THE JOURNAL

It’s about time you treated yourself to one of these sleek and simple timepieces from Braun, Uniform Wares and Mondaine.
What you wear on your wrist can reveal quite a lot about you. If you think that your watch has more of a role to play in your life than simply telling the time, and that it should gleam and sparkle – a pillar of luxury on your arm – perhaps you’re also more into Ferraris than Jaguar E-Types, and prefer a cruise to a city break. However, if you like the look of the new Braun watch that has just gone live on MR PORTER – we’d hazard a guess that you like to display a little more restraint in your tastes, and exude an appreciation of ergonomic, minimalist design. With this in mind, we thought we would pick out two other watches on site which – although not accompanied with the cache of being directly inspired by the industrialist designer Mr Dieter Rams (like Braun’s creation) – do exhibit some of the great man’s design principles.
The Design Classic

Founded in 1921 in Frankfurt by Mr Max Braun, the German products company of his name has become a byword for sleek, un-improvable design. You might own a famous Braun alarm clock at home. You may have seen a Braun calculator or a coffee maker in the Museum of Modern Art. Or you may own (or wish to own) a Braun watch. Head of design at the brand between 1961 and 1995, Mr Dieter Rams turned everyday objects into works of minimalist art. This watch has his fingerprints all over it and, inspired by his obsessively practical ethos and philosophy, there are few more functional timepieces on the market.
The Hipster Alternative

You may respect Braun and Mr Rams approach to making things and, specifically, watches. Indeed, you may have his 10 principles of good design tattooed on your arm. But that does not mean you can’t shop around for brands that are following a similar path. Uniform Wares, for example, is one such brand that doesn’t do superfluous – and does it well. In fact, the face of this particular model is so stripped back it beats Braun in its “as little design as possible” aesthetic. This watch is a little more contemporary, too, and, in all black, a little cooler. If the Braun BN0032 had an older cousin who smoked and had a fixie – this would be it.
The Sophisticated Classic

From the youth and irreverence of a black Uniform Wares watch to the maturity and sophisticated nature of a Mondaine Helvetica. Mondaine by name, but not mundane by nature. Restrained, yes. Sober – definitely. But certainly not boring. This watch is for a modern gentleman who likes to express himself with words and manners, and not by how many diamonds are encrusted around the face of his watch. A real timeless investment, this piece is one to hand down to future generations.