Out of Order watch will trick your friends.

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Design Submitted by Heather (USA) & Sam (Germany).

Sam and Heather came up with this idea together, by building upon a much simpler version that Heather initially suggested. The original concept was a digital watch that seemed to be analog. Through conversations back and forth, the idea gradually developed into what you see here. “Out of Order” appears to be a malfunctioning analog watch with mixed up numbers, whose second hand moves clockwise, while the minute hand moves backwards at ten times the speed. The hour hand does not work at all…

To give the look a more analog feel, and less digital, they decided upon an e-paper display. This also allows for the user to have background options of black or white, different font choices and background patterns. The hands are real, and not part of the e-paper display. They are designed to show up well on either a black or a white background, and have mechanical movement.

The second hand moves clockwise and keeps accurate analog seconds, and the minute hand moves backwards at ten times the speed to make you feel like you’re in the Twilight Zone or the Bermuda Triangle.

The hour hand stays fixed at the 7 hour position, reminding the user how to read the time: the numbers in the bottom three positions on the display tell the time digitally, starting with the hour in the 7h position. When the minute changes, all of the numbers in the other positions are randomly rearranged, giving the name “Out of Order” a double meaning; the watch seems to be malfunctioning, and the numbers are all out of order.

Anyone, male or female, with a good sense of humor would love to wear this design. If you like when people ask you how to read your watch, this one makes a very good conversation piece. And the time-telling is ridiculously easy for something that looks so absurd at first glance.

There are no other “digital that looks analog” watches out there, and this wacky functionality is epic.

Here is the youtube video for the hand movement: http://youtu.be/gkPwhYz4rzM

72 thoughts on “Out of Order watch will trick your friends.”

  1. Another cool coop from Sam and Heather, very simple but very effective idea. Classic styling with a criptic display which is very simple when you know where to look! Loving the anodised blue! 5 stars and of course Yes!

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    • Thanks, Pete! So far, everyone of my friends and family that I showed this to wants to get one, including my mom! I would so love to walk around with a watch on my wrist with the minute hand moving around backwards and way too quickly! 😀 WHAT?!

      Like

    • Hi Charles! Thanks for the comment! Actually, we designed this one as an e-paper display because that allows the user to have background options of black, white, or various patterns, as well as different font choices – all available on one crazy awesome watch! 😉

      Like

  4. Magical … This is not “Out of Order” … This is “Out of Box” “Out of World” …. a wizard n’ vivid idea …

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  6. This is freakin cool and so Thinkgeek.com, my only issue is, how do I relate it with Tokyoflash? But Sam & Heather sounds more normal than Sam & Peter. Voted.

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  7. I like the idea for all the reasons you mentioned and some others of my own! It is a really cool concept but to tell you the truth it is so freaking complicated to produce… You basically have two watches crammed into one slim design with two completely different technologies and an analog movement that nobody is making at this point. I also am not aware if it’s even possible to cut a hole in e-paper. Your thinking is out of the box and really creative so I hope your concept is feasible because I would like to buy one for my girlfriend. Congrats!

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    • Hi qntt! First of all thanks for your feedback, very nice. We googled around about the usage of e-paper in watches. There is one example of an analog watch with a (rather boring) e-paper display.

      That watch is a waste of e-paper if it is just used that way, but it shows, it’s possible 🙂

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  10. This watch is the embodiement of everything I want in a watch, it’s weird, funny and easy to read design that will surely make all my friends heads turn.

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  11. Absolutely 100% LOVE this watch! The idea of it is amazing, the design is also so perfect!

    I am just about to buy my first watch from Tokyo flash, kind of gutted that it is not this one!

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  14. This is a great watch! Nice Job Heather(& Sam)! I personally would like this watch, seeing as people would be puzzled as to what time it is on the watch. I would love to see this one in the store. Keep up the good work! 🙂

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  18. sorry, this one just isn’t for me.
    imho one of the things that make TF watches great, is the fact they are different. people saying “wow what’s that on your wrist” is part of the fun.

    with this desing though…..most people will just think it’s a normal watch at first glance. so rather than saying “wow” they will just shrug. the only person that will know it’s different, is the wearer.

    i think it’s very creative, and it looks good….just not for me.

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    • just watched the hand movement video, and i think i changed my mind a little.
      i didn’t realize how fast the minute hand would be going.
      at that speed, it WOULD probably make people look twice.

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    • Thank you for your feedback diclonius! Nice to see your experience with this watch. Yeah, the wow-effect was hidden in a normal looking watch this time. It’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Can go anywhere (!) but will make the other sheeps loose their wool, hehehe.

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  21. I like the base idea, but the execution is.. Dull?

    If you’re going to make a messed up watch; Go all out, nick the face from a Dali, and make the band out of swiss chesse or somesuch.

    Paint the face with Moon-rock pigment!

    I understand what you were going for, but I can’t say i’d buy it. There is a nice idea at the heart of it, and could really shine with a more radical approach.

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  23. This is an absolute must-have for me! Please make this watch a reality.

    I do not agree with those who say it’s not strange or crazy enough. Its deceptively normal look does just that — it decieves you until you take a closer look, and that’s when it gets crazy.

