While its operational years were cut short, the effects of the Bauhaus school of design have proven to be enduring – especially when it comes to the watchmaking world. Active from 1919 to 1933, the German school of art, architecture, and design introduced a holistic new vision for the post-industrial age. The Bauhaus ethos, which is largely guided by an embracing of the mass-production process and the unification of form and function, with a strong emphasis on simplicity and accessibility, became a cornerstone of modern design. In the industry today, the Bauhaus watches and design codes are still well at play, identifiable by their sleek minimalism, distinct typography, and legibility above all else. Down below, I’ll be rounding up the best Bauhaus watches on the market today, at a myriad of price points and approaches to the design language, to prove just how long-lasting the movement has been.
Sternglas
Price Range: $299-$999
There are a few brands on this list (and yes, all of them are German) that Bauhaus is such a guiding force behind their approach to design, it doesn’t make sense to choose just one watch from their catalog. Such is the case with Sternglas. Essentially, it's my pick for those looking for a Bauhaus watch on the attainable end of the price spectrum.
Offering both quartz and automatic takes across key model families, Sternglas offers really considered Bauhaus design at some of the most competitive price points in the industry. Across the Sternglas catalog, the Naos collection stands out as the most quintessentially Bauhaus, essentially translating the wall clocks made during the era into watch form. The Hamburg Mecha Quartz Chrono is a strong contender if you want functionality beyond time-and-date, and though, obviously, there’s a bit more going on dial-side, the Bauhaus inspiration does not get lost along the way. My wildcard pick from the catalog would be the Lumatik automatic 38mm, which plays around with shades of blue and poppy orange while still capturing the necessary minimalism in its dial design.
Braun Gents Automatic
Case: 40mm Material: Steel Movement: Automatic Water Resistance: 50 meters Price: $600
Spearheaded by German industrial designer Dieter Rams, Braun produced an astounding amount of iconic consumer products (starting in 1955) that carried on the functional minimalism that the Bauhaus movement introduced – including watches, of course. A student of the Bauhaus school’s spiritual successor, the Ulm School of Design, Rams was best known for his “less, but better” approach, which, paired with Braun’s mass-market model, is why many consider the brand a continuation of the Bauhaus ethos.
Today, Braun’s entire catalog of watches stays remarkably true to the designs that Rams first introduced with the AW10 watches in 1989. To me, the Gents Automatic line (or the quartz-powered Gents Classic collection) stands out as the most ruggedly Bauhaus in the bunch with its simple dial and Arabic numerals. For even more verisimilitude to the AW10, Braun has also launched a heritage revival of that watch, as well.
Autodromo Monoposto Series 2
Case: 43mm (46mm lug-to-lug) Material: Steel Movement: Miyota 9039 automatic Water Resistance: 50 meters Price: $895
While indie watchmaker Autodromo is (quite obviously) most associated with its vintage racing-inspired design, if you dig through the designs the brand has presented thus far, you’ll find touches of Bauhaus influence hiding in plain sight. Given that the founder, Bradley Price, is an industrial designer by trade, the nods to the Bauhaus movement make total sense. Last year, the brand brought back one of its first designs for another round with the Monoposto Series 2 – a duo of limited edition models that mix simplicity with striking dial colors.
While this duo, technically speaking, draws its inspiration from the dashboard gauges of 50s-era Grand Prix cars, its oversized, round case, easily legible and streamlined dial design, and even the pops of color on the seconds hand and stripe on the crystal all feel very at home in this roundup. While each colorway is a limited edition of 150 pieces, at the time of writing, both models are still available.
Unimatic Modello Quattro UT4 Toolwatch
Case: 40mm Material: Steel Movement: Quartz Water Resistance: 300 meters Price: $515
Nomos Glashütte
Based in the heartland of German watchmaking, the Bauhaus design influence is inescapable when you’re wandering around the Nomos catalog. That also makes it impossible to pick just a single watch, or even a single model family, for this list. That would just feel incomplete. Essentially, this brand is your destination if you’re looking for a Bauhaus watch more in the mid-tier price range and want something with real in-house movement chops.
A key collection since Nomos debuted in 1992, the Tangente line is where you’ll find the most classically Bauhaus watches from the brand. Now, there are sizes ranging from 33mm all the way to 42mm for the Sport takes on the line (though the typical sizing hovers around 35mm-39mm), the brand has introduced several dial colorways and functionality beyond time-only. Recently, Nomos has also added some solid yellow gold Tangentes into the mix.
