BAUHAUS: Easy and compact
Here you will find a complete and at the same time entertaining summary of the most important facts, people and products surrounding the legendary design school.
In addition, you will find out to what extent the successor institutions such as the HfG Ulm and the HfG Offenbach have further developed the teachings of the BAUHAUS in a contemporary manner.
In the interview with Mario Lenke and Klaus Botta you will discover a lot of familiar things but also a lot of surprising things.
Bauhaus watch and BOTTA watch
Genetic kinship instead of visual backdrop
Me-too Bauhaus watches, as they are increasingly found at present, fundamentally contradict the Bauhaus philosophy. On closer inspection, their relationship to the most important design school of the 20th century usually turns out to be a backdrop without substance.
A copy of the Bauhaus design of the time is directly opposed to the original intention - the development of something new and contemporary. At the Bauhaus, which is considered the first design school ever, very modern values were represented early on, the core of which is still relevant today. However, the demands on formal design today are completely different from those of 1919.
At BOTTA design, the philosophy developed at the Bauhaus was and is consistently pursued and further developed.
BAUHAUS watches by BOTTA
BOTTA watches - consistent further development of the Bauhaus style
BOTTA transfers the Bauhaus values to the present day. Merely transferring the aesthetics of the early 20th century into the present day is easy to do, but not in the interest of the user. Such a backward-looking design would contradict the Bauhaus idea per se.
Moreover, originality and contemporary design are important characteristics of BOTTA watches. Just like at Bauhaus, great importance is attached to the concept of the products. The results are "Bauhaus" watches with extraordinary and logical display principles in a contemporary design, like the one-hand watch UNO. The typical BOTTA aesthetic focuses on what is really important. Ultra-modern materials make BOTTA watches into technically leading products.
With their design and technical innovation, "Bauhaus" watches from BOTTA are progressive quality products and the logical further development of the timeless, contemporary Bauhaus design into the 21st century.
Bauhaus watch: Klaus Botta, a "grandson of the Bauhaus"
Klaus Botta, owner of the design office BOTTA design and founder of the BOTTA brand, studied design at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Offenbach am Main after studying technical physics. The HfG Offenbach is a direct successor institution of the Bauhaus. Already the common part of the name "Hochschule für Gestaltung" makes the direct reference clear. In awareness of this heritage, BOTTA - a grandson of the Bauhaus, so to speak - is constantly developing the Bauhaus philosophy further with every watch and giving it a contemporary form. Klaus Botta thus develops and designs "Bauhaus" watches in the best sense.
Are BAUHAUS watches minimalistic?
The first single-hand watch was born from the idea of reducing time to its essentials. Inspired by the Bauhaus principle, BOTTA watches stand for clean lines instead of distraction, reduction instead of excess. They show what really matters: the moment, not the second. Each watch is a haven of calm on the wrist—logical, precise, and uncompromisingly minimalist.
For people who value clarity and a genuine culture of time in a noisy world.
The spirit of the Bauhaus: originality and innovation
The Bauhaus worked successively at the locations Weimar, Dessau and most recently Berlin. Although it existed only from 1919 to 1933, its influences on our product world are still omnipresent today. During the period of the Weimar Republic, which was marked by great uncertainty, the Bauhaus was more than just a school of arts and crafts. Under the direction of the visionary Bauhaus founder and first director, Walter Gropius, important personalities of the artistic avant-garde of the time such as Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee conceived products and architecture for a more modern and humane society.;
The Bauhaus embodied the revolutionary design of a new era, which consciously set itself apart from the existing. The new design direction was free of ornamental decoration and focused on the essentials - just like the "Bauhaus" watches by Klaus Botta. The focus was always on people. New types of materials were used and their properties skilfully exploited for the design of progressive products. Many Bauhaus objects thus became precursors for new production processes and still have the status of classics today. They are true originals and innovators of their time.
Bauhaus watches combine contemporary design with advanced technology
Since the Bauhaus era, there has been immense progress in design and technology. This development should be taken into account when designing progressive watches. BOTTA watches reflect the spirit of the times. Whether one-hand watch or 24-hour watch, their special and particularly logical display concepts are more topical than ever in our short-cycle, complex world. They can contribute to slow down the pace of life and encourage a more human perception of time. This contemplation of time awareness is another ideal that BOTTA and Bauhaus share. BOTTA watches focus on the human being and the confident use of time. For this reason and because of their exemplary design, BOTTA watches have been awarded over 60 international design prizes.
The technology of BOTTA watches is also up-to-date. Many of these current "Bauhaus" watches have a titanium case and are therefore surprisingly light and robust at the same time. Furthermore, all watches feature sapphire crystals. These are treated with an anti-reflective coating on both sides and are particularly scratch-resistant. The movements come exclusively from the Swiss premium manufacturers ETA and Ronda. Thus, watches from BOTTA are technical products that have been optimized down to the last detail and have a pronounced longevity.
BOTTA wall clocks follow the BAUHAUS philosophy
Our wall clocks also follow the Bauhaus philosophy. They consistently reduce design to the essentials: clear forms, logical readability, and a function that is immediately understandable.
Instead of decorative details, the focus is on utility – every line, every number, and every surface serves orientation throughout the course of the day. In this way, BOTTA wall clocks combine timeless aesthetics with practical clarity and show that good design does not have to stand out in order to make an impact.
