Swirl watch uses vertical gauge for analogue time.

Posted on by

Design submitted by Peter from the UK.

Peter says: I was trying to come up with a simple but unusual time display using a bar graph like layout.

It would have been very easy and maybe a little predictable to use LEDs or LCD blocks to do this when I had a little Eureka moment and realised that it could be very easy to achieve with a standard analogue movement.

The basic premiss for this design is that there are 3 hands or printed discs in the shape of a spiral. The spirals originate in the center of the display and terminate 360degrees later at the perimeter of the display. These spirals when viewed through a window on the face of the watch look like a bar climbing its way upwards when they rotate. This is uber simple but very affective. The seconds hand/disc could have a coloured or mono-chrome pattern in the style of the spirals to give the watch a sense of animation and movement.

This concept could be styled very classically or very futuristic, allowing it to be aimed at specific markets. The simple and elegant time telling method should appeal to traditionalists and TF fans alike.

The simple analogue movement combined with spirally goodness separates this design from others! 😀

27 thoughts on “Swirl watch uses vertical gauge for analogue time.”

  1. It’s a nice idea, Pete.
    I prefer seeing the whole spirals as in the later images, but with different coloured spirals as in the earlier ones.
    The only reason I would not go for it is because I would find it really hard to accurately read the minutes (e.g. distinguishing between 08:31 and 08:32) – probably just my eyesight. Still give it 5* though.

    Like

    • Hi Nev, fair feedback sir. After submitting the design I thought it would be nice if the watch Haida glass cover in standard form and the windowed cover could be a separate part that could be clipped on or not by the customer. This would give two looks for the price if one and would give the design a customisable quality. Hand colours are a easy detail to have different variants. Regarding the accuracy, like any analogue display it’s a question of size and number of markers. The bigger the display and more markers the more accuracy is possible. In reality how often do you need exact minute accuracy? Cheers for the support and feedback sir! 😀

      Like

      • Unfortunately in a time pressured business environment, often with back-to-back meetings, accuracy is very important. Home life less so – maybe this is a weekend watch.

        Like

      • If exact time was a major factor there would be nothing stopping us having minute markers etched on the minute hand itself. Then you could über accurate. It would also help differentiate between the hands. 😀

        Like

  4. Ohh, shiny! =) Good work Pete, simple and elegant. Not much to criticize really, only that (as has been mentioned), accuracy might be an issue. Although, it looks so cool that it almost doesn’t matter! =)

    I especially like the blue and gold, though that might just be because I’m Swedish…=)

    Best of luck!

    Like

    • Hey Anders, I just re-commented on Nev’s comment that it would be possible to have minute markers etched onto the minute hand for extra accuracy if it was deemed an issue. Might add a little something, I will create an image tonight if time is on my side. Nice colour choice sir, should have done more colour combos that people my associate with their country’s colours (every little helps) cheers for the support sir! 😀

      Like

      • There’s an interesting idea! I hope you’ll find the time (no rush on my account), I’m intrigued to see how you’d solve it.

        Yeah, but there are quite a lot of countries you’d need to take into account… Japan, Germany, GB, Sweden, France, USA, Indonesia… and that’s just for the regular contributors I can remember off the top of my head…=)

        Like

      • Im sure I’ll make the time (who needs sleep any way? lol) I just need to make a rainbow coloured one and then people can pick their colours out 😉

        Like

  5. Hi Pete, this idea is very good and I thought that it was damage that it is dissimulated under the dial and when I saw the transparent discs, I saw again that our ideas converge in the same direction.
    For this time, I will put a 5* and one Yes, just for this time, ah ah ah
    (I like the precision saw my origins, but in this “specific” cases, it does not bother me. Smartphone exist for the exact time, right?)

    Like

    • The design could be made more acurate if needed by adding markers to the hands as mentioned above. I dont think that you need exact minute accuarcy very often. A lot of analogue watches dont have markers for examlple.
      Cheers for the one off 5* and Yes! Every vote helps! 😀

      Like

  6. Hey Pete, I think this design is pretty alien to me, I appreciate the bizarre looking even though I feel that it’s just not for me. 5* for the concept and good luck sir!

    Like

    • Hey Firdaus,
      A little bit alien is cool, too alien not so I guess. Its a very simple way of achieveing an alternative time telling using off the shelf parts. Im tempted to make a clock using a bought movment and some rapid prototype hands. Prove the principle kind of thing.
      I expected this one to go down well, but so fa its had mixed reviews. Just goes to show you cant predict these things.
      Cheers for the support sir! 😀

      Like

  7. Pete, this is so brilliant it’s hard to believe no one came up with it until now! I usually like color, but my fav’s are images 3, 8, 9 and 10. I think this is one of your best! 5*/y

    Like

    • Thanks a lot Xian, I’m glad you likey! Your comment is really reassuring! 😀
      I also thought it was one of my better concepts when I submitted it but initial comments made me doubt a little. Like you I was surprised that is hasn’t been already done because it is so simple. I searched no end of different iterations to make sure I wasn’t un-knowingly replicating an existing idea but found nothing.
      I’m surprised it hasn’t gone down as well as I was hoping but goes to show that you can never predict these things. Cheers for the feedback and the support sir! 😀

      Like

  9. I lke the black one the most. Oh yes I’d like to have this. As for the accuracy: it wouldn’t harm if we relax a bit more these days. One minute more or less, pfft 😀 5*/YES

    Like

  10. I thought I put a comment…anyway, I love this design! It reminds me a bit of some Storm watches, one of which I own. They’re good watches…5y

    Like

    • I thought you had commented too :p either way I thanky sir! Yeah I like some of the storm design too (sorry Toky) 🙂 thanks for the compliment sir! 😀

      Like

  11. I like the idea & my fav is the all black with red & green swirls. The “hurricane” one also look nice (the one before the last). It would be nice if the lines/digits would glow in the dark. I would buy.

    Like

    • Nice feedback Makko! Yeah glow in the dark rings would be cool! They could be translucent rings in the face then the backlight could glow through when activated. Either way would be a nice effect. I like your “hurricane” description, it does look like weather forecasting pressure rings 😉

      Like

  12. Time runs out for this design very soon, so just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone who supported it and cheers to TF for posting it here! Cheers everyone!
    Pete from the UK 😀

    Like

Comments are closed.