Alfred Helwig

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Alfred Helwig (* July 5, 1886 in Goldbach / b. Sorau ; † May 18, 1974 in Glashütte ) was a German precision watchmaker and specialist author, inventor of the flying tourbillon .

Life

After Helwig had learned the watchmaking trade with master watchmaker Gustav Dunkel in Sorau from 1900 to 1904 , he attended the German watchmaking school Glashütte (DUS) until 1905 . Then he worked in Hof for Georg Braun. In 1906 he was employed by Glashütte Precision-Uhren-Fabrik AG , and from 1908 by Hamburg Chronometerwerke . In 1909 he returned to Glashütte and worked at DUS until 1911.

In 1911 Helwig opened his chronometry workshop in Glashütte . From April 1, 1913 to 1944, he worked as a specialist teacher at the DUS. Helwig specialized in fine adjustment and tourbillons. In the 1920s he developed a flying tourbillon, which several of his master students also made under his guidance. This flying tourbillon was first realized in 1920 by Helwig in collaboration with his master student Conrad Richter. In 1922 Helwig passed his master craftsman's examination and made a flying five-minute tourbillon with lever escapement (DUS No. 3022). Although this school clock was created in collaboration with his student Edgar Simmchen, it was recognized as a masterpiece . For the master craftsman's examination, it was sufficient that the examinee had manufactured the bogie with the anchor escapement. Helwig was appointed senior teacher in 1923 and from 1933 he held the title of commercial student adviser . From 1937 onwards, looking after students was no longer part of Helwig's duties because he was entrusted with development and research tasks. This also ended the production of the famous Helwig student tourbillons at the DUS. Helwig worked at the DUS until October 1954.

Helwig and Friedrich Karl Giebel (1879–1950) wrote the book The Fine Adjustment of Clocks , which was not published until 1950 as it was kept secret during World War II .

As a tribute to Alfred Helwig, Glashütte Original brought out the Alfred Helwig Tourbillon and Alfred Helwig Tourbillon 2 models as limited models in the high-price sector in the “Masterpieces” series ; they were also characterized by a one-sided “flying” tourbillon.

The Glashütte watchmaking school bears his name in his honor.

Publications (selection)

  • From pocket watch to wristwatch. In: The watchmaker week. 1930, p. 568 f. (continued).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Glashütte-Original - Times of Switzerland - Alfred-Helwig-2 ( Memento from October 27, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ↑ The seventh year of training starts at the Alfred Helwig School of Watchmaking

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Helwig, Alfred
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German precision watchmaker and specialist author
DATE OF BIRTH July 5, 1886
PLACE OF BIRTH Goldbach / b. Sorau
DATE OF DEATH May 18, 1974
Place of death Glassworks