Disclaimer: This watch was sent to me to review, and I do not need to return it after my review is complete. This watch was given to me without restriction and is not contingent upon a particular outcome for my review. All opinions here are my own, and BOTTA Design had no influence over the opinions stated here.
BOTTA Clavius Automatic 44: https://www.botta-design.de/en/products/clavius-automatik-44mm
If you plan on purchasing a Clavius, BOTTA has been kind enough to offer B&B readers/viewers a 5% discount code – BeansBezels5
Delugs 22mm CTS Rubber Strap (Green): https://delugs.com/products/emerald-green-rubber-cts-watch-strap?variant=40362396188785
Delugs 22mm Rubberized Leather Strap (Togo, Black): https://delugs.com/products/black-rubberised-leather-togo-leather-signature-watch-strap?variant=40092730884209
Video
Review
I recently reviewed a watch from BOTTA Design, the Uno 24 Edition 15, and it was my first hands-on encounter with a watch from this German watch brand. To those that didn’t read that review, I’ll start with a short introduction to BOTTA. BOTTA is a German watch brand based in Königstein, founded by designer Klaus Botta. The brand embraces a minimalist design philosophy, emphasizing simplicity and tranquility, which is prominently featured in its single-hand watch models. Since launching the UNO in 1986, a modern take on the one-hand wristwatch, BOTTA has adhered to what they believe are the true Bauhaus design principles, focusing on simplicity and functionality. The brand critically assesses the application of these principles in the watch industry, asserting a genuine commitment to Bauhaus ideals. With the Uno 24 Edition 15, I got to experience and enjoy their expression of design simplicity and tranquility, but today we’ll be looking at something that is a bit closer to my heart from a design perspective – the Clavius, an avant-garde interpretation of telling time, with some futuristic and modern design ideas. The Clavius was released in late 2020, so it has been around for a while, but I don’t think this watch has got nearly the amount of attention that it deserves!
Unlike the quartz powered Uno 24 Edition 15, the Clavius has a Swiss Made Sellita SW200 automatic movement. I think it is worth mentioning that early on in the review, since you might be tricked into thinking this was a quartz movement if you encountered it in the wild. But we’ll get to that soon. The all titanium Clavius Automatic 44 is priced at $1850, but is also offered in an all black titanium case ($1985), and a limited white dial version called the Cumulus ($2215).
Let’s check it out!
Case
I measured the case to be just over 43.5mm in diameter, with a surprisingly compact lug to lug measurement of 37.5mm (36mm if you measure the distance between lug holes), a thickness of 10.7mm, and a lug width of 22mm. BOTTA uses what it calls Tri-Titanium in its construction – I’m not entirely sure what this means. But based on observation, I suspect this is a combination of different grades of titanium – potentially Grade 2 for the mid-case (pure and lightweight, but more prone to scratches) and possibly Grade 5 for the bezel & case-back (higher strength and greater scratch resistance).
The case design is a standout feature for me, and is an area where BOTTA seems to really show off their design skills. It incorporates a combination of brushed and media-blasted finishes, with no polished surfaces, giving the watch a robust, industrial feel. The bezel is subtly brushed and sits flush with the sapphire crystal, tapering a bit at the edges.
A particular design highlight is the dramatic tapering of the case sides at the back, transitioning from 10.7mm down to about 3.7mm at the sides (3 o’clock & 9 o’clock), which not only adds a striking visual taper but also improves the ergonomics when worn (see wrist shots below). The crown, at 4.85mm, is boldly knurled, making it easy to grip and adjust, complemented by its clever placement that recesses into the back of the case for improved interaction.
The case-back is narrow and likely made of Grade 5 Titanium, and is screwed into the case, featuring a sapphire exhibition window. This watch does not use a screw-down crown, and has a water resistance of up to 50 meters.
Overall, the case design, manufacturing and finishing are all very good. BOTTA case designs are as appealing to me as their dials. While the overall finish is more industrial than glamorous, it suits the watch’s character perfectly. It is unfortunate that BOTTA does not showcase all these detailed design elements more prominently in their marketing materials, as I believe them to contribute significantly to the overall design appeal.
Dial
The Clavius dial design is quite ingenious, and really blew me away when I first saw pictures and videos of it online. BOTTA took their philosophy of telling time in creative ways to the next step with this watch, and I think most of us that appreciate creative watch designs will appreciate this watch. The dial is cleverly structured into three distinct layers: the base layer, the stack of hands (indicators), and a printed or sticker-ed surface under the sapphire crystal featuring radially arranged cutouts.
The base black/grey layer sports a matte finish adorned with printed glossy black hour indices. The hour and minute hands are designed to be visible only between the edge of the printed layer under the sapphire and the dial’s edge, with their bases cleverly obscured by slim black stems that blend seamlessly into the background.
This multi-layered dynamic design is somewhat reminiscent of the H. Moser & Cie “homage” to the apple watch with it’s loading wheel in particular; although that one feels a bit less dynamic in person. The other comparison is with the recently launched MING LW.01 lightweight watch that uses a similar masked layer under the crystal with a cleverly design seconds disc that results in a strobe effect when the watch is running.
