Today we observe 25 years since the passing of one of the horological world’s most iconic and visionary leaders – Günter Blümlein.
The Man Who Reshaped Modern Watchmaking: Remembering Günter Blümlein 25 Years Later
October 1, 2026 marks exactly a quarter of a century since the horological world lost one of its absolute titans, Günter Blümlein (1943–2001). A true visionary, a master strategist, and a pillar of integrity, his guiding hand resurrected IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and A. Lange & Söhne, reshaping the fabric of modern mechanical watchmaking.
While we have consistently paused to respect his passing in previous anniversaries, this 25th year demands something deeper.
Please watch this space—the full tribute video will debut right here on Deployant at the end of October.
To celebrate his immortal legacy, we are currently producing an exclusive, feature-length documentary tribute set for release at the end of this month. The video centers on an intimate conversation between long-time friends Peter Chong and Dr. Frank Müller as they look back and reminisce on the real man behind the legend.
Joining them to reflect on how Blümlein directly shaped, mentored, and accelerated their own careers are some of the finest minds in contemporary horology, including Max Büsser, Jérôme Lambert, Dominique Renaud, Robert Greubel, and Jean-François Mojon. The video also captures very interesting historical anecdotes of one of Blümlein’s closest associates in the founding of A. Lange & Söhne – the Munich retailer Martin Huber.
Earlier Deployant articles remembering Günter Blümlein
- 2016: In Memoriam with an account of his career and his work at JLC, IWC and Lange.
- 2017: I remember Günter Blümlein
- 2018: Günter Blümlein – a visionary giant
- 2020: Günter Blümlein – the legend is remembered by Dr. Frank Muller
- 2023: I still remember the late great Günter Blümlein
- 2025: Remembering Günter Blümlein: an icon of the century
