Timeless Proportions
I’m a professional designer with a degree in architecture and a career mostly spent as a Disney Imagineer designing theme parks around the world. Those with similar backgrounds or natural sensibilities are familiar with why great proportions are both considerations of the overall composition and the minute details of which the object is made, but many others just intuitively know if things are beautiful or not.
One of the reasons I love watches is because their ability to not only stand alone as a piece of art, but also because - when worn - the watch uses your body as a means of reference; including YOU in the exhibited/presented composition. I am not a watch designer, but I do appreciate the elevated level of proportion some watches have achieved throughout history while exemplifying superb function and ergonomics.
I recently purchased the book ‘The Watch’ (pictured above) and it has been fun to go through my collection to see elements of design found in watches in my collection. Like the hands on our watches that cycle around the dial, so too, it seems, do various design features. The one draw for designers to reference a past design is because it worked, and it worked because of well-considered proportions. “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water,” as they say…
Highly recommend this book for history buffs, designers, or any watch nerd. 🤓
Watch nerd focused on classic timeless pieces with undeniable heritage in a compact package.
Artist here. I’m with you!
Thanks for the tip about that book, I’ll have to buy it - I’m completely bookless about watches and I’d like to change that!
Cheers! 🍻
Artist here. I’m with you!
Thanks for the tip about that book, I’ll have to buy it - I’m completely bookless about watches and I’d like to change that!
Cheers! 🍻
You’re welcome! I only started getting watch books. It’s nice to see nicely photographed historic examples to analyze and the purpose of the features tied with historical moments in time and the innovations of that same era.