Estenfeld, Germany
The Walter Gropius watches are a tribute to the founder of Bauhaus and therefore the perfect statement for all fans of the brilliant architect and visionary.
The watch won a Good Design Award in 2019 from The Chicago Athenaeum.
Walter Gropius revolutionized the approach to art, design and architecture. As the founder of Bauhaus, he is regarded as a pioneer of modern design.
But how would a watch, designed by Gropius, have looked like?
This question was asked by the company Watchpeople GmbH., which launched the new watch label Walter Gropius together with designer Daniel Eltner in 2018.
The design of the Walter Gropius watches does not imitate the Gropius design style, but interprets it in a new way. Bauhaus stands for timeless design, minimalism and above all for the experimental.
Walter Gropius watches start right there and make the playful and curious aspect of Bauhaus visible. Pop colors based on the basic colors blue, yellow and red, colored hands and graphic dials are characteristic for the new watch collection. The design of the watches refers on one hand to the architecture of the state Bauhaus in Dessau and to the artistic works of its famous pupils and lecturers. An example for this is the J. Albers collection, as it is based on the painting ‘Homage to the Square’ by the artist Josef Albers. On the other hand, the watch design is based on the Memphis Group‘s “Form Follows Fantasy and Fiction” design principle.
The innovative watch case without lugs fictitiously symbolizes the functional steel and glass architecture of Walter Gropius. The watch hands and the dials stylize the various artistic work of Bauhaus.
The special design of the dials pursues a certain intention: it helps to develop a freer sense of time.
“It is about freedom, about not becoming the victim of a high-tech device on the wrist, says designer Daniel Eltner.
“The watches should encourage people to consciously perceive time and consciously design it.”
Walter Gropius watches are made in Germany and consist of high-quality materials like stainless steel cases and bracelets, sapphire crystals and genuine leather straps.
Designers: Daniel Eltner, Destudio Eltner and Watchpeople GmbH
Manufacturer: Watchpeople GmbH