Our collaboration with Braun is dropping this week and to celebrate, we’ve teamed up with the brand to raffle off 5 of its most iconic items. From the Dieter Rams-designed TG 1000 tape-recorder, to the 1962 razor designed by Gerd Alfred Müller and Hans Gugelot, this is your chance to own a piece of design history. Browse the pieces below and subscribe to our newsletter here for the chance to win all 5 items.
1970, design: Dieter Rams
The TG 1000 tape-recorder was one of a select group of semi-professional tape machines. All the sound quality parameters were right up to what was physically possible at the time. The TG 1000 was part of the studio 1000 series, and was later also combined with other systems.
1962, design: Gerd Alfred Müller, Hans Gugelot
The design of the sixtant was both distinctive and understated, resulting in an outstanding blend of technical innovation and product quality. Rather than being punched, the hexagonal holes in the shaving foil were created with a chemical galvanization process and enhanced with a platinum coating. This technical innovation was not visible to the naked eye, so the task was to communicate the enhanced precision of the device through its design. The color change to matt black was a radical decision for the time, particularly for this type of product. The surface quality of the plastic housing and matt brushed finish of the metal foil frame significantly boosted the perceived quality and esthetic appearance of the product. And indeed, the sixtant went on to become Braun’s first mass consumer product in the new design era. The shaver’s thorough shave and gentleness to the skin were also far superior to the competition. The sixtant was so successful that it could be sold at a significantly higher price than comparable competitor products.
1972, design: Dieter Rams, Jürgen Greubel
The MPZ 2 citromatic citrus press features outstanding simplicity of form and function. The cylindrical base is given a distinctive look by the projecting upper edge, enlarging the collection area for the juice.
The MPZ 2 makes the whole process fast and convenient. The mechanism starts up automatically when the orange or lemon is pressed onto the cone. The spout also seals the juice container. When it is pressed down, the juice runs out into a glass. And when the glass is full, the spout is simply pushed back like a switch, and the device is sealed, with no further drips. The MPZ 2 has remained in production since 1972, virtually unchanged.
1977, design: Dieter Rams, Dietrich Lubs, Ludwig Littmann
The ET 33 is now seen as the prototype of the pocket calculator. The product design was a radical departure from the look of pocket calculators at that time. The comparison highlights the focus on paring the design back to the essentials, and the priority given to functionality and ease of use. This was achieved with simple but effective design elements: clear color codes, convex circular buttons, a simple shape, a wide radius at all points in contact with the user’s hands, and a protective sleeve that can also be applied from the back of the device. Its eye-catching appearance was partly based on a slight asymmetry of form, graphics and color. The ET 33 is still seen today as a major design success.
1973, design: Dieter Rams
The audio 308 was a relatively low-cost compact system. It featured the first use of injection-molded plastic components to form the housing structure. The control panel was tilted towards the user at an angle of 8 degrees for better handling.
Our exclusive raffle comes after we auctioned off one of Braun’s most quintessential products ever: a Dieter Rams-designed Wandanlage which is currently at a bide of 11,000 euro. The raffle starts today and ends Sunday, November 14 at midnight. To be in with a chance to win, subscribe to our Highsnobiety Shop newsletter at the link below.