[jenya79]

DuFa (Deutsche Uhrenfabrik). Just saw these for the first time and am pretty impressed with the designs. I also like their homage to the great architects and designers of the German Bauhaus movement. I know they have quartz and Japanese automatic movements and are assembled and/or headquartered in Germany. Does anyone know these watches well and give some insight?

Thanks in advance.

 

[rationaltime]

I have not seen one of those watches. I also have not found any information
that the watches are assembled in Germany or that the company is based
in Germany.


Thanks,
rationaltime

 

[StufflerMike]

From a former post

Deutsche Uhrenfabrik suggests at least a tiny link to German watchmaking. But there's none as far as I can see. Trade mark is owned by Forthway Limited, Virgin Islands, as well as Klaus Kobec and AVI-8.

Domain of Deutsche-Uhrenwerke was owned by:SolarTime LTD, 15/F, Kowloon Center, 29-39 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha, 852 Kowloon, HK. Watches have been sold by Lufthansa on international flights and advertised as a product of german workmanship.

Another member posted this

The company is registered to a UK company that is a clear front - the directors are all on the boards of about 200 companies each
Although a German website, there isn't a word of German on the site.
The only link on the site is in Chinese
The website TOS is governed by UK law
The website was registered by

Domaininhaber: SolarTime LTD
Adresse: 15/F, Kowloon Center, 29-39 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha
PLZ: 852
Ort: Kowloon
Land: HK

The company has no physical presence under the name DUFA in Germany. They probably rent a closet in some import/export warehouse.

Saw them at Munichtime last year and Ingorgenta this year. Nice but not convincing.

 

[jenya79]

All the above is interesting. This seems to be a common theme lately as people are trying to catch people with this "Made in Germany" gimmick. All that said, they do make a nice looking watch.

 

[gangrel]

How much ya wanna bet that they're not nearly as nice in person? They're starting with, if not outright lies, fairly serious misreperesentations.

And to be honest, when I see that many different models from a really small company...if no one here has heard of it, it's small...then "Chinese Mushroom" rather springs to mind immediately. PR, regulator, center seconds auto, center and subdial seconds quartz, 2 and 3 register chrono, 3 register chrono day-date, a poorly explained calendar, and a GMT? Who are we kidding here? And the pages about each model are long on pics, short on details about the movements.

Yeah, might as well call this a Barnum company.

 

[LosAngelesTimer]

One gets a similar feeling from most of the watch brands under the Dartmouth umbrella. Watches of dubious origin and workmanship, like Spinnaker.

 

[Sadhu]

Dufa was clock company then bought by KIENZLE (wrist watch brand) in 1930, after several bankrupt of KIENZLE only name was left.
Now name rights has owned by Solar time Ltd of Hong kong which founded in 1977 by Notan Tolani who immigrated from Pakistan (he is a naturalized British citizen born in 1946, his name is Hindi not Muslim)
Now Dufa is controlled by Paper company Dartmouth UK owned by Solar time (no physical address in UK)
Present director of Solar time is Vishal Tolani, son of Notan.
Original "Dufa" had a factory in Thuringen but new Dufa has only Hong kong based.

Dartmouth brands are those
pinnaker,AVI-8,DuFa,Fjord,Ballast,Giordano,Earnshaw ,James McCabe
In Japan, Dufa brand is sold by Ueni trading co as "Pure German made"

Early days Solar time's Dufa
it has "Tongi" movement of China

BTW I'm new bee here so can't patch the link

 

[Sadhu]

 

[Sadhu]

Mr.Leo Chueung designed Dufa watch

Box and booklet are designed by Angela Ho

 

[Sadhu]

At Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair 2018

 

[sci]

But then how some models have "Made in Germany" on the dial, if they don't have any assembly facility in Germany?

 

[Sadhu]

They have good factory in Shenzhen then set every local factory

for each brand?

I don't think it is possible.

Also German guys are writing "I'm from Thuringen, there's nothing found Dufa factory"

BTW Chinese Taobao shop has all Dufa models, some are not selling in other country, those are all imported from Germany.....

 

[StufflerMike]

But then how some models have "Made in Germany" on the dial, if they don't have any assembly facility in Germany?

Good question. Ask DuFa (The DUFA brand has stood for the best of German watchmaking for almost a century) at [email protected] and ask them why their German reads like a bad google translation (their use of „riemen" instead of „Dornschliesse" (buckle) is nothing but amusing).

Watches have to be returned to

Mistal Time Services
Broseley House
116a Bradshawgate
Leigh
Lancashire
WN7 4NT,

that's not Thuringia.

 

[Sadhu]

Mistal Time Service ? The UK?s Premier watch repairers since 1981

This company has contract of repair with all watches of Dartmouth distribution

That means all Solar time watches are thrown into same buckets for fixing, "German factory" is fantasy I guess

 

[Sadhu]

Job offer of Solar time Ltd

They clearly wrote "The company fully owns Dartmouth brands ltd

"

 

[Sadhu]

This is the registration record of Dartmouth, obviously just a paper company to hide the name of Solar time

 

[Sadhu]

Now "Trade mark is owned by Forthway Limited, Virgin Islands" and past records are deleted from registration page.
I found it again from other page.

 

[Sadhu]

Re-registered by "Fortway ltd" in 2015

 

[rationaltime]

They may be concerned someone will make copies of their watches
and degrade the value of their brand. It seems prudent to register
their trade mark in the US.


Thanks,
rationaltime

 

[Limbus]

Wow all that information was impressive.