Georg Jensen relaunches the Koppel watch

Georg Jensen relaunches The Koppel watch, designed by Henning Koppel in 1977

(Image credit: Henning Koppel)

last updated 26 October 2022

In 1977, Georg Jensen launched The Koppel, its first wristwatch for men (although it also looks good on women). Designed by Henning Koppel, it was – like everything the Danish maestro did – an exercise in reducing components to their essence. It featured a clear white enamel dial, delicate dots instead of numerals and fine, delicate hands.

What it lacked was modern mechanical movements. These have been imported into three new Koppel watches launched by Georg Jensen earlier this year. The Mechanical Hand Wound Small Seconds, the GMT Power Reserve, and the Grande Date Annual Calendar are the first in a series of Koppel collections, and more will follow.

The Koppel GMT Power Reserve takes its inspiration from Koppel’s first horological endeavour: a clock for Danish design house Louis Poulsen & Company in the early 1970s. The new version features an automatic world time indicator in a separate dial. The Grande Date Annual Calendar model has date and month additions, and the Mechanical Hand Wound Small Seconds comes with a sub-dial featuring a seconds hand. Curved crystal windows, alligator skin straps and improved water resistance bring all three bang up to date.

Born in Denmark in 1918, Koppel trained as a painter and sculptor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Throughout his career, he collaborated with Scandinavia’s leading manufacturers, designing glassware for Kastrup and Orrefors and porcelain pieces for Bing and Grondahl and Royal Copenhagen, but it was with Georg Jensen that he had the strongest ties. Between 1946 and his death in 1981 he reshaped entirely the aesthetics of the silverware brand, creating cutlery, tableware, silver hollowware, (which today fetches six figures at auction) – and watches.

Georg Jensen CEO David Chu says: ‘I knew that to evolve these Koppel designs would take discipline; to add complications was always going to be a challenge. But I believe we have succeeded in creating a new generation of Georg Jensen watches while keeping the spirit of these designs alive.’

This minimalist DNA has been imported into three new Koppel timepieces — The original design was an exercise in reducing components to their essence, and this minimalist DNA has been imported into three new Koppel timepieces

Born in Denmark in 1918, Koppel trained as a painter and sculptor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen

Georg Jensen watches while keeping the spirit of these designs alive

‘I knew that to evolve these Koppel designs would take discipline,’ says Georg Jensen CEO David Chu. ’To add complications was always going to be a challenge. But I believe we have succeeded in creating a new generation of Georg Jensen watches while keeping the spirit of these designs alive’

INFORMATION

Find out more about The Koppel watch on Georg Jensen’s website

TOPICS

Georg Jensen

Emma O'Kelly is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. She joined the magazine on issue 4 as news editor and since since then has worked in full and part time roles across many editorial departments. She is a freelance journalist based in London and works for a range of titles from Condé Nast Traveller to The Telegraph. She is currently working on a book about Scandinavian sauna culture and is renovating a mid century house in the Italian Lakes.