Watchatlas

Alain Silberstein

Paris, France · Est. 1990

Founded by Alain Silberstein

Founded in 1990 by French architect and interior designer Alain Silberstein, the brand became an icon of 1990s avant-garde watchmaking. Inspired by Bauhaus primary colours and bold geometric shapes — circles, triangles, and squares — Silberstein's watches were instantly recognisable and radically different from traditional Swiss horology. The brand ceased regular production around 2012 but remains a cult favourite among collectors.

Founded
1990
Headquarters
Paris, France
Group
Independent
Price Segment
Luxury
Status
Defunct

Key Collections

  • Krono — Alain Silberstein’s Krono family is the brand’s signature chronograph line, pairing mechanically ambitious calendar or timing layouts with the designer’s Bauhaus-inflected language of primary colours, geometric hands, and playful dial graphics. Key references: Krono Bauhaus, Krono 2, Krono Bauhaus2.
  • Marine (1993) — The Marine line translates Alain Silberstein’s colourful, geometric design language into sporty and diving-oriented cases, adding rotating bezels, luminous markers, and in some references high-complication calendars while retaining the brand’s unmistakably playful visual identity. Key references: Le Perpetual Marine, Marine Perpetuel, Marine Krono.
  • Bolido — Bolido is Alain Silberstein’s curved rectangular/cushion-like design family from the brand’s independent 1990s period, known for mobile lugs, playful geometric hands and pushers, and colorful Bauhaus-inflected styling carried across time-only, power-reserve, and chronograph variants. Key references: Bolido Noir, Bolido Krono, Bolido Krono Titanium.
  • Tourbillon — Alain Silberstein’s Tourbillon family captures the independent French designer’s mix of haute horlogerie and Bauhaus-inflected playfulness, spanning unique early-1990s experimental pieces through early-2000s limited editions such as the Tourbillon Volant and later Tourbillon d’Art variants. Key references: Tourbillon Volant, Tourbillon d'Art 'Black Light', Tourbillon Krono.

Timeline

  • 1990 — French architect Alain Silberstein founds his eponymous watch brand in Paris, applying Bauhaus design principles — primary colours and geometric shapes — to watchmaking.
  • 1992 — Debuts at Baselworld; the Krono chronograph with its distinctive circle-triangle-square hands becomes an instant talking point.
  • 1997 — Launches the Marine dive collection, expanding beyond dress and sport chronographs.
  • 2005 — Introduces limited-edition tourbillon models, proving the brand's range beyond colourful quartz and automatics.
  • 2012 — Regular production winds down. The brand enters a dormant phase, though limited collaborations and special editions surface periodically.

Frequently Asked Questions about Alain Silberstein

What makes Alain Silberstein watches so distinctive?
The hallmark is Bauhaus-inspired design: hands shaped as a circle, triangle, and square in primary colours (red, yellow, blue) against bold dials. No other watch brand looks quite like it.
Is Alain Silberstein still making watches?
Regular production ceased around 2012. The brand is largely dormant, though limited editions and collaborations have appeared sporadically. Vintage pieces are highly sought after by collectors.
Why are Alain Silberstein watches collectible?
Low production numbers, a completely unique design language, and the brand's dormant status have made vintage Silberstein pieces increasingly desirable on the secondary market.

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