Jupiter Hodinky by Dabi Robert is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Zlatá cena A' Design Award in Šperky Competition Category.

ZlatoŠperky· 2021

Jupiter Hodinky

by Dabi Robert

Client: Ziiiro

Zlatá cena A' Design Award Winner in Šperky Category

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The Design

About Jupiter Hodinky

Uvnitř hodinek Jupiter se v hydraulicky lisovaných kanálcích kutálejí ocelové koule, které drží na místě magnetická síla. Vlnitý ciferník je zasazen do konvexně tvarovaného křišťálového skla, které zabraňuje koulím opustit jejich dráhu. Skleněná kupole zakrývající horní část hodinek plynule přechází do pouzdra z nerezové oceli. S vynecháním viditelné stopky, ručiček hodinek nebo značek neexistují žádné prvky, které by odváděly pozornost od sfér, které ukazují čas. Navzdory absenci viditelných ručiček hodinek je k pohonu planetárního ukazatele času použit konvenční quartzový strojek.

The Recognition

About the Zlatá cena A' Design Award

Jupiter Hodinky je vítězem Zlaté ceny A' Design Award, nesmírně prestižního uznání udělovaného prvotřídním, úžasným a vynikajícím designům. Zlatí vítězové jsou mimořádně inovativní, vysoce vizionářské a oslnivě okouzlující výtvory, které odrážejí génia, moudrost a um svých designérů. Očekává se, že Jupiter Hodinky bude vysoce oceňovaným, trendy udávajícím a monumentálním vynálezem, který přináší dosud nevídanou hodnotu. Tento design, který získal Zlatou cenu A' Design Award, je velkolepý, respektovaný projekt, který velmi prospívá a posouvá hranice umění, vědy, designu a technologií. Jupiter Hodinky vyvolává silné pocity touhy, probouzí vášeň, podporuje kreativitu a fascinuje nás.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This minimal timepiece uses a conventional watch movement to drive a unique planetary watch face. Hours and minutes are shown by little steel spheres that are moving inside circular channels of the hydraulic pressed dial, which is inset into the convex shaped crystal glass. There is no visible stem or watch hand. The glass dome covers the whole front facing area of the watch and creating interesting light reflections.
Dimensions & Packaging: Casing Material: 316L stainless steel, sandblasted
Case Size Thickness: 14.0 mm, Width: 41 mm
Case Back: 316L Stainless steel, matte, screwed on case back
Hands: Stainless steel spheres
Watch dial: Convex shaped by hydraulic press, sandblasted polishing
Crown: at 3 Hour Position
Strap: Width 20 mm, 316L stainless steel Milanese mesh
Movement: Swiss Ronda 502 (Far east manufactured)
Glass: Concave polished hardened mineral crystal
Battery: SR920SW
Water Resistant: 5 ATM
Tags: watch, wrist watch, ziiiro, time, magnets, jupiter, spheres
Production Technology: Compared to traditional watches, the Jupiter watch uses an additional layer of hydraulic pressed brass above the dial to separate its' time indicators from the movement. Little steel spheres are placed into these pressed rails and pulled by magnets underneath this layer. Crystal glass is being sanded into a deep convex shape and placed above the visible part of the dial, so that the steel spheres are being trapped between glass and dial. The magnets themselves are being powered by a conventional Swiss Ronda quartz watch movement.
Design Challenge: This project started with a foil that can visualise magnetic fields. We prototyped a watch using this foil as watch face and moving magnets underneath. The magnets produce a darker trail when they move along. After further experiments using iron powder, the final design of the Jupiter watch combines the visual appearance of magnetic trails with a more straightforward way of incorporating magnets while ensuring good readability and timeless design.
Research: ZIIIRO is all about unique ways of telling the time. We are aware that the purpose of a traditional wrist watch has evolved from time teller into a status symbol or accessory for expressing one's personality and fashion style. In order to figure out the fashion part, we exhibited at the Berlin fashion week 4 times, where we could get feedback from all over the world. After additional market research by making polls and looking at our customer base, we discovered that a large portion of our fans is affiliated to the creative industry. Since being creative is our credo, it shows that we are doing something right.
Inspiration: I had the very first idea of a magnetic watch when I stumbled upon flux detector foil, a thin film than can visually detect magnetic fields. By prototyping these ideas, the concept evolved into the design of the Jupiter watch, which is simpler and more straightforward than earlier takes using iron powder or foil. To give the evolving spheres more significance, the dial is visually elevated into the glass.
Project Duration: The project started in Mid 2019 in Nuremberg, Germany and Hong Kong. It was released for purchase in Sept. 2020. In Japan, it was released through a crowdfunding campaign, which achieved 7000% funding.
Operation Flow: Time can be set by pulling out and turning the crown. The two steel spheres indicate the current time, the inner one shows minutes while the outer one shows hours. To keep the visual appearance minimal, there are no markers. When setting the time, the spheres have to be moved into the correct position in relation to the watch orientation.
Team Members: Robert Dabi
Derick Ip
Sing-Hei Chong
Image Credits: Image #1-5: Robert Dabi, 2020