If our Braun Clock screen saver looks "inexplicably right" to you, that's no accident — it pays tribute to one of the 20th century's most influential industrial designers, Dieter Rams, and the classics he created at Braun.
"Less, but Better"
Rams' most famous line is "Weniger, aber besser" — Less, but better. In an age that sold products through "more features, more decoration," he insisted on removing everything unnecessary and keeping only what truly served use. Braun's calculators, radios, record players and clocks therefore carry a quiet, honest beauty that ages well.
Ten Principles of Good Design
Rams later distilled his philosophy into "Ten Principles of Good Design," several of which are still quoted constantly:
- Good design is innovative;
- Good design makes a product useful;
- Good design is unobtrusive — less, but better;
- Good design is honest and doesn't overstate what a product can do;
- Good design is as little design as possible.
That last one matters most: the best design is often the kind you barely notice — everything is so right that it feels self-evident.
How It Shapes Today
Many people first look closely at Braun products because they notice an uncanny resemblance to certain well-known electronics of today: clean surfaces, restrained palettes, clear hierarchy, an almost stubborn attention to detail. It's no coincidence — Rams' restrained aesthetic deeply influenced a whole generation of industrial and interface design.
The Restraint We Wanted to Keep
Building the Braun Clock style, we didn't pile on effects — we spent the effort on the proportion of the markings, the weight of the hands and the glassy light and shadow, so it looks good on any desktop and any light or dark background. A good clock is like good design: quiet, yet rewarding to gaze at for a long time.