2017 was the 100th anniversary of the most important show and premium event for the world's watch and jewellery industry. On this important, once in a lifetime anniversary year, Baselworld reaffirmed once more its status as a global trendsetting show where the crème de la crème of global brands like Buben & Zörweg exhibit their new watch winder collections and signal the start of a new trendsetting year.

During this 8-day exhibition the Buben & Zörweg booth remained the focal point of buyers who were again eager to discover in which new and creative ways the German brand was able to materialize passion, precision and perfection. By permanently showcasing innovation through their newest watch winders, Buben & Zörweg masterpieces are increasingly setting the pace of the industry as far as safety, exquisite design and perfect execution is concerned.

Many serious watch collectors visiting the Buben & Zörweg booth every year, have come to expect the unexpected, and this year it was the new Solitaire Vision that gathered their full attention. Protected by bullet-proof spy glass that allows an insight as soon as the sophisticated led lighting system is activated, the additional integration of 46 Time Movers, a fine timepiece with world time indication and tourbillon escapement, a SI-60 safe, a humidor, a bar module and an integrated hi-fi system contributed to the overall success of this masterpiece among visitors.

During 8 full days, Baselworld was unquestionably the place to experience first-hand the launch of trendsetting innovations and masterpieces. The passion behind the innovative spirit that distinguishes every Buben & Zörweg creation has thus been reaffirmed and will undoubtedly drive the German luxury brand forward with renewed vitality.

Two weeks ago we spent several days on Baselworld, the biggest watch fair of the world. And of course several watch winder brands did exhibit and welcomed us for a conversation and presentation of their new watch winders. Thereby we did visit some smaller brands and looked around to see what's new. 

We are happy to see that Buben & Zörweg introduced a few new watch winders and also introduced some new models with a lower retail price. As there is more competition and not all consumers have the money to buy the real expensive watch winders it's a good step from Buben & Zörweg. 

Bernard Favre from Switzerland did suprise us with several new models. Next to the famous Planet watch winders they now present bigger cabinets and a new compact single watch winder. All made of the finest materials and with a perfect finish. 

In Hall 2.0 we found Chronovision. This German brand did introduce 2 years ago the Chronovision One single watch winder which is available in many different styles and materials. Now Chronovision presents bigger cabinets to wind multiple automatic watches. They even sold a big cabinet to Christiano Ronaldo, the Real Madrid soccer player. 

The Wolf design watch winders were not really different than other years. Their focus is on leather material and different colours. We didn't see many innovations regarding technique or design. Wolf lost distributors and dealers in Europe, and we hope Baselworld was a success for them, so we can see Wolf more on the European market as well. 

We experienced the same with Rapport watch winder from the UK. The collection isn't different from the last years we visited the Rapport booth. They have a beautiful big booth on a nice spot, but the collections didn't surprise us. Nevertheless Rapport is doing a good job in offering quite classical watch winders to the consumer who prefers a more classic style. 

Kunstwinder from the USA produces very special watch winders. Their feeling for art and technique is incredible and now we have the chance to learn more about the man behind Kunstwinder, Valentin Balter. 

Could you please introduce yourself and function at Kunstwinder watch winders? 

I’m Valentin Balter, the founder and president of Kunstwinder. I have a Master’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering and over 30 years of experience working for leading Silicon Valley companies in the fields of disk drive, semiconductor equipment, biotechnology and medicine, high-precision positioning systems, and robotics.

How would you describe the Kunstwinder company?

At Kunstwinder, we combine artistry and functionality to create exceptional watch winders worthy of displaying your most valued timepieces. We don’t compromise function for art, or vice versa, as our methods work together in harmony to produce aesthetically and mechanically exquisite winders. We incorporate references to art, history, mythology, and technology into our designs, making each watch winder a true conversation piece.

How would you describe the Kunstwinder watch winders?

Our style prioritizes craftsmanship and attention to detail. We use top quality materials, such as natural stone like Brazilian Onyx and Sardonyx, in conjunction with state of the art techniques to produce our winders. A new color anodizing process called Anographics, which involves high-resolution printing on an anodized aluminum base, allows for customization of the watch winders; any graphic, photograph, or piece of art can be used. In fact, one of our recent collections features an art piece by Hieronymus Bosch in honor of the 500-year anniversary of his birth. Our emphasis on quality and professional workmanship means that we have a limited series of production and one of a kind pieces, perfect for watch aficionados who want a unique winder to showcase and maintain their own curated collections.

Can you tell us more about the production process?