For something with a little more visual quirk, I quite like the Metro collection, especially the Metro Date Power Reserve, which adds a large date indicator at six o’clock with very mid-century typography, and a mint and red power reserve aperture toward the dial's center at twelve-thirty. The brand’s latest watch industry darling, the Club Sport Neomatic Worldtimer, also strikes as a modern interpretation of Bauhaus design, particularly in the form-meets-function aspect.
MeisterSinger Pangaea Day Date
Case: 40mm Material: Steel Movement: SW220 Water Resistance: 50 meters Price: $2,999
The next (but certainly not last) German watchmaker on the list, MeisterSinger, is best-known for its unique single-hand watch design. I would argue that this entire concept could be seen as a trickle-down from the Bauhaus way of approaching design. Amongst everything in the catalog (and, because I want to give you, dear reader, some options beyond two-handers), the Pangaea Day Date stands apart from the rest for this particular purpose. Detailing the time around the dial’s perimeter, at the dial’s center, you’ll find the concentric date and day-of-the-week rings, which are used in concert with a simple red triangle at twelve just above the brand’s logo. Other than its functions, the design is pleasantly streamlined and unadorned, and powered by the automatic Sellita SW220 movement to boot.
Junghans Max Bill
Taking its name from an actual student of the Bauhaus School of Design, Max Bill’s collaboration with Junghans dates back to the mid-to-late 1950s. So, the Bauhaus connection here isn’t a mere tribute, but baked into the collection and brand’s DNA. Though there are some watches that have taken liberties with Bill’s original watch designs, across the Max Bill collection, his typography and the guiding principles remain.
Within the current collection, the Junghans Max Bill Automatic is among the most steadfastly faithful to the original clocks that the designer made (though you could argue that the handwound models take it even further). The Max Bill Automatic models measure 38mm in diameter, are powered by the J800.1 automatic caliber, and have prices starting at $1,600. The Max Bill Chronoscope and Max Bill Regulator are where the brand has pushed the line more into the 21st century, alongside the chronograph functionality and unconventional timekeeping layout, respectively.
IWC Portugeiser
Case: 41mm Material: Steel Movement: Manufacture 69355 Automatic Water Resistance: 30 meters Price: $8,900
Though IWC’s Portugieser isn’t directly inspired by Bauhaus, and doesn’t claim to be, I would argue that it shares some of the design movement’s principles, even if indirectly. As you might have already guessed, the overall simplicity, function-forward minimalism, and the large and legible Arabic numerals are really what have secured the Portugieser’s position on this roundup, in my eyes. Are the Dauphine hands and railway minutes track a little more Art-Deco functionalism than Bauhaus? Definitely. But I am choosing to overlook that, and this is my article. To narrow things down to one specific, readily available piece, I’m going with the Portugieser Chronograph, which is 41mm in steel, and powered by the Manufacture 69355 Automatic Caliber.
Glashütte Original Senator Excellence
Case: 40mm Material: Steel Movement: Manufacture 36-01 Automatic caliber Water Resistance: 50 meters Price: $10,500
Unlike many of the other German watchmakers on this list, Glashütte Original’s catalog does not heavily rely on Bauhaus influence in its design repertoire. That being said, I would argue that the Senator Excellence, specifically reference 1-36-01-03-02-65, does feel the most Bauhaus-esque, or Bauhaus adjacent, within the brand’s modern catalog.
Measuring 40mm in steel, the time-only simplicity and relatively unadorned dial design are what strike me as most Bauhaus-like. The large and legible Arabic numerals set against the matte, black varnish dial are really the keys to justifying this particular watch’s position on this list. Under the hood, we have the 36-01 Manufacture Caliber, which has an impressive 100-hour power reserve, and is on display through the sapphire crystal caseback. As an alternative, the brand’s Sixties collection, specifically the time-only models, also captures a somewhat Bauhaus vibe, even in their retroness.
H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds
Case: 38mm Material: Steel Movement: Manufacture HMC 200 Automatic Water Resistance: 30 meters Price: $28,000
Okay, before I say anything, I will make it crystal clear that this is my wildcard pick. H. Moser’s Endeavour, on its surface, doesn’t visually scream Bauhaus, nor does it claim any connection. Spiritually, on the other hand, I will argue that we can draw some parallels between Bauhaus ideas and the Endeavour Centre Seconds. Namely, its the way this watch eliminates any superfluity in its design, from its lack of numerals and even down to the forgoing of any logo-ification. Essentially, it is timekeeping boiled down to the essentials, which strikes as a very Bauhaus-like ideal. Pictured, I’ve gone with the Endeavour Centre Seconds in Blue Lagoon, which is 38mm, powered by the Manufacture HMC 200 automatic caliber, and features a teal gradient fumé dial.
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