Movado is one of the few watch brands whose design has been recognized as art—literally. The Museum Watch, with its signature single dot at 12 o'clock, became the first wristwatch design to enter the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. While other brands chase complications, Movado pursued simplicity, proving that less really can be more. The result is the most recognizable watch dial in the world.
La Chaux-de-Fonds Origins (1881)
Achilles Ditesheim founded Movado in 1881 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland—the historic heart of Swiss watchmaking. The company name "Movado" comes from Esperanto, the universal language created in the 19th century, and means "always in motion." From the beginning, Movado embraced innovation and modernity.
The early decades saw Movado establish itself as a serious watchmaker. The company won numerous awards at world exhibitions and accumulated over 200 patents for innovations in watch design and mechanics. This wasn't a fashion brand making watches—it was a watch company that happened to become fashionable.
Technical Innovation
Before the Museum Watch defined Movado's identity, the company was known for technical achievements:
Polyplan (1912): A curved movement designed to fit the wrist's contour—innovative ergonomics a century ago
Ermeto (1926): A purse watch that wound itself when opened and closed
Calendomatic (1946): One of the first automatic watches with a full calendar
These innovations demonstrate that Movado's minimalism wasn't born from limitations but from conscious design choices.
MoMA Recognition (1960): The Museum Watch entered the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York—the first wristwatch ever honored this way. The design also resides in museums worldwide, including the Smithsonian. When a watch becomes art, it transcends mere timekeeping.
Nathan George Horwitt's Vision (1947)
The Museum dial was designed by Nathan George Horwitt, a Bauhaus-influenced American designer. His concept was radical: remove everything unnecessary. No numbers, no minute markers, no brand name clutter. Just a single dot at 12 representing the sun at high noon, and two hands sweeping across a clean dial.
"We do not know time as a number sequence," Horwitt explained, "but by the position of the sun." The design distilled timekeeping to its essence—the sun's position in the sky, abstracted to its purest form.
The resulting watch was so minimalist that people initially questioned whether it could tell time. It could—and more elegantly than watches cluttered with numerals and complications.
Achilles Ditesheim founds Movado in La Chaux-de-Fonds
Polyplan curved movement patented
Ermeto self-winding purse watch introduced
Nathan George Horwitt designs the Museum dial
Museum Watch enters MoMA's permanent collection
Acquired by North American Watch Corporation (now Movado Group)
Artist Series launches with Andy Warhol collaboration
Movado Connect smartwatch line debuts
The Design Philosophy
Movado's approach reflects Bauhaus principles: form follows function, ornament is unnecessary, and beauty emerges from simplicity. The Museum dial achieves instant recognition without logos or text—the design itself is the identity.
This philosophy extends beyond the dial. Movado's cases, bracelets, and packaging all embrace minimalism. The brand has collaborated with artists and designers who share this aesthetic, including Yves Béhar and Jill Newman.
The Movado Group
Since 1983, Movado has been part of Movado Group Inc., a publicly traded company that also holds licenses for brands including Coach, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein. This portfolio approach provides manufacturing scale while maintaining each brand's distinct identity.
Movado's manufacturing has evolved from its Swiss origins. Today, the brand operates across price points, from accessible fashion-tier pieces to premium Swiss-made collections. The Museum design appears across this range, democratizing what was once a luxury design.
Current Collections
Museum Classic: The original dot dial in various sizes and materials
Bold: Contemporary interpretations with larger cases and color variations
Modern 47: Vintage-inspired cushion cases with minimalist dials
SE: Sport Editions with additional functionality
Heritage Series: Reissues of vintage Movado designs
Series 800: Sport watches with more traditional dial layouts
Movado Connect: Smartwatch collection with minimalist aesthetics
Cultural Impact
The Museum Watch has become a symbol of sophisticated minimalism. Its appearance in countless films, TV shows, and advertisements has made it shorthand for "cultured and successful." When a character needs to convey artistic sensibility without ostentation, they often wear a Museum dial.
The design has been extensively copied—flattery that confirms its iconic status. But copies miss the point: the Museum dial's power lies in its provenance and the philosophy behind it, not just the visual arrangement of a dot and two hands.
Today's Movado
Movado occupies a unique position: a design-led brand in an industry often dominated by mechanical complexity or brand heritage. While Swiss manufacturers tout movements and complications, Movado leads with aesthetics. While fashion brands chase trends, Movado maintains its 75-year-old design.
Critics argue that modern Movados are fashion watches with premium pricing. Defenders counter that you're buying a design icon—a piece of MoMA's permanent collection on your wrist. The truth lies somewhere between: Movado makes wearable art at prices that approach (but don't quite reach) luxury, backed by enough horological heritage to claim legitimacy.
Is Movado Worth the Money?
This question sparks debate among watch enthusiasts. At $300-800 for quartz models and $800-2000 for automatics, Movado pricing overlaps with brands offering arguably more horological substance—Tissot, Hamilton, Seiko Presage. You can get Swiss automatics with elaborate finishing at Movado prices.
However, this analysis misses what you're actually buying. Movado sells design, not movements. The Museum dial is a cultural artifact, a design icon recognized worldwide. No Tissot or Hamilton offers that kind of aesthetic significance. If design matters to you—if you appreciate the Bauhaus philosophy and want wearable art—Movado delivers something competitors cannot.
The Museum dial also offers instant recognition in business and social settings. Where watch enthusiasts might recognize a fine Seiko, general audiences recognize Movado's dot dial. For professionals who want their accessories to communicate sophistication without requiring explanation, Movado works as intended.
Movado's Place in Watch Collecting
Most serious watch collectors don't consider Movado part of the horological hierarchy that runs from Seiko through Omega to Patek Philippe. It occupies a separate category: design-forward brands where aesthetics matter more than movements. In this category—alongside brands like Skagen, Daniel Wellington, and MVMT—Movado reigns supreme with its art museum credentials and century-plus heritage.
Some collectors include a Museum Watch specifically because it's different. Amid sport watches, dive watches, and chronographs, the Museum dial's radical simplicity stands out. It represents a different philosophy of watchmaking—one that values visual poetry over mechanical complexity. A collection exploring horological diversity has room for Movado alongside more traditional pieces.
The vintage market for Movado is also worth noting. Older Museum watches, Ermeto purse watches, and pre-quartz pieces have genuine collector interest. Like many brands that later moved toward fashion positioning, Movado's earlier production includes watches with serious horological merit. The brand's 200+ patents attest to a history of genuine innovation.