Spectrum – Time in 8 Colors

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Design submitted by Sam from Germany.

Sam says: SPECTRUM is a stylish fun watch with a scientific background. It started as binary idea. 1 is an activated LED and 0 is a deactivated LED. Or you can say, one is white and 0 is black. I had the basic shades for the basic numbers and thought it would be cool to give all the other numbers parts of the color spectrum. The cool thing is, the spectrum can be divided into 8 distinguishable colors! I’m using four long bars to tell the time. This is inspired by emission spectra of elements that get passed by light (Thank you, my astronomy teacher).

So basically, each number is a color. Sounds simple, but how do you learn which color belongs to which number? Make a story.

Red is love between 2 people.

Orange three sounds like orange tree.

Yellow is my plastic fork that has 4 teeth.

Green five leafed clover. So rare, you can’t forget.

Cyan Six sounds so sophisticated.

Blue… The seven dwarfs are blue cause Snow White has a prince now.

Purple will be the start screen of my Windows 8.

Magenta, or pink if you prefer for 9 cause I went ninepin bowling and someone painted the pins pink. 9 pink pins. Pink ninepins.

It doesn’t matter how complicated the story is… Actually the more absurd, the better. Once you visualized it, it’s stuck in the head. If you can’t remember a story, you might remember the one of the neighbouring color so if you just knew 5 stories, you can still do it. After a while the numbers just pop up when you see a color and time reading occurs quicker.

42 thoughts on “Spectrum – Time in 8 Colors”

  2. Very pretty concept , I love the way the lights pop out of the face, very slick looking. I would have trouble remembering the number-colour so would ideally like some kind of key (removable lable or something) just while I get used to it. But I cant rate it down cos of my little brain’s limitations! 5/Y Best of luck Sam! 😀

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    • Hey just a thought, for watches like this that require you to remember what colour or symbol etc that relates to each number you could have a tempory tattoo transfer sold with each watch. So you could have a key telling you what colour means what number right on your hand or wrist for a limited time to help you learn. In this case it would look like a reall cool colour logo etc

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    • Awww mea culpa Pete! I somehow skipped your comment Q.Q Try the stories Pete. Sounds complicated but if you imagine the 4 teethed plastic fork, it sticks in your mind and when you see the yellow light, it will be the 4 forever. Always thank you for your support Pete!

      One could draw up a collage of the story items and wear that on a shirt. But a temporyry tattoo is generally a nice idea. Something watch related put outside the watch…

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  3. This is indeed crazy idea but the design is very subtle and sleek. I like the idea of colorful LEDs represent numbers, they are geeky but colorful. A flower…..horn fish for you Samsama!

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  4. Well done for getting this watch design concept published. I came up with a Spectrum: Light & Sound, design that used Multiple Coloured LED lights with a musical different Notes assigned to each Colour. Arranged in a circular watch display.
    Spectrum: Light & Sound was Inspired by the Music Light panel as featured in the science fiction film:
    Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
    Furthermore it displayed the Time sequentially: Hours, Ten Minutes, & finally Single Minute increments, plus it cam in three Watch bracelet Materials / Musical instrument versions: Black IP: Synthesizer, Steel: Guitar Riffs (Lead & Bass) & White Acetate: Electronic Organ.

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    • I should have thought of this watch concept design. Because when you split Sun light or Star light in to it component colours: Spectrum of colours Via Spectroscopy: Scientists can work out what each of elements that the star is made up from.By because each element emits a separate Colour or Wave length of Light.

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    • Yeah, that’s called emission spectrum as far as my astronomy teacher taught me.

      Oh I remember that movie. Very nice inspiration! I’m not sure how complitcated your concept is in the end but it sounds interesting. You seem to have put quite some thought into your concept as well so I think it should come here sooner or later. Just an inside note, Tokyoflash have a certain backlog of designs. They show one or two each day and I think that’s many enough but they seem to get alot of ideas sent in. I must say, sent in a little army… Crossing my fingers for you 🙂

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  5. This is truly a fantastic idea! I love the obscurity of it. Most watches on Tokyo Flash has a trick to them, but mostly time are displayed in semi-conventional fashion — numbers can be made out as well as the “hands.” But this one requires you to know and remember the spectrum — and if you know your color spectrum you’ll have an advantage.

    I would most definitely get myself this watch! 🙂

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  6. As you know, Sam, I am a big fan of this one, and I love your story….it actually works!! 🙂 Instant buy for me (TF, only if you stop making your watches so BIG — they are just too clunky for a woman to wear comfortably!) 5* for you, Sam!

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  8. I liked this one at first because of the colours, but then went right off it when I found out that you had to remember which colours represent which numbers. lol However, after some reflection, I’ve decided I might be willing to give it a go. 🙂 I’d prefer it in silver too, if poss.

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  9. Sam, blue and purple could present an issue here, as I figured out when designing my watches. It’s quite difficult, but a way needs to be found to make these two colours truly distinguishable. I’m not sure if I succeeded, but on looking at your design, I get the feeling they’re too close in colour. It’s a difficult one to overcome…maybe grey could be used instead of purple?

    Cheers.

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    • LOL XD

      I see your point and I had the same thought about magenta and purple. Here the purple is the exact middle of blue and magenta, just like orange is the middle between red and yellow. On screen it looks ok but in reality, with all the light around you and the reflections, it’s maybe harder to distinguish the colors. I’m not sure so hopey hope 😉

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      • Although orange and purple are “middle” colours, for some reason I feel orange stands out against yellow and red more than purple does against blue and magenta. Could be just a perception thing…

        Cheers.

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      • It’s the human eye. Not every color is experienced with the same brightness. Green seems to be brightest. Orange is half as bright to us and purple is about one tenth of the brightness. So color changes in the latter area are harder to distinguish.

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  12. Oh God, I had hoped you’d bring back the colour spectrum idea! This is exactly what I wanted to see. I would buy this watch in a heartbeat and I would never look back. The looks of confusion from passers-by would be worth every penny, and the colours would vary the appearance on almost every button press.

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    • …on every button press or, when made like the Kisai Seven, at every regular pulse O.O I’m glad that it’s pleasing JP, thank you for telling me!

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  14. The idea & the overall look are nice. But like all 10-12 colors memory-based watches, I’m out. ( it’s not my style, even if, in this case, there not 2 colors that are close like light red/red ; light green/green, etc )

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