Pforzheim sits at the northern edge of the Black Forest. The town's industrial identity since the 18th century has been jewellery: Margrave Karl Friedrich established a jewellery industry in 1767, and by the late 19th century Pforzheim was Germany's primary jewellery export centre. Watchmaking developed alongside as a related precision-craft industry.
WWII devastated Pforzheim. On 23 February 1945 a British bombing raid destroyed an estimated 80-90% of the city centre; ~17,000 civilians died. The post-war rebuild deliberately restored the jewellery and watchmaking industries; the German federal watchmaking school was reopened in Pforzheim in the 1950s. Modern brands from the Pforzheim region include Stowa, Laco, the nearby Junghans, plus dozens of smaller specialist makers.
