There is something about watches from the 1960s and especially the 1970s that time has not been able to wear out. Quite the opposite, in fact. The further we move away from the period, the clearer it becomes how crucial these decades were to the modern men's watch we know and love today.
When I design watches for Borgvardt, I often return to this particular period. Not to copy it, but to understand it. Because the 1960s and 1970s were not just years of beautiful watches. It was a time when form, function and confidence merged in a way that we still chase today.
In the 1970s, the watch became more than an instrument. It became a statement. The steel sports watch emerged as a natural choice for both everyday and more formal situations. Integrated chains, distinctive cases and clean lines made the watches more architectural, more honest and more confident. You could tell they were built to be worn - not hidden away.
It's the uncompromising nature of the iconic watches of the 1970s that we love. They didn't try to be everything at once. They rested in their identity. The proportions were well thought out. The surfaces had a play between brushed and polished steel. The design was clear, but never loud. And most importantly, the watches had character.
For me, inspiration is not about nostalgia. It's about respect. Respect for a time when watch design was taken seriously and details mattered. This is also why Borgvardt as a brand is deeply rooted in mechanical watches. When you wind an automatic watch and feel the movement, you feel the connection to the past. To the craftsmanship. To the idea that a watch should live with you - not be replaced every two years.
This approach is evident in our collections today. Especially in the 1970 Sport collection, where the inspiration from 1970s sports watches is clear, but interpreted with a modern eye. The integrated chain, the balance between angular and soft shapes and the focus on comfort are all elements that stem directly from the era we love so much. It's not a tribute in words - it's a tribute in design.
See the 1970 Sport collection
When working with proportions, materials and finishes, I often ask myself: Would this watch feel natural on the wrist in 1975, and still today? If the answer is yes, we're on the right track. Because the best watches from the 1970s are precisely those that never felt modern for their time, but timeless.
That's why we keep returning to the iconic watches of the 1960s and 1970s. Not because we look back, but because we build on. Borgvardt was created with the desire to make watches you can live with. Watches that don't shout, but speak with calm and confidence. Just like the watches that inspired us in the first place.
And maybe that's why they still fascinate. Because good taste, good craftsmanship and honest design never go out of style.
