« These Watches Were Created by Design Icons »
Gérald Genta, Max Bill, Richard Orlinski: the most famous watch designers of all time are inseparably linked to their masterpieces, some of which have been delighting wearers for decades. Other design watches come from talents who are largely unknown outside the watch world. We take a look behind the façades of six of the most prominent creations of our time and shine a light on the minds behind their success.
Junghans Max Bill
Bauhaus in its purest form: when Junghans commissioned the Swiss architect, painter and sculptor Max Bill to design a kitchen clock in the mid-1950s, he made perfect legibility his top priority and created a dial whose sober, simple design remains legendary to this day. The matching wristwatch followed in 1961, took on its creator's distinctive name and became the quintessential German watch legend: for more than 60 years, the Junghans Max Bill has been a bestseller, and its current collection offers more design watches than ever before. Men's or women's, quartz or automatic, chronograph or radio-controlled: the purist icon from the Black Forest draws in young and old alike and is the ultimate flagship of the heritage brand. One of our absolute favorites is the Max Bill Chronoscope with a black dial (Ref. 027/4601.02), which packages its stopwatch function discreetly and exudes an extremely refined aesthetic in its dark design. That effect is further heightened by the domed case and crystal, which make every Max Bill stand out from the crowd.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Stainless steel watches in the luxury segment? Unthinkable before the launch of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in 1972. The iconic design watch was created by Swiss designer Gérald Genta, who was working freelance in 1970 when Audemars Piguet commissioned him to design an entirely new, water-resistant sports watch. Within 24 hours, Genta delivered the revolutionary result: never before had a design watch featured an octagonal bezel with visible screws and hugged the wrist with an integrated bracelet. Success was modest at first, because despite its steel case, the designer watch cost more than many a gold watch of the seventies. But over the following decades, the Royal Oak rose to become the most successful high-end sports watch of all time, gained a brawny sister model in the Royal Oak Offshore and became the aesthetic template for countless other design watches. Among them the Patek Philippe Nautilus, introduced in 1976, which Gérald Genta reportedly sketched on a napkin in under five minutes.
Nomos Glashütte Metro
German Design Award, Red Dot, Good Design: shortly after its debut in 2014, the Nomos Glashütte Metro swept up some of Germany's most important design awards. Billed by the manufacturer as a "classic of the future," this timeless piece owes its success to Berlin-based Mark Braun. A professor at the Saar University of Fine Arts since 2015, he can look back on numerous collaborations with renowned brands – from Viennese crystal glass maker Lobmeyr to furniture makers such as Hartô and E15. With the Metro, Mark Braun has created a design watch that sets itself expressively apart from the rest of the Nomos lineup. Not only the fine knurling on the crown and the attached lugs, but also the literally "pinpoint" dial give these design watches a modern yet classically elegant character. The collection has since grown to more than ten variants, ranging from the classic to a luxury model in 18-karat rose gold. Whether you prefer the design watch with a hand-wound or automatic movement is a matter of taste.
Nomos Glashütte Autobahn
Werner Aisslinger is not only one of the most important designers of our time but also an avowed lover of high speeds. That this internationally acclaimed artist likes things fast and sporty is evident in both the name and the look of the Nomos Glashütte Autobahn: while the striking, centrally positioned luminous ring evokes the aesthetic of a speedometer, the curved dial edge is, for Aisslinger, a nod to the north curve of Berlin's AVUS track. Combined with the wide date window at six o'clock and the clean typography, the overall look of these design watches conveys pure sportiness while preserving the simplicity typical of Nomos. What looks harmless by day comes spectacularly to life in the dark thanks to the generous luminous material. Just as the German autobahns, with their boundless freedom, are an international peculiarity, the Nomos Glashütte is one of a kind in the watch world. No doubt about it: this designer watch by Werner Aisslinger will continue on its path to success for many years to come.
Hublot Classic Fusion Orlinski Titanium White Alternative Pave 40 mm
What does a wristwatch designed by an internationally renowned sculptor and pop artist look like? Hublot provides the answer with the Classic Fusion Orlinski Titanium White Alternative Pave 40 mm (Ref. 550.NS.2200.RW.1604.ORL20): like the famous animal sculptures of Frenchman Richard Orlinski, his watch captivates with angular geometry and looks like a giant cut diamond. Not a far-fetched association: the titanium case is set with 210 diamonds, and the bezel with another 54 of the precious stones. All told, that adds up to around 1.6 carats surrounding a comparatively understated dial in polished white. The white rubber strap carries on the same timelessness, so the viewer's entire focus is drawn to the sculpture of a watch case that Orlinski brings to the wrist with this design watch. The aesthetic of these ticking works of art sits somewhere between vintage and neo-futurism and appeals above all to owners who have no wish to keep their wristwatch permanently under wraps.
Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II
The same goes for the design watches of the Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II line (Ref. 418.CX.1107.RX.MXM22), which play the geometric game in an even brawnier, more imposing way. This time the designer is not Orlinski but Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi, whose London tattoo studio Sang Bleu lent its name to the limited collection. Made of black ceramic, the model shown here has a mysterious, almost intimidating effect on the viewer, and its dial stands out for pure futurism. Once you have located the hands, you get a view into the HUB1240 UNICO automatic movement with a 72-hour power reserve. Combined with a massive 45-millimeter diameter, its aesthetic details make the Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II the ultimate eye-catcher – and likely of very limited interest to watch lovers with a taste for restraint. Nevertheless, this powerhouse is a monument in the universe of design watches and shows how much prominent artists can enrich the watch world.
