Alain Silberstein watch Krono Bauhaus

Since my start of vintage watch collecting, I have notice and was keen on a Alain Silberstein watch. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Frenchman Alain Silberstein (1950, Paris) was the Bauhaus-inspired forerunner of avant-garde watchmaking. However, during my early years of watch collecting, as a fresh graduate, my cash is severely limited.As such, I need to stay focus on my vintage Rolex bubbleback and Prince series as key.

The Man Behind the Brand: Alain Silberstein

First and foremost, Alain Silberstein is not a traditional watchmaker; he is an interior architect and designer.

· Background: Born in 1950 in Paris, he trained lo as an interior architect. This background is crucial to understanding his approach to watch design, which is deeply rooted in Bauhaus principles – emphasizing form, function, primary colors, and geometric shapes.

· Launch: He launched his eponymous brand in 1987 in Besançon, France (the historic heart of French watchmaking), right in the middle of the Quartz Crisis. While others were playing it safe, Silberstein took a radical, artistic approach that stood in stark contrast to the traditional, conservative watch industry.

Design Philosophy & Key Characteristics

Silberstein's designs are instantly recognizable. He reduced watch telling to its most fundamental, geometric components, using bold colors and shapes.
1. The Iconic Hands: This is the most famous feature. He replaced traditional sword, stick, or feuille hands with pure geometric shapes:
   · Hour Hand: A red triangle (▶).
   · Minute Hand: A blue rectangle (■).
   · Second Hand: A yellow circle (●) or sometimes an arrow-tipped line.

In addition, the winding crowns and chrono buttons are also very colourful.

2. Primary Color Palette: Silberstein heavily relied on the Bauhaus primary trio: red, blue, and yellow. These were often used on the hands, bezels, case accents, and straps, creating a vibrant and joyful aesthetic.

3. Architectural Cases: The cases are far from simple. They are often multi-level, sculptural, and feature bold lugs. He experimented with various materials like stainless steel, titanium, and even brightly colored anodized aluminum composites

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4. Playful Complications: Even complex functions were approached with his unique style.

   · Day/Night Indicators: Often shown with a smiling sun and a sleeping moon.

   · Day and Month Windows: Designed with his distinctive typography.

   · Power Reserve Indicators: A simple, colorful arc.

   · Chronographs: Sub-dials were designed with his graphic language in mind.

   · Tourbillons: In later high-end models, even the tourbillon cage was often shaped like one of his iconic symbols (e.g., a circle or triangle).

5. Artistic Dials: The dials could be sector-style, guilloché, or simply clean and matte, but they always served as a canvas for his colorful elements. He often used bold, custom typefaces for the numerals.

The Two Eras of Alain Silberstein Watches:

It's important to distinguish between the two main periods of the brand:

1. The Original Run (1990s - Early 2000s):

   · These are the most collectible and sought-after pieces today.

   · They featured mechanical movements sourced from reputable Swiss manufacturers like ETA and Lemania.

   · Models like the Kroko, Voyageur, Maxi, Bauhaus, and Chronograph became cult classics.

   · The brand gained a dedicated following but remained a niche player.

2. The Revival (Circa 2009 - 2012) and Later Collaborations:

   · After a period of hiatus, the brand was revived with a focus on high-horology.

   · Silberstein partnered with movement manufacturer Jean-François Mojon (Chronode) and case specialist Sowind (owned by Girard-Perregaux).

   · This era produced incredible, limited-edition pieces with complex complications like tourbillons, monopusher chronographs, and equation of time, all dressed in his iconic style. These were much more expensive and exclusive than the original models.

   · After this period, the brand as a standalone entity became quiet again.

Collaborations and Recent Activity

Alain Silberstein's design legacy continues through collaborations:

· Louis Erard: In recent years, Silberstein has partnered with the accessible Swiss brand Louis Erard, Yema, Bell & Ross etc to create highly successful limited editions. These collaborations have brought his iconic design to a new, wider audience at a more accessible price point (around $3,000 - $4,000 USD). They have been praised for perfectly capturing his spirit.

To be specific, Alain Silberstein has done notable crossovers with these brands:

1. **Louis Erard** – Collaboration started in 2019, creating playful, colorful regulator watches. A big hit with multiple collections including "Le Triptyque" in 2021.  

2. **Yema** – Limited-edition dive watch collab released around end 2024, blending Silberstein’s fun style with Yema's tool-watch focus.  

3. **Bell & Ross** – Released a Grail Watch series collaboration in early 2023, featuring bold, geometric designs on classic BR-03 models.  

4. **MeisterSinger** – Collaborated in 2025 combining their distinct design philosophies for unique watch designs.

With MB & F

Why is the Brand Significant?

· A True Original: In an industry often dominated by tradition and homage, Alain Silberstein was a true iconoclast. He brought a fresh, artistic, and postmodern perspective to watch design.

· Cult Status: His watches have a fiercely loyal following. They are conversation starters and are admired for their boldness and intellectual connection to Bauhaus art.

· Investment and Collectibility: Original 1990s models in good condition have significantly appreciated in value and are highly sought after on the pre-owned market. The limited high-horology pieces and modern collaborations are also instantly collectible.

Summary

Alain Silberstein is not just a watch brand; it's a statement. It represents the fusion of art, architecture, and horology. If you appreciate bold, playful, and intellectually stimulating design that breaks free from convention, Alain Silberstein's work is some of the most important and enjoyable in the modern watch world.

