Thomas Morf

After completing his basic technical education, Thomas Morf's career soon led him abroad, where he was responsible for managing projects focusing on the commissioning of thermal turbomachinery. He was then attracted to the IT business for a while, undertaking a period of on-the-job training to gain a qualification in business administration. As an ardent lover of timepieces, he moved to the Swiss watch brand Maurice Lacroix in 1995 and spent time living in the Far East in his capacity as the Director Asia/Pacific. Equipped with this valuable experience and knowledge, he joined the Bucherer Group in 2001 as CEO of Carl F. Bucherer. He not only developed the brand into an independent company within the group, but by taking advantage of the brand's own movements and manufacture workshops for producing mechanical calibres and functional modules, he also developed it into a widely recognised manufacturer.
On 1 October 2010, Thomas Morf took over as CEO of the watch brand Hanhart, which has its registered offices in Diessenhofen in the Swiss Canton of Thurgau and in Gütenbach, Germany. He is also a shareholder in the company.
Tradition and expertise in precision timekeeping
The Swiss-German watch brand Hanhart is known for its high-precision, 100% reliable and robust instrument watches for use in the air, on the land and on the sea. It combines cutting-edge Swiss and German knowledge and skills with the long-standing tradition and expertise of its own manufactory, which has its origins in the watch business established by Johann A. Hanhart in Diessenhofen in 1882. The company, which remains the leading manufacturer of premium timepieces to this very day, not only launched the first affordable mechanical stopwatch in 1924, but it also began manufacturing wristwatches at an early stage at its production site in Gütenbach, southern Germany. These included the single-button “Calibre 40” chronograph as well as the legendary “Calibre 41” and “Tachy Tele” pilot's chronographs, which date back to 1939. These chronographs are steeped in history, and today their replicas have become coveted collector's pieces and connoisseur's items for those with a penchant for fine precision watches.The design and technology of the Pioneer watch models are based on Hanhart's long tradition and its legendary chronographs. They therefore include features such as the unmistakable red reset button, the typical “bicompax” dial design as well as the asymmetrical button arrangement – which has been the trademark characteristics of the brand's chronographs right from the start. Just like all Hanhart watches, they stand out thanks to their perfect functionality and immaculate readability.Working in close collaboration with the brand's own manufacture workshops in Gütenbach and highly specialised suppliers from the Swiss watch sector, a new, progressively designed collection of mechanical chronographs was developed under the name “Primus” in 2009. It combines historical features – such as the unmistakeable red button, which has distinguished Hanhart watches since 1939 and was previously intended to prevent pilots from unintentionally resetting the stop time – with the latest technology and progressive design. The Pilot, Racer and Diver models are based on the brand's core competence: competence: high-precision, extremely reliable and robust instrument watches for use in the air, on the land and on the sea.High-quality mechanical stopwatches under the name ClassicTimer, manufactured over several production stages in the Gütenbach factory, still represent a key product segment for Hanhart. Used in the past at all the important motor races, today these stopwatches are most popular among ambitious vintage car rally drivers.Over the next few years, the further expansion of Hanhart's home markets of Germany and Switzerland as well as key export markets will become increasingly important. Both the wristwatches and the mechanical stopwatches from the ClassicTimer collection are already available from selected specialist retailers in many countries.