Karl Moritz Grossmann (1826–1885) was a prominent German watchmaker and a foundational figure in the development of the horological industry in Glashütte. Born in Dresden as the son of a mail sorter, his early aptitude for mechanics led to a scholarship at the Technische Bildungsanstalt, where he studied before beginning an apprenticeship under Gottfried Friedrich Kumme.

Grossmann spent several years as a journeyman, traveling to major European watchmaking centers including London, Paris, and La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1854, at the encouragement of his friend Ferdinand Adolph Lange, Grossmann moved to Glashütte to establish his own atelier. He initially focused on manufacturing precision tools and lathes, later expanding into the production of high-quality pocket watches, marine chronometers, and pendulum clocks.

Beyond his technical manufacturing, Grossmann is highly regarded for his contributions to horological education and literature. He was a prolific author, winning a first-prize award from the British Horological Institute in 1866 for his treatise on the lever escapement. In 1878, he spearheaded the founding of the German School of Watchmaking in Glashütte, serving as its first chairman and a teacher of mathematics and languages.

Grossmann was also active in public life, serving as a town councilman and a representative in the Royal Saxon Landtag. He died of a stroke in 1885 after delivering a lecture on world time. His legacy as one of the four “founding fathers” of Glashütte watchmaking is preserved today through the historical roots of brands like Glashütte Original and the modern revival of the Moritz Grossmann manufacture.