Our history begins in 1871, when the inventor Carl Bamberg, a protégée of Carl Zeiss and son of a horologist, establishes the roots of ASKANIA in Berlin and manufactures precision instruments for navies, observatories, research and expeditions. A broad range of quality products is developed over the years, constantly at a standard far ahead of its time. Thanks to outstanding innovations and extremely reliable measuring technology, his company experiences rapid growth.

The former ASKANIA head-office in Berlin-Friedenau The ASKANIA factories in Berlin finally become the most important German company for aviation instruments. In the 1930s and 1940s hardly any aircraft were without ASKANIA onboard instruments that were reliable whatever the weather, whatever the situation and any time of day or night. And pilots were soon demanding an ASKANIA pilot`s wristwatch featuring the same outstanding qualities.