Temption

Temption is a German watch manufacturer

Introduction

The German watch manufacturer Temption combines in its business philosophy modern and timeless models with an uncompromising design and quality claim. In the consequence of its proximity to Bauhaus and Zen (wabi sabi) probably no other watch manufacturer has gone further. The style of Temption watches is so clear and so obvious as it is subtle and profound - it has nothing in common with prestige and a nice facade.

Company portrait

The former computer expert Klaus Ulbrich fulfilled himself an own long-held dream with the founding of the watch manufacturer Temption. With his watches he tries to meet his own ambitious expectations of quality, which in some cases he sees considerably ignored with other watches made by the industry. This includes for him a perfect readability under all circumstances, a very high quality and stable case and wristband technology, an exterior of the models which is liberated from any frills and mannerisms of fashionable appearance.

The term 'Temption' results of a merger of tempus (time) and function. Ulbrich's motto reads: Pulchritudo in claritate (beauty by clarity). Accordingly Ulbrich feels inspired by the German Bauhaus tradition, but equally by a little known area of the Japanese Zen philosophy and design art, which is called Wabi-sabi: Here everything depends on the emphasis of the essence, any diversion of it is to be avoided, but on the other hand no impression of obsessiveness and perfectionism should arise.

To explain this Ulbrich cites a story of the Japanese tea master and Zen monk Sen no Rikyū (1522-1591 AD):

The son of the master had raked the gravel clean and pure. But the master took a withered branch, shook it with a gesture on the clear pebbles, so that a few leaves fell down, and instructed his son: "Limit everything to the essential, but do not remove the poetry; keep things simple and unencumbered, but let them not become sterile."

According to this attitude Ulbrich, for example, provides the chronograph pushers and the winding crown of some models with precious stones like onyx, emeralds, opals, rubies or sapphires .

The product portfolio of Temption includes also the jewelery ranges Corus and Cesar.

File:Temption CM-06.jpg

Temption CM-06
Typical Temption watch with uncompromising design and highest-quality manufacturing

Models

Men's models

• CG-103 - chronograph
• CM-03 - dual time zone
• CM-06 - date, day, power reserve and weekday display, rotating bezel for second time zone
• CGK-204 - chronograph with 24-hours indication, month, day, date and moon phase
• Cherubin - rattrapante chronograph
• Formula - chronograph
• Classic - "chronograph pur"
• Cameo - rectangular watch

Women's models

• Curie - dual time zone
• Cora - smallest chronograph
• Cebra - "design pur"

Intermediate sizes

• CM-02 - dual time zone

Literature

• Das ZEITGEFÜHL-Uhrenbuch; Author: Gerd-Lothar Reschke; ISBN 3-938607-61-0 (In the book there is also a chapter with a detailed discussion and critical comparison of the conflicting design philosophies of Klaus Ulbrich (modern) and Gerd-Rüdiger Lang from Chronoswiss (classical).)

Address

Temption GmbH
Raistinger Str. 46
D-71083 Herrenberg
Tel. +49 (0) 7032 9977 954
Fax +49 (0) 7032 9977 955

Weblinks

• Temption - company website
• Zen und die Uhr (article in web magazine ZEITGEFÜHL; German)
• About the Bauhaus (Wikipedia)
• About Wabi-Sabi (Wikipedia)
• Company portrait (www.pilotswatches.co.uk)