Astronomer Horologium Bracchiale by Fuqing Ye and Liyue Lai

Astronomer Horologium Bracchiale by Fuqing Ye and Liyue Lai is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum in Designatio Ornamentorum Competition Category.

ArgentumOrnamenta· 2021

Astronomer Horologium Bracchiale

by Fuqing Ye and Liyue Lai

Client: Agelocer

Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum Winner in Ornamenta Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #120304

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Astronomer Horologium Bracchiale

Astronomer horologium bracchiale mechanicum est cum panoramica lunae phasium ostensione. Discus lunae phasium ad viginti octo millimetra diametri amplificatus est totumque discum implet, ita ut lunae crescentis decrescentisque motus clare observari possit. Discus caeruleo obscuro colore argento superinductus stellisque ornatus est. Lunae superficies technologia impressionis tridimensionalis reddita est. Fibula infinite adaptabilis plerisque bracchiis aptatur sine foraminibus in lorо, quod fabricationem simplificat et materiam parcit. Lorum etiam sine instrumentis removeri et reponi potest.

The Recognition

About the Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum

Astronomer Horologium Bracchiale victor est Praemii A' Design Award Argenteum, honoris eximie amplissimi formis summi generis, pulchris et conspicuis dati. Victores Argenti opera valde splendida et creandi ingenio praedita sunt, quae praestantem peritiam, talentum et acumen auctorum suorum ostendunt. Exspectatur Astronomer Horologium Bracchiale opus mirabile, exemplare, valde professionale et penitus novum fore. Haec forma Argento victa inventum notabile et admiratum est, quod ad fines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae promovendos confert. Astronomer Horologium Bracchiale creatio est, quam multi invident, quae cupiditates excitat, sensus bonos affert et admirationem miraculumque movet.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The watch from Agelocer has a panoramic effect featuring the phases of the moon, which enlarges the view of the moon's phases to the entire dial plate. It allows users to intuitively feel the changes of moon phases, bringing them a unique aesthetic experience. The infinitely adjustable strap doesn’t need to produce long straps to match short straps and doesn’t need to punch holes in the strap, greatly simplifying manufacturing processes and saving energy and materials.
Dimensions & Packaging: Weight 82g，Wearing length 170mm-210mm
Tags: Moon phases, creative watch, mechanical watch, traditional industries, handmade
Production Technology: We adopted 3D printing technology to simulate and restore the surface of the moon, and we enlarged the moon-phase dial to the size of 28mm in diameter.The on/off lugs strap allows users to disassemble and replace it without any tools, which is convenient and easy. The infinitely adjustable clasp changes the way of wearing traditional mechanical watches.The strap can fit most wrists without the need for perforations, eliminating the need for standard hole spacing that affects the appearance.
Design Challenge: We redesigned the drive mechanism to enable the watch to drive the moon-phase dial, and we redesigned the anti-reverse mechanism to prevent the moon-phase dial from rotating when worn.
To highlight the relationship between the moon phases and the watch, it is necessary to control the size of the moon-phase dial and control the display error within a reasonable range. We repeatedly test to make the moon-phase window large enough, and enlarge the moon-phase dial to the size of 28mm in diameter.
Research: Background: The relationship between astronomical phenomena and the concept of time. Although there are already watches with the same subject on the market, they do not highlight the relationship.
Method: We combine astronomical phenomena, time, graphic changes and mechanical movements. And the moon phases are presented on the dial.
Goal: Achieve the integration of the moon, stars and watches.
Inspiration: Most of the concept of time in human society originates from the astronomical phenomena, such as the rising and setting of the sun, the waxing and waning of the moon. With the accelerating pace of modern life, people gradually neglect the observation of natural life. In order to allow a return to tradition, we decided to design the watch to reproduce the origin of time and astronomical phenomena. Inspired by the folding and pulling of ties, we designed the infinitely adjustable clasp.
Project Duration: The project was inspired and the design started in December 2017 at the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing, China. The design was finalized in March 2018, then samples were produced. Samples were confirmed in August 2018 and launched in China in February 2019.
Operation Flow: Ordinary moon-phase watches do not highlight the relationship between the moon phases and the watch, which is a relatively small semicircle. This watch has a panoramic effect that enlarges the view of the moon's phases to the entire dial plate. The silver moon-phase dial is more eye-catching, and the users can observe the waxing and waning of the moon.The dark blue dial is overlaid with silver, adorned with a dazzling array of stars, providing an experience of time beyond the digital display.
Team Members: Fuqing Ye
Liyue Lai