The precision and design of German watches enamour sector experts and enthusiasts, who are attracted by some of the timeless works of art that cyclically come back into fashion.

They are very popular classics, starting from chronographs and going up to instrument watches, all characterised by a minimal style that is known as Bauhaus. The roots of this artistic current – which is much more articulated than you can imagine – lie in the desire to unite aesthetics that are harmonious and simple, but never predictable, with precise functionality that can support the passing of time.

We are talking about precious items that become more valuable and which are an intelligent investment; they are elegant and suitable for every occasion, with a shape that is a functional part of the result, so you can enjoy an object that is useful and perfect from a mechanical point of view.

The return of the minimal Bauhaus style

Even though the watch world embraced imagination and excess for a while, the Bauhaus style is becoming more popular again, with a clear return towards functionality tied to aesthetics. Classic elegance, without any useless frills, simple but never banal.
They are iconic pieces, unique and fascinating, easy to read and easy to use, made from top quality materials that resist wear and stress.

What shows through Bauhaus watches is the love that was put into making them, with the goal of creating a product whose functionality is essential: marking the time correctly and articulating the passing minutes precisely in a way that makes them easy to read. 

So, which brands propose the Bauhaus style?

– Junghans: love for the minimal style from its origins up to today

The Junghans brand has been active since 1861 and has given life to a story of German high quality manufacturing that has continued until today, whose success allowed it to go beyond the national boundaries.
The brand embraced the Bauhaus style from the very first models thanks to its creator Max Bill, who studied at the Dessau school and permeated his creations with minimum, but very accurate, elements.
One of the most famous wall clocks made by Junghans is currently being displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, attracting enthusiasts from all over the world with its simple, geometric lines.

The models made until today are characterised by the selection of very slim hands and small and medium-sized dials whose numbers are visible but never excessively ostentatious. At times the numbers are replaced by light points that still illuminate even though miniscule, giving the example a refined elegance.

The Bauhaus style eliminates the superfluous and targets a design that is essential, which does not draw attention away from basic functionality, namely that of marking the relentless passing of time.
The last point of merit are the straps, tightly meshed and very delicate, silver in colour, and which integrate perfectly with the simplicity of the watch. 

– Nomos Glashütte: order and rigour for timeless models

Watch enthusiasts cannot miss how the Bauhaus style has permeated a great Nomos classic, the Tangente. The brand philosophy is essentially based on the concepts of order and rigor, uniting German organisation with essential minimal.
The style is quite vintage, with a black leather strap that accompanies a round, medium sized dial and classic black numbers on a white background.
The blue hands – the only touch of colour – are extremely thin so as not to draw too much attention and distract from the global functionality of the jewel. 

The true greatness of Nomos is its ability to develop technologies in its own laboratories, aiming at in-house calibres that are perfectly calibrated.
Each component is therefore designed to develop maximum functionality, maintaining a linear design that matches every kind of look perfectly.

It is a watch that has every right to be among those that enthusiasts must have in their collection, above all if they admire the Bauhaus style and appreciate its cleanliness and linearity. Without forgetting craftsmanship and care for detail, whose roots are dug into the past and in the desire for innovation.

– Meistersinger: conquering the watch world as it forges ahead

To understand what the Bauhaus style is, you do not need to go too far back in time with historical watchmaking brands and legends, because there are more recent brands, for example Meistersinger, that exemplify the style fully.
Meistersinger supported a true revolution that led to the birth of models that were minimal but extremely chic at the same time, understanding that essential could be extremely refined and never boring.

What combines the brand models in the German Bauhaus style is the shape of the dial and the minimal style of the hands, with strap and mechanism colours that match in a very original manner, for example blue and brown.
The style does not, however, undermine the primary function, namely that of marking time simply and intuitively.

– The modernity of Stowa unites with the linearity of German Bauhaus 

Stowa was already making high level watches for air pilots and officers during the First World War, but embraced the Bauhaus style only in 1937, when it started proposing models that were linear but also very accurate.
The revisitation of 2004 was an interesting moment: the iconic models were taken up again, maintaining the plainness that has always marked the brand.
To the minimal hands were added dials of pink gold, silver and black, which catch the eye but are never obtrusive.

The true masterstroke came in 2005 with the production of Antea Back to Bauhaus, which revisits a timeless classic and improves all the characteristics, searching for perfection from a mechanics standpoint.
The only touch of flair is the colour of the dial, with green, pink, blue and brown being added to the traditional colour range of white and black, so that clients’ tastes can be satisfied while maintaining the allure of a collector’s watch.

The affordability of Bauhaus watches

One of the criteria on which the Bauhaus philosophy is based is affordability.
As a result, there are plenty of models whose price is not too high, so they can become part of a varied collection and take their place as a timeless classic.
Low-cost models include the Tisell Bauhaus design 38 mm, which has all the main elements of the artistic movement.
The hands are slim and the numbers are classic and clear, positioned on a medium-sized round dial. The strap is leather, with a vintage flavour.
The mechanism is extremely reliable and marks the time perfectly in a clear, simple manner.