Bauhaus Dessau Weimar Automatic 4H352 - Sapphire

Aristo started way back in 1907, for three generations making precision and reliable timepieces for collectors worldwide. When we think of "Watches from Pforzheim," clean and minimalistic designs quickly come to mind, and you are not amiss.

The minimalist design was initially founded by an architect named Walter Gropius in Weimar, Germany. Its relevancy came in conjunction with the German watchmakers in the country. At that time, the German watch industry was so heavily influenced by this 20th-century dogma that it imposed a lasting effect on the design philosophy. Fittingly, timepieces produced in Pforzheim often exude pure elegance and simplicity, often considered dress watches, yet unornamented enough to be worn daily and icons on their own. Even today, the indelible minimalist aura can be felt and seen in German timepieces.

Of course, this design is practiced by Pforzheim's Aristo and seen in their recent Dessau collection, progressively inspired by their Bauhaus Dessau architecture from the early 90s. Applying these elements into timepieces, the Ref.4H352 Dessau Automatic Weimar has a clean, minimalistic dial that makes it elegant enough to be dressy and straightforward sufficient for daily wear. It is full of heritage with some modern attitude. In addition, the revival of the Bauhaus styling was Aristo's effort to commemorate the centennial anniversary of this modernistic style.

To start, the case itself is clean and minimalist - as with its dial aesthetics - manufactured in 316L stainless steel that gets a classy full polished finish. It measures a sweet 40mm wide, 51mm lug to lug distance, and just 11mm tall. Don't let the lug distance fence you off from this elegant model as the lugs curves effortlessly down to your wrist, elevating the ergonomics when strapping it on. Along with its thin bezel, it results in an all-dial watch where it exemplifies the "Bauhaus" effect unimpededly. The overall proportion of it results in much versatility for its wearer, allowing them to pair with both evening wear or keep things casual.

The eggshell white tone of the dial radiates a sense of vintage warmth that you won't find in other hues right underneath its charming domed sapphire crystal. On top of that, the Arabic hour markers are also kept minimal at 12 and 6 o'clock, while they reminiscent of the 1970s typeface designed by Ed Benguiat and Victor Caruso. We can find this design in other German Brethren like Nomos and Stowa.