Watched Out
August 11, 2016 11:12 AM Subscribe
What's the deal with these minimalist watches? And where can I find more?
This question's a two-parter:
(1) I've been looking for a very minimalist rose-tone watch. Beyond just "it's the trend," why is it that so many of them are nearly identical? Like this and this and this? Is there a Luxottica of the watch world that just churns out all the brands? Even if they're all from the same factory in China or what have you, who was the first to start the trend?
(2) Can you please recommend some brands that offer a very minimal rose-tone (rose gold) watch? Features I'd really like are (a) hour marks, but NO minute marks, (b) a round face and (c) a flat bezel. Here are some I've looked at that are in the ballpark:
-- Cluse
-- MVMT
-- Rosefield
-- The Horse
-- Brathwaite
Thanks!
This question's a two-parter:
(1) I've been looking for a very minimalist rose-tone watch. Beyond just "it's the trend," why is it that so many of them are nearly identical? Like this and this and this? Is there a Luxottica of the watch world that just churns out all the brands? Even if they're all from the same factory in China or what have you, who was the first to start the trend?
(2) Can you please recommend some brands that offer a very minimal rose-tone (rose gold) watch? Features I'd really like are (a) hour marks, but NO minute marks, (b) a round face and (c) a flat bezel. Here are some I've looked at that are in the ballpark:
-- Cluse
-- MVMT
-- Rosefield
-- The Horse
-- Brathwaite
Thanks!
Best answer: can't answer most of this, but yes, most watches are made by just a few companies: table of groups; article.
posted by andrewcooke at 11:17 AM on August 11, 2016
posted by andrewcooke at 11:17 AM on August 11, 2016
Here's one with no minute marks:
Does the band color matter to you?
posted by Mouse Army at 11:20 AM on August 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Does the band color matter to you?
posted by Mouse Army at 11:20 AM on August 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've been coveting this one for a year or so.
posted by vignettist at 11:23 AM on August 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by vignettist at 11:23 AM on August 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
You might want to google for Bauhaus Style Watches. Nomos Glashütte is my favourite brand, wish I could justify one. Oh, for a Metro Datum Gangreserve!
Can't suggest brands sadly, not really a wis.
posted by TrinsicWS at 11:25 AM on August 11, 2016
Can't suggest brands sadly, not really a wis.
posted by TrinsicWS at 11:25 AM on August 11, 2016
You're probably gonna want to look at some Skagen watches. They are all about this aesthetic.
posted by kindall at 11:51 AM on August 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by kindall at 11:51 AM on August 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Uniform Wares makes some very sharp-looking watches in this style. The rose gold watch does have minute marks but they're quite faint. (Note: spendy. For cheaper ones I'd look at Skagen.)
posted by miles per flower at 11:57 AM on August 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by miles per flower at 11:57 AM on August 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
Yes, a lot of name brand watches are made by the same companies and just have their branding on them.
A company in in New Jersey, Belair, manufactures a lot of low-mid end watches with the brands of other companies on them. Get their catalog and you'll see a lot of watches are really produced by them.
It was surprising to me how inexpensive it was to do private label watches, using someone like them.
posted by bswinburn at 4:26 PM on August 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
A company in in New Jersey, Belair, manufactures a lot of low-mid end watches with the brands of other companies on them. Get their catalog and you'll see a lot of watches are really produced by them.
It was surprising to me how inexpensive it was to do private label watches, using someone like them.
posted by bswinburn at 4:26 PM on August 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
1. This "trend" started about 100 years ago in the Bauhaus school of design. Watches were designed in the 1920s and 30s inspired directly or generally by their philosophies and aesthetic. More recently I would credit its reappearance to Nomos Glashüette; it's popularization to less costly manufacturers like Stowa, Laco, Junghans; its trend-making heavily and most visibly to Daniel Wellington, and finally it's democratization to Timex.
Several in the first two categories (the German manufacturers, naturally) have historical connections to these designs, i.e. those companies sold very similar designs in the 20s. On the budget/contemporary end, we're talking about modern homage designs that are very probably made in the exact same Chinese factories.
There are also what I would consider to be nearly-counterfeit-except-in-name watches, primarily copying the Nomos styles, but also on the affordable end for brands like Daniel Wellington.
As for the rose gold part of the equation, the popularity of that metal/color has it's own history, with it's own, well, history (rose gold, contrary to what fashion magazines might lead you to believe, has been applied to watches since there have been watches).
