Zaga, The Magical Analog Watch Design

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Design submitted by Sam from Germany.

Sam says: “I had the idea to connect all watch hands in a row and giving “the analog watch” a new interpretation. The result is a polyline which crosses the display and bends in different ways. This gives the watch design a unique looking face.

The polyline is framed by a circle and touches it with its two ends. The longer part represents the seconds. Since they move quickly, one can easily see it’s the seconds. The other, shorter end is the minute hand. So the two watch hands which go from 0 to 60 touch the framing circle. The hours are shown by a short hand starting in the center of the display. To complete the polyline, the hour hand is connected to the minute hand by another segment. This segment seems to grow and shrink while the watch hands move along the day.

All this can be done with a bit tricky mechanism which is based upon traditional analog watch mechanisms. To emphasize the magic, the display is covered by a matte watch glass. So the different watch hands and the circle get blurred and melt together into a single image. I decided to let indicators away from the watch to not disturb that image.

This wrist watch design is for men and women who like, what I call difficult simplicity. If you like analog watches and arts, this is your watch. If you need to know the exact time, it’s not the right watch (except you can estimate angles really well).

It’s a sober watch with a funky analog display. It’s magically simple.”

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51 thoughts on “Zaga, The Magical Analog Watch Design”

    • Hi wow, this is always a big dilemma. It’s only a concept by now and a possible purchase is written in the stars. If Tokyoflash takes care about the design, what would you be willing to pay? 😉

      Thanks for the comment! A good start!

      Like

  2. 5 /yes but with two critics:
    the first is about my taste, the virtual hands seems a bit thick for me it’s reminding me electrocardiograms but too thik.
    the second is about the presentation it is too dark, if the idea is to make people think about clubing and dj’s then it’s a success but i have to concentrate a lot to appreciate the design of the whole , i think one picture with more light would have been a good thing.
    that said very nice job sam!

    Like

    • Thank you Rachid!

      I’m glad your critics are all im Bereich des Machbaren… what is that in english… in the range of feasible 🙂

      The reasons for the darkness here are, to let people concentrate on the magic and, if you look at the 3D Unlimited watch, because there is always a certain blur/uncertainty about how a watch finally looks. So staying neutral now leaves many doors open. But I totally see your argument. I found out how to brighten up dark things without making them grey, I will try that out and post it on my facebook page.

      Like

      • Just out of interest Sam, when did you submit this design? How long did it take to be added to the blog?
        I submitted quite a few at the end of last month/begining of this month which have yet to be added, does it typically take this long for them to be added? (assuming their good enough of course)

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      • Peter, I’m not a good example for estimations about waiting times. I submitted quite some watches too and asked Tokyoflash to publish them each two weeks if they take them.

        I try to give you a general statement. It could be one week, or a month. The quickest one of mine was one day. This depends on how busy the team is and on how much other submissions are pending. So there is no typical duration. Not mentioned the selection criteria…

        I think, they’ve been really busy for the 3D Unlimited watch. Maybe they can act more quickly now, or they already work on the next epic design.

        Good luck from my side, Peter!

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  5. Beautiful, Sam! If it can be made, I will buy it. This reminds me a little of your design with just one hand, another of my favorite of your analog ideas.

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    • Oh one hand… do you mean the 1440 (analog & E-paper) or even the One Line (special LCD)?

      About the feasibility, It’s tricky but all based upon a normal analog mechanism. No further gears or functions needed. Just a bit geometric fun (all hidden behind the blurring glass).

      Thank you Logan!

      Like

      • I meant the One Line.

        Will the colors remain bright behind the matte glass? I like the idea of blurring optically, but I don’t know whether that can achieve such vivid colors. Maybe, the colors should be fluorescent to give a boost to counter some of the dulling of the glass?

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      • Hm good question Logan 🙂 I think in reality the light dispersion is different then on my renderings. I cannot simulate that realistically. Light does not get lost I think, just runs more zig zag. Like when offices blur their windows to prevent spying. They don’t get darker. Fluorescent colors are a really good idea! This extra boost is totally welcome. If these colors are optimal, the watch can be read the whole night without additional light source.

        Oh the One Line, nice you mention it. That was rated pretty good back then.

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  7. Hello Samukun. I have commented this design on your page before. My only hope for this concept is, the effect can be realized and works in reality as shown in the pictures. Then, I’ll definitely buy the pink version.

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  8. @ Ben-10: That’s great, thanks!

