About

The watch research platform trusted by leading auction houses, dealers, and brands. Built on decades of expertise and Dr. Helmut Crott's pioneering research.

Who We Are

THIS WATCH is a professional watch research platform. We combine nearly a century of auction data with deep horological expertise to provide professionals with the intelligence they need to make informed decisions.

What started as Dr. Helmut Crott's groundbreaking Patek Philippe database in 2000 has evolved into a platform trusted by leading auction houses like Phillips. Our system doesn't just store data - it understands watches like a human expert would, identifying patterns, tracking individual pieces through time, and surfacing the details that matter.

The Founders

Horological expertise meets engineering precision. Our team brings together decades of watch industry experience with deep technical know-how.

Dr. Helmut Crott

Horological Visionary

In 2000, Dr. Helmut Crott became the first to systematically catalog watch auction data - laying the foundation for what would become THIS WATCH.

With nearly five decades in the watch industry, Dr. Crott founded Dr. Crott Auctioneers and built the renowned Patek Philippe Database, now owned by THIS WATCH. His book "The Dial" is considered a definitive reference.

In 2025, he was awarded the Prix Gaïa in the History and Research category - the watch world's most prestigious recognition for contributions to horological knowledge.

He serves on the advisory board for Phillips' watch department, the vetting committee at TEFAF Maastricht, the academy for the Grand Prix de Genève, and the board of the Horopedia Foundation alongside Philippe Dufour.

Bastian Klante

Founder & Managing Director

After meeting Dr. Crott in 2015, Bastian saw the potential to transform a static database into a living research platform - and set out to build it.

An industrial engineer with a passion for technology, he bridges business strategy and product development. He assembled the team and drives the product.

Siegfried Kiermayer

Founder & Technical Lead

Sigi and Bastian go back years - former colleagues who stayed in touch. When THIS WATCH needed serious engineering, Bastian knew who to call.

With years in software development - currently as an architect at a major enterprise software company - he brings the experience to build systems that scale. He keeps our cloud infrastructure running smoothly.

Get in touch

Ready to learn more? We'd love to hear from you.