    Dali watches may be cool, but that’s been done before. This is the only right execution.

    I like the costomizability, and if I had one I would probably choose the most “normal” looking face for excactly the reasons above.

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    • I just used dali as an example, wasn’t saying it would work for this watch.

      looking normal until you get close works against it for me, the point of TokyoFlash is you have a watch that looks cool and different from a distance.. With this, only the person wearing it will know it’s anything other than a normal watch for the most part.

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      • Naggarok,
        Did you see the animation? http://youtu.be/gkPwhYz4rzM
        The minute hand moves backwards at a pace of 10 rotations per minute, or one full rotation every 6 seconds. I do not believe that people will find this normal, even from a distance with this movement…

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      • Must have missed that, thanks.

        It’s not really changed my mind though, i’d probably see it from across the room, but none of my friends/family would really notice something like that unless it was in front of them.

        (No offence intended if one of you stumbles across this..)

        Might just be the people around me 🙂

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  24. As a magician I have to say, that woulf perfectly fit into my repertoir of extra-ordinary illusions! One of the best concepts I saw so far!

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  25. I think the concept is interesting, makes me think of the mad hatter’s tea party, but I think you could have taken the concept further and made the digits look wacky too. Nice case and band.

    Diane.

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    • Diane,
      Wacky digits could easily be put in as an option, since we are using epaper technology…We already offer several fonts…
      Thanks for your comment! 😀

      Like

  26. It’s great! It’s very very SUPER! Very original idea! Cool style! Simple to watch time. and funny=)
    I want to BUY this model, if it’s selling.

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  27. This design is awesome!
    I own a “the one” watch and now want something plain and simple but different.
    The only sad thing about this watch is, that I can’t buy it right now :/
    Keep up the good work!

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  30. Just in case this entry does indeed randomly RIP tonight , I just want to say best of luck to both of you with this design! Its cool and definately a contender! Lets hope TF agree! 😀

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  31. Thank you Pete and all supporters up there!

    Heather and I knew cause it’s not flashing and screaming it won’t please everyone. It’s an “oh I can tell the time on tha…eh what the fork?” watch. It’s another approach and we’re glad it got shown on here. It seems it’s mostly accepted. Let’s hope we can trust this tendency.

    Stay critic, stay honest, stay tuned!

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  32. I love the concept. I love the look. I would definitely buy this watch.

    I think it’s a nice touch that the hour hand doesn’t “work”, but in fact is always pointing toward the correct hour.

    I am curious, though, how would a time that has a minutes value that is a multiple of 10 be displayed? For example, 5:39 displays a “5” a “3” and a “9”, but would 5:40 display a “5” a “4” and a “0”? Also, would 4:44 have three “4”s at the bottom? I can see that, most of the time, the display would appear as if the normal numbers were on the face, but randomly placed, but in the case of a single digit appearing multiple times in the current time, or a “0” occurring in the current time, this illusion would be dispelled to some degree.

    Just wondering how this watch would display those types of times. Actually, it would be sort of neat for times when all of the digits would be the same (such as “2:22” or “3:33”) to turn ALL of the digits into the same thing (for that one minute period).

    That’s just my two cents. Awesome watch design!

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    • Hey, Robert! Thanks so much for your comment, review, and suggestion. 🙂
      You can see examples of how we show “2:20” on the colored watches in the next to last image above. We felt that the fast backwards movement of the minute hand was enough to distract from a zero or two at the bottom of the display. 😉
      Your idea about times when all digits are the same is really neat. That would look quite crazy indeed. 😀
      Thanks again!

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    • Hi Robert! Thank you for caring so much 🙂

      Yep, the 2:20 is an example and also the 2:44. It could be, the illusion gets destroyed earlier with such times. “Well thats a normal… wait a sec, two times the 4?” Hehehe, still a funny experience. I like the “all numbers the same” idea, when there are “three in a row” times. It could also be alternating fun at times like 2:32. The watch might look normal at first, but we can see, there is enough fun hidden in it just because of that.

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  33. Sam, Heather – Well done, this is pretty impressive.
    I love the way it looks like a regular “boring” watch (tastefully designed of course) but on closer inspection it would just blow your mind – “what the hell is going on?!”
    The second surprise is it’s actually easier than the analogue watch it pretends to be.

    Like

  37. Best watch I’ve seen on the blog over the last year, really love the brighter strap colours too.
    I’m only getting one watch this year (after splashing out on too many last) and this would be it!
    Sign me up for the blue one!

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  39. Oh I LOVE it!
    It’s everything I want in a watch!
    -unreadble by others, yet very easy to read by those in the know.
    -conversation starter
    -elegant

    I’ve been watching this sight for over a year and I am yet to see a watch that floats my boat. This one does!

    PPPPLLLLLEEEAASSSEEE make this!

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  43. I imagine commenting ends, so congrats to Sam and Heather for this design making the consideration list and best of luck that it makes it into production! 😀

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    • TY kidkerrigan up there!

      Yeah, there has been a delay between rate-ability and comment-ability. So cool, this concept got recieved that well. Thank you Pete!

      Thanks to all above! It’s nice you shared your opinons with us!

      Like

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