by Veronica Shine

Created on: February 22, 2011   Last Updated: February 24, 2011

   
In 2011, the Movado Company will be its celebrating 130 years anniversary. Even from a distance, the famed Movado “Museum” wristwatch is recognizable to many by its by its black face and single gold dot. This design is one of the most sought after styles around. However, there is much more to this corporation than its signature piece. It is affiliated with other names in the Movado Group, such as Concord, Ebel and ESQ. The Movado Group also has licensing agreements with Coach, HUGO BOSS, Juicy Couture, Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger watch brands. 

Founder

The Movado Company was founded in 1881 in a small village of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The founder, Achilles Ditesheim, was only 19-year olds with aspiration of manufacturing high quality timepieces. He employed six watchmakers and opened the workshop in his rural community.

Name origin

By 1905, the official name was given to the company. Its strange name “Movado” has been keeping the consumer of the origin. Certainly it is not French, German or Japanese. The word “Movado” actually derives from the language Esperanto. This was international supplemental language that was popular during that period and was intended to make it possible for verbal communication between people from different European nations. The meaning of Movado from this constructed language meant “always in motion.”

Decades of accomplishments

Movado gained a place in the watch industry when it introduced in 1912, the Polyplan.  With its three-plane movement to fit the curved case was revolutionary for its time. Several years later, an elegant pocket watch gained worldwide fame at its debuted at the 25 “Exposition des Arts Decoratifs” in Paris.

The following year brought an oddly pillow-shaped watch named Ermeto. The movement was a first with winding the watch   by sliding the casing open and closed.
The Digital Watch was a premier original that displayed hours and minutes in 1930. This design was later to be copied many other watch-manufactures. 

Original triumph

Despite all the past successes of watches introduce from Movado, the company is perhaps best known for its 1947 creation.

Famed photographer Edward Steichen claimed that the watch was “truly original and beautiful for such an object.” It is the only watch that actually sits in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City as a piece of art. The watch, designed by Nathan George Horwitt is simply called the Museum Watch. 

Much of the public was taken aback at first of a watch with its minimalist features with no numbers, while the avant-garde set adored it. The gold dot symbolizes the sun at midday, while its gold-tone hands are represented metaphors for the rotation of the Earth.

Many variations followed the success one the Museum Watch including a jewel-encrusted self-wound movement called “Museum Automatic.

This icon of the 20th century has been retrofitted as the Museum Color Dials in a sophisticated new color palette. Since it is destined that the fashion scene is predicting colors are in, this will be the watch to secure.

Celebrity status

Movado watches are drawn to celebrities too. Those who have worn and advertised these watches include actress Kerry Washington, NY Yankees baseball legend Derek Jeter and Lincoln Center´s master of jazz, musician Wynton Marsalis.

Learn more about this author, Veronica Shine.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.