Part of a relaunched collection of Braun watches from the ’70s, this model still gets an approving nod from its designers Dietrich Lubs and Dieter Rams, the duo behind most of Braun’s iconic clocks. Rams calls out the watches’ “independent and functionally-oriented designs” in reference to its continued appeal.

The BN0076 is based on the duo’s DW30, designed in 1978. Only 3,000 were made, making the BN0076 an easy way to grab a bit of rarefied bravado from the past. Stainless steel face, black leather band, and lighted, digital LCD display; and a quick glance confirms that this is indeed the same Braun that makes some of the planet’s most popular coffemakers. Pick it up at Vetted.

Take another look after the jump…

What a better time than the Holiday season to dip in and re-discover the new BRAUN watch re-issues for 2011? One example, the simple and useful BRAUN Alarm Clock, is a no-brainer for the design fan in your life and is an even better educational tool for the kids and young adults in your world who are only starting to appreciate the work of Dieter Rams - its a nice introduction at $40; a rare well priced design gem. For an even wider prespecttive on BRAUN design, be sure to check out the Dieter Rams design book, also released this year.

More looks after the click.

In this conversation for his exhibition at SF MOMA, industrial designer, Dieter Rams discusses his “Less is better” idea. More importantly, Rams discusses the idea that less than ten large companies and corporations exist that care about design. Well worth a viewing. The exhibition, “Less and More – The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams” runs through February 2012.

Curated lets us know about this Dieter Rams exhibition:

“If you are aware of Dieter Rams’ 10 principles of good design, then plusminusten in Singapore is a must see if you are in the city. Dubbed “plusminusten,” the exhibition itself embodies Rams’ philosophy on effective design, with a simple presentation that makes its purpose clear.

…Much homage has been paid to the industrial designer’s seminal set of beliefs, such as Bibliotheque’s poster for Vitsoe or Inksie’s essay project, but the Anonymous-led exhibition is the first-ever tribute in Asia. Included in the momentous display are graphic designers Edwin Tan, Abdul Basit Khan, Aen Tan, B.A.L.L.S., Daniel Koh, Hanson Ho Jonathan Yuen, Larry Peh, Roy Poh and Yong, who each offer a distinct perspective on what it means to be true to his craft.”

See more over at Curated.

Our friends at Yatzer give a splendid tour and story on the Frankfurt home or designer Dieter Rams. On the heels of his monograph book release and exhibition, the Yazter profile is a strong read.

“Having designed his own home, from the bespoke white tiles with dark grey grouting, made for the Vitsœ showroom in Frankfurt at the same time to match perfectly to the dimensions of his 50-year-old shelving system to fixtures for his tools in the downstairs workshop‚ a room that saw many secret product development when it was even too secretive to be worked on at the Braun factory, Rams is a perfectionist to a degree that most of us would not even comprehend. Only a few items have made it in to his home that have not been under the microscopic view of his eye before heading to mass-production.”

We’ve showcased the Braun watch collection but here’s one actually in stores, available for purchase! We assume you’re jumping for joy right now – we did when we found these. As this writer isn’t a watch aficionado (there’s others on the team for that) we’ll just choose a watch because (a) it looks good and (b) grey will be easier to mix into an outfit than the black or white variations. And, if you’re wondering, yes – we’re that simple. Available now from Amazon.

This is one of those books that all fans and appreciators of design have been waiting for. Phaidon is set to publish “the only comprehensive monograph of Dieter Rams’ work” this July.  As Little Design As Possible: The Work of Dieter Rams by Sophie Lovell,  is an expansive 400 page book that brings the reader many never-before-seen photos,blueprints, illustrations, and “materials from Rams’ personal archive. After 35 years as head designer for Braun, “Dieter Rams has influenced the world of product design more than anyone else in his field” as have his products. But the book does not stop at just Braun works. His furniture work from the 60’s for Vitsoe is also well explored and documented.

Apple’s V.P. of Design, Jonathan Ive, who discusses Rams’ influence on his own iconic designs in the forward of the book as well. It is simply a strong document and reference (of sorts) for all fans of Dieter Rams and design. As Little Design As Possible arrives in July. Pre-order from Amazon

Photography: Jeff Carvalho/Selectism.com

Many more  looks inside As Little Design As Possible: The Work of Dieter Rams after the click.

Killing two birds with one stone on this one. Our Berlin editors sent over a look at the standing bike “pit in” desk/table as discovered on CM. It is meant to allow for a cycling to safely “hold” their bike while enjoying a brew, usually outside a coffee shop, without the need to lock up. I argued that it would be a better idea to attach a trainer to the unit and use it as a working desk; pedaling as you type and code.

This lead to the discovery of Van Chris Uffelen’s Street Furniture book, which packed with urban examples of outdoor designs that are both smart and useful. Published in Oct. 2010 by Braun, the book features “benches, fountains, street lamps, rubbish bins, post boxes, tourist information signs, bus stops as well as public toilets are items that reoccur in various urban spaces.” It has me interested.

Available now from Amazon.

Another look at the pit-in table/desk after the click.

Some excellent news for fans of classic BRAUN utilitarian items. It looks as though BRAUN watches and alarm clocks are coming back to U.S. shores. Some notes from the press release give a bit more info: “Braun’s decision to re-issue its collection, including some of the LCD watches from the 1970s, met with the approval of Dietrich Lubs, co-designer with Dieter Rams. Lubs credits the watches’ independent and functionally-oriented designs for the continued relevance of the Braun timepiece collection, about thirty years after its initial introduction.” Various styles available now from Amazon.

More as we get it. For now, enjoy these looks after the click.

“Mark Adams, Managing Director of Vitsoe, discusses Dieter Ram’s 10 principles of good design during our visit to Vitsoe headquarters in London. Mr. Adams gives us unique insight into the history of the brand and its meaning to Dieter Rams. He also demonstrates how Rams’ principles relate directly to the style and success of the Vitsoe name.” (ch)