Xemex/en
Xemex
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XEMEX bears the signature of the internationally renowned and acclaimed Swiss designer Ruedi Külling. Xemex Swiss Watch launched its first watch model, the “Offroad No. 1“, eleven years ago. With this first timepiece, the brand’s creator and designer consistently realized his concept of watch design in accordance with his principles “Simplify, unify, clarify”. This circular timepiece quickly created a furore. Strictly functional and with a design pared down to the barest essentials, it was received with enthusiasm by all lovers of conscious design. In 2000 and 2001, XEMEX was awarded the first prize at design competitions in Germany and the USA. The watches combine high-quality design with wearer comfort, and have won international acclaim for the designer. In 2000, following on from the success of these watches with public and press alike, XEMEX presented the “Avenue” line; this was followed by the lines “Speedway” (2003 – today “XE 5000”) and “Piccadilly” (2004). However, the success of XEMEX is not only due to its outstanding, fundamentally unique design. When Ruedi Külling founded Xemex Swiss Watch in 1996, he planned the brand with all its characteristics from the very beginning. The XEMEX brand is a completely coordinated unit. Name, logo, image and design are all in harmony and complement each other perfectly. The name can be pronounced anywhere in the world and can be read from both left to right and right to left; this is underlined by the clear typography of the logo. The design is distinguished by its powerful character and memorable formal language. Xemex does not create trends, but manufactures milestones whose form, color and incomparable love of detail make subtle elegance into an unforgettable trademark. As the daily focus of frequent attention, the watch must be just right - for the wearer and for the function, although form is subordinate to function. Reducing the design to the bare essentials guarantees good readability during the day and at night. The architecture of time is straightforward, without frills. The clean typography and the finished, meticulous construction of the case reflect the precision of the movement. The dial, the hands and the flexible bridges emphasize the interplay of the elements. This instrument shows the time as a self-contained unit. This has made it possible for XEMEX watches to become highly valued collector’s items. However, these timepieces are more than this: they have today created their own market, and to some extent are even a model for other companies in the watch industry. This is also due to technical competence, visionary design and a clever marketing strategy. It is now a decade since designer Ruedi Külling began enriching the watch industry with his unusual timepieces, consistently thought out down to the smallest detail and proof of the unreserved validity of his design principles. Today, in 2008, the Swiss watch brand can look back on a success story marked by inexhaustible creativity, consistency and love of design – and is marking this eventful period with a watch whose roots and design features are unmistakable.
Ruedi Külling and his brand Xemex Swiss Watch
Ruedi Külling’s story is that of a successful idealist. Born in 1935, he first worked as a successful sales promoter and graphic designer. During this time, he created unforgettable advertising for brands such as “Sinalco“ and “bic“. However, by 1994 he felt his creativity to be restricted by too much marketing, and sold his shares in an advertising agency in order to realize his dream and design watches. This was triggered by his idea of making the Swiss rail station clock available in watch format. Fired by this success, he plucked up the courage to start designing watches himself. After one and a half years of preparation, the time was ripe: Külling presented his new brand Xemex Swiss Watch with its product philosophy, and launched his first line, “Offroad”. In watch design, Ruedi Külling’s motto is: less is more. This concept also made him famous as a graphic designer; his posters are on display in the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Now they have been joined by some of his watches. They can also be admired in the Chicago Museum of Architecture Design, the London Design Museum and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Külling reduces things to the bare essentials. Clear forms, functional but nevertheless stylish, are the foundation of his designs. Watches serve to show the time, without which they would be useless. Readability is therefore of prime importance; it is achieved through the clarity of the design. Watches make people, they express their identity and underline their individual personality. The brand’s success story is still continuing today; it has been able to make a name for itself in a short time – and not only with watch lovers. Everyone who appreciates simple elegance is attracted by the clear design, well thought out down to the smallest detail, and the appealing charisma of these timepieces. Their self-contained, straightforward design has made XEMEX watches popular all over the world.