https://willem.com/blog/2020-11-30_designing-my-own-watch/ willem.com [ ] Blog (148) * Bike (31) * Creating (22) * Data (53) * Free Software (29) * Hacking (21) * Lifestyle (33) * Minimal (27) * Work (52) * All (148) Designing my own watch Timeless timepiece, both functional and comfortable Nov. 30, 2020 - Willem L. Middelkoop Last month a very special package arrived from Switzerland, containing my custom made wrist watch. I decided to sell all my big brand watches and have them replaced by something unique, tailored to my personal preferences. This is the story of my watch. Watches There is something magical in these miniature machines that sit on peoples' wrists: watches. They are technical marvels that often are much more than mere tools to tell time. Some are status symbols, some are pieces of art, some are fitness tools and others are digital companions. But most of all, a watch is something truly personal: you wear it on your body. With smartphones and computers everywhere, nobody really needs a watch to tell time. Wearing a watch is a deliberate choice, one I like to carefully consider. Some of my watches over the yearsSome of my watches over the years Over the years I have worn many different watches and each of them has its own story and reason. Yet none of them felt like a perfect fit for me. You'll be surprised how hard it is to precisely define what you really want. I took my time (pun intended) to distill a list of features that would define my perfect watch: * analogue display: like the natural passing of time I like the hands of a watch to sweep by as time progresses * simple: devoid of any unnecessary distractions I like my watch to be (visually) focussed on its function * autonomous: in line with how I value my own independence, I like my watch to be capable of running all by itself, without the need to charge or wind it manually * waterproof: as I don't fear rain while riding my bike and as I do like to swim, my watch should be capable of dealing with water, too! * day and night: with a young kid, the distinction between night and day becomes fuzzy every now and then.., any bearing the watch can provide in total darkness is welcome! * timeless: in a world where things become obsolete rapidly, I love to think of my watch as something more timeless, like a piece of art * inconspicuous: I wear my watch for myself, I don't want it to attract any unnecessary attention * honest: it should be true to the nature of the material, I don't like to hide things behind layers of superficial markup ochs und junior Then I stumbled upon ochs und junior, a small watch company from Switzerland. Founded in 2006 by Ludwig Oechslin, Beat Weinmann and Kurt Konig, they undertook an intense construction and design process to create their watches. While the company is in a state of transformation at the moment, they're still producing the watches that earned them their reputation. Ludwig Oechslin is obsessed with reducing the number of parts - he is described as a living legendLudwig Oechslin is obsessed with reducing the number of parts - he is described as a living legend Their wrist watches use fewer parts to deliver mechanical complications, displaying other things than just the time. The watches are designed by Ludwig Oechslin, a renowned, recognised and awarded watchmaker, inventor and designer. He got widely known for his restoration of the astronomical clock in the Vatican Library, known as the Farnese Clock, and for the time he spent as Director of the International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. He is obsessed with reducing the number of parts because simpler mechanics are more reliable and easier to manufacture and service. This focus on removing unnecessary complexity is something that I totally value. It is something that I try to attain in everything I do, design and work with. Like my coffee button or my road bike. I knew immediately that this was the company that would be able to build my watch. After contacting the company, we had several phone calls and email exchanges to discuss my ideas. Over the years they have made some very spectacular examples, yet I wanted to stay true to my wish list. When the sky is the limit, it's hard to stay on the ground - yet that's what I tried to do when creating this understated piece of art. Timeless timepiece: an annual calendar watch, custom made to my specificationsTimeless timepiece: an annual calendar watch, custom made to my specifications My watch is made from titanium (which is light and durable), it's small (36MM diameter), it's waterproof (with a screw-down crown), the hands are luminous (visible in the dark), it has an automatic movement (not requiring batteries or manual winding) and its colours are true to the material (no painted surfaces). The watch is a so-called "annual calendar", which means it can show the correct date with only one manual adjustment per year (during February). An annual calendar "knows" the difference between short and longer months. In haute horlogerie this is a higher end complication, sometimes requiring more than hundredth additional parts. Thanks to Oechslin's brilliant design, this watch only uses only 3 additional parts! The annual calendar complication using just 3 additional partsThe annual calendar complication using just 3 additional partsHow to read the time, month, date and weekdayHow to read the time, month, date and weekday As an hidden luxury (it is only noticeable by the wearer), the watch is made lighter by milling away any excess material. While some people prefer a certain heft to communicate (material) value, I appreciate lightweightness as it improves comfort (especially when you're active). Milling away material to make the watch lighterMilling away material to make the watch lighterBefore (left) and after (right) milling away materialBefore (left) and after (right) milling away material During the design process I remained in contact with the company. Every now and then I received images from the workshop, keeping me in the loop as things progressed. The 3D model of my watch caseThe 3D model of my watch caseThe super luminova makes the watch clearly readable in darknessThe super luminova makes the watch clearly readable in darknessWhile the subtile contrast allows my watch to fly under the radar during the day While the subtile contrast allows my watch to fly under the radar during the day The The "maestro" himself working on my watch - this feels like I have picture of Rembrandt painting my very own Nachtwatch! Before leaving Switzerland the watch is tested and calibrated to make sure it is working wellBefore leaving Switzerland the watch is tested and calibrated to make sure it is working well Delivery day! After waiting patiently