Notably, the printed layer beneath the crystal is marked with white numerals at three of the four cardinal points and features a dark blue background with a cutout at 3 o’clock for the brand’s logo. And a beautiful but subtle effect is the shadow cast by this printed section onto the base dial layer. This shadow effect is a bit tricky to capture in photographs and videos, but adds a lot of character to the overall design of the watch.
Overall, the finishing and attention to detail on the Clavius dial are commendable. BOTTA has managed to efficiently and effectively transform a fun and creative concept into a dial that offers a refreshing and unconventional viewing experience. This design exemplifies that innovative results can indeed be achieved without overly complex design and manufacturing processes, making the Clavius a standout model in BOTTA’s catalog in my opinion.
Lume
The Clavius features a thoughtful application of lume across its hour, minute, and seconds indicators. The use of green Super-LumiNova® on the hour and minute hands, coupled with white Super-LumiNova® on the seconds hand, creates an exciting visual effect because of the lumed seconds indicator appearing and disappearing with each tick.
While the lumed elements emit a bright initial glow, their luminosity tends to diminish more quickly than what you might expect from dedicated sports or dive watches. The watch maintains adequate legibility when moving from well-lit to dimly lit environments. However, those expecting long-lasting luminosity typical of more robust outdoor or diving timepieces may find the duration slightly lacking. Overall, the lume serves its purpose well for a mostly dressy / slightly sporty watch. And in terms of design, the whole experience is quite a visual treat. Make sure to watch my video to fully experience this.
Movement
The Clavius is powered by the Swiss Made workhorse Sellita SW200-1 movement, a well-regarded movement in the watch world (very widely used) and a direct descendant of the ETA2824-2. BOTTA has opted for the elaboré grade of this movement, which typically promises accuracy within a range of +/-7 spd to +/-20 spd. The BOTTA website suggests that they perform an additional regulation step to ensure tighter bounds on accuracy. In practice, the movement in this watch maintains good timekeeping, exhibiting deviations within single digits per day. It is worth noting that while the BOTTA website states that this movement is equipped with a date complication, there is no date window or ghost date position on mine, perhaps indicating that they are using the Sellita SW200-1b, or a modified version of the Sellita SW200-1 with the date wheel removed. Either way, I think this is a detail that a lot of brands overlook all across the price spectrum and I’m glad to see no ghost date mechanism.
While the elaboré grade is generally more functional and less decorative – characterized by a clean, somewhat industrial appearance – it suits the modern design aesthetic of the watch fairly well. The rotor, however, features a simple laser engraving of the brand’s name and the hollowed out design that mimics the seconds display. This element appears somewhat understated and I think the rotor could benefit from a more creative design that better reflects the design focused spirit of BOTTA. Enhancing the rotor with a skeletonized design echoing the dial design could improve the movement’s visual appeal, along with a finishing style closer to that of the movement.
On The Wrist
Despite its seemingly large 43.5mm diameter, the Clavius wears remarkably well, even on smaller wrists, thanks to its unique design proportions. The key to its deceptive wear-ability lies in its unusually short lug tip-to-lug tip width of just 37.5mm – quite an anomaly as it is less than the case diameter, a rare feature in watch design that enhances its visual presence while maintaining a compact fit.
Constructed from titanium, the case weighs a mere 42g, contributing to a nearly weightless feel on the wrist. This lightness, combined with a slim profile of 10.7mm that tapers down to well under 4mm at the sides (3 o’clock and 9 o’clock), makes the watch incredibly comfortable to wear. Its thoughtful design is something BOTTA should perhaps emphasize more in their marketing, as it stands out as a significant design characteristic that deserves to be highlighted more on their website and social media.
On my 6.75″ wrist, the Clavius fits perfectly (I never thought I’d be saying that about a watch marketed as a 44mm piece), and I’d comfortably recommend it for individuals with wrist sizes down to 6″, provided the wider diameter fits within your wrist span. I have paired it with a 22mm green Delugs CTS Rubber Strap and a 22mm Delugs Rubberized Leather (Togo) strap, both of which complement the watch’s aesthetics beautifully.
Wrapping Up
Having reviewed two BOTTA watches (the Uno 24 Edition 15 and the Clavius Automatic 44), I’ve grown to appreciate and better understand the unique design philosophy that drives this brand. BOTTA stands out for its refreshing, innovative approach to design, seemingly unaffected by external market trends or the typical ebb and flow of the industry. Their designs are distinctive and introspective, focusing on the essence of displaying time with a creative twist.
These watches explore intriguing methods of displaying time that deviate from traditional conventions. The Clavius, for instance, ironically uses an automatic movement with a clever design to simulate the effect of a deadbeat second, creating a visual illusion reminiscent of the ticking seconds hand of a quartz watch. While some may comment on the retail price of $1,872 for the Clavius, it is perhaps worth noting that BOTTA isn’t merely competing on specs alone. Instead, they cater to an audience that values design ingenuity and creativity. The Clavius is a testament to that idea, combining elements of Bauhaus with a unique twist that avoids the often sterile aesthetics associated with minimalist designs.
Overall, the Clavius is a fascinating piece that delivers in both form and function. It wears comfortably, looks engaging, and offers a unique approach to time telling that continues to intrigue and delight. For those drawn to watch design, BOTTA offers something special that you are unlikely to come across often.
Note: If you plan on purchasing a Clavius, BOTTA has been kind enough to offer B&B readers/viewers a 5% discount code – BeansBezels5
