31.07.13 Product design experiments into concept watches

When I look at my watch, I'm not interested in the actual time, just how long this means I have left until my next meeting, until I can go home, until I can meet my friends.  So I wanted to design a watch that could sync with media devices to give the user the option of having a count down to their next calendar event.  I made a video of the first design I came up with detailing my design process:

Experiments:

Following the first design, I then made two further models to experiment with basic form and function.

The screen on this watch has raised sides as a point of difference, but also as a positive locator for a touch screen area.

This design concept addresses the problem of having a large display area, which means a shirt cuff will not fit over the watch.  In this case the shirt sleeve slips under the fascia due to the way the watch is mounted.

Prototype watch development:

Following my first experiments, I knew I hadn't pushed the design far enough.  So I took one design concept from my original sketches (first video) and using the innovative closing mechanism I'd developed, worked it into a prototype.  Please watch the video of the second design concept which best explains the process.

Further development:

Having published my design, I received feedback from various sources.  Some people thought the body of the watch was too soft and others thought the innovative closing mechanism was too big.  Having worn the watch for a few hours, the closing mechanism did feel awkward when I rested my wrist on a table.  I knew it would, the model was really a half visual appearance, half proof of principle prototype.  I had enough feedback to try to improve the design and model, so I tried to slim everything down and make it as thin as possible (using wood, plastic and metal, spray painted with car body paint). I also put more work into the strap adjustment and a quick change mechanism to replace the strap.  Now the user can quickly change the strap if it needs replacing or for fashion (to match an outfit) simply, without having to take it to a jeweller.  Please watch the video:

All watch models are shown below.