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 bring a sense of serenity.
Insight Luxury: You've been with MeisterSinger for many years now, overseeing marketing and brand development. Did you always want to join the watch business and 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 placed any expectations on his children.
I then studied communication science, and I was drawn to marketing. That's how I eventually ended up at MeisterSinger. I've grown 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've been part of the management team at MeisterSinger for almost exactly a year now. What's your assessment so far? 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'm meant to be. To be honest, I was surprised by how easily I slipped into this role. I hadn't necessarily expected that from myself.
IL: What plans and goals did you set out with? Do you also bring a female perspective to the industry into the strategy?
TB: MeisterSinger doesn't need to be, and shouldn't be, turned upside down. My goal was never to reinvent everything, but to further strengthen the strong foundation that MeisterSinger has.
Of course, I bring my own perspective—perhaps a bit more from a brand and target group point of view. That's not necessarily connected to a "female" perspective. But I still think that a few more women in the industry wouldn't hurt.
Family business MeisterSinger
IL: MeisterSinger is a true family business. Is that always an advantage, or does it also present some unique challenges? Or to put it another way: How smoothly does the father-daughter team function as joint management?
TB: I believe that we are approachable, personal, and now also a genuine family business – that's actually an important building block of our brand identity. And I really enjoy the fact that we can make quick decisions more or less on a whim.
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 his approach often comes more from an emotional, creative product perspective. I think I'm quite good at approaching things more from an efficiency and rational standpoint. That actually complements each other quite well.
Anniversary: 25 years of MeisterSinger
IL: This year you turned your backs on Watches & Wonders in Geneva and instead returned to Inhorgenta after a year's break. Why?
TB: 2026 marks our 25th anniversary. And we want to consciously focus our efforts. We have a dazzling array of new products and many anniversary events planned.
Inhorgenta, in terms of timing and importance, provides an ideal setting to properly kick off the year.
Tanja Brassler
IL: MeisterSinger is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Will there be special editions? What will distinguish them?
TB: Oh yes! For our anniversary, we want to surprise and delight with some very special new products. 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 movement. And for its launch, it's 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, that's your slogan. What exactly does that mean? MeisterSinger can't actually increase time, can it?
TB: That's true, we're not quite there yet. But we can change our perspective on time. A single-hand watch reminds us not to dissect every minute, but to perceive the moment more consciously.
In this sense, it brings a sense of calm. That's also the greatest thing for us when our end customers give us that as feedback.
The philosophy of the single-hand watch
IL: Where does the concept of the single-hand watch actually come from?
TB: Many people think we invented the single-hand watch concept. It couldn't be more wrong. Because it all started with the single-hand watch. Up until the 18th century, all watches were single-hand watches. Only then were minute and second hands added. MeisterSinger has consciously revived this historical principle and translated it into the present day.
IL: Who is the target group, or rather, who are the typical buyers of a single-hand watch from MeisterSinger?
TB: People with a strong 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 philosophy behind the watch.
IL: Can one say that single-hand watches are, on the one hand, out of step with the times because they don't reflect our often hectic lifestyle one-to-one, but on the other hand, precisely for that reason, fit perfectly into our time?
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 ever faster and more fragmented.
Many people find it very beneficial to read time differently — in a more relaxed, more confident way.
Tanja Brassler
IL: Beyond simply displaying the hour and minute: What complications are even conceivable for a single-hand watch from MeisterSinger, so as not to contradict their 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, is absolutely thrilled when it comes to reinventing the concept year after year. And when you look at everything MeisterSinger has offered in the last quarter century, it's quite diverse: from day and date displays to power reserve indicators and moon phases, all the way to dual timers, the "Sonnerie au Passage," the hour strike, or now the jumping hour.
IL: Development, construction, design – how much Münster, how much MeisterSinger is in your watches?
TB: A great deal. The conceptual work, design, and brand development all happen 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 escape them. How do you implement trends at MeisterSinger?
TB: We pay very close attention, but we don't chase trends. Our aim is to create things that last longer than a single season – things that are timeless.
When we pick up on trends, we always do so through the MeisterSinger lens.
Tanja Brassler
IL: The „Kaenos,“ presented last year, has a significantly sportier design than previous MeisterSinger watches. What is the reason for this? Or rather, is it no coincidence that the launch of the „Kaenos“ coincided with your joining the management team? After all, Kaenos means something like „new,“ „fresh,“ and „modern.“.
TB: Perhaps not entirely by chance. The "Kaenos" demonstrates that the brand can evolve without losing its core identity. It deliberately introduces a new, sportier facet to the collection. Our target audience is quite diverse. And our concept isn't at all tailored to a specific gender, age group, or culture. Therefore, we also need to offer a bit of variety within the collection. That's what we're doing with the "Kaenos.".
IL: What do you actually do when you feel like you're driven by too little time to unwind and find your way back to serenity?
TB: Looking at a master singer? No, it's not always that simple, of course. But I do live what the master singers embody, just like my father did. Sometimes letting things slide, consciously pausing for a moment, gathering my thoughts, clarifying priorities.
And quite honestly, sometimes it helps to remind yourself that none of us are performing open-heart surgery here. That takes some of the pressure off, doesn't it?
Tanja Brassler
