The function and design of the S.A.R. Rescue-Timer was essentially co-determined by the coxswains of the sea rescuers. The coxswains are the captains of the sea rescue cruisers and boats. In wind and weather, they perform their task of helping seafarers in distress. As a watch brand with a nautical background, cooperation with the sea rescuers was a natural choice.
For more than 150 years, the German Maritime Search and Rescue Society (DGzRS) has been ensuring safety on the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The sea rescuers perform important and often dangerous work, to which many people owe their lives.
Since its foundation, the society, which is financed purely by donations, has rescued more than 85,000 people from distress at sea. The foundation was preceded by several serious shipwrecks on the North Sea coast, which led to calls for a German sea rescue organization. This initially led to the founding of regional rescue associations, which came together on
29 May 1865 in Kiel to form the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS).
Since 2002, the sea rescuers and Mühle-Glashütte have shared a tradition. In February of that year, the first S.A.R. Rescue-Timers were handed over to the DGzRS officers. The watch was developed together with them and tailored to the tough requirements at sea. The sea rescuers are usually on duty in rough seas. While their rescue cruisers and boats have always been highly seaworthy, many private watches have been damaged during operations. So in March 2001, we contacted the sea rescuers and proposed the development of a user-oriented watch that could withstand the tough conditions of use.
The first preliminary talks on the construction and development of the wristwatch were with Dr. Bernd Anders, the then DGzRS managing director. We then made an initial suggestion: a robust timepiece with a GMT function seemed to be appropriate for the “seafaring” purpose. After all, seafaring sounds like endless expanses and crossing time zone borders. The sea rescuers’ feedback on the first suggestion was rather subdued. They wanted the dial and functionality to be reduced to the essentials. Due to the operation close to the coast, for example, the display of a second time zone could be dispensed with.
Watchmaking know-how paired with seafaring competence ultimately resulted in a watch made for extremes: A 4 mm thick sapphire glass defies all water pressure and, above all, harder impacts. A magnifying glass cut into the inside enlarges the date for easy reading. This was developed by Hans-Jürgen Mühle himself. Before taking over the family business in 1970, he had studied precision mechanics and optics in Jena and was thus able to calculate a distortion-free magnifying glass. This does not have to be placed on the glass from the outside, which means that it cannot be knocked off the flat sapphire glass.
The housing, designed for a pressure resistance of 100 bar, was subjected to a pressure of 250 bar as a test during the development phase. Only when the pressure was increased two and a half times did the bottom of the case give way and was dented spherically. The 4 millimeter thick sapphire glass and the watch as a whole remained waterproof.
During development, the main focus was on high robustness and very good readability by day and night. This is because the S.A.R. Rescue-Timer is also needed as a timer during night operations. To improve visibility at sea, the lighting in the ships is dimmed. Thanks to the good night time readability of the S.A.R. Rescue-Timer, e.g. times for mission reports can also be logged exactly then.
In terms of robustness, the solid stainless steel housing, which is pressure-resistant up to 100 bar, is particularly noteworthy. To ensure that it can withstand the tough conditions of use, we equip it with a 4 mm thick sapphire crystal. The robustness is also reflected in the movement in our particularly shock-resistant woodpecker neck fine adjustment.
Sea rescuers have been putting the S.A.R. Rescue-Timer through its paces since 2002. How serious we are about this test is best shown by a sentence from one of the supervisors: “There is one thing you as experienced seamen should not do in your rough everyday working life, however: take it easy on the S.A.R. Rescue-Timer in any way! So: put the watch through what you put yourself through!”
Over the years, a close, almost friendly partnership has developed between the sea rescuers and us. This manifests itself not only in annual donations, but also in support through specially developed special editions, the proceeds of which benefit the important work of the DGzRS. In addition, Thilo Mühle has been a full member of the DGzRS’s decision-making body for many years.
Our watches are known for their nautical virtues: high precision, reliability and best readability.
Especially our S.A.R. models prove this in daily use by sea rescuers on water and in the air.
You have various options, if you would like to have your Mühle watch professionally serviced. For example, you are welcome to bring your watch directly to our manufactory or send it to us by post with the note “Service”. Please contact us in advance if you would like a service in our manufactory in Glashütte. We will be happy to provide you with more information about our services, the safe shipping of your Mühle watch and send you a return slip. In addition, you can contact a Mühle retailer in your area. They will not only give you competent advice, there you can also hand in your watch for an inspection conveniently and easily.
The most important technical information on our current watches can be found on our website by visiting the “Wristwatches” page and selecting your collection/model. Technical details for your model can also be found in the instruction manual for your watch. If you have any further questions, especially regarding older models, please feel free to contact us.
