Teutonic minimalism – 6 of the best Bauhaus watches

Borna Bošnjak

Geometric shapes, primary colours, functionality first – in essence, an economic way of thinking, is how I’d describe Bauhaus style. The name is derived from the Staatliches Bauhaus, a German art school that championed the “rational” style during its operational years between the two world wars. As much of Bauhaus style was focused on making beautiful, user-friendly everyday items, it was only a matter of time before watches became par for the course. Bauhaus and minimalism go hand-in-hand, and given Dieter Rams’ famous “good design is as little design as possible” quote, I shall endeavour to approach the entries on this list in the same manner. Wait, was that sentence too wordy? Anyway… let’s get into it. Here are six of the best Bauhaus watches.

Swatch Bau Swatch Elementary SO29B705

While you could technically pick any basic, white-dialled Swatch for this best Bauhaus watches list, the Bau Swatch Elementary introduces just the right amount of Bauhaus cues to make it perfect. It’s got a day and date, and it tells the time on an ultra-legible white dial. It’s not too big, nor too small, nor is it too expensive. And in perhaps the ultimate expression of user-friendliness, battery swaps are free for life. Price: US$85

Braun AW10

Braun is one of the main champions of the Bauhaus style, the ideology ushered in by the appointment of Dieter Rams as chief design officer in 1953. Alongside bedside alarm clocks, radios, and electric shavers, Braun introduced its first watch in 1977, though it would take another 12 years for the brand’s first analogue watch, the AW10, to come to market. Today, the AW10 is still made in Germany, powered by a Swiss quartz movement, sized at a period-appropriate 33mm x 7.2mm. The specs are perhaps not the most impressive considering the relatively high price, but considering the design stems from some of the greatest Bauhaus minds ever, it doesn’t seem too bad. Price: £200 (~US$260)

Sternglas Hamburg 42mm Automatik

The approach Sternglas takes to Bauhaus design is quite a modern one, especially considering the 42mm case size that would be rarely seen in other Bauhaus-inspired pieces. The expansive white dial of the Hamburg always reminded me of a measuring instrument of sorts, and though the printing is small, time-telling isn’t affected. Powered by a Miyota 8000-series movement, the Hamburg 42mm offers the minimal design so many crave, while still offering a quality product that cannot be said for all watches at the more affordable end of the market. Price: €399 (~US$440)

Sinn 1739 St I S

Sinn is a fabulously underrated brand, but even those that are aware of the Frankfurt watchmaker will often only pay attention to the sportier, durable model families. Not to take anything away from those, of course, but the value of the 1739 collection is astonishing. First of all, I don’t think there’s anyone out there who’d disagree with me saying it’s a stunning watch, but the specs are just as impressive. The 39mm x 9.1mm case is water-resistant to 100 metres, powered by the Sellita SW300-1, a premium Swiss movement that’s a step above the entry-level 2824/SW200 and their clones. Price: €1,990 (~US$2,200)

Horage Omnium 40mm

See, it’s not just German brands that know how to do Bauhaus. Horage has been around for far longer than you might expect, having presented its first watch – the Omnium – at Baselworld in 2009, but the brand’s origins go way further than that, all the way back to 1999. Focusing on production of modular automatic movements that can accept a wide variety of complications, the Biel brand’s very first release is also the most fitting of the Bauhaus design language. The blocky numerals and simple handset are there, as is the mini-grande date at 3 o’clock thanks to the automatic K1 movement that powers it. Admittedly, the faceted sapphire may not strictly adhere to the “no frills” ideology of Bauhaus, but I’m ready to forgive it that one. Perhaps the Omnium is due for a Microreg upgrade… Price: CHF 2,900 (~US$3,400)

Nomos Ahoi Neomatik Atlantik

And to the surprise of absolutely noone, Nomos makes the list of best Bauhaus watches. I’ll be the first to admit, Bauhaus design can be a bit dry at times, but that’s not something you could accuse Nomos of, especially when talking about something like the Ahoi. This model stands out to me in particular, as it hides features like 200 metres of water resistance in a case not too dissimilar from other Nomos watches, really showing off the idea that a dive watch doesn’t have to be this large, ungainly thing with a big bezel and thick case. Price: starting from US$4,120

T+T Timeless Pick: Junghans Max Bill Handaufzug

If you want the purest expression of a Bauhaus-style watch, there’s pretty much a single option you can go for. This Junghans was, perhaps unsurprisingly, designed by Max Bill, who along with his work with the German brand is widely considered to be the main driving force behind Swiss graphic design during the 1950s. The Max Bill’s dial is hardly noticeable, yet legible at a glance, with dimensions of 34mm x 9mm being the minimal sweet spot for most wrists out there. And why manual winding? Well, it’s all that you really need, isn’t it? Price: €1,075 (~US$1,200)