for a few months, I received my watch per mail last month. Normally you're welcome to pick it up in person, but due to all the COVID-19 restrictions I opted for parcel delivery. If you hate paying (import) tax you might want to reconsider this... the Dutch customs' office wanted their part of my piggy bank before releasing my package for import. My son offered an helping hand while importing his future heirloom pieceMy son offered an helping hand while importing his future heirloom pieceIt's all about the product, no money or energy is wasted on superflous boxes or booklets - I love thisIt's all about the product, no money or energy is wasted on superflous boxes or booklets - I love thisLike a kid in the candy store - happy me!Like a kid in the candy store - happy me!The natural colours work well with lightThe natural colours work well with lightThe sturgeon leather strap is waterproof by natureThe sturgeon leather strap is waterproof by natureThe case is milled with extreme precision, making it unnecessary to hide mistakes by polishing (as there aren't any!)The case is milled with extreme precision, making it unnecessary to hide mistakes by polishing (as there aren't any!)The curved case design is very comfortable on the wrist, as there are no sharp edges sticking in your armThe curved case design is very comfortable on the wrist, as there are no sharp edges sticking in your armThe dial is spectacular in an The dial is spectacular in an "under the radar way" - there is an incredible depth that is hard to capture in a photo (I tried anyway!)The 36MM size is perfect on my wristThe 36MM size is perfect on my wristChanging the strap is easy and transforms the watch - because the watch itself is rather neutralChanging the strap is easy and transforms the watch - because the watch itself is rather neutralThe black fabric strap features a Kevlar core making it extremely durable and strong - perfect when riding your bike!The black fabric strap features a Kevlar core making it extremely durable and strong - perfect when riding your bike!The carbon buckle hardly adds any weightThe carbon buckle hardly adds any weightDifferent colours have different effects on the watch - here you see it with a 'tan'-coloured fabric strapDifferent colours have different effects on the watch - here you see it with a 'tan'-coloured fabric strapIn line with the In line with the "LIGHT"-case of my watch, the buckle of this strap is milled to remove any unneeded weight Conclusion While there are many reasons to choose a watch, I wanted my watch to be perfect for me. In a fast moving world where things get replaced rapidly by newer fads, spending time and money on a timeless timepiece felt right. Don't be afraid to make decisions for yourself. Wear the watch you want to wear. If it doesn't exists, don't panic. Thanks to the wonders of our connected world, you can find people that will help you! Wear the watch you want - if it doesn't exist you can create it!Wear the watch you want - if it doesn't exist you can create it! Did you enjoy this post? If you found this content useful, consider showing your appreciation by buying me a coffee [?]: CoffeeBuy me a coffee Buy Willem a coffee Coffee X [1 ] 1 3 5 Message (optional) [ ] Please leave your email, if you want me to respond Support EUR 2 Reach out to me on : @wlmiddelkoop Newsletter I send an email newsletter every month with my notes for the past few weeks - the stories and links I saw that were actually interesting, and why they mattered, plus any new posts here. 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In this blog post I share you my experience on using Surface Pro and iPad Pro to get my work done. * 2018-02-24 Creating the ultimate commuter bike Creating the ultimate commuter bike by upgrading the Sensa Cintura belt drive bike. * 2018-02-21 Updating Snake '97 This month I bit the bullet big time: I redesigned the game engine of the wildly popular Snake '97 game. Read about the design challenges in this blog post. * 2018-01-21 Something the smartwatch will never have: patina Patina is often neglected when comparing smartwatches with regular watches. * 2018-01-08 Lessons from a takeaway plastic bag How we're tricked into repeated purchases replacing perfectly fine products just for the sake of change. * 2017-12-02 Commuting by bike One week on the VanMoof Electrified S E-bike testing it for commuting and comparing it to a normal bike. * 2017-11-15 Collecting health data with Biostrap Wearing a clinical-grade PPG sensor for a month to collect advanced biometrics from my wrist. * 2017-10-23 From tree to table Creating a night stand from a raw slab of chestnut wood. * 2017-09-14 Saving a MacBook Air with exploded battery Saving a MacBook Air with a swollen battery pack. * 2017-09-02 Climbing Mount Etna Climbing Mount Etna, an active volcano on Sicily Italy. * 2017-08-31 Clouds below my floor Building a little datacenter in my basement utilising a very fast internet connection. * 2017-07-31 The day I killed my LAN I killed my office LAN and went 4G only. Saves a lot of clutter, energy and money. * 2017-06-30 Fietselfstedentocht 2017 Cycling the 235KM long Fietselfstedentocht through Friesland * 2017-05-31 Beast of the Green Hell Blog post about an amazing AMG Circuit day at the race track of Zolder, Belgium. * 2017-04-30 Smartwatches vs Mechanical watches Why I still wear a mechanical watch and why smartwatches have potential. * 2017-03-26 Repairing a Nintendo Gameboy Advance SP Reparing an old Nintendo Gameboy Advance to play classic Zelda again. * 2017-02-16 Programming on Apple Watch Programming with VIM over SSH on Apple Watch using a bluetooth keyboard * 2017-01-30 iPad Pro next to my primary machine Using iPad Pro with Apple Pencil next to my computer to form a create powerhouse * 2016-12-31 One year of cycling GPS recording an entire year of bike rides using Garmin and Strava. * 2016-11-21 Being a volunteer in Amsterdam-Zuidoost About my work as volunteer in the local community center in Amsterdam Zuidoost * 2016-10-01 Harvesting boredom to let creativity flourish What does it mean for my state of mind and creativity if I am no longer be constantly connected to the Internet using a smartphone. * 2016-09-03 Batavus Champion bike from 1978 Restore the retro glory of an old bike from the 70s using the internet. * 2016-08-15 iPad Pro as primary computer Is the time right to use an iPad as primary development platform to get some real work done? * 2016-07-15 Cash is king, or is it? Is the time right to ditch the wallet? * 2016-06-23 Building the blog... in style! Find out if it is possible to turn a computer from the 90s into a modern development machine. Copyright (c) 2024, willem.com BlogRSSATOMRegisterLoginProfileAboutContact