Skip to content
Janus ᱛᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱰᱤ by William Volcoff

Janus ᱛᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱰᱤ by William Volcoff is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ in ᱜᱟᱦᱱᱟ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ Competition Category.


ᱥᱳᱱᱟᱜᱟᱦᱱᱟ· 2020

Janus ᱛᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱰᱤ

by William Volcoff

Client: Wolkov

A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ Winner in ᱜᱟᱦᱱᱟ Category

55,598

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #103203

Colors

The Design

About Janus ᱛᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱰᱤ

ᱡᱟᱱᱩᱥ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱛᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱰᱤ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸᱨᱮ ᱵᱟᱨᱭᱟ ᱰᱟᱭᱟᱞ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱚᱫᱚᱞ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱷᱤᱛᱟ (ᱥᱴᱨᱟᱯ) ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜᱼᱟ᱾ ᱵᱟᱨᱭᱟ ᱥᱮᱫ ᱜᱮ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜᱼᱟ, ᱚᱱᱟᱛᱮ ᱦᱚᱨᱚᱜᱤᱡ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱮᱥ ᱩᱞᱴᱟᱹᱣ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ, ᱰᱟᱭᱟᱞ ᱵᱚᱫᱚᱞ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱷᱤᱛᱟ ᱵᱚᱫᱚᱞ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱫᱤᱱᱟᱹᱢ ᱦᱩᱱᱟᱹᱨ ᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜᱼᱟᱭ᱾ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱰᱟᱭᱟᱞ ᱫᱚ ᱚᱴᱚᱢᱮᱴᱤᱠ ᱢᱩᱵᱷᱢᱮᱱᱴ ᱛᱮ ᱟᱨ ᱮᱴᱟᱜ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱣᱟᱨᱴᱡᱽ ᱢᱩᱵᱷᱢᱮᱱᱴ ᱛᱮ ᱪᱟᱞᱟᱜᱼᱟ, ᱚᱱᱟᱛᱮ ᱵᱟᱨᱭᱟ ᱴᱟᱭᱤᱢ ᱡᱚᱱ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱚᱠᱛᱚ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜᱼᱟ᱾ ᱠᱮᱥ ᱟᱨ ᱢᱟᱨᱟᱝ ᱞᱟᱜᱽ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱴᱮᱱᱞᱮᱥ ᱥᱴᱤᱞ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱮᱱᱟᱣᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱡᱤᱞᱤᱧ ᱯᱚᱞᱤᱥ ᱦᱚᱨᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱠᱚ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨᱟᱜᱼᱟ᱾ ᱞᱟᱜᱽ ᱨᱮ ᱩᱠᱩ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱫᱚᱦᱚᱭᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱠᱞᱤᱯ ᱵᱮᱵᱚᱥᱛᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱯᱷᱤᱛᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱹᱲᱛᱤ ᱪᱟᱞᱟᱜ ᱦᱟᱹᱴᱤᱧ ᱵᱮᱜᱚᱨ ᱛᱮ ᱥᱟᱵ ᱫᱚᱦᱚᱜᱼᱟ᱾ ᱯᱷᱤᱛᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱥᱚᱞ ᱪᱟᱢᱲᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱮᱱᱟᱣᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ

Janus ᱛᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱰᱤ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱟᱨ ᱥᱩᱱᱫᱚᱨ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ Janus ᱛᱤ ᱜᱷᱚᱰᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
This is probably the world first Automatic watch combining dual-dials with interchangeable strap. User can flip and/or switch dials, change straps to match their daily outfit and activities. With its iconic case and oversized lugs, it has charisma and provides extra functionalities for analog watch lovers.
Dimensions & Packaging
Watchcase: 34mm x 14mm x 43mm
Watch strap: 180mm x 24mm
Watch box: 180mm x 185mm x 65mm
Tags
Dual-dial, Automatic, Analog, Wristwatch, Light luxury, Man accessory
Production Technology
We offer a mix of automatic and quartz movements within one case. One side is powered by Chinese Peacock automatic caliber SL1701 while the other side is powered by Japanese Myota quartz. This gives the opportunity for dual time zone and double the space to develop creative dials.

Our unique clipping system has no extra moving parts and only use specific material resistance (from an invisible insert made of PP) to create the clipping spring feature. The design solution is striking visually and drove the design style from inside out, as we didn’t try to conceal it.

The watchcase and lugs are made of high quality steel (316L) with over 8h of polishing process (usual watch are polish under 2h). Our straps are made of genuine leather. Our NATO strap are made of a double-layered polyamide thread combining 3 strain of color to add depth and texture.
Design Challenge
Key challenge was to convince watch factories to produce prototypes and test again and again the various ideas we had. We designed every details, from the screws head to the handles so we had to run prototype for each parts, opening molds and doing refinements a the same time.
Research
Heuristic design research based on guts feeling that something could still be improved in the watch industry. Initially our design had only one dial but we soon realize the potential to duplicate dials and offer dual time zones. The final clipping system for the strap with our semi flexible lug took over 2 years of refinement. We tested ourselves prototypes by wearing them and then adjusting details.
Inspiration
Janus was born from this deep satisfaction of holding a high quality product. Something that feels right when wearing it. Not everything must be connected. The extra boost you need sometime to get things moving the way you want and to connect with a distant past where machines were crafted.
Project Duration
The project started in September 2014 in Shanghai and finished in November 2018 in Shanghai.
Operation Flow
Operate the watch like a normal watch, use the crowns to set time on both sides.
Un-clip the lugs to change strap.
Patents
Patented. CN 304970078 S. 2018. China
Patented. CN 208446774 U. 2018. China
Team Members
William Volcoff
Kang Jing
Bastien Henry
Image Credits
Images #No1 - No 5: Photographer Kang Jing, 2018

Sponsored

Explore Beyond Designers.org

Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.

More to Explore

Related Designs

Explore more award-winning designs from the same category, selected by merit.

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

The A' Design Award is an international, juried accolade for good design. Take part in the A' Design Award to get an opportunity to earn meritocratic recognition, gain fame, prestige and publicity for your work. Nominate your work for the A' Design Award and compete for the coveted A' Design Prize.

Nominate