Design in Time

The watch is certainly one of the most successful design objects in history, an iconic object that hides the essence of the most complex technology in its functional simplicity, an object that has seen the approach of designers of every era and has played key roles in social customs. Just think of the swatch brand pop approach in the 1990s or of the influence of a brand like Rolex in every sector of the luxury market. But also the radical approach of the designers in the era of the industrial design boom, such as the Record model by Alessi designed by Achille Castiglioni or the Braun watches designed by Dieter Rams in the ‘60s. The emergence of digital technology, even in this sector, with the arrival of smart watches, has strengthened the experience and the perception of the watch as a sophisticated and precious object allowing companies to perform at their best. Brands of today offer more and more interesting models with a strong rediscovery of the forms of past years and a very strong approach to materials research, as in the case of Panerai with the new Submersible who chooses to use Bronze for the case. Not at all by chance, bronze is a metal which in the world of design and architecture is imprinted in the ‘70s and that makes a strong return into the design of today.