Light Circle – An Analog LED Watch Design

Posted on by

Design submitted by Sam from Germany.

Sam says: “Tron fever finally got me! The new movie just came out in Germany and I saw it right away.

The inspiration for the watch comes from the lightcycles used in the movie. I thought about making the straps look like the lightcycle trails. The idea for the watch hands came up after Tokyoflash announced it was looking for analog watch designs, but I didn’t have a case idea back then. The mirror in the case center is an element to emphasize the ring shape by pretending that the case to be hollow, but without exposing the skin of the wrist.

The straps and the minute hand, as well as the ring around the case are made of a matte translucent plastic with are able to accumulate and guide the light coming from the LEDs inside the case. So they do not glow by themselves. The case is made of IP black stainless steel. There is no button visible on the case. The light is switched on by the outer ring on top of the case. It needs to be turned 180°. If one continues to turn it, the LEDs change their color. Time and LED intensity setting buttons are on the case’s back side. The inner ring of the case has indicators for hours / five minute steps to ease up reading.

I think sci-fi fans as well as party people could like this watch because it is simple, easy to read, futuristic and color changing.”

light_circle_watch_teaserlight_circle_watch_animation_1light_circle_watch_animation_2light_circle_watch_instructions

37 thoughts on “Light Circle – An Analog LED Watch Design”

  1. Recently there’s series of dejavu watches featured, but thats not the problem. This one looks much nicer and better. I like minimal design and this watch does not need to use “tron” popularity to attract my attention. Definitely worthy to buy! Congrats Sammy.

    Like

    • Thanks Firdaus! I was so excited after the movie and I cannot deny the inspiration 😉 As for the dejavu effect: I tried it to be as different but simple as possible. I am a fan of the solitary circle in a watch and gave that element another try. Maybe more coming in the future…

      Like

  2. I didn’t read anything, you got me all crazy about this watch.
    Then I read it, and I like all those colors and the wheel turning.
    I’m a bit confused on how to read it though.

    Great design there.

    Like

    • Oh thats nice to achieve that effect without text! Some little text seems to be needed though, about the reading 🙂 It is like a traditional analog watch with a minute and a watch hand. I put the hands in the rings. There are subtle indicators in the the inner black ring to help reading… A little bit confusion is normal, hehehe. Thanks for your comment!

      Like

  3. Nice one Sam! You’ve jumped on the Tron wagon (lightcycle?), and the result certainly looks very nice. I like the coherency and clarity of the design, even though I wouldn’t buy it for myself…=) Keep up the good work!

    Like

    • Thanks for your words! Yes it is “lightcycle” and so my watch is a lightcircle watch. I like word games 😉 It is cool you mention the clarity – I like that in your watches.

      Like

  4. Sam hi, a new Watch, c’ is well. J’ have a little the same question as Beto for reading l’ hour, is this possible d’ to have several examples? J’ like the sober and air look, c’ is one YES!
    (la traduction ? Look sobre et aérien)

    Like

  5. The pictures tell everything… I think the center of the big hour hand is important. I hope I intuitively see it right. Actually it does not have to be exact, it is analog 😛

    So I think images two and three say 01:50 right?

    It is cool that you can read it without light and even cooler with light on! I would spin that wheel all night long hahaha You didn’t tell if this is unisex but I can say, my girlfriend likes it (orange, yellow, pink and purple). We give you 5 stars.

    Like

    • And I hoped to be that simple to avoid problems 🙂 Yes it is 1:50. You are right about the hour hand. It is as wide as the span between five minute and its middle is important. Hey, it is cool to have your girl’s opinion too. Thanks!

      Like

  7. WOW This looks way better than the previous Tron watch from the Tokyoflash concepts. I like how it is all light and could be changed to what you want on the fly so you can match different outfits. Please have this watch made now!!!!!

    Like

    • Hey that’s a good hint: the outfit. I thought about the mood which lets you choose the color you like. Whatever the reason is, it is a simple effect wich can cause so much satisfaction 😉 Thanks David!

      Like

  8. The only thing I don’t like is the minute markers make it look like a rubber tire. That might be the point, but I’d prefer just the 5 minute markers and maybe have a light ring on the outside.

    But I love the color changing aspect, how to turns it on, the hands, the center, how the strap glows, and how there’s no knobs.

    Like

    • Oh the outer markers are no markers actually. You better don’t use them as minute indicators because it’s six markers in 30°, not 5. The other reason is, this outer ring can be turned so the markers end up in different positions. It is interesting that you mentioned “rubber tire”. I wanted to have a wheel with a good grip in favor of turnability. So I gave it those gaps.

      About all the other elements: That’s cool 🙂

      Thanks for your comment!

      Like

  9. this is fantastic. i love you you can turn the dial to activate the lights.
    really hope tokyoflash takes this further!

    Like

    • Do you mean fluorescent material which glows in the dark without using electricity? I didn’t plan it in this watch. So I must insist to use the electric light 😉 But I think the hours ring could be given a thin layer of phosphor. Thanks Carmen.

      Like

  12. Minimalism at its best! I can’t believe no one thought of this before, it’s just lights. I love everything about this watch! One question I have is how long would its battery life be since it is all lights, it must be a energy killer.

    Like

    • Hey thanks for your comment!

      I think this watch can be done energy-friendly with some clerverly placed LEDs and glas fibres, prisms or mirrors. I believe it won’t need 60 LEDs like the PIMP watch for example. Using that as reference, I could be glad 😉 The USB battery recharge is pretty popular now. The RPM battery can be recharged 300 times, once each month they say. That’s 25 years (I didn’t need to recharge since december…). Let it be 10 years, it is still ok.

      Like

  13. I really like this one but I like scott’s better, I have been waiting for his since forever. But if this one comes out before his, then I will probably get this one. The sad thing is I already have a really good watch…

    Like

    • Yeah Scott’s watch is a beauty. I’m not close to the movie anyway, but it was verrry inspiring. Maybe more coming soon 😉

      Oh you already have a watch? Which one is it? A little diversion can’t harm…

      Thanks Karan.

      Like

    • This watch has no price yet. Even an estimation is hard since it’s still a concept filled with pixels. But I interpret your question as “Would you buy this product? YES!” 😉

      Like

    • Thank you 🙂 I used 3ds max for it (the watch) with help of photoshop (background, glow, text, animations). All done on my brave laptop.

      Like

  17. Wow! I love Tron stuff and I am a total freak for Light Cycles. This design is great. I love the simplicity of the inner-ring hands. Both the hour hand and the minute hand are great ideas. I would like to see this design, or more Tron-inspired designs. This one gets my vote.

    Like

    • I’m glad I reached people from both sides, Tron and not Tron fans. That movies are very inspiring 😀 Thank you for your review and your vote TIm!

      Like

Comments are closed.