Stowa is a historic German watch brand located in Engelsbrand, near Pforzheim. Stowa is one of the original five manufacturers of the German WWII B-Uhr Flieger watches, and has spent the last few decades creating highly respected, clean-dial pilot, marine, and minimalist timepieces.
Overview
Founded: 1927
Based in: Engelsbrand, Germany
Typical Price Range: £800–£2,500 GBP
Known For: Flieger, Marine Classic, Antea
Website: stowa.com
Brand Story
Stowa was founded in 1927 by Walter Storz in Hornberg. In 1935, they moved to Pforzheim, establishing a dedicated factory. The brand was famously selected to manufacture the 55mm B-Uhr pilot watches for the German Air Force. In 1996, the brand was acquired by Jörg Schauer, who revived its historic catalog, focusing on high-quality mechanical reissues.
Design Language
Stowa’s designs focus on clean utility. Their Flieger watches feature sterile, logo-free dials with high-luminosity hands, while their Marine line utilizes traditional enamel-like white dials and Arabic numerals. The Antea line is a direct continuation of their 1930s Bauhaus cases.
Movements & Manufacturing
Stowa utilizes Swiss automatic and manual-wind movements (Sellita SW200/ETA 2824 and SW215 manual bases), offering customized rotors and hand-engraved bridge modifications.
Notable Models
Flieger is a highlight of their production line.
Why Enthusiasts Care
For military and aviation watch collectors, Stowa represents true historic authenticity without luxury markups. Their watches are robust, clean, and carry a direct link to the golden era of pilot and marine horological instrument engineering.
Official Website
Featured Models
Flieger Classic 36
The Stowa Flieger Classic 36 is a compact pilot watch featuring a sterile dial layout and a manual-wind Swiss movement.
