Inhorgenta Talk: Tanja Brassler on 25 years of MeisterSinger: "A single-hand watch brings serenity"

In 2026, the watch brand MeisterSinger will celebrate its 25th anniversary. At Inhorgenta, Tanja Brassler, managing director and daughter of company founder Manfred Brassler, spoke with Insight Luxury about the concept of the single-hand watch, the anniversary year, and why a watch can also give a sense of serenity.

Insight Luxury: You have been with MeisterSinger for many years and have been responsible for marketing and brand development. Did you always want to go into the watch business and join your father’s company?

Tanja Brassler: Not at all! I’ve known MeisterSinger since day one. I was seven when my father founded the company. But anyone who knows my father knows that he never had any expectations of his children.

I then studied communication science and was drawn to marketing. That’s how I ended up at MeisterSinger. I grew more and more into this role and realized how much I enjoy understanding the big picture and taking on responsibility. Right now, I can’t imagine anything better.

IL: You have been part of the management team at MeisterSinger for almost exactly one year now. What is your overall impression? Were there any aspects that surprised you?

TB: The year has flown by. It was intense, but very fulfilling. I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be. To be honest, I was surprised at how easily I slipped into this role. I didn’t necessarily expect that of myself.

IL: What plans and goals did you have when you started? Do you also bring a female perspective on the industry into the strategy?

TB: MeisterSinger must not and should not be turned upside down. My goal was never to start from scratch, but rather to further strengthen the solid foundation that MeisterSinger already has.

Of course, I bring my own perspective to the table—perhaps somewhat more from the brand and target group perspective. That’s not necessarily linked to a “female” perspective. But I still think that a few more women in the industry wouldn’t hurt.

MeisterSinger family business

IL: MeisterSinger is a true family business. Is that always an advantage, or does it also present particular challenges? Or to put it another way: how smoothly does the father-daughter team work together as joint managers?

TB: I believe that we are approachable, personal, and now also a genuine family business—that is actually an important component of our brand identity. And I really enjoy the fact that we can make quick decisions more or less on the fly.

My father and I are very similar in many ways. We are both very enthusiastic, have the same understanding of leadership, and are always passionate about what we do.

But he often comes more from the emotional, creative product side. I think I’m quite good at approaching things from an efficiency perspective and from a rational standpoint. It actually complements each other quite well.

Anniversary: 25 years of MeisterSinger

IL: You turned your back on Watches & Wonders in Geneva this year and returned to Inhorgenta after a year’s break. Why?

TB: 2026 marks our 25th anniversary. And we want to consciously combine our strengths. We have a fireworks display of new products to launch and many anniversary promotions planned.

IL: MeisterSinger is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Will there be any special editions? What will make them special?

TB: Oh yes! We want to surprise and delight our customers with some very special new products to mark our anniversary. The highlight, which we introduced here on the first day of the trade fair, is our “Panthero Jumping Hour.” A truly unique and beautiful jumping hour. And to mark its launch, it is available in a limited edition of 25 pieces with a genuine guilloché dial. Truly a work of art of a watch.

IL: MeisterSinger watches give the gift of time, according to your slogan. What exactly do you mean by that? MeisterSinger can’t actually increase the amount of time available, can it?

TB: That’s right, we’re not there yet. But we can change the way we look at time. A single-hand watch reminds us not to break down every minute, but to be more mindful of the moment.

In this sense, it gives us a sense of serenity. That’s also the greatest thing for us when our end customers give us that feedback.

The philosophy of the single-hand watch

IL: Where did the concept of the single-hand watch actually come from?

TB: Many people think that we came up with the single-hand concept. Nothing could be further from the truth. It all started with the single-hand watch. Until the 18th century, all watches were single-hand watches. It was only then that minute and second hands were added. MeisterSinger deliberately revisited this historical principle and translated it into the present day.

IL: Who is the target audience, or who are the typical buyers of a MeisterSinger single-hand watch?

TB: People with a keen sense of design and independence. Many of our customers are very style-conscious, but not status-driven. They are looking for something special — and strongly identify with the attitude behind the watch.

IL: Would it be accurate to say that single-hand watches have fallen out of favor because they don’t accurately reflect our often hectic lifestyles, but at the same time, they fit perfectly into our modern world precisely because of this?

TB: Everyone probably has their own opinion on this. For me, it’s quite clear that our concept couldn’t be more relevant. Our world is becoming increasingly fast-paced and fragmented.

IL: If it goes beyond displaying hours and minutes, what complications are even possible for a MeisterSinger single-hand watch without contradicting its own philosophy of decelerated time?

TB: Much more than you might think. My father, who has been designing the watches since day one and still does so today, is absolutely thrilled when it comes to reinventing the concept year after year. And if you look at everything MeisterSinger has produced over the past quarter-century, it’s quite diverse: from day and date displays to power reserve indicators and moon phases to dual timers, the “Sonnerie au Passage,” the hour strike, and now the jumping hour.

IL: Development, construction, design—how much of Münster and how much of MeisterSinger is in your watches?

TB: A great deal. The conceptual work, design, and brand development take place in Münster. At the same time, we work with strong Swiss partners in manufacturing. This combination is an important part of our DNA.

IL: Topic: Trends. MeisterSinger is anything but trend-driven. But you can never completely free yourself from trends. How do you implement trends at MeisterSinger?

TB: We look very closely, but we don’t follow trends. Our aim is to make things that last longer than a season—things that are timeless.

IL: The Kaenos, which was unveiled last year, has a much sportier design than previous MeisterSinger watches. What is the reason for this? Or is it no coincidence that the launch of the Kaenos coincided with your appointment to the management board? After all, Kaenos means “new,” “fresh,” and “modern.”

TB: Perhaps not entirely by chance. The “Kaenos” shows that the brand can evolve without losing its DNA. It deliberately brings a new, sportier facet to the collection. Our target group is quite diverse. And our concept is not tailored to a specific gender, age group, or culture. In this respect, we also need to offer a bit of variety in the collection. We do this with the Kaenos.

IL: What do you actually do when you feel like you don’t have enough time to calm down and find your serenity again?

TB: Take a look at a MeisterSinger? No, of course it’s not always that simple. But I live very much according to what MeisterSinger embodies, just like my father did. Take a break, consciously pause for a moment, gather your thoughts, clarify your priorities.

meistersinger.com