The age-old question is: should you go minimalist or maximalist? Of course, both minimalism and maximalism have their own individual perks, as well as having had their individual peaks and troughs throughout history. However, in 2023 we find ourselves straddling both sides of the aesthetic debate. Whilst maximalism has been big recently with Barbiecore, it coincides with the ‘quiet luxury’ trend characterised by minimalist design principles. This is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Vogue, which recently discussed the simultaneous trend of both minimalist and maximalist jewellery. In this spirit, we have put together our own Minimalist VS Maximalist Watches showdown to put both polarising trends to the test.
Our Minimalist VS Maximalist Watches Round Up
Maximalism
Not for the faint of heart, maximalism is defined by excess. Often, this takes the form of vibrant colours, bold patterns and eccentric designs. As it can take many forms, the maximalist movement has no set origin per se. As such, there are few limiting design parameters meaning that maximalist watches can look completely disparate from one another. Below, we have rounded up a selection of our current favourite watches to demonstrate all the potential different veins of maximalism.
Swatch Big Bold Irony MINT TRIM Stainless Steel (47mm) Turquoise Skeleton Dial / Turquoise Rubber SB07S111
Opening up our list is, unsurprisingly, a Swatch. The brand is notorious for its bold Swiss designs and has a portfolio full to the brim of playful maximalist pieces. One of its most recent releases is this Big Bold Irony, and its name certainly does not fall flat. In a tasteful mint colour, the watch features a skeletonised dial complete with black hour and minute hands. Other trimmings on the dial include a mint second hand, silver-tone baton indices and accompanying mint-coloured Arabic numerals. This watch also marks Swatch’s first time using a hybrid of stainless steel and bioceramic, which forms the 47mm case. Completing the design is a matching mint-coloured silicone strap with a black frame and a buckle fastening. With its lively design and intricate design, Swatch has once again made the quintessential maximalist piece.
Guess Women’s Gold Crystal Flower Dial Gold Tone Stainless Steel Bracelet GW0528L2
Next up we have this stunning Guess piece. Following an all-gold colour scheme, a beautiful crystal-set floral motif immediately draws the eye in. Blending seamlessly with the flower are the gold-tone hour, minute and second hands ticking away at its centre. These extend towards the outer crystal-set frame around the dial, which features larger crystals for each of the hour markers. But, if the dial alone is not sparkly enough for your taste, have no fear. Contributing to the watch’s glamorous maximalism is a crystal-set bezel. It sits on a 36mm case made from gold-tone stainless to coordinate with a matching bracelet. Glitzy in a way that refuses to share the limelight, we love the maximalism of this Guess watch.
Casio G-Shock MTG B3000 Series Aurora Oval Special Edition MTG-B3000PRB-1AER
For some multifunctional maximalism, we recommend this Casio G-Shock. Another new release, this watch features a multi-coloured stainless steel case which mimics the colours of the Northern Lights. Beyond its bold appearance, the watch is also incredibly high performing. With functions like alarms, a weekday and date display, as well as Bluetooth connectivity, it’s packed to the brim with functionality. All these features are also in safe hands, as the watch is also shock-resistant, vibration-resistant, centrifugal force resistant and water-resistant up to 200 metres. For a trendy finish, a purple resin pin buckle strap secures the watch to the wrist. Maximalist in every sense, there’s little left to be desired with this Casio. However, with only a few pieces available, you will have to act fast to get your hands on one!
STORM Darth Gold Stainless Steel Watch 47001/GD/BK
Unlike any other on our minimalist VS maximalist watches list is this Storm Darth. In typical Stom fashion, this piece subverts the traditional dial design entirely. Its irregularly shaped case is made from gold-tone stainless steel and houses a black dial display at its centre. Upon it are three apertures, one for the hour, one for minutes, and another multi-coloured display as the seconds counter. Encasing this display is a faceted black mineral crystal, which further contributes to the quirky design. Finally, the watch’s reliable gold-tone stainless steel bracelet secures it to the wrist and adds a touch of normality to the design. Truly one of a kind, we love the Storm Darth for its bold yet somehow understated maximalism.
