DUFA watches carrying on the spirit of the Bauhaus. A solid, honest little universe true to German craftsmanship

The world of wristwatches runs deep.

If we thought of a wristwatch only in terms of its function of telling time, there would be no need to fuss over the watch itself at all. And yet we find ourselves drawn to something in a watch that goes beyond mere function, something that makes us want to wear it.

That's surely because a watch holds within it function and design, along with all the wisdom and history of the people who made it. And perhaps because there's nothing else quite like it—a small universe you can wear as an ornament.

This time, we're putting the spotlight on wristwatches. Let's take a look at the truly well-designed watches from DUFA, a long-established German watch brand. We're currently offering, for a limited time, a model commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus—central to the brand's design philosophy—along with a mesh strap giveaway.

Embodying the solid, honest craftsmanship of Germany

DUFA is short for Deutsche Uhrenfabrik, meaning "German watch factory." That simple, straightforward name seems to carry the pride and dignity of German watchmaking itself.

The company originally started out in 1864 as Etzold&Popitz, a maker of clocks and music boxes. As watchmaking became its main focus, the independent brand DUFA was born in 1920.

The DUFA Bauhaus Collection featured here at ZUTTO carries on the philosophy of the Bauhaus, the comprehensive art school that once existed in Germany.

In tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus

The Bauhaus was a school founded in 1919 in Weimar, Germany, with the aim of comprehensively teaching all forms of art—design, crafts, photography, architecture, and more. In product design intended for mass production, it sought to bring art and industry together.

Partly due to the impact of the World Wars, the school existed for only 14 years, yet its influence still shapes architecture and design today. What the Bauhaus championed was a simple, clean, "functionalist" approach to design.

DUFA's Bauhaus Collection, developed in tribute to that legacy, carries on the rationalist, functionalist spirit of the Bauhaus, the German architecture and design institution that arose at almost the same time as the brand itself.

The design is simple and makes skillful use of negative space—understated, yet with a presence that somehow catches the eye.

In an age when wristwatches can be bought easily and cheaply, simple designs are everywhere. But how many products truly combine that simplicity with time-honored technique and unwavering conviction and philosophy—the kind of watch you can genuinely keep for a long time?

DUFA's watches feel like they hold the answer to that question.

---

Two Special Editions Commemorating the Bauhaus Centennial

The Bauhaus can be credited with laying the foundations of modernist design. In tribute to that great achievement and history, the case back bears an engraving marking the 100th anniversary edition, while the parts that fasten the strap feature the basic shapes—triangle, circle, and square—that the Bauhaus advocated. The watches also come in a limited-edition package built around red, blue, and yellow.

【WHITE】

At first glance it looks basic, but flip the strap over and a vivid yellow appears. This model catches the eye with its blue small seconds hand, and the three primary colors advocated by the Bauhaus—red, blue, and yellow—appear as accents on the hour and minute hands and in the strap's stitching. It's a piece that's simple yet full of playful spirit.
 

【BLACK】

The BLACK model, with its contrast between the black face and the red on the reverse side of the strap, gives off a somewhat chic impression. This chronograph model has won high praise for its Bauhaus aesthetics and its refined craftsmanship. The dial has a clean, linear design, and the step between the index markers and the small seconds hand creates a sense of depth within the case—an embodiment of Bauhaus aesthetics.

▼See the product page for the 100th anniversary model here

---

The GROPIUS Series, the Brand's Icon

DUFA's bestseller is the GROPIUS series. GROPIUS is a design created as an homage to Walter Gropius, the architect who served as the first director of the Bauhaus.

The index markers, which serve as the face of the watch, are three-dimensional and highly legible, and the slim Arabic numerals in Berlin E-MAIL BOLD typeface lend a modish, stylish expression.

What gives the watch its distinctive character is the small seconds hand, a feature you don't see much these days. Placed independently below the center of the dial, this design was common in watches made before the 1940s, and it lends a certain warmth to what might otherwise feel like a purely mechanical, industrial object.

Leather belt type, available in 2 sizes.

37mm: face diameter approx. 3.7cm

32mm: face diameter approx. 3.2cm

Even in the larger size, the elegant, minimal look doesn't come across as overly masculine, so it looks completely natural even when a woman wears the 37mm size. For women who have their eye on a slightly larger watch, the 37mm size is also a recommended choice. (In the photo above, a woman is wearing both the 32mm and 37mm sizes.)

GROPIUS SQUARE

The square face gives an impression of precision quite different from a round one, and it makes the wrist look delicate. It works well within the TPO expected in business settings, while still being something you can wear casually, almost like a bracelet—making it a genuinely useful piece.

This model, too, comes in 2 sizes.

32mm size: 3.2 × 3.2cm

26mm size: 2.6 × 2.6cm

Here's what it looks like when a woman wears the men's size. It's larger, but it has real presence and gives a cool impression.

*Wearing the 32mm size in NAVY

GROPIUS 2HANDS SET

No numerals, no second hand, and the logo kept as understated as possible. "GROPIUS 2HANDS" pays the utmost homage to the pursuit of functional beauty advocated by architect Walter Gropius and the Bauhaus school he founded, embodying the ultimate in minimalism for a wristwatch in this 2-hand model.

From a distance the dial appears plain and unmarked, but the hour markers and logo are quietly rendered in embossed relief—understated yet functioning precisely as they should, in a way that feels truly refined. The design invites you to enjoy the contrast between the two hands floating in the round space and the surrounding blank area.

The case diameter is approximately 3.7cm, which is on the larger side, but because a 2-hand model has fewer movement layers, the case itself can be made thinner, allowing it to sit well even on a slender woman's wrist. The dot indices in place of numerals also lend a feminine touch.

Here is a special edition that pairs this GROPIUS 2HANDS with a set of three belts.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus, and out of a desire to let people fully experience its spirit, theory, and history, this commemorative model, the "GROPIUS 2HANDS SET," was created. It pairs the 2-hand GROPIUS 2HANDS with a set of three belts in colors based on the concept of the three primary colors advocated by the Bauhaus.

Another great point is how easily the belt can be swapped, letting you enjoy all three colors to the fullest. No tools are needed—simply slide the pin on the back of the belt in and out and insert it into the attachment point to change belts, making it easy to decide, "I think I'll wear this color today."

▼See the full lineup of DUFA watches here