MERGE LCD watch, a clever design with custom colours

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

Heather & Sam say: The MERGE concept is based on separating the horizontal segments of digits from the vertical segments.  The horizontal digit segments are always present in the display background while the vertical ones are LCD segments strategically placed in the transparent foreground.

The horizontal segments engraved in each interchangeable “flipchip” can cover any digit 0-9 in a four digit time display.  This feature is necessary because this engraved layout doesn’t change – only the vertical LCD segments that complete the digits have to change.  To read the display, one must simply merge the segments from the clear LCD foreground layer with those engraved in the background.  From a frontal view, this is an easy task, but when viewed from other angles, the display can appear quite cryptic.  There is also an animation option for those who really want to confuse their friends.

One very desirable feature of this watch is customization on the fly.  The “flipchips” that create the display background can be removed, flipped, or replaced.  Once the decision for a watch has been made (black/white/metallic), the door is open to have fun with the different background colors and materials.  Anything is possible, even translucent or transparent “flipchips”, as long as the engraved segments can be seen.  You could even go out to a club with a glow-in-the-dark flipchip!

The case of the watch has a trapezoid cross section with the center part hollow and the adjacent parts providing enough space for necessary technology.

This watch will appeal to anyone who likes puzzles or appreciates the ability to change the look of their watch on the fly.  Bring on the mood swings!

31 thoughts on “MERGE LCD watch, a clever design with custom colours”

  1. Interesting design. Very creative. I like the “flipchip” concept, and the ability to change them out.

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    • Thanks for your comment, Cristof! Glad to hear it’s appreciated.

      And Thanks, Tokyoflash, for posting our design!

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  2. Interesting, I like the time telling mechanism, so simple, easy but unique looking. Just sell a watch with different color cartridges, very clever, on customer side perspective. Of course 5* yes on this.

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    • Hey, Firdaus! Congratulations again, on Uzumaki!! Thanks for your input, review, and star-rating!

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  3. Nice idea, Heather and Sam! This design is an excellent concept to show how a puzzling effect can be used to tell time. Having the “flipchip” is great for people to customize their watch to the color they like it.

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    • Thanks for leaving your comment, Matt! I’m glad to hear that the “puzzle” aspect of this design is appreciated! 😉
      I really like the idea of changing the color/material of the face on a whim – to color coordinate with outfits and such.
      In fact, it occurred to me that we can even have flipchips available in the colors of popular sports teams- they usually have one lighter color and one darker one…if the chip is mostly the lighter color, with the engravings in the darker color, the LCD segments will show up well for the time-reading, and you can celebrate your sports team on your watch!

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  5. very interesting idea on how you can change the color of the cartridges. Innovative idea that will probably be the next step to a new style of watches

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    • Hey, Logan!! Short and sweet, eh? Thanks for your comment 🙂
      Please see my reply to Matt above for another benefit of the flipchip. 😉

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  7. Thank so much for the comments everybody! It’s cool that the concept is seen like as Heather and I do. The team color / dual color idea is cool Heather 😀 So much space to have fun!

    And of course thank you Toky for posting this concept! 😉

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  8. Loving the customisation of the background and the animation is fun. The notches in the background combined with LCD is a cool and simple concept. 5/Y Best of Luck guys! 😀

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  10. Why the back of the dial is open, since it is not legible when the watch is worn?
    Otherwise, the project is interesting, so 5 * / Yes.

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    • Thanks Patrick!

      The watch is open because we would like to have transparent flipchips too. The transparent ones wouldn’t be flipchips – just chips. Maybe it’s not necessary, but it’s fun 😉

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  11. Give me a watch with ten flip-chips, please. If they look really good, I might even be tempted to eat some of them.

    Cheers,

    5*

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  12. Thank you everybody for the support! The transparency of the LCD display really serves a practical purpose and it’s so cool to see, the flipchip concept is accepted and the time telling works fine for you 😀

    Lol DZ, don’t try these so called “chips” xD

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  13. another great design, but i think that, as with your on air concept, if they make a real version it won’t have the lines on a clear “lens” 5*/y

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    • Hi WoS, thanks for the comment and vote!

      I’m not sure, what the lines on a clear lens are? The only lines I see are the time telling LCD ones, and I hope they stay 😉

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  14. The flipchips are really innovative. I could see the watch coming with a small set and then purchasing additional ones either one by one or in small sets. Collectible!

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  16. It took me some time to understand why the digits are on differents lines ( verticaly ) I love it. I love that there is the possibility to switch the dial color ( flipchip ) to fit what you wear. 5 *

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  18. It was fun to coop with Heather and see what comes out. Heather is so full of ideas and adding my magic to her creativity is an honor to me 🙂

    Thank you to all who came by to share some love 😉 It’s so cool to see that this crazy concept is liked. Now it’s time to dream…

    My best regards,

    Sam from Germany

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  19. I would also like to thank everyone who came by to give us your input/support! Working with Sam is always so cool…With his creativity and amazing skills with 3d graphics, our crazy mind-bending ideas are brought to life for all to see. 🙂
    Hopefully some day, we’ll all be able to purchase flipchips from Tokyoflash to match our moods!

    Best Regards,
    Heather from USA

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