Svper 11 Primary Function: Relòtge de ponhet by Rafal Czaniecki and Mike Mak

Svper 11 Primary Function: Relòtge de ponhet by Rafal Czaniecki and Mike Mak is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award d'Argent in Joiòs Competition Category.

ArgentJoiòs· 2021

Svper 11 Primary Function: Relòtge de ponhet

by Rafal Czaniecki and Mike Mak

Client: Svper11

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Joiòs Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #117696

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Colors

The Design

About Svper 11 Primary Function: Relòtge de ponhet

Book Text: Svper 11 es un relòtge de ponhet inspirat per la mission Apollo 11 de la NASA. Lo quadrant es una representacion topografica tridimensionala de Mare Tranquillitatis, la zòna del site d'aterrissatge, amb de gras de 0,1 mm formats per reproduire lo terren de la Luna. Una agulha de segondas amb quatre braces e un movement continú marca l'endrech de l'aterrissatge. La corona pren la forma de las valvas d'oxigèn de l'escafandre de la NASA. Lo fons del boitièr es fach en ceramica tecnica, una referéncia a l'escut de ceramica de la Naveta Espaciala. Lo boitièr mesura 42 per 42 per 12 mm e es resistent a l'aiga fins a 10 ATM.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Svper 11 Primary Function: Relòtge de ponhet a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent, una reconeissença extraordinàriament prestigiosa acordada a de designs d'ort de gamma, esplendids e impressionants. Los ganhaires de l'Argent son d'òbras terriblament brilhantas e extrèmament creativas que illustran l'experiéncia, lo talent e la finessa excepcionals de lors designers. S'espèra que Svper 11 Primary Function: Relòtge de ponhet siá una òbra meravilhosa e de referéncia, notablament professionala e prigondament innovanta. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent es una invencion fòrça notabla e admirada, que fa un ben e fa avançar las frontièras de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia. Svper 11 Primary Function: Relòtge de ponhet es una creacion immensament envejada que desrevelha de desirs, aduch de sentiments positius e fa néisser l'estonament e l'esmaiment.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: SVPER11 watch is a celebration of the NASA Apollo11 mission - one of the most inspiring achievements in our history. The face is a 3D topographic representation of the landing site area - Mare Tranquilitatis. The unique 4-arm seconds hand and sweeping motion movement resembles a radar constantly marking the exact location of the landing. The crown took a shape of oxygen valves from the NASA spacesuit and case back is made out of technical ceramic - a reference to NASA Shuttle ceramic shield.
Dimensions & Packaging: 42mm x 42mm x 12mm
Tags: wristwatch, SpaceExploration, Inspirational, Apollo11
Production Technology: Thanks to detailed maps of the Moon I was able to recreate topographic 3D map of the Mare Tranquilitatis - place where the mission crew landed. The face of the watch has multiple 0.1mm steps that are shaped to represent the terrain. A process to achieve such detail replication involves 300 tonnes pressure being applied to brass disc in order to replicate every nano-meter of the form.
The case back made from technical ceramics needed multiple tries to achieve proper thickness of embossed elements taking under consideration the production process and the brittleness of the material.
Design Challenge: The face of the watch required excellent detail reproduction. The final product is made by pressing a brass disc with 300 Tonnes of pressure at least 5 times in order to replicate every nanometer of the form.
The brittle nature of ceramic in combination with finishing procedures created a challenge for caseback element. If the raised letters were too thin they would crack during final polishing stage. This required to prepare few test runs and toolings to get the durability and the looks right.
Research: The most important part was to properly replicate the area of the Apollo11 Mission landing. The highly detailed, publicly available maps of the Moon were a key to achieve the effect, get the details and scale right.
Another element that required a lot of research was the crown element. It is based on the air valve from the front of the spacesuit. There is quite a lot of reference photography, but only after obtaining the 3D scanned data of the archived spacesuit I was able to recreate the proper dimensions and ratios to achieve the final effect.
Inspiration: The idea came about during Super Moon event in 2016 - when the Moon gets as close to Earth as possible. Just looking at it make you feel how abstract yet amazing and inspiring it is, that NASA have successfully landed humans on Moons surface. I wanted to create an object, that would celebrate that, be available for everyone and allow one to get inspired every time you'd look at it.
The wrist watch became a vehicle for that idea. A piece of the Moon on your wrist.
Project Duration: The project started in 2016, it took quite a few months for it to brew and take a form of 3D file and documentation, that could be taken around the watch factories and selecting one that would be up to the task.
The watch debuted publicly at Watch Fair 2019 in Hong-Kong, right after being published on Kickstarter. The campaign was successful and we were able to proceed with production.
Operation Flow: The watch features a diver-grade submersion properties, that require the crown of the watch to be constructed with double-lock mechanism. For user to change the time one needs to unscrew the crown, then after crown pops-out gently, user needs to pull it out slightly to lock the mechanism for changing the time. The reversed operation closes the crown and ensures, that the watch is water-tight up to 10ATM. The watch is easy to open (8 screws) for maintenance or battery replacement.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Rafal Czaniecki, 2019.
Team Members: Mike Mak
Image Credits: Video Credits: Rafal Czaniecki