Hermle Clocks, the 96 year old German family-owned clockmaker, has officially launched its range of clocks in India.
Hermle Clocks was founded in 1922 in the Swabian Alb region of Gosheim by Franz Hermle. The eponymous German brandname is not new to India. ’Hermle’ is also one of the leading manufacturers of precision milling machines which is popular in the Indian manufacturing and precision engineering sector. Hermle AG was founded in 1938 by Berthold Hermle.
Both homonymous companies are located in the southwestern German town of Gosheim. While Hermle AG is now a publicly traded German company, Hermle Clocks remains a third generation family owned and operated company.
“Silence is needed to produce timepieces and we’ve managed to find the silence here in the Swabian Albs,” according to a company video about the history of the Hermle Clock Company.
Hermle Clocks’ business comprises turning parts, mechanical movements and a clock manufactory. The company is highly specialised in 1mm — 38mm turning parts and also delivers to the automotive and aerospace sector.
The company is present in 86 countries so far. “Clocks and clock movements are our main business and we are excited to be in India” said Jens Quaeck, International Sales Director for Uhrenmanufaktur GmbH & Co KG, Frankfurt.
Hermle table clocks, mantle pieces, wall clocks, grandfather clocks , astrolabium clocks and telluriums will now be available in India. “Each of these pieces start with a price range of Rs 20,000 and go on to about Rs 2 lakh apiece. There are some clocks such as the Tellurium which can go upto Rs 20 lakh depending on its size and what adorns it,” said Sanjay B. Hasija from Skylarkk Trading Co.
“We have set nice strategies together and are looking forward to develop the market together. We believe that the Indian market has a lot of potential,“ added Quaeck.
Hermle caters to an elite niche market with an appreciation for mechanised clockwork. The rest of the world abandoned the charm of traditional clockwork and moved on to quartz but Hermle Uhrenmanufaktur stayed true to their ways. “When the time changes you have to focus on what you can do best,” said Quaeck, who is incidentally a third generation family member.
The company is one of the last few producers in this segment in the world.
