# Stowa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Stowa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Stowa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stowa > Source revision: 1331011057 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **STOWA** is a German luxury watchmaker founded by Walter Storz in 1927, and is based in [Pforzheim](/source/Pforzheim), [Germany](/source/Germany). The name is a [portmanteau](/source/Portmanteau) of the founder's name, **Sto**rz **Wa**lter. From 1996 until 2021, STOWA was owned by Jörg Schauer, who also owns the Schauer watch [brand](/source/Brand) and the [DUROWE](/source/DUROWE) watch movement brand. July 1, 2021, Stowa became part of Tempus Arte GmbH & Co. KG, which also owns Uhrenmanufaktur Lang & Heyne Dresden, UhrenWerke-Dresden (UWD), as well as the Munich-based company Leinfelder Uhren München.[1] ## Timeline 1927: Founding of STOWA by Walter Storz in Hornberg/Kinzigtal, Germany. The name derives from "STO," for Storz and "WA," for Walter. 1935: Moved to a new rented building in [Pforzheim](/source/Pforzheim), Germany. 1938: Construction of STOWA owned building at Bismarckstraße 54 in Pforzheim, Germany. 1938: Presentation of Bauhaus watches (on which today's Antea line is based). 1938: AbwehrZeitArbeit ausf.b developed to manufacture timepieces for the military. 1939: Production launch of STOWA Marine Beobachtungsuhr ("Observation Watch") and the big pilot B-watches (55mm), (commissioned by the [Luftwaffe](/source/Luftwaffe) in [World War II](/source/World_War_II)). Both basic designs can be found in several variations within the current line. STOWA was one of only five manufacturers for these watches (the others being [A. Lange & Söhne](/source/A._Lange_%26_S%C3%B6hne), [Laco](/source/Laco_watch_manufacture), [Wempe](/source/Wempe_Chronometerwerke) and [IWC](/source/International_Watch_Company)). 1945: On February 23, 1945, the STOWA building is destroyed by the Allies' bombardment of Pforzheim. 1945: Start of STOWA's new watch factory in [Rheinfelden](/source/Rheinfelden_(Baden)), [Baden-Württemberg](/source/Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg), [Germany](/source/Germany), near [Basel](/source/Basel), [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland). 1947: Walter Storz becomes founding member of the Watch Industry Association. 1951: Construction of STOWA's new factory in Rheinfelden is completed. The headquarters office in Pforzheim is rebuilt in parallel. 1954: Foundation of the RUFA (Rheinfelder Uhrteilefabrik). Leads to production of RUFA-Anti-Shocks for PUW and [DUROWE](/source/DUROWE) movements. The Rheinfelden factory is expanded. 1960: Werner Storz, son of Walter Storz, joins the company and is in charge of sales overseas. 1963: Protection of trademarks for STOWA Seatime is established (prototype for present-day Seatime collection). 1966: The Rheinfelden factory is expanded further. 1970: STOWA launches the "smallest alarm clock of the world" at the [Hannover](/source/Hanover) watch fair. The watch collection comprises approximately 1,000 different watch models.[2] 1974: Walter Storz dies. STOWA becomes partner and member of the German watch cooperation Pallas, which has the primary goal of supplying specialized dealers and retailers with a collection of market-conform and trend-setting watches, concentrated advertising, and the highest level of customer service. 1996: Jörg Schauer takes over STOWA and all trademark rights from Werner Storz. 1997: STOWA's 70th anniversary. A limited edition Fliegeruhr ("Pilot Watch") with Unitas 6300N movement is introduced. 1998: Werner Storz dies. 2002: The 75th anniversary of STOWA as a company. A limited edition Fliegeruhr "Bremen D 1167" is offered in celebration of the anniversary. This limited edition is a tribute to the airplane called "Bremen," the first airplane to make a nonstop flight across [Atlantic Ocean](/source/Atlantic_Ocean) from East to West in 1928. 2007: STOWA's 80th anniversary. Introduction of two limited edition pilot's watches: Flieger Automatic and Flieger Original. 2008/2009: Move to the current production building, which also houses the STOWA in-house museum with several historic watches produced by STOWA. 