Movado Watches Baselworld 2017
Movado Watches stands for innovations, milestones, happenings and celebrities. Their watches are distinguished by the acclaimed dial designed by artist Nathan George Horwitt in 1947, and new explorations of it.
The watch dial with a solitary dot. An icon of modern design.
The Movado watch brand traces its roots all the way back to the beginnings of the modern design movement and the group of international artists who founded the Bauhaus School in 1919. “Simplicity, tastefulness, function” was their motto. One of the watch brands purest expressions was the black watch dial defined by a single gold dot, designed by world renowned American artist Nathan George Horwitt in 1947.
“We do not know time as a number sequence,” Horwitt said, but by the position of the sun as the earth rotates. This is why Movado use a solitary dot at 12 o’clock symbolizing the sun at high noon; the moving hands represent the movement of the earth.
Movado watches like many other watch brands play a massive part in Baselworld with a stunning stand that we visited during our time at baselworld. The brand was extremely proud to present the Design Genius which is the celebration of design and innovation that encompasses the brand’s 135+ year history with the iconic Museum Dial at the center of this important milestone. This year (2017) also marks the prestigious 70th anniversary of the world famous Museum Dot Dial design which has become the Movado Watches brand’s most important signature around the globe.
At Baselworld this year, Movado explored the concept of Design Genius as expressed by Nathan George Horwitt’s breakthrough design, the recognition it has received as well as the inspiration it has provided not only to the brand but to artists and fans alike since first launched in 1947.
Nathan George Horwitt was primarily an industrial designer who broke all the conventions of timepiece manufacturing and design at the time by stripping the numbers / batons completely from the watch dial. As a enthusiatic follower of the Bauhaus Movement, Mr Horwitt challenged himself to create his own concept of design that focused on items and spaceswhich were basic and functional rather than complex and detailed. From this the idea of a dot signifying the sun at high noon was born. It was so innovative and a perfect tribute for the Bauhaus movement that he loved so much. A single dot that has truly changed the face of time and defined the Movado brand. We now take a look at Movado watches Baselworld 2017 plans;
Efraim Grinberg, Movado Group Chairman & CEO said:
“The single dot Museum Dial, designed by Nathan George Horwitt in 1947 is pure design genius. We celebrate 70 years of this breakthrough design that visualizes time with daring and acclaimed simplicity. Always original, conceptual, beautiful and inspiring -the Movado Museum Dial is recognized as one of the most important designs of the 20th century.”
The Movado watches Baselworld stand wasn’t just a sales-desk of pre-orders and new releases but an exhibition space that immersed anyone who walked past. Visitors could read the incredible recognition Horwitt’s simple, modern and iconic design received from a notable and extremely diverse group of individuals who ranged from Norman Rockwell who was a 20th-century American author, painter and illustrator, to Edward Steichen who was a Luxembourgish American photographer, painter, and art gallery and museum curator. One of the 20th century’s most influential gentlemen, shared a mutual admiration with Nathan George Horwitt, his name was Albert Einstein. This mutual admiration is a stunning testament to the power of Horwitt’s design genius. He even received a highly complementary note back from Einstein after sending him several of his sketches.
“When I received the sketch of the clock you invented I was impressed by this simple and convincing idea.” – Albert Einstein.
In recognition of this incredible camaraderie, and as part of the 2017 Design Genius initiative, Movado is lending its support to the Albert Einstein Foundation and sponsoring programs and initiatives to help them to bring innovative new ideas to forefront of design in the modern age.
Movado watches Baselworld 2017 new product offerings include the Museum Dot which will of course be the focus around the globe in diverse product permutations. The range includes the 70th Anniversary collection with Bauhaus Limited Edition pieces which we were very excited to see at Baselworld and also a new automatic series which we unfortunately didn’t manage to see that will be launched in China along with new Ultra Slim designs. Movado Watches are working harder than ever this year to continue the evolution of Design Genius, to do this Movado is launching the next generation of Movado’s connected watches. This is a new partnership with Google Android wear who already work with brands such as Tag Heuer, Nixon and Polar) which is going to embrace and immerse the wearer into the Movado’s experience and Design Genius through multiple selections of the iconic Movado Watches Dial. Additional novelties will include in select markets the expansion of the Heritage Series which celebrates Movado’s designs from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s in a relevant interpretation.
