page_title: Kienzle Uhren
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Kienzle Uhren / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Clock: Kienzle Automatic Nederlands: Klok: Kienzle Automatic
context_page_description: KIENZLE Uhren GmbH is Germany's oldest watchmakers. Founded in 1822 in Schwenningen, the company headquarters has been in Hamburg since 2002.
context_section_description: In 1883 Jakob Kienzle married into the Schlenker family and henceforward he contributed to the expansion of the company. In 1899, 162,000 watches and alarm clocks were made per annum. The name of the company was changed to Schlenker & Kienzle.
  From 1894 onwards the weight and the cost of alarm clocks and wall clocks was significantly reduced by the introduction of the "American System" with standardised individual components and perforated plates. This process was highly innovative at that time. In 1897 Jakob Kienzle became the sole owner, with the name of the company later being changed to Kienzle. Watch production was continuously extended and modernised, and international activities expanded. In the following years branches in Milan, Paris and London were established.
  In 1902 Kienzle launched the time stamp clock on the market, followed by inexpensive pocket watches, travelling clocks and wristwatches for ladies. The first clocks for automobiles were also made at that time. The so-called "Strapazier-Armbanduhr" was presented in 1931. This watch is extremely resilient because of its special construction. The watch model becomes a popular product, with 25 million examples sold.
  At the end of the 1930s, Kienzle started the manufacture of two table clocks in the upper price segment: the Zodiac Clock and the World Time Clock. After the Second World War Kienzle continued production with established articles and new products like a parking meter equipped with the latest technology.
  During the Second World War, the company augmented the employed work force with slave labour from Poland and other conquered areas.  The factory produced and supplied a range of timing instruments and watches for German and Axis armed forces.  These included chronograph 8-day cockpit clocks for Messerschmitt and Heinkel aircraft as well as wrist and pocket watches for general purchase, and for the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe.
  In 1956 the so-called "Volksautomatik" was introduced to the market. Energy is provided by a rotor that winds in both directions and instead of steel pins the lever is fitted with ruby pins.
  In the 1960s, Kienzle produced dashboard clocks for Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Both Series 1 Silver Shadow, and Bentley T models were fitted with a Kienzle clocks.
  In the 1960s and 1970s Kienzle became a market leader in Germany. In 1972 the first solar watch, "Heliomat", was produced as well as the first quartz movements. In the following years Kienzle was the first company to present a quartz travel alarm clock.
  In 1986 Kienzle developed the first solar watch with light conditions and a polycrystalline solar element. In the early 1990s, Kienzle developed the most water-resistant watch in the world which was resistant up to 12,000 metres. They also developed the world's first radio-controlled "atomic" alarm clock with an analogue alarm setting.
  In 1996 a new radio-controlled movement was perfected: the smallest dual-motor, radio-controlled movement with the fastest setting system. This movement corrects to the right time within just five minutes.
caption: Kienzle Automatic
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