The latest collection of Braun watches launches on MR PORTER with all the design hallmarks of Mr Dieter Rams.

Life is complicated. Horribly so. You need do little more than attempt to use Gen Z’s favourite social media platform Snapchat to see what contemporary culture is turning into: a bewildering, swirling blender of flashing gifs and rainbow-puking cats, hurtling towards you at 100Mbps. Isn’t it nice, therefore, when something comes along that is designed to do away with all such unnecessary nonsense?

Of course, such thinking is not new. Legendary designer Mr Dieter Rams, who pioneered a pristinely minimal approach to creativity in the 1960s, spent much of his life trying to create objects that had “as little design as possible”. The most famous results of this approach are the products he designed for German electronics brand Braun, from shavers and coffee makers, to what must be one of the supremely elegant stereo systems ever made.

These days, Mr Rams’ designs are hard to come by, unless you invest a significant amount in the shelving system he designed for Vitsoe (a flawless piece of home design that is still in production), or develop truly expert eBay skills (your only chance to get hold of vintage pieces). However, his lasting influence is all over the latest collection of Braun watches, which launches on MR PORTER today. No, they don’t do anything but tell the time. But seriously, do you want any more “features” in your life? The answer, with pieces that look as good as this, is a resounding no.