Valentin Balter and Kunstwinder

An engineer in Silicon Valley, Valentin Balter’s 30 plus years of professional experience with intricate machinery naturally grew to encompass the world of mechanical watches. As his collection expanded, it soon became impossible to wear each watch for the amount of time it deserved. He tried to find an automatic watch winder that would keep his automatic watches in proper working order and also provide a visually appealing display option for his collection. However, he was disappointed by the options available: most were unimaginative, mere functional wooden or metal boxes meant to hide the timepieces rather than properly showcase their artistry.

Realizing there was a niche in the market for a watch winder that would be appreciated by collectors such as himself, he started work on the initial design in 2007. After years of work, the Oil Baron was finally perfected and ready to be released to collectors. But what to call the newly created company? Valentin’s daughter was studying German at the time and so, after much deliberation, the name Kunstwinder—literally, “the Art of Winding”—was born.

Inspired to continue playfully reinterpreting existing mechanical apparatuses, Valentin soon added the Ferris Wheel and Chronos to the Kunstwinder product line. More than 150 units have been sold worldwide and several new prototypes are currently in various stages of development. Each new model is conceived and designed in accordance with the Kunstwinder mission: to combine superior functionality with imagination and artistry in a watch winder worthy of displaying your most valued timepieces.