not sure I understood your question.:think:

Re: VIPs. They probably wear Schauer not Stowa.


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## glh

excuse me: are now (via internet) more watches sold, than before?

Thanks for your reply so far!


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## Guest

glh said:


> excuse me: are now (via internet) more watches sold, than before?


Yes, indeed, strongly.


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## glh

thanks mike!
and if you know some VIP wearing Schauer or STOWA let me know! ;-)


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## brainless

glh said:


> thanks mike!
> and if you know some VIP wearing Schauer or STOWA let me know! ;-)


If you consider Mike as a VIP for the forum: Yes, he owns more than one STOWA watch, 

Volker


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## Crusader

glh said:


> and if you know some VIP wearing Schauer or STOWA let me know! ;-)


Frankly, seeing the popularity of some watches (IWC Big Pilot comes to mind) among so called VIPs, I am happy that Stowa isn't a favorite brand among them. b-)

It's not like VIPs have a better sense of watches than the average forumer, and a watch gains nothing because it is worn by another person, IMHO.


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## Nightflight

Great work, Mike! :-! THX


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## montrepassion

:-!Thanks, nice to read. I used to have an airman, sold it last year and I am considering to buy an airman again without logo


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## heinrich89

Sehr interessant! Danke!


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## Gor

Thanks a lot! Very nice post.


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## StufflerMike

Here´s a time table I gathered from different sources:

1927 Stowa is founded by Walter Storz in Hornberg/Kinzigtal. *STO* (Storz), *WA* (Walter)

1935 Stowa moves to Pforzheim, production of watches started in a rented space

1938 An own factory building is ready, located at the Bismarckstrasse 54, Pforzheim

1938 Presentation of some Bauhaus watches ("precursors" of the Antea models)

1939 Manufacturing of the 55mm Stowa Flieger watch










23.02.1945 The factory building was destroyed close to the end of WW II

1945 Stowa moves to Rheinfelden (which is a small town close to the Swiss-German border) and re-starts producing watches

1947 Walter Storz becomes founder member of the german "Uhrenindustrieverband" (Watch Industry Association)

1949 The "Deutsche Uhrenkooperation" (German Watch Cooperation) was founded by Philipp Weber under the brandname PARAT. 
There isn´t much to read about the Parat Cooperation but from what I could find out the Arctos Uhrenfabrik Philipp Weber, Berg Uhrenfabrik (Berg was re-launched by W. Schumacher/HeinrichGeisen watches), Wilhelm Beutter, Osco Uhrenfabrik, Otto Schlund (brand was currently re-launched) and Stowa joined this co-op. 
When wholesalers got into economical troubles and decided to sell the PARAT-collection to greater department stores the cooperation lost a lot of money and disappeared from the market.

1951 A new production facility is set up at Rheinfelden. At the same time, the building in Pforzheim was reconstructed, and the production capacity of both factories was expanded enormously. The proportion of exports rose to almost 50%, and STOWA watches were distributed to some 80 countries worldwide.

1954 Foundation of the RUFA (Rheinfelder Uhrteilefabrik / Rheinfelder watch part factory), production of shock protection for PUW (Pforzheimer Uhrenwerke) and Durowe (Deutsche Uhren Rohwerke).








DUROWE is now owned by Jörg Schauer (DUROWE - Deutsche Uhrenrohwerke).

1960 Werner Storz took over responsibilities at Stowa (mainly covering the overseas markets)

1963 The brand name "STOWA Seatime" is registered as a trade mark.



















1970 STOWA launched the" smallest alarm watch of the world ("Kleinster Wecker der Welt" at the Hannover fair. At this time the Stowa collection is made of 1000 models !










1974 Walter Storz dies.

1974 STOWA gets partner of the German Watch Cooperation "Pallas". Other partners: PaRa (Paul Raff), Arctos, Hugo Weinmann (brand: Exquisit), Ormo.
Paul Raff was one of the men who founded Pallas.










Somehow a new marketing strategy in 1970 by using synergetic effects - that´s what it is called nowadays. (So it is quite possible to fetch a Stowa Pallas or Pallas Stowa or just a Pallas on ebay or elsewhere).

1996 Werner Storz continued to manage STOWA's business until 1996. He found a successor (Jörg Schauer), who took over and continued the production of STOWA watches.

1997 70th anniversary of Stowa and launch of the limted Flieger with an Unitas cal. 6300N.

1998 Werner Storz died.

2002 75th anniversary. Presentation of the limited pilot´s watch "Bremen D 1167". Durowe trademark taken over by Jörg Schauer

2007 80th anniversary with some limited Flieger watches.

2009 Jörg Schauer presents the first Durowe 7440 movement at Basel.




























2010 The Durowe 7440 in a new shape is shown at Baselworld 2010.










2011 The Stowa Marine is available with the Duowe 7440 in a small run.


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## noble.brig

This is a really interesting discussion, and one that becomes philosophical very quickly.  I think you could legitimately ask how much any company that has existed for a long period of time really is one to its present incarnation. Markets change, companies are bought and sold, and even with consistent ownership new generations often have very different ideas than older ones. Although we use phrases like "company DNA," this is a metaphor, and it is difficult to actually say what that actually correlates to in terms of product.


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## Guest

Hi,
I'm intrested in the development of the distribution ways.
When did they start to completly sell by internet?
How was it before?
Are there more watches sold, the before?

I wonder if there were some VIPs wearing STOWAs, if they were sold in shops, AD. That would be perhaps marketing. Not in the way Omega does, but that direction.thanks mike!
and if you know some VIP wearing Schauer or STOWA let me know!


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## Packleader

Thanks for the history lesson, Mike. I decided it was time to learn what I could about Stowa watches and was happy to find this sticky. :-!

Best wishes,
Packleader


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