2. The answer depends heavily only your budget. First sorting question is, do you want a quartz or a mechanical watch.
In quartz, I would say DW would be on trend, or realistically, a little late into the trend. It is the only manufacturer of this "style" that you're actually going to see in fashion magazines and thus your trendy clothing boutiques that also sell some watches.
Timex, is the hands down most reliable and value for money choice, but won't have any of the "cache" if you believe in that sort of thing.
In between there are a million manufacturers, that in my opinion are not worth considering because they are accessories companies, not watch companies. This is also not an endorsement of DW, as I don't believe they're fundamentally better watches qua watches, just that they have brand recognition.
In mechanicals, well, that's a whole other story I would love to hold forth on but not worth getting into unless you're looking to spend significantly ($1000+) more.
Here's a brief article that might be interesting to you.
posted by danny the boy at 5:04 PM on August 11, 2016
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Several in the first two categories (the German manufacturers, naturally) have historical connections to these designs, i.e. those companies sold very similar designs in the 20s. On the budget/contemporary end, we're talking about modern homage designs that are very probably made in the exact same Chinese factories.
There are also what I would consider to be nearly-counterfeit-except-in-name watches, primarily copying the Nomos styles, but also on the affordable end for brands like Daniel Wellington.
As for the rose gold part of the equation, the popularity of that metal/color has it's own history, with it's own, well, history (rose gold, contrary to what fashion magazines might lead you to believe, has been applied to watches since there have been watches).
2. The answer depends heavily only your budget. First sorting question is, do you want a quartz or a mechanical watch.
In quartz, I would say DW would be on trend, or realistically, a little late into the trend. It is the only manufacturer of this "style" that you're actually going to see in fashion magazines and thus your trendy clothing boutiques that also sell some watches.
Timex, is the hands down most reliable and value for money choice, but won't have any of the "cache" if you believe in that sort of thing.
In between there are a million manufacturers, that in my opinion are not worth considering because they are accessories companies, not watch companies. This is also not an endorsement of DW, as I don't believe they're fundamentally better watches qua watches, just that they have brand recognition.
In mechanicals, well, that's a whole other story I would love to hold forth on but not worth getting into unless you're looking to spend significantly ($1000+) more.
Here's a brief article that might be interesting to you.
posted by danny the boy at 5:04 PM on August 11, 2016
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! I know about Bauhaus but was referring to the trend in the past handful of years of these very specifically similar watches (like the ones I linked to), with very similar websites, etc. I'm not super concerned about the band (though I prefer leather) because I'm more interested in locating just the right face (white with rose gold).
Thanks for the Timex link; unfortunately it doesn't have the flat bezel I'm after and there's too much rounding in the various details. The Nomos are very nice but too much going on on the face for what I'm after. Skagen's ok too but I can't find one with a flat bezel -- also, my old watch was actually a Skagen and I wasn't thrilled with the strap. Uniform Wares is close, thanks!
posted by paperback version at 6:17 PM on August 11, 2016
Thanks for the Timex link; unfortunately it doesn't have the flat bezel I'm after and there's too much rounding in the various details. The Nomos are very nice but too much going on on the face for what I'm after. Skagen's ok too but I can't find one with a flat bezel -- also, my old watch was actually a Skagen and I wasn't thrilled with the strap. Uniform Wares is close, thanks!
posted by paperback version at 6:17 PM on August 11, 2016
Just a design note, I think most of these minimal designs can be traced back to the venerable Calatrava by Patek Philippe (google images)
posted by artdrectr at 1:05 AM on August 12, 2016
posted by artdrectr at 1:05 AM on August 12, 2016
How about Nixon? I'm sorry I can't tell if the bezel is flat in the pictures, but they tick the other requirements:1, 2, 3
posted by like_neon at 2:01 AM on August 12, 2016
posted by like_neon at 2:01 AM on August 12, 2016
Best answer: Stock watches, made designed (and maybe made?) in Australia are the best genuinely minimal bang for your buck. S003 may be your thing.
posted by lalochezia at 6:45 PM on August 12, 2016
posted by lalochezia at 6:45 PM on August 12, 2016
You want real bang for your buck - check out alibaba.
posted by Admira at 9:35 PM on September 8, 2016
posted by Admira at 9:35 PM on September 8, 2016
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posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:15 AM on August 11, 2016 [1 favorite]