Glashütte Glashütte Original has roots dating back to 1845 when watchmakers Ferdinand Adolph Lange, Moritz Grossman, Julius Assmann, and Adolf Schneider came to Glashütte to manufacture watch parts and pocket watches. They chose this area for its proximity to Dresden’s already established clockwork fame. The work of these founders led to innovations that became signature components of Glashütte watchmaking and are still continued today, such as the Glashütte three-quarter plate, gold lever wheels, and chatons, all developed in 1865 and all increased timekeeping precision. After successfully petitioning the King of Saxony for a business loan, Moritz Grossman founded the German School of Watchmaking in the town of Glashütte in 1878.