Mondaine Official
Swiss Railways Watch - the Swiss time icon
The simple
design, the unmistakable easy-to-read face, distinctive hands and the
famous red seconds hand have made the Mondaine collection successful the
world over.
Ingenuity and
simplicity are the elements, which often distinguish an attractive
piece of design from a truly iconic design classic. The Mondaine
Official Swiss Railways watch is proud to be associated with such an
example of excellent 20th century design.
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Hans
Hilfiker (1901-1993)
The famous Swiss Engineer and Designer, as an
employee of the Swiss Federal Railways, created in 1944 a patented
classic, the "Official Swiss Railways Station Clock".
The registered pattern protected wrist-watch version was developed
by Mondaine in 1986. |
In
1944, Hans Hilfiker, a Swiss Engineer and Designer and employee of the
Federal Swiss Railways, created a clock, which has become known as the
"Official Swiss Railways Clock". It is amazing just how long
this design has endured and now it appears to take a place in the eternal
hall of fame along side other well known design icons such as the
Coca-Cola bottle, the Mercedes star, the Toblerone packaging, or the
design of the US dollar bill.
In
1986 the Mondaine watch company, owned by the Bernheim family, took the
blueprint of the iconic-patented design of the Railways Clock and turned
it into a watch collection. These watches are the famous clock in
miniature and carry the same Swiss reputation of excellent watch making
skills, punctuality and uncomplicated design.
The
Mondaine collection has in turn become a respected design in its own right
and has gone from strength to strength and today it is widely considered
to be one of the "10 Classic Swiss Watch Designs". The Mondaine
Watch collection continues to grow in popularity in Europe, the United
States of America and the Far East, easily recognizable as the clock seen
on all Swiss railway platforms, responsible for the legendary puctuality
of the Swiss reail network. 60 years after its creation there are some
3000 of these clocks on station concourses and platforms throughout
Switzerland and even a selection in London's Design Museum where Sir
Terence Conran commissioned their installation as permanent, functional
exhibits.
Since
the first collection launched in 1986, new lines have been introduced each
year to ensure that the Mondaine Official Swiss Railways Watch appeals to
a wide consumer audience.