2010: Introduction of the STOWA Chronograph, which is based on a former pocket watch design. Launch of the Flieger Baumuster B with B-Dial. (Only 42 pieces of the original 55mm Pilot B-Dial watch have been produced during WW2, making the original Pilot B-Uhr is one of the rarest big pilot watches ever.) 2021: Stowa became part of Tempus Arte GmbH & Co. KG. ## Watch models As of 2020, STOWA has several model lines: - **Antea**: Replica of an original STOWA design from the 1930s.[3] - **Antea back to bauhaus**: Refreshed bauhaus design, in collaboration with designer [Hartmut Esslinger](/source/Hartmut_Esslinger), introduced in 2014.[4] - **Chronograph**: [Chronograph](/source/Chronograph) models based on historic [pocket watch](/source/Pocket_watch) designs.[5] - **Flieger (Pilot)**: Homage to the original Beobachtungsuhren (B-Uhr) design.[6][7] - **Flieger Verus**: Contemporary pilot watch designs.[8] - **Marine**: Based on the [marine chronometers](/source/Marine_chronometer) used in navigation.[9] - **Partitio**: a [Bauhaus](/source/Bauhaus) design inspired watch, replicated from a 1930s STOWA design, and sold exclusively through [Manufactum](/source/Manufactum) retail stores.[10] - **Prodiver**: Sports diving watches that are water resistant to 1000m. The dial and hand design of these are inspired by vintage STOWA Seatimes.[11][12] The movements in STOWA's watches are [Sellita](/source/Sellita) and [ETA](/source/ETA_SA) movements with significant decoration and, in the case of their own M1 caliber, mechanical modifications. ## Distribution Since around 2001/02, STOWA has sold the majority of its watches directly to the customer, through its website or from its factory in [Pforzheim](/source/Pforzheim). STOWA claims[13] this allows them to keep their distribution costs down, thereby keeping prices lower than if their watches were sold through a wholesale & retail network. ## See also - [List of German watch manufacturers](/source/List_of_German_watch_manufacturers) ## References 1. ["Achieve more together – Tempus Arte GmbH & Co. KG became the new owner of STOWA GmbH Co. KG"](https://mcusercontent.com/2a9fc5dc008d2af2c2a1da93a/files/a24747b6-ac60-8372-896a-7688c1d773cf/2021_07_09_PR_TempusArte_ENG.pdf). 2021-07-01. 1. "Rheinfelder Anzeiger". April 29, 1970. 1. ["Stowa Antea - Legendary Bauhaus Design Under the Microscope"](https://www.architecturelab.net/stowa-antea-review/). *Architectural Lab*. 2019-05-28. Retrieved 2020-09-30. 1. Ryvin, Ilya (2015-11-25). ["Stowa back to bauhaus review"](https://wornandwound.com/review/stowa-antea-back-to-bauhaus/). *Worn & Wound*. Retrieved 2020-09-30. 1. Koch, Jens (2020-06-15). ["Beautifully Bicompax: Comparing Chronographs from Stowa, Staudt, and Frederique Constant"](https://www.watchtime.com/reviews/beautifully-bicompax-comparing-chronographs-from-stowa-staudt-and-frederique-constant/). *Watch Time*. Retrieved 2020-10-01. 1. Broer, Robert-Jan (2017-05-03). ["Hands-On With The Stowa Flieger Klassik 40"](https://www.fratellowatches.com/stowa-flieger-klassik-40/). *Fratello Magazine*. Retrieved 2020-10-01. 1. Ryvin, Ilya (2014-02-19). ["Stowa Flieger Review"](https://wornandwound.com/review/stowa-flieger-review/). *Worn & Wound*. Retrieved 2020-10-01. 1. Kansa, Patrick (2018-07-19). ["Getting back to basics with the Stowa Flieger Verus 40"](https://wristwatchreview.com/2018/07/19/getting-back-to-basics-with-the-stowa-flieger-verus-40/). *The Wrist Watch Review*. Retrieved 2020-09-30. 1. Scholz, Felix (2013-05-06). ["In-Depth The Stowa Marine Original"](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/in-depth-stowa-marine-original). *Hodinkee*. Retrieved 2020-10-01. 1. ["Stowa Partitio"](https://watchclicker.com/2019/04/08/stowa-partitio/). *The Watch Clicker*. 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2020-10-01. 1. ["Inside & Out: The Stowa Seatime Prodiver"](https://www.timepiecechronicle.com/features/inside-out-the-stowa-seatime-prodiver). *Timepiece Chronicle*. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2020-10-01. 1. ["Deep down with the Stowa Seatime Prodiver White"](https://www.achickenwristsdelight.com/omtaler/2019/2/22/deep-down-with-the-stowa-seatime-prodiver-white). *A Chickenwrists Delight*. 2019-02-22. Retrieved 2020-10-01. 1. [STOWA website FAQs](http://www.german-watches.com/cgi-bin/lshop.cgi?action=inline&file=1148805493-e.html&wkid=21286&ls=e&nocache=1241915983-9977) ## External links - [Official Website](http://www.stowa.com) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stowa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stowa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stowa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.