The Way Of Kudoke

Recognised as a Meisterbrief or Master Craftsman in Glashütte at the age of 22, German independent master watchmaker Stefan Kudoke's exquisite creations are now available in Singapore.

- JONATHAN HO & SUFFIAN HAKIM

IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, regional luxury watch retailer Sincere Fine Watches onboarded KUDOKE into an already impressive portfolio of brands. KUDOKE augments Sincere’s portfolio well, as it is a bright new independent brand (KUDOKE was established in 2005), with fresh perspectives on watchmaking.

The brand is the physical embodiment of Stefan Kudoke’s genius and technical prowess. At 22, he was recognised as a Meisterbrief, or Master Craftsman, in Glashütte. Kudoke is also the first independent watchmaker from Germany to win the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Petite Aiguille award. Now 45, he is finally bringing his exquisite creations, such as elegantly understated KUDOKE 1 and the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) award-winning KUDOKE 2 to our part of the world.

Augustman caught up with Stefan recently to learn more about what makes KUDOKE tick.

How did you come to become a watchmaker?

We had a watch repair and restoration store opposite our house, which I passed every day on my way to school. I discovered the craftsmanship and tradition of watchmaking in the shop window, because you could see the old masters at work through the window and that attracted me. I decided to do an apprenticeship there after my school days and successfully applied for a job in this company with the then head of the guild in Frankfurt in Germany.

It was there that I discovered my passion for fine mechanics and high-quality watchmaking, which I subsequently refined at renowned brands such as Glashütte Original.

What does ‘finishing in a contemporary way’ mean to you?