Our Story
Why “Treiber”?
Treiber translates to “Driver” in Swiss German. Treiber designs watches for the enthusiast, driver, or those among us that are nostalgic for a car we hope to one day own.
Our watch designs are inspired by the parts of cars that the driver interacts with most, with key design elements coming from the gauges of classic cars. Other design cues come from parts of the car that the driver interacts with, such as the door handle & dash knobs.
Founded in San Francisco. Assembled in America.
Treiber™ was founded in San Francisco, California in 2022, by mechanical engineer and lifelong automotive enthusiast Hermann Kugeler.
Today, Treiber™ remains a California company while its operations have moved east to Providence, Rhode Island. From his workshop in Providence, Hermann continues to design, hand-finish, assemble, regulate, and test each Treiber™ timepiece.
The address has changed. The philosophy hasn't.
Our Inspiration
When we say that our timepieces are inspired by the cars that drive us, we don’t just mean those that drive us from point to point. Treiber Timepieces are inspired by the cars that drive us to succeed; those that we aspire to one day own, and cherish when we do.
While many of these cars that we love are not suited to be daily drivers; Treiber brings the feeling and design of these cars into our daily lives through watches.
History
Treiber was started by Hermann Kugeler, a mechanical engineer, and true classic car enthusiast and builder. He has built cars since the age of 13 years old. Hermann has always been a strong believer in driving your cars.
Pictured, is the first car he built, called “Lil Rat”. This 1931 Ford was built from the ground up by Hermann.
