The high quality guaranteed by Defakto can be traced back to more than 95 years of family experience in watchmaking. This goes back to 1924, when Karl Ickler founded Ickler GmbH in the jewelry and watch-city of Pforzheim at the foot of the famous black forest. Since, high quality watchcases and watches are produced here at the Ickler facilities.

The minimalistic timepieces of Defakto are the brainchild of Designer and Executive Raphael Ickler, representing the fourth generation of Ickler watchmaking tradition and manufacture know-how. During his Master at the University of Arts in Bremen the concept of Defakto was born. The aim was to create a unique design language and to combine this with a autark production- and work scenario to create honest and conclusive watches that are, due to their timeless functional design and high product quality, not related to fast-paced trends. In addition to the independent and timeless unisex watch design, high-quality and sustainable in-house production, another unique factor is the one-man structure of the Defakto Watch Manufactory.

The sustainable, almost self-sufficient creation and support process leads to stringent, clearly designed products and one-to-one communication directly between the watch enthusiast and the maker. This lived sovereignty is intended and is the principle behind the technical and artistic standards of the Defakto brand. In this way, a maximum of 400-500 watches can be produced per year. All Defakto watches are made to order within 2-4 weeks directly for the customer. Each watch can be individualized on request.

Reflecting this background, Defakto is a member of the "Deutscher Werkbund" - an institution which was founded in 1907 by Peter Behrens, the "Wiener Werkstätten" and others. This economic and cultural "association of artists, architects, entrepreneurs and experts" was and is an important source of inspiration in the fields of modern architecture and industrial design. The Bauhaus movement later emerged from it, which has not lost its relevance and importance to this day.

The high quality standards of Defakto, both in the technical execution and in the design aesthetic, are based on the Ickler families long history in the watch industry. This goes back to 1924 when the independent, family-run company Ickler GmbH was founded in the famous jewelry and watch town Pforzheim. Since then, high-quality watch cases and watches have been produced in-house at the foot of the Black Forest. All our watches are Made in Germany.

The Defakto watch cases are manufactured in our watch manufacture. The extensive, multi-layered production process begins on our CNC machines, followed by an elaborate surface treatment of the milling blanks - finally the finished watch case parts are assembled and provided with tubes, sapphire glasses and sealing rings.

The Defakto models are then assembled and regulated. This is followed by quality tests according to industry standards such as accuracy and water resistance tests as well as final surface checks.

The great vertical range of manufacture in Germany is an essential characteristic of Defakto. Only few watch brands can offer such a high in-house added value. In addition to assembly and production, designer and executive director Raphael Ickler is also responsible for all processes from design, development and customer communication, which is characterized by direct contact between the watch enthusiast and the manufacturer in person. As a result of the self-sufficient working method of the one-man company Defakto, the stringent watches presented here on the website are created with a unique minimalist design and high technical functionality - according to the motto "design is function".

The timeless aesthetics and the production processes characterized by short distances result in special timepieces that appeal long after the purchase. Of course, Defakto is also at your side in cases of repairs with solutions and fair prices. All Defakto watches have a 2-year guarantee. Thanks to direct sales ex works, the watches can also be purchased at a very good price-performance ratio.

Sustainability is very important for Defakto - be it in the design, the material and manufacturing quality or in the handling of raw material in production - short distances, regional sources of supply and in-house production make this possible. Be it with Defakto or with independent watchmakers around the world, all watches have been designed with easy maintenance in mind. The timeless design and highly functional, high-quality components with a high level of standardization ensure long life cycles.

With a Defakto watch you acquire an honest product ex works in direct sales without paying an extra charge for marketing blah blah or broker commissions. If you have any questions about the watches or their creation process, please contact Defakto by phone or email. Appointments can be made on request to see the minimalistic watches in real life.

All in-house manufactured Defakto watch cases are made of highly durable 316L stainless steel, which is characterized by its particularly high resistance to corrosion. The black coating of some watches consists of PVD, a high-strength material for the initial hardening of industrial milling drills. The built-in, high-quality movements are Swiss Made (ETA 2824-2, Ronda 712, Ronda 6004.D) and are known for their precision and reliability in everyday life.

All watches are available in various material or surface variations and can be further customized on request. The used fluorescent material is biodegradable, non-toxic Superluminova, which is added by hand to the Defakto dials in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. On demand almost all Defakto watches are also available without a logo. All models can be mounted as right or left-handed watches on request. It is possible to swap the automatic with manual wind movements. Private label small series in cooperation with customers are also possible - if you are interested in one of these points, please do not hesitate to contact Defakto.

Raphael Ickler 
Designer, Executive

Vat-IdNr: DE 2937 94831
Adress: Defakto Uhren, Hirsauerstraße 214, 75180 Pforzheim, Germany
Email: info_at_defakto-uhren.de