Glashütte Original Senator Meissen “Cherry Blossom”: A Hand-Painted Porcelain Dial in Red Gold
Glashütte Original has added a fourth porcelain-dial watch to its partnership with Meissen, Europe's oldest porcelain manufactory. The new Senator Meissen “Cherry Blossom” (ref. 1-36-16-05-05-01 ) has a white Meissen porcelain dial hand-painted with pink and white blossoms on brown branches , set in a 40mm red-gold case and powered by the in-house automatic calibre 36-16 with a 100-hour power reserve . It is available from October 2026 at Glashütte Original boutiques and selected retailers.
At a glance
Ref. 1-36-16-05-05-01 • 40mm × 10.2mm 18k red-gold case • hand-painted Meissen porcelain dial, no indexes or seconds hand, solid 5N gold hands • in-house automatic calibre 36-16, 100-hour power reserve • 50m water resistance • US price not yet published.
Two Saxon Manufactories
Meissen and Glashütte are both in Saxony, about an hour apart. Meissen has made porcelain since 1710 and still marks its pieces with the crossed swords, which appear on this dial; Glashütte has been Germany's watchmaking town since 1845. The two first collaborated on a Senator Meissen around 2007, and in 2025 Glashütte Original marked the 180th anniversary of Glashütte watchmaking and Meissen's 315th with three Senator Meissen watches: two “Mystic Maison” models of 150 pieces each and an eight-piece “Collage.” The Cherry Blossom is the fourth model in the modern series.
The Dial: Painted and Fired in Layers
The dial is made and painted at Meissen rather than at Glashütte Original's own dial factory in Pforzheim. Painters build up the image in several colour layers, each fired separately in the kiln. The motif was inspired by winter-flowering cherry trees, in particular Japan's Jugatsu-zakura (“October cherry”), which can bloom as early as October — fitting for an October launch. To leave the painting uncluttered, there are no indexes and no seconds hand; only solid 5N red-gold hands for the hours and minutes. Press images show slightly different branch arrangements, suggesting each dial is individually painted.
Case and Calibre 36-16
The 18k red-gold case measures 40mm × 10.2mm (47.09mm lug-to-lug), with domed sapphire crystals front and back and 50m of water resistance. It is worn on a dark blue Louisiana alligator strap with a red-gold buckle. The calibre 36-16 is a time-only version of Glashütte Original's in-house 36-series automatic: 28,800 vph, a silicon hairspring, stop-seconds and a 100-hour power reserve, with a swan-neck fine adjustment, a hand-engraved balance cock and a skeletonised rotor with a 21k gold weight. Learn more about the movement family in our Glashütte Original calibres history.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reference | 1-36-16-05-05-01 |
| Case | 18k red gold, 40mm × 10.2mm, 47.09mm lug-to-lug |
| Dial | White Meissen porcelain, hand-painted cherry blossom, multiple firings |
| Movement | Calibre 36-16, in-house automatic, 28,800 vph, silicon hairspring |
| Power reserve | 100 hours |
| Functions | Hours and minutes (stop-seconds) |
| Water resistance | 50m |
| Strap | Dark blue Louisiana alligator, red-gold pin buckle |
| Price (US) | Not yet published; the 2025 Senator Meissen Mystic Maison retailed at about $32,800 in the US |
Price and Availability
Glashütte Original has not yet published a US price or said whether the Cherry Blossom is limited. For reference, the 2025 Senator Meissen “Mystic Maison” retailed at about US$32,800 . It is a rare artistic dial at a fraction of the price of comparable métiers d'art watches from Geneva. Compare it with the work of Glashütte neighbour A. Lange & Söhne, and read the full Glashütte Original Senator history.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Glashütte Original Senator Meissen Cherry Blossom?
A Senator with a hand-painted Meissen porcelain dial showing cherry blossoms, in a 40mm red-gold case with the in-house calibre 36-16, launched in October 2026.
Who makes the porcelain dial?
Meissen, the Saxon porcelain manufactory founded in 1710, which hand-paints and fires the dial in several layers.
What movement is in the Senator Meissen Cherry Blossom?
The in-house automatic calibre 36-16, with a silicon hairspring and a 100-hour power reserve.
How much is the Glashütte Original Senator Meissen Cherry Blossom?
A US price has not yet been published; the 2025 Senator Meissen Mystic Maison retailed for about US$32,800.
Why cherry blossom?
The dial was inspired by winter-flowering cherry trees, especially Japan's Jugatsu-zakura, which can bloom as early as October.
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