Saturday, December 23, 2006

sand + time watch


Time transforms space and our environment. So too have objects for counting time transformed. Since ancient times until today, there have been different methods for counting time, and different units of measure for it. Sand+Time Watch is a project that unites modern technologies and old ways of measuring time. Sand+Time offers its wearer the time in modern electronic hours, but the form of the interface has also been borrowed from an old sand hourglass. The watch functions in two modes. The first, the screensaver, takes the form of a sand hourglass counting a certain time unit set by the user to their preference. (The default setting for the hourglass is to count one minute.) The second mode displays the time in numbers – the most common electronic interface for the modern person. When the watch is in screensaver mode, the press of a button will display the time. Fun meets function in this concept, offering a greater degree of self-expression for the wearer. Modern materials compose the watch – rubber for the bracelet, and plastic for the case, which can be produced in several colours. The light-emitting diode technology often used in watches is the basis of the screen image.