Where to find them: Since new production is limited to collaborations, the primary market is the pre-owned and auction circuit (e.g., Christie's, Phillips, Sotheby's, and reputable pre-owned dealers often have them). The Louis Erard collaborations can sometimes be found new through authorized dealers.

Alain Silberstein is an industrial designer and that is what he is concentrating on. In later years he has done design work for MB&F and Louis Erard etc as mentioned above. In the early years, he mainly uses standard movements such as 5100, 7761, 7750 etc which are reliable movements. 

From what we see, his take on Bauhaus is radically different than the watch brands we normally associate with the German design movement from the beginning of the last century. He emphasises on the colours (red, blue and yellow) at the shapes (square, triangle and circle) and these have became his brand's DNA. 

In the early years, Alain Silberstein produced about 6 main variations of his Krono Bauhaus watches. These include different dial colors and minor design tweaks, all featuring his signature bright geometric shapes and the Valjoux 7761 or Valjoux 7750 movements. The distinct playful style and Bauhaus influences stayed consistent across these early versions. The Krono Bauhaus was launched in 2004. At that time, I have just joined the Swatch Group looking after Longines and Balmain watches South East Asia. I would say that the Krono Bauhaus series are the best in terms of brands DNA maturity and having a strong identities.

After waiting for over 20 years, I have finally got one Alain Silberstein Neo vintage watch with the rare blue dial and Starfish second hands using the 5100 Lemania movement. This Krono Bauhaus comes with a matt stainless steel finishing and it has no trouble catching the eye with its colorful hands and pushers in all kinds of shapes. Inside the steel case beats a version of the Lemania 5100 automatic chronograph caliber. This movement was built between 1974 and 2002 and was designed for use in tool watches. The overall condition is nice as the previous owner has kept it well. 

This is quite an emotional buy as the watch as it represents the passing of time.  In addition, despite the fact that the deisgn was over 20 years old, the use of bright colours and shapes is timeliess. I seldom name my watch but this is a truly a special one as I have name it Happy Ah Bao. Happy becuase its bright colours ad shape will brighten one's day! Ah Bao is because, it has its own character!

In order to form a small series, I am planning to find the Krono Bauhaus 2 using the 7751 caliber as well and this will conclude my Alain Silverstein collection.

Update:

Below are the earliest version of Alain Silberstein watch where the watch is still at its infant stage. One can look at the movement finishing and the crowns.

The meaning of "Bauhaus" is rich and multi-layered. It can refer to:

1. A literal place: A specific German art and design school.

2. A movement: A revolutionary approach to art, architecture, and design.

3. A style: An aesthetic characterized by simplicity, functionality, and a lack of ornamentation.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of its meaning:

1. The Literal Meaning: "Building House"

The word itself is German and is a combination of two words:

· Bau = Building, Construction

· Haus = House

So, literally, it translates to "Building House" or "House of Construction." This name was chosen to reflect the school's core mission: to create a new, unified art that would bring all the arts (painting, sculpture, craft) together under the primary discipline of architecture.

2. The Historical Meaning: The School

The Bauhaus was a progressive German art school operational from 1919 to 1933. It was founded by architect Walter Gropius in Weimar.

· Goal: Its radical idea was to bridge the gap between art and industry. The Bauhaus believed that well-designed, mass-produced objects could be both beautiful and accessible to everyday people, improving modern life. They rejected the 19th-century distinction between "fine art" (for the elite) and "craft" (for the masses).

· Key Figures: Beyond Gropius, it was led by iconic modernists like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (its last director) and teachers including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Marcel Breuer, and Josef Albers.

· Closure: The school was forced to close under pressure from the rising Nazi regime, which denounced its modernist, "un-German" style and its liberal ideals. Its closure led to the diaspora of its faculty and students, who spread the Bauhaus philosophy across the globe, particularly to the United States.

3. The Philosophical Meaning: The Principles

The Bauhaus is most famous for its guiding design principles, which became the foundation of Modernism:

· "Form Follows Function": The primary rule. The purpose of an object should dictate its design. There should be no unnecessary decoration.

· "Truth to Materials": Materials should be used in their honest, natural state. For example, wood should look like wood, and steel should be exposed, not painted to look like something else.

· Minimalism: A focus on simplicity, geometric shapes (squares, circles, triangles), and clean lines.

· Unity of Art and Technology: Embracing mass production and industrial materials (steel, glass, concrete) to create functional, affordable design for the modern world.

4. The Stylistic Meaning: What It Looks Like

When we say something "looks Bauhaus," we are referring to its distinct aesthetic, which is visible in:

· Architecture: Flat roofs, glass curtain walls, open floor plans, and a sleek, asymmetrical design. The Bauhaus building in Dessau, designed by Gropius, is the quintessential example.

· Furniture: Iconic pieces like Marcel Breuer's Wassily Chair (using bent steel tubing), Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Chair, and many other minimalist, functional chairs, tables, and lamps.

· Typography: A preference for simple, clean, sans-serif typefaces. Herbert Bayer's "universal" typeface is a classic example.

· Graphic Design: Asymmetrical layouts, the use of primary colors (red, blue, yellow) alongside black and white, and strong geometric elements.

Summary

In short, the meaning of Bauhaus is:

A groundbreaking 20th-century German design school whose philosophy of uniting art, craft, and technology under the principle "form follows function" gave birth to Modernist design and architecture, leaving a lasting legacy on how the modern world looks and feels.

Its influence is everywhere today, from the sleek design of your Apple products to the open-plan layout of modern homes and the minimalist furniture in a contemporary office and of course Alain Silberstein Kronos..

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