Meistersinger

Watches from MeisterSinger show the passage of time using only one hand. This method of telling the time dates back to the sundials used by our ancient ancestors. MeisterSinger watches feature a scale that marks every hour with an Arabic numeral. In between, there are indices of varying lengths denoting 5, 15, and 30-minute increments. This allows you to determine the time to within five minutes without the constant ticking of a second hand.

Based in the northeastern German city of Münster, this manufacturer has been crafting their unique watches since 2001. Managing director and founder, Manfred Brassler, is more concerned with functional design than fleeting trends when developing new timepieces. Even models with additional displays, such as a ring for the date or day, still feel harmonious.

There's a wide array of bands to choose from, including stainless Milanese bracelets as well as suede, cordovan leather, and alligator leather straps. What's more, each collection features dials in different colors like blue, green, ivory, or anthracite. Some dials even have a sunburst pattern that changes depending on how the light hits it.

MeisterSinger imports all their movements from Swiss companies like Sellita and ETA. The latter belongs to the Swatch Group and also supplies big names like IWC and TAG Heuer. This demonstrates their fantastic quality and MeisterSinger's own high aspirations. Mechanical movements power most MeisterSinger watches, though there are also a few quartz models in their catalog.

The No.01 models all have classic MeisterSinger designs. Their needle pointers and two-digit hour numerals resemble something you'd find on a gauge and define the look of these round timepieces. The stainless steel watches of the No.01 series were MeisterSinger's first creation and have changed very little since their debut. A manual ETA or Sellita caliber with a 38-hour power reserve powers the 43-mm editions. You can purchase a well-maintained No.01 for as little as 1,100 USD. A never-worn timepiece on an alligator leather strap can cost up to 1,700 USD. If 43 mm is too large for you, MeisterSinger also offers 40-mm models, which demand around 1,300 USD new.

While the No.02 line looks very similar to the No.01, it uses a pocket watch movement from Unitas. You can view this beautifully polished movement and its tempered blue screws through the sapphire glass case back. The 43-mm case may be on the larger side, but it is in keeping with this timepiece's historic predecessors. Those with a beige dial feel especially retro. Plan to spend between 1,300 and 2,300 USD for the No.02.

The No.03 series is the perfect choice if you're looking for an automatic watch with a typical MeisterSinger design. Once again, you can choose from a variety of dial colors and between a 40 or 43-mm case. The smaller model features a date window at 6 o'clock. Depending on their condition, these timepieces sell for anywhere from 1,400 to 1,900 USD.

The Circularis collection contains manual and automatic MeisterSinger calibers developed specifically for single-hand watches. Each has a 120-hour power reserve, meaning they can run for five days when fully wound. MeisterSinger teamed up with Swiss movement manufacturer Synergies Horlogéres to craft the first manual caliber, the MSH01. This was followed by the automatic caliber MSA01 with a date display and the manual caliber MSH02 with a power reserve indicator.

From the outside, there's very little to distinguish these models from classics like the No.01. Even so, they cost more due to their special, high-quality calibers. You can purchase a Circularis with the caliber MSH01 starting around 3,100 USD. Pieces with an automatic caliber and date display change hands for about 3,900 USD. The most expensive edition has a power reserve indicator and the manual MSH02 movement. This timepiece sells for around 4,300 USD.

The automatic watches of the Perigraph series come with more than a simple time display. An open date ring lends these timepieces their technical feel. This ring sits within the hour markers and fits in well with the overall look. Prices for these 43-mm watches begin around 1,300 USD. The Perigraph Black Line edition is especially sporty. Its stainless steel case is coated in DLC (diamond-like carbon), granting it greater durability. Beige hands, indices, and Arabic numerals contrast nicely against the black dial. The Perigraph Black Line requires an investment of about 1,800 USD.

As its name suggests, the Pangaea Day Date has two open rings: one for the date, and another for the day. This timepiece uses an automatic caliber and costs around 1,600 USD in very good condition. You can purchase a mint-condition version for between 1,800 and 2,200 USD.

If you often find yourself traveling between time zones, you might enjoy the Adhaesio collection. In addition to an open date ring, this timepiece features a ring for displaying the time in a second time zone. This means you can always tell what time it is back home, no matter where in the world you are. These watches require an investment of around 2,000 USD. Models with a dark dial and contrasting white rings for the date and second time zone are especially striking.

Like many others, MeisterSinger recognizes the aesthetic charm of the moon phase display. This is why the watches of the Lunascope collection feature this appealing complication on their dials between 10 and 2 o'clock. What's more, they also have a date display at 6 o'clock.

Models with a blue dial are particularly striking. The dial and blue moon phase disc meld into one, giving the impression that you're looking at the night sky. These striking automatic watches cost about 2,800 USD.

Unlike MeisterSinger's other models, the single-hand watches of the Salthora series use common minute scales. This is made possible by a jumping hour located in a window at 12 o'clock. At the end of every hour, it springs forward one position. That means you can use this MeisterSinger timepiece to tell the time to the exact minute.

Elegant automatic models with serif Arabic numerals, narrow line indices, and a 40-mm case demand about 1,600 USD in mint condition. Prices for sporty, 43-mm "Meta" timepieces with sans-serif Arabic numerals sit around 2,300 USD. MeisterSinger even offers a diving watch in this series. The Salthora Meta X with a rotatable bezel is water resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft) and sells for about 2,600 USD.

Narrow bezels and flat cases define the watches of the Neo collection. This design is inspired by classic watches from the 50s, made all the more authentic by acrylic crystal and a 36-mm case. This size makes these timepieces the perfect unisex watch. You can even choose from a quartz or automatic movement. The 40-mm Neo-Plus models are better suited as men's watches.

Be sure to set aside around 790 USD for a 36-mm MeisterSinger Neo with an automatic caliber. The Neo Q is the same size but uses a quartz caliber. This watch changes hands for only 560 USD. You can purchase an automatic Neo Plus for about 1,100 USD.

Single-hand MeisterSinger watches are a great choice for anyone who measures their life in moments and not seconds. Their different approach to telling time helps us escape the chaos of everyday life. This same concept helped create the brand's logo: the fermata. This symbol – an open semi-circle with a dot in the middle – is used in music to indicate a pause, perfectly representing the MeisterSinger philosophy.

Using this mindset to design watches has earned this manufacturer numerous awards and accolades. For example, the No.01 earned the Red Dot Design Award in 2004. In 2015, the Pangaea Day Date won that, the German Design award, and the Good Design Award. The caliber MSH01 received the Red Dot Award for Product Design in 2015 and the German Design Award in 2017.