Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Pim Koeslag acquires a majority stake in Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Astronomical Watches
june 03, 2022 - Christiaan Van Der Klaauw

Pim Koeslag acquires a majority stake in Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Astronomical Watches

Heerenveen, the Netherlands, 1 June 2022.

Master watchmaker #pimkoeslag has acquired a majority stake in the luxury watch atelier #christiaanvanderklaauwastronomicalwatches. Koeslag will join the existing management team as Technical Director, along with #danielreintjes (CEO/Creative Director) and #mariareintjes (Marketing Director) who will retain a share in the company.

CHRISTIAAN VAN DER KLAAUW ASTRONOMICAL WATCHES

Christiaan van der Klaauw started his own watch atelier and presented his first clock with astronomical complications in 1974. In 1989, he became an honorary member of the Swiss Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI), the prestigious association of independent watchmakers. In 1996, Christiaan van der Klaauw presented his first wristwatch, and in 1999, he presented the Planetarium, a wristwatch comprising the world’s smallest mechanical Planetarium.

In 2009, a new era began. Christiaan van der Klaauw had reached his retirement age and sold the company to the designer couple Daniël and #mariareintjes with whom he had established a business relationship for ten years. Daniël and Maria immediately started repositioning the brand. The new directors decided to focus exclusively on astronomical watches, and ‘Astronomical Watches’ was added to the name.

A new collection and beautiful astronomical complications ensued - including the Real Moon Joure with the most accurate 3D moon phase in the world. In addition,two special Planetarium masterpieces were developed exclusively for the high jewelry Maison Van Cleef & Arpels. In 13 years, they transformed the CVDK company into a niche atelier, becoming the only watch atelier in the world that is wholly devoted to the design and the production of exclusive, hand-made astronomical watches.

In 2016, CVDK was recognised as an Haute Horlogerie atelier by the Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH). Last year, Daniël and Maria received the ultimate acknowledgement in watchmaking and were awarded the prestigious Calendar and Astronomy Watch Prize for the CVDK Planetarium Eise Eisinga at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).

PIM KOESLAG, THE NEW MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER

With the arrival of master watchmaker #pimkoeslag, continuity is guaranteed for the future of #christiaanvanderklaauwastronomicalwatches. Besides maintaining the existing business, more developments are planned, including a first in-house movement.

Pim Koeslag was born in 1981 in Almelo, The Netherlands. At the age of 18, he attended watchmaking school in Amsterdam, where he won the prize for the best watchmaker at school. This success gave him the opportunity to do an extensive training at Patek Philippe in Geneva. After his training he started working at Frederique Constant as Technical Director. During this 20-year period as Technical Director, he developed no fewer than 30 calibres, among them a tourbillon, a minute repeater and a chronograph. Koeslag was also responsible for starting the luxury brand Ateliers deMonaco where he held the position of CEO.

After living and working in Geneva for over 20 years, it was time for a new phase in his life and the Koeslag family returned to the Netherlands. Right at the same time when Daniël and #mariareintjes were looking to reinforce the company to prepare for the next phase for #christiaanvanderklaauwastronomicalwatches. This solid new management team will guarantee continuity of the company in the future with many more astronomical masterpieces ahead!