Minimalism
As expected, minimalism is the complete opposite. It works on the baseline principle that “less is more” and forefronts functional rather than ornamental design. Moreover, its origins are more defined than those of maximalism. Both for watches and beyond, minimalism was popularised in post-war society and hit a peak in the 1960s and 1970s. However, we can see the roots of minimalist watch design as early as the 1930s. For example, in the 4734 and 22097 Longines models. Although you may expect that minimalist watches look uniform, the parameters of minimalism often push designers to work in imaginative ways. To exemplify this, take a look at some of our favourite minimalist watches.
STERNGLAS Naos XS (33mm) White Dial / Grey Leather Strap S01-ND02-KL06
First up we have this Sternglas Naos XS piece. With its clean white dial and pale grey leather strap to match, it embodies the minimalist ideal. Injecting some warmth into the design is the model’s 33mm wide gold PVD-plated stainless steel case. At 6mm thick, it has a sim profile that sits elegantly on the wrist. To tie in the warm gold are gold-tone minute and hour hands at the centre of the dial. They’re accompanied by baton hour and minute markers, which have accenting numerals at each of the even number positions. A final added practical touch is the date display, which neatly sits above 6 o’clock. Whilst we love the pristine look of this watch, the model also comes in blue, green and terracotta for an added splash of colour to your minimalist look.
Bauhaus Men’s Brown Leather Italian Strap White Dial 2130-1
The Bauhaus art movement was one of the instigators of the push for minimalism, so this watch is a very fitting addition to our minimalist VS maximalist watches list.
By the brand Bauhaus, this watch has unbeatable readability. Marking the hours are black baton indices, which are each paired with a matching Arabic numeral. The centre of the dial anchors two hands, one black and one red, for the hour and minutes respectively. At 3 o’clock is a subtle date display which blends into the rest of the dial. Meanwhile, above the 6 o’clock position is a small seconds crosshair subdial. Beyond its dial design, the watch also has a sleek 41mm stainless steel case and a dark brown Italian leather strap. From its name to its fidelity to 1920s German watch design, this Bauhaus piece is the ultimate minimalist watch.
Bering Max René Women’s Polished Silver Steel Mesh Bracelet 15832-004
With its streamlined form and clean colour scheme, this Bering Max René is next up on our list. At the centre of the design is an elegant square stainless steel case, which measures 32mm in width. Within it is a square white dial, which appears empty apart from the black pointed hour and minute hands. However, right towards the outer perimeter of the dial, four Arabic numeral indices indicate 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. Moreover, added baton indices adorn the flange, which maintains the dial design’s immaculacy whilst aiding precise time reading. Finally, a stainless steel Milanese mesh bracelet finishes the design and fastens it to the wrist with a safety clasp.
A versatile but effortlessly stylish piece, this Bering is the perfect contemporary minimalist watch.
Junghans Max Bill MEGA Solar Leather Strap Sapphire Crystal 59/2020.02
However, no piece epitomises the minimalist watch design movement quite like the Junghans max bill. Mr Max Bill himself was a student at the Bauhaus, the institution that is widely credited as catalysing the minimalist artistic movement. He later went on to develop clock designs for Junghans, and the max bill series has been a core part of the Junghans portfolio ever since.
Whilst this range comes in a variety of colourways, a clean and classic favourite of ours is this black leather strap model. On its crisp white dial, elongated baton indices mark the hours whilst shorter ones indicate minutes. Ensuring the watch can be read even in low light conditions, the watch features luminescent hour and minute hands. Moreover, to reinforce this there is a luminescent dot at each of the four principal dial positions, with two to distinguish the 12 o’clock marker in the dark. The only other feature on the minimalist dial is the date display, which sits next to 3 o’clock. A fitting closing act for our minimalist watches, this max bill has plenty to offer.
So, there we have our Minimalist VS Maximalist Watches round up! But who is the deserving winner in your eyes? Leave your thoughts down below.
