Astronomy, time in its purest form is the source of inspiration for the most famous watchmaker in the Netherlands. Christiaan van der Klaauw, an honorary member of the prestigious AHCI, founded the company - Christiaan van der Klaauw Astronomical Watches - in 1974. Christiaan van der Klaauw Astronomical Watches is the only atelier in the world that is completely devoted to the design and the production of exclusive, hand-made astronomical watches.
In 2014, we celebrate the fact that Christiaan van der Klaauw presented his first astronomical clock 40 years ago; 20 years ago he produced his first wristwatch with astronomical complications. It is a celebration in its purest form, with a balanced collection of unique astronomical watches. Christiaan van der Klaauw (1944) was born in Leiden, the city where the Netherlands' greatest scientist of all times, namesake and inspiration Christiaan Huygens started his studies in 1645. Van der Klaauw attended the School for Instrument Makers (LiS) in Leiden, the curriculum established in 1901 at the initiative of Prof. Dr. Heike Kamerlingh Onnes.
In 2009, a new era began for Christiaan van der Klaauw. He was succeeded by the Dutch designer Daniel Reintjes. Daniel Reintjes had known Christiaan for many years, ever since he had asked him to produce watches for his own designer label ¡®Dark Rush'. He got on extremely well with the watchmaker he respected so highly, brought Maurice Doppert and Maria Reintjes van Laar into the project as fellow shareholders and started repositioning the brand. The new directors decided to focus exclusively on astronomical watches; the phrase ¡®astronomical watches' was added to the brand name and models with new, beautiful astronomical complications were added. This new direction was immediately awarded by winning the ¡®Watch of the Year Award' in 2011, and the prestigious European Watch of the Year Award in 2012, 2014 and 2016.