Post Baselworld Rant

This my friends is a watch.
It will not make you feel like an astronaut, or a race car driver, a tennis player or a supermodel.
It is a watch.
It will not make you sexy, it will not make you happy, it will not make you cool, but it will tell the time quite well. Because after all, it is a watch.
Every detail was considered for it's function and not it's irrational appeal to a particular demographic. That's how I believe a product should be designed.

What I see every year in Basel is shocking. The icing on a cherry on top of the icing on a slice of pineapple, on top of some more icing is not a new feature. It's hot air. All the companies seem to produce hot air. All we want to breathe seems to be hot air. And that is all we are getting. Halls of hot air and dangerously superficial people. I guess my anger reveals my own superficiality to some degree. But this is my blog and I can say what I want.

Edward Bearnays let the genie out of the bottle. I think it's time to cork it again and get real.
Sure, we need to let the world know about our products, but come on, what many companies are doing is totally ridiculous.

I'm not trying to take the fun out of life - in the contrary. I'm asking people to go out and create their own experiences and not live through the adventures others appear to have for them. I'd like to see a campaign for real products. Not marketing bollocks and irrational claims. It's a watch. It shows the time. It does it well. Thats all. You want more? Eff off idol worshipper.

Mute Watch

The mute watch started out as an entry into a design competition by Mai-Li Hammargren.
When she realized how much interest she was getting for her concept she creaed a company to produce and market these minimalist timepieces. Basically it's a monoblock that you operate by swiping with your finger, as you would on a smartphone. Again a clever design from scandinavia. Available in four colours from 199 € at mute watches online store.

Eloheimo Time Engines

Watches from Finland? Yes, there is such a thing. The long darkness in winter breeds some true eccentrics. So far I was only aware of the watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva and his unusual creations. But recently I came across these watches by Eloheimo Time Engines.
A father and son team machine the cases from a solid block of steel and put a thick piece of sapphire crystal on the front. I really like the clear design and distinctive restrained scandinavian style.
Inside they house a Swiss mechanical movement. But with the Swatch Group stopping delivery of mechanical movements to firms outside it's group, I guess they will have to consider looking elsewhere.

Watch3 in black

A first look at the black watch3. Available in a very limited edition soon through my webshop.

Sealed Watch by b.o.a.t.

b.o.a.t. stands for be optimistic and thankful. A beautiful name for a very thoughtful product.
The dials are actually handmade seals, that are created according to the owners specifications.
The seal metaphorically fixes a moment in time, creating quite a poetic object. There are two types of dials and several colours for the seals and cases to choose from.

Plicate watch for NAVA by Benjamin Hubert

The Young British Designer Benjamin Hubert has created this watch for Italian accessory manufacturer NAVA.
The face is folded like fan and the creases mark the indexes. The theme of the creases is also carried through in the design of the strap. A pure and clever shape.