In November of 2024, Tiziano, our main editor, and I attended a nice watch dinner in Milan, on the occasion of Milan Watch Week. By the way, a crazy event to meet watch nerds just like the two of us. We sat at a table, and I started talking about watches with the man next to me. After some sentences, we realized we were both from Austria and switched to German.
Turns out this man is the owner of one of the two remaining larger Austrian watch brands: Carl Suchy & Söhne. His name is Robert Punkenhofer, and he gave me an amazing introduction to the brand, which I would like to talk about today.
A Look Back at the Early Days of Carl Suchy & Söhne
Carl Suchy & Söhne was founded by none other than Carl Suchy in 1822 in Vienna. He was an important watchmaker, as he was a supplier to the royal family, loved for his quality and innovation. It is unimaginable to me that more than 200 years ago, they even managed to establish shops in Prague and La Chaux-de-Fonds. Empress Sissi, as well as Sigmund Freud, are known to have bought watches from Suchy.
During the wars and turmoil of the 20th century, Carl Suchy & Söhne was not continued by the heirs and fell dormant due to the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 2017, Robert Punkenhofer partnered with Peter Brabeck-Letmathe and revived and completely rebuilt the brand after 100 years. Now, after almost ten years of its revival, there have been some developments that I would like to talk about.
Carl Suchy & Söhne’s Collection
First of all, Carl Suchy is not a watch brand that can be compared to Rolex or Patek. It is a niche brand, known by collectors and enthusiasts. Someone who is looking for a quick flash with a Submariner or Daytona is not at the right address here. Suchy stands for legacy and Viennese heritage paired with modern watchmaking skills.
The Suchy collection is composed of four basic models, which Robert showed to me in detail during my recent visit to his Suchy showroom in Vienna, which is funnily enough directly next to Belvedere Castle. Model number one is called “Vienna”. It is a 39 mm stainless steel watch that houses a Vaucher Fleurier movement containing a gold micro-rotor with the Carl Suchy logo on it. What is fascinating to me is the attention to detail. Robert explained to me that the finishing on the movement is not called Côtes de Genève, but the term Côtes de Vienne has been established for the stripes. Additionally, the inside of the leather strap is decorated with details from St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.
The second model is called “Belvedere”, matching the grand summer residence of the Savoy family. This is my personal favourite, especially in blue, because it reminds me of the Danube River. The 40.8 mm case sits perfectly on my wrist, and the screw-down crown makes it perfect for a plunge into Lake Attersee in summer. This model features a rubber strap that is micro-engraved with ornaments reflecting the gardens of Belvedere Castle. For me, the coolest part, though, is the sapphire caseback. It makes the central rotor visible, which is made of gold and engraved with a picture of the entire Belvedere Castle. Another amazing feature is the date window, which changes position every day and thus gives the watch a different look. At €8,900, this watch is very fairly priced to me, offering a balance between a business lunch and going swimming.
Another dress watch that Suchy offers is, of course, the model called Waltz N°1. It is inspired by the famous Austrian-Czech architect Adolf Loos. The “waltzing” disc at 6 o’clock completes the picture every minute by matching the lines on the dial. This watch also exists in a skeletonized version, making it more complicated and interesting to observe the movement through the dial and from the back.
Finally, for an astonishing price of €66,000, Suchy offers a table clock, funnily named “Table Waltz”, with an integrated tourbillon. It is limited to only 10 pieces, as the tourbillon is most likely the most complicated mechanism ever invented in watchmaking. The astonishing thing is that the whole case was produced from a single piece of brass, and believe me, I held it in my hand and it is heavy. Suchy & Söhne partnered with the legendary Viennese chandelier maker J. & L. Lobmeyr to finish the case of this amazing piece.
All in all, it can be said that this is a true connoisseur’s watch that brings a lot of pleasure when worn. Definitely check out the stand next time you are at Watches and Wonders, or visit them in Vienna.
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