Skagen Denmark wins prestigious design accolade

Posted April 05, 2011 | By Sonia Nair

Skagen Denmark’s White Label 809 series has won the prestigious Red Dot design award.

Founded in 1955 in Germany, the Red Dot design award is a coveted international prize intended to honour high-quality designs and trendsetters. With more than 11,000 submissions from 61 countries, the international accolade is one of the largest and most renowned design competitions in the world.

4,433 companies from 60 countries participated in this year’s Red Dot product design award.

Inspired by owner Henrik Jorst’s passion for high-performance automobiles, the sports watches in Skagen’s 809 series have titanium cases and engines, carbon fibre dials, multi-function movements and luminous accented hands as well as hour markers. Stainless steel mesh bands feature in each timepiece.

The ‘ultra slim titanium’ model, with its lightweight appearance, brushed case and marine-inspired mesh band, was singled out for special mention.

Skagen Denmark owners Charlotte and Henrik Jorst said, “It is such a great honour to be recognised with the red dot quality label in our watch design for the second consecutive year.”

They added, “The 809 series is an empowering watch that incorporates classic Skagen Denmark elements in a sporty design.”

Skagen’s 809 series is the third collection from the Danish watch brand to win the Red Dot design award. Previous winners were its 20th anniversary 233 watches and Swiss movement 585 series, which were both awarded “red dots” in last year’s product design category.

Skagen’s win this year is considered particularly impressive because only 1.3 per cent of this year’s submissions were awarded a prize.

Initiator and president of the competition, Professor Peter Zec said exemplary design principles were crucial in forging a connection between product and consumer.

“[Design] links the user to the product and the brand alike, it creates confidence in quality performances and, in the best of cases, it demonstrates the responsibility of the manufacturer towards his clients, the environment and all those involved in the production process,” Zec said.

Together with other award-winning products, Skagen’s White Label 809 series will be exhibited in the Red Dot Design Museum on the premises of the Zollverein World Cultural Heritage site in Essen from July 5, 2011.
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