After specialising in jewellery and watch design at the Art & Design school in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Swiss-born designer Nicolas Barth Nussbaumer went to work for two established watch designers– Rodolphe and DiModolo–before setting up his own company at the tender age of 24.
La Chaux-de-Fonds is a traditional watch-making capital in Switzerland and Barth Nussbaumer’s expertise has been in evidence ever since his precocious career beginnings. While his training in watch design follows centuries-old traditions, Barth Nussbaumer is a daring young designer who is never afraid to take an unconventional and innovative design approach when it comes to his watches. He pioneers new forms for modern watch with a daring and elegant touch.
His collection for Georg Jensen, the Concave line of watches launched in 2006 and was Nicholas Barth Nussbaumer’s first collaboration with Georg Jensen. The Concave collection challenges the traditional design of the modern watch by integrating the dial and the watch case into one form so that all visible elements of the watch are concave. Even the hands of the watch are crafted to match the concave contours of the form. This sounds unusual, perhaps, but the genius of the designer is that the shapes blend harmoniously. The watch dial is inspired by a human eye and its changing gradients of colour.
Nicolas Barth Nussbaumer also designed the Vice collection which combines the strength, utility and functionality of a steel bracelet watch with the elegance and sophistication of classic Georg Jensen pieces.
