Perennially stylish and perfectly functional.
Unlike the quest for modern cars, art, or architecture, watches most coveted are those that scream vintage. Given how classic-watch values have risen and watch brands are pillaging their back catalogs for inspiration, the classic timepiece remains the benchmark of great design according to the Robb Report.
But why did functional watch design peak back then? Restrained, thoughtful midcentury design seems to suit the constrained real estate of a watch dial and the need to be legible. In the 1950s, pilots’ and divers’ watches were actually used by pilots and divers: They had to work well as instruments, and good form generally follows good function. And having been given Platonic form in the ’50s and ’60s, many of these benchmark watches have stayed in production almost unaltered, forcing later designs to be more complex or polarizing just to be different.
Read the full article at Robb Report.