    @ the one and only Fir: Thanks for both comments! I hoped you didn’t loose your enthusiasm since then. And wanting to buy a pink version is pretty enthusiastic 😀 The effect… Maybe the light dispersion is different in real but the three hands and the inter-segment all concected, that’s tricky but possible. I’m optimistic.

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  9. Very slick. I only wish the background was a different colour so I could see the rest of the watch…

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    • I have the feeling, my laptop monitor is brighter than others. I changed the light exposure and the background for a clearer view of the watch.

      >>> Here it is. <<<

      Thanks for telling!

      Like

  12. @ candymanz and taoz: Thank you both for coming by and telling! Check out my page (click my yellow name), cause I tend to update it from time to time 😉

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  14. It is a good concept. /5

    I hope that whe can buy this watch.
    I prefer the Blue and the Red watch 😉

    Eric.

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  16. Dam! That is one sexy watch! But how can we make it? I think I need to to hire some scientist to make some of these designs. As usual another amazing design from you. We are a big fan of your designs.

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    • Thank you Toky! It’s so nice you come by, I missed you here.

      Oh you can make it, I am pretty confident, hehehe. I will give you some internal views soon. First I will try to build a prototype this weekend. That will be in a bigger scale, but I guess, if I can make it working, it could work on a wrist too.

      Like

    • I just had a thought: if this watch was based on an illuminated LCD display rather than an analog movement this would allow you to have funky animations as well as telling the time. For example you could have a screen saver like the old “mistify” animated polygon style of screen saver which bounces around the screen, which would look sweet!!! 🙂

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      • I was so deepened in the thought to have an analog watch, that I didn’t give LCD a deeper thought, because there is one issue…

        If we allow seconds, the display has to be divided very dense. There are already LCD displays with seconds out there, but hours, minutes and seconds don’t overlap, they are adjacent. Here, to achieve the illusion of overlapping, the display has to have bazillion segments, each separated by a small gap. I just realized, the segment (between hour hand and minute hand) already causes mean divisions. The base layout would look like a spirograph picture. If technically possible, definitely worth thinking about it. If taking LCD, there HAS to be animation, otherwise the potential would be wasted.

        Thank you for your thoughts! I appreciate it 🙂

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      • Has anybody ever tried overlaying more than one display? I’ve seen transparent digital displays over anolog, but has any one put a transparent digital one over another LCD (laminate)? This might get around the gaps and achieve the overlapping. It maybe another way of doing it if it wasn’t possible to get the effect from an anolog. Lets hope TF find a way 😉

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      • Yes Pete, I am overlaying displays in a watch concept, I just finished, hehehe. (If my page reaches 70 likes, I’ll show it) I also submitted an >LCD above analog< concept some time ago too. As for Zaga, even if the connecting segment (between hours and minutes) is alone on an LCD layer, it's very very dense. I wish I could look over TF's shoulders when they do research to better judge what's possible. Yeah let's hope 😀

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  20. I believe I don’t see right. Now if this get’s made, I want it asap. Rarely saw such a stunning display. How ever you do it, but do it! Good luck for this one!

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    • Thanks Acan.

      Hey, you bring fresh wind in the blog, but could you be less rough, a little bit more detailed, especially on the designs you don’t like? That would be cool, cause the most downraters hide. We all do appreciate every opinion as long as they are told in a rather objektive way. We also do know, live is not always fun and games. Hope you still find time and mood for some good critical comment, ok?

      Like

  22. Sam your a watch designing machine, If tf doesnt pick up one of your watches it will be their loss. Oh yeah love the strap on this one

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  25. Personellement cette montre est parfaite pour moi, elle n’as pas l’air trop grosse.
    Une seule chose elle serait parfaite en noir mat.

    bonne chane

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  26. Last day for this one Sam.
    I think this concept stands as good a chance of being taken further as any other in recent times.
    Lets hope TF are secretly building their own prototype!
    Best of luck!

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  27. I truly adore it,might be hard at first to tell time but after a few try you get the trick,consider it sold on my side.

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  28. Thaaaaaaaaank you people! Thanks for the ratings, thanks alot for the comments, the good resonance and the exchange. It’s a tricky construction but it could work in a wrist watch, I’m confident 🙂 Let’s cross fingers!

    The last weeks have been pretty busy on here, concerning the comments. I like! Keep up your enthusiasm, and stay critical!

    Best regards,
    Sam from Germany

    Like

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