This Bargain Swiss Brand Dropped a Surprisingly Gorgeous Automatic Everyday Watch

Producing the official clock for a federal government’s railway system isn’t a huge deal, unless the government is Switzerland.

If you’ve ever traveled by rail in Switzerland, you’ve probably noticed Mondaine’s distinctively legible Bauhaus dial on station walls and railway workers’ wrists. Despite holding such a prestigious title, the Swiss watchmaker maintains an admirably low profile and astonishingly fair pricing.

Mondaine

Mondaine’s minimalist design ethos, limited offerings and niche appeal to design and art history enthusiasts have kept it under the radar. But the Cushion Collection has an uncharacteristically classy case shape with mainstream appeal.

Now that the modest Swiss watchmaker has upgraded the Cushion with a Seillita automatic movement for the first time and kept the price well under $1,000, it has the makings of a viral breakout hit.

Keeping it simple

The Cushion Automatic has a polished 316L stainless steel case with soft edges and small protruding lugs. The rounded-off square shape gently curves downward from the dial to the corners.

Mondaine

Mondaine’s famously legible dial, with matte black rectangular hands and hour markers punctuated by the bright red lollipop second hand, is topped with AR-coated sapphire crystal.

To avoid disrupting its dial design, Mondaine devised a brilliantly simple illumination trick. The patented BackLight system applies a thick coat of luminous paint to the back of the hour and minute hands, creating an underglow in dark conditions.

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Two strap options are available, but the polished 316L stainless steel mesh is the best option to maximize durability and reliability. The other option is black grape leather, which looks nice but will deteriorate much faster than real leather.

Automatic for the people

Mondaine is best known for simple quartz watches like the Classic, Stop2Go and the original Cushion, but it has long used automatic movements from the Swiss masters at Sellita. Most previous automatic offerings have stuck to the brand’s simple aesthetics.

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It is fair to say that the Cushion, resembling an actual cushion, is Mondaine’s most exciting case shape. Its elegant lines balance out the pragmatic geometry of the dial without disrupting the brand’s minimalist design language.

Mondaine

Older versions of the Cushion are also smaller, but the automatic hits the Goldilocks zone at 39mm. It creates proportions that look great on most men’s wrists.

Mondaine has stayed resolutely pragmatic for decades, but whether by accident or on purpose, the Cushion Automatic is charming in an artistic way. It exudes beauty for beauty’s sake with pleasing geometry and pretty surfaces.

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Add in the fact that it offers 100m water resistance and a highly respected automatic movement for well under $1,000, and the Cushion Automatic puts Mondaine unexpectedly in the conversation for best affordable everyday watch.

Availability and pricing

The Mondaine Cushion Automatic is available now from Mondaine for $725 on a steel mesh bracelet and $695 on a vegan grape leather strap.

Mondaine

Mondaine Cushion Automatic

Specs

Case Size	39mm
Movement	Sellita caliber SW200-1
Water Resistance	100m

• $725 at Mondaine

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