don’t blame me, this is actually a fact
No, this isn’t an obscure Hawaiian shout out. It’s a limited run series of miniature vinyl toys for watch manufacturer, Nooka. When it comes to adorable, yet inexplicable mascotts it looks like Domo might get a run for his money from a similarly fuzzy bizarre competitor. Either way, this thing is pretty rad at 3.5 inches tall for $25 if you ask me. Apparently there are 8.5 inch versions for $40, but thats a lot of love for my budget.
I’m sick of thick casings set around oversized watch faces, multiple dials that no one really uses, and clunky armor-esque bands that rip out arm hair. As a breath of fresh air Plus Minus Zero rolls out this beauty featuring some slick wristband integration (removing the need for additional hardware) and a basic, easy to read face. It’s almost as if Fukasawa out-Muji’d Muji. I’m all about exclusivity but can someone tell me why I can’t buy this unless I take a trip to Japan? Via DailyIcon.
Hard to tell if this is real or just a sweet portfolio piece (killer renderings) from upstart LA studio Knot Design. Either way it’s a nice departure from the status-quo in the timepiece space. With retro-digital watches becoming commonplace it’s nice to see a watch like this that bucks the trend to the far end of the spectrum going pure analog. That being said the casing is hipster-thick.
I love the way the form is nicely balanced from a sculptural standpoint and how the components are physically segmented, giving focus to the individual elements. You can really tell by the ridge and control detailing that half of the studio worked within the automotive space. This only increases the distance from typical offerings of this nature. Unarguably a good thing. Via Mocoloco.
The true Swatch Watch of my youth never went away, and was apparently back in Europe waiting until 80’s vintage was in full swing. Now they have remerged with old favorites for their “Color Codes” line. The upcoming collection features 20 styles, 10 in matte colors and 10 in polished, as well as six “Art Specials” that feature several prominent graphic designers. I hate to say it but these just don’t look right without those after-market face guards that came multiple colors back in the day. Via Acquire.
Lexon designer Takashi Kato shows a nice attention to detail with the hands on this very simple aluminum-cased watch. The pearl (or similar circular element) in the center is a bit too large but other than that it’s perfect. I love the thought of the face staying clean and devoid of all branding and logos although it’s difficult to know if they sell direct-to-consumer for limited quantity (one) orders. Plus, being a French company it’s almost impossible to know if they have stand alone retail locations because it doesn’t really make a difference if they aren’t in the US. Sigh–it’s called an online distribution channel!
Can’t make up your mind? Try a watch that does the work for you by toggling between Yes and No. I really like how small this makes the face that actually tells time and makes this functional wristwear. Order whats left of the 100 limit series run, complete with black housings directly from the manufacturer’s site here.
Finally, after all those ‘Signature Edition’ Nixon Rubber ‘Player’ watches released this summer they came through with the one I wanted in White, just in time for the holidays. I really like how you can tell that it was originally designed to be metalStill not loving the price tag being $150 and may opt for the ‘Time Teller P’ model below for 1/3 the price instead here.
Surprisingly affordable for this brand–and not bad on the eyes either. It kind of feels a bit unresolved when it comes to the nicely etched face in contrast with the exposed screw bosses (usually reserved for ‘active products’) but it comes together in a balanced manner if you ask me. Get it for $295 here.
I had previously posted about the Seiko Design Competition watches earlier this year and groused a bit that you can’t find them anyplace outside of the US. I did notice that the Issey Miyake watches can be purchased stateside and I stumbled across an online vendor that sells them here. In doing so I also noticed the 298 Euro watch above which definitely caught my eye due to it’s simplicity and offset proportion of bezel to face. I don’t like many things ‘black on black’ but I have to admit that the watch (above on the right) can stand it’s ground with Rado and trumps a good Movado any day. Not that it’s hard to do….
The actual Interface element has some softness to it that aligns perfectly with the overall housing. The inversion of positive/negative space is perfect. It’s a subtle touch that along with the extension of the housing and interplay with the band really works well. That being said one might find a bit of a sizing issue in regards to comfort for the largest percentile of the population but all things considered I like this alot more than the Lovegrove edition, which I blogged about a couple weeks ago. Check out the designer’s site here for other killer ID work.
I wear a Rado and can appreciate the new direction the company seems to be headed in with contracting big name designers to produce their own serieses of products that pull from the company’s legacy of design while adding signature styling elements. Case in point is British designer Jasper Morrison’s recently launched collection of watches for Swiss brand Rado. I like how Morrison deviated from the boxy, rectilinear format (arguably what they are best known for) of old and developed it into a softer overall form while maintaining the stipped down dial and face. Not surprisingly this goes hand in hand with the clock the designer has done for Japanese non-label Muji.
