The Great Wide Open

The ignition key? Still good old-fashioned metal. No drive mode menu here. Clutch, gearshift, torque – yep, you guessed it: a manual! Four gears. And off we go, cruising down the road in this gorgeous convertible Corvette C2. Top down, of course. Everything feels effortless. A relaxed hour or so on the country roads, heading through the Saxon countryside toward Glashütte. And there we are, right in the thick of it – driving and chatting. When Thilo Mühle speaks, it doesn’t sound like corporate jargon. The man running the family business Mühle-Glashütte, now in its fifth generation, since 2007 isn’t one for grand speeches – but when he speaks, people listen. About watches, cars, sports – and about what it takes to keep your bearings in turbulent times.

Mr. Mühle, who are you?

I’d say I’m a down-to-earth guy. Very rooted, absolutely. I grew up in the Ore Mountains, and that really shaped me. Back in my youth – when this was still East Germany – I wasn’t exactly a model student. I just didn’t see the point of school. But after the Wall came down, everything shifted – I got into sales and quickly realized: this is my thing. I’m a salesman through and through. I love the direct customer contact, explaining things, getting people excited. And eventually I ended up in management – and with that came a lot of responsibility.

You make responsibility sound almost like a sport. Does a bit of East German pragmatism help with that?

(laughs) I’m not sure if that’s really an East German thing. You’ll find pragmatists and dreamers on both sides of the former border. I’m rarely the latter. I always try to look at challenges realistically and find solutions that work. Sports definitely help with that. I run a lot, cycle, go hiking in the mountains – even to altitudes where the air gets thin. Sports teach you to push past your limits. And once you’ve experienced that, you can handle pressure at work with a lot more ease.

What does it mean to you to be rooted?

A lot. I live and work in the Ore Mountains, near a place called the Saxon Switzerland. It’s a stunning region – though the valleys are narrow, and sometimes you have to get out to broaden your horizons. I love the variety here – the landscape, the people, the culture. Whether I’m out cycling or driving one of my cars, I’m always discovering something new. Sometimes it’s just a beautifully built old farmhouse or a bit of folk art by the roadside.

Sounds like you really enjoy driving.

Absolutely. Especially with my vintage cars. I tend to avoid the autobahn – they don’t suit a convertible Corvette. It’s much more fun to cruise along the small country roads. I practically know every great route within a 250-kilometer radius by heart – through the Ore Mountains, into Lusatia or over to the Central Bohemian Highlands. It’s the perfect mix of slowing down, the romance of gasoline and a little taste of freedom.

Tell us about the Corvette you’re driving here.

It’s a C2, built in 1965, with a small-block V8 – about 340 horsepower. To me, it’s a symbol of freedom, of American optimism, the way I imagined it as a kid growing up in the East. Marlboro ads, endless highways, the great wide open. Technically speaking, the Corvette was never a marvel – the windshield wipers are more for show than function – but it’s got real character. Rough around the edges, charming and honest. I think that suits it perfectly.

You own other cars too, right?

Yes, I have a soft spot for classics. I’ve got a BMW E30 M3 Evo I – a DTM dream from my youth. And a Mercedes-Benz CL 500 – very comfortable, almost like a luxurious palanquin. You can drive 400 kilometers straight in that one and still feel great afterward. I like cars that tell a story. Just like our watches.

How would you describe your company?

In a nutshell: precision with character. We’re a family business you can actually relate to. Our watches aren’t show-offs – they’re instruments. Robust, reliable, easy to read. My great-grandfather started with measuring instruments, later making dashboard clocks and speedometers – even for Auto Union and BMW. We carry on that tradition of precision today – with mechanical wristwatches. And always with this principle: the time must be clearly visible first. Everything else comes second. That’s no longer the norm with every brand these days. ( ... )

→ Read the entire interview in the new ramp #68 »Happy as a Clam«.