Quality Made in Germany
The high standards of the watches are also reflected in their production. The term "Handmade in Germany" refers on the one hand to the production location in Germany, and on the other hand to the high level of craftsmanship with which each individual watch is manufactured. All watches are assembled, adjusted and tested exclusively in Germany by master watchmakers. This also guarantees the high quality of BOTTA watches.
Exceptional concepts, technical innovations and their characteristic aesthetics make BOTTA watches genuine Bauhaus watches of the 21st century.
FAQ about bauhaus watches
A Bauhaus watch is defined by more than a reduced dial, clear typography or geometric forms. What matters is the design attitude behind it: form and function form a unity, unnecessary elements are avoided, and familiar solutions are developed further in a contemporary way.
Mere copies of historical Bauhaus aesthetics contradict this idea. The Bauhaus did not stand for the repetition of a fixed style, but for the development of new, functional and human-centred design. An authentic Bauhaus watch therefore has not only a visual relationship with this philosophy, but above all a conceptual one.
BOTTA consistently continues this approach through independent display concepts, functional reduction and a clear design language that arises from the requirements of the present day.
An authentic Bauhaus watch is recognised not primarily by its outward simplicity, but by its inner logic. Every design element should fulfil a purpose: improving legibility, ergonomics, orientation or the perception of time.
When reduction is merely decorative, it remains superficial. When it is developed from function, genuine clarity emerges. This is precisely the difference between a watch in the “Bauhaus style” and a watch that truly develops Bauhaus values and the Bauhaus philosophy further.
Authentic Bauhaus watches are therefore not simply minimalist at will, but consistently user-oriented and functional in their design.
BOTTA watches embrace the fundamental design principles of the Bauhaus and develop them further for the present day. Rather than merely quoting historical designs visually, Klaus Botta creates independent time-display concepts and consistently reduces each one to its particular function, entirely in the spirit of Bauhaus thinking.
Clear forms, logical structures and a restrained product language make BOTTA watches modern Bauhaus watches for the 21st century. As a design “grandchild of the BAUHAUS”, BOTTA combines technical precision with conceptual clarity—not as a stylistic copy, but as the further development of a timeless philosophy centred on people.
BOTTA does not create variations of existing watch concepts, but develops original time instruments. The difference therefore lies not only in the design, but in the thinking behind it.
While many so-called Bauhaus watches primarily rely on a reduced appearance, BOTTA develops independent display principles such as the modern single-hand watch and the sun-synchronous 24-hour watch. These are complemented by consistently logical design, outstanding ergonomic quality, and development and assembly in Germany.
BOTTA stands for exceptional watches made in Germany and designed for sustainability and longevity. The result is timepieces that do not merely look simple, but rethink the culture of time in a new and contemporary way.
A single-hand watch reduces the display of time to its essentials. A single hand indicates hours and minutes on a clearly structured scale, replacing the conventional combination of several hands with different meanings.
This functional reduction reflects the Bauhaus idea of reconsidering familiar products and consistently developing their design from their function. At the same time, the single-hand watch enables a calm and self-determined view of time.
Ingenious products are always simple. This is precisely why the single-hand principle fits so well with a design attitude that places clarity above complexity.
BOTTA watches are developed in Germany and assembled, regulated and tested by specialised watchmakers. BOTTA combines independent German product design with impressive manufacturing quality, high-grade components such as sapphire crystal, and reliable Swiss movements.
The result is durable watches rooted in the Bauhaus philosophy, in which design, technology and craftsmanship are carefully coordinated. Our design is consistently centred on people—and so is our commitment to quality.
Yes. BOTTA develops Bauhaus watches for people with an appreciation of clarity, logic and independent design, regardless of short-lived gender conventions or fashion trends.
In principle, all models are deliberately designed to be worn equally well by women and men. Wearing comfort also plays an important role. For this purpose, BOTTA developed the Inverted-Lug-System. Thanks to this special lug construction, the watch fits the wrist more ergonomically and wears considerably more compactly than the case diameter alone would suggest.
What matters less are traditional gender categories than personal style, the desired effect and the preferred form of time display. Particularly refined and elegant models such as the NOVA appeal to many women, while the UNO, TRES, UNO 24, TRES 24 and CLAVIUS are often chosen by design-oriented individuals of all genders. The MONDO, in turn, is the model with the most distinctly masculine character.
Which watch is right for you depends above all on how you would like to perceive time. The UNO is ideal if you are looking for maximum reduction and visual deceleration without departing significantly from your familiar way of reading time. The UNO 24, by contrast, shows the entire day at a glance and is particularly suited to people who wish to experience time as a natural progression. The TRES combines conventional three-hand readability with impressive clarity. The TRES 24 offers a comprehensive view of the day with a more conventional hand logic and minute-accurate readability. The NOVA is aimed at people who prefer to experience time in spaces and rhythms rather than in beats. The MONDO is the first choice when a second time zone is important.
For personal advice, you are welcome to contact us at any time, or use our online watch advisor for an initial recommendation.
Yes. BOTTA wall clocks also translate the Bauhaus philosophy into a clear and functional display of time within a room. They dispense with decorative elements that serve no purpose and focus on a logically structured time scale, excellent legibility and an independent design.
Models such as the UNO wall clocks adopt the single-hand principle and make time perceptible as a calm progression. The UNO 24 wall clocks display the entire day on a 24-hour dial. The result is not a mere copy of historical Bauhaus objects, but contemporary wall clocks in which function, material and form combine to create a coherent unity.
