During my studies at SADI MDes 2014 programme, I was asked to design a new wristwatch for LEEUM Museum located in Seoul, South Korea. While working as a team on other new souvenir product ideas, I was briefed to separately design a wristwatch that will be sold at the museum shop. Initial concept development. Composed of a fairly straight-forward project brief, I was lucky enough to have the freedom to come up with fairly wide range of ideas and variations. However, the purpose of a souvenir wristwatch is very different from that of a luxury high-end jewellery like a Rolex. Although LEEUM showcases big international art works constantly, they only have in-house graphic designers for souvenir products. Also, the limitations to production technique availability and time almost forced the project into finding a simple yet elegant design solution. The design idea had to be unique enough to stand out, yet subtle and practical enough to be worn regularly by practical consumers. Plus, the design should ‘fit’ with the general brand image of LEEUM Museum. In terms of limited production techniques, steel was the watch-making factory’s main material. This has caused a large limitation in effectively representing the more elaborate design ideas. Through the stages of prototyping and communicating with the client, I was able to come in to terms with the right solution.
design ideas were centralised on the concept of time itself or the theme of LEEUM. Design development. Because this was a fast-paced project, the finalisation of the design details and production development progressed simultaneously. Early steel prototypes were roughly made during the development of the main concept. Final design direction. In the end, taking advantage of the steel production possibilities, the concept chosen was the 'sundial watch.' The mechanical precision of steel engravings were used to create a unique pattern for the watch face along with the body itself. In turn, while simplifying the production process, it was a very cost-effective way to visualise the concept. In terms of the process, CAD models were created along with illustrated guidelines for the factory production. Final product. Two versions of the design were produced and released: steel and anodized black. Both versions consist of engraved patterns, matching watch hands, genuine leather strap, and engraved logo and signature on the back of the watch.
Visual development. In order to effectively communicate my ideas to the LEEUM representatives, quick renderings of few plausible concepts were picked out and visualised. The
SUNDIA WRISTWATCH
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