Kunstwinder is located in Silicon Valley, California, the epicenter of innovation, creativity, and superior production. All of the manufacturing and assembly is performed at the Kunstwinder machine shop, where parts are machined on high-precision CNC mills out of Aluminum and stainless steel. Onyx inserts are also machined in house. Swiss gear motors ensure that our watch winders operate noiselessly and reliably, which completes the refined effect that is a hallmark of all Kunstwinder designs.

What are the main markets for Kunstwinder? And can you tell us more about the business structure; do you have distributors, dealers or do you sell directly to consumers?

Due to the level of workmanship and detail that we devote to each watch winder, our market is comprised primarily of aficionados and experts that seek superior quality and artistry. We do have some distributors, such as Stephen Silver, OriginTimes.com, windingtime.com, and Amazon.com. We also sell directly to customers through our website.

With internet upcoming, do you consider to sell online by strong internet dealers?

Yes, we’d like to make our Kunstwinder watch winders more widely available for purchase through strong, and most importantly reputable, Internet dealers.  

In which way will Kunstwinder develop the coming years? What will be the focus?

In the years to come, we will continue to push the creative envelope by exploring the use of new materials and finishes, and we also plan to focus on further customizing our watch winders to cater to niche and demanding markets.

If you would compare Kunstwinder with another brand, which brand is this and why?

I’d compare Kunstwinder to the Döttling brand of watch winders, due to our shared innovative spirit and precision mechanical work.

What new projects can we expect soon?

I’ve always been fascinated by windmills -- the old ones, as well as the new, power-generating ones – so that might be part of a future design or collection.

Why should we buy a Kunstwinder watch winder? 

We are unique for our combination of imagination and craftsmanship; Kunstwinder is the only brand of watch winder that will beautifully showcase your most precious timepieces while also maintaining them at their optimal levels of functioning. We produce top-quality watch winders to suit every taste and collection, from simple and sophisticated designs to more impactful statement pieces, all of which operate with the seamless mechanical precision that is the mark of a Kunstwinder piece.  

The company behind the largest online shop for watch winders, owner of shops as www.watchwinders.com, www.watchwinders.nl, www.watchwinders.de and www.remontoirs.fr (both last not live yet) now also presents a new shop for the UK market; www.watchwinders.co.uk (and www.watchwinders.uk). 

In the most important European markets (Germany, UK, France, Netherlands and Belgium) the company does have online shops now and the future perspectives are looking great. The market for automatic watches is quite big and therefore it's interesting to see the expansion of an online shop with eye for beautiful brands, good collections and formidable service. As official dealer of more than 12 watch winder brands and with more than 2500 watch winders in stock this company is the biggest player on the watch winder market, worldwide. 

The advantage of buying online is that you can choose between many brands and compare individual watch winders. Thereby the prices are interesting. All of these shops do ship worldwide from their warehouse in the Netherlands. Of course you can pay by creditcard, Paypal or wire transfer. 

In the new shop www.watchwinders.co.uk you can find brands as Swiss Kubik, Bernard Favre, Rapport, Wolf, Benson watchwinders, RDI and many more. Curious? Visit their website and check it out.

Like every year Buben & Zörweg will be present at Baselworld, Switzerland, with their beautiful booth containing the most luxury watch winders available. Baselworld is worlds most important fair related to watches and watch winders. The most important brands are present. We will visit the Buben & Zörweg booth and receive a presentation about all new products and innovations of this great brand. We are looking forward to it:)

The head of design at Buben & Zörweg has been honoured by China’s leading online watch retailer Wbiao, with the Design Art Lifetime Achievement Award. Since its establishment in 2011, Wbiao has sold over 400,000 watches and is now one of China’s most influential authorities in the global watch industry.

Design visionary Eberhard Hagmann, already the recipient of over 40 national and international design awards, has carved out a career in the German watch industry spanning over three decades. At Buben & Zörweg, Hagmann has been responsible for the design of numerous innovations resulting in Buben & Zörweg safes, time-pieces and private museums, which are the pinnacle of form, function and high security. The finest woods, exotic leathers and metals, available in a staggering one million colours, are sourced worldwide to produce Buben & Zörweg masterpieces for royalty, heads of state and stars of sport and screen.

Buben & Zörweg's creations are impeccably engineered to house personal and national treasures, ranging from rare watches to antiquities, guns and gold bars. The company’s safes and bullet proof objects also serve as elaborate display cases, incorporating additional functions, from watch winders, to a humidor, bar, weather station or sound system.

You name it, and Buben & Zörweg can create it. That's what makes this watch winder brand so popular and special. See you in Basel!