Un Blue 腕表

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Break the tradition,express the theme of peace with the "stability" of the triangle,and create a triangular case. Environment friendly material selection. In recent years, plastic material is leading the transformation of military equipment and promoting the development of lightweight military applications,which will also produce relatively high quality plastic composite waste at the same time.We plan to recycle it and use it in the production of shockproof bezels, tapes or other parts of watch.

Dimensions & Packaging

SIZE:44.5*45.0mm(W*H), THICKNESS:14.2mm
STRAP LENGTH:165-220mm
CASE:Stainless steel bezel, case body and crown treated in black metal PVD. vertical brushed side wall.
STRAP:22.0*20.0mm

Tags

Gorp-core, City boy, Military Style, Camouflage Element, Hardcore, Mechanical Looking

Production Technology

The curved sapphire glass watch cover is used to make the dial more transparent. Its material hardness is second only to diamond, which ensures clear reading and provides excellent protection for the dial.
The Swiss Super-luminova luminous system can be recycled to ensure reading time at night, and it is water resistant up to 50M, which can meet users’ requirements for daily use. The Velcro leather strap can improve the convenience and portability of wearing it, and the reflective coating is printed on the surface of the leather strap to meet the needs of outdoor warnings at night.The silicone strap uses recycled armament waste.

Design Challenge

The production and grinding of the special-shaped "triangular" case, the inclination angle of the case and the technical realization for texture considerations are all challenges we encounter in the process of case production.
When calling for the recycling of military plastics and the experimental research and development of alternative silicone strap, we need to continuously improve the performance of new materials on the basis of the realization, and consider the comfort of wearing it.
Control costs. Considering the market, we must strictly control the cost during the research and development of UN Blue. The research and development process is relatively long, and only by controlling the use of materials and reducing processing costs can we ensure that the final product pricing is acceptable.

Research

During the design process of this product, we have conducted a long-term study on the users' watch reading behavior, and fully considered to improve the sensory experience when reading the watch. After a long term tracking test, and considering different habits of using the watch, the thickness and radian of the glass, and the refraction of the glass under natural light, the inclination angle of UN Blue’s case is finally designed. In the process of product proofing, we have made an optimal compromise due to certain budget and technical constraints from a market perspective. To be environmentally friendly, our decision to use armament waste also requires us to invest in research on the recycling of high-quality armament waste. During the initial acquisition and recycling process, as well as the subsequent reprocessing, we make those plastic composites have the desired properties of our products through trial and error.

Inspiration

The UN Blue was born of our concern about the world situation.We chose the United Nations peacekeeping force as the theme,extract elements from it, and pay tribute to those "Blue Helmet Warriors" who is far away from their homeland and family and preserve peace in the place ravaged by gunpowder smoke. We also break the traditional watch-case shape and use the "stability" of the triangle to symbolize peace,thus the design of UN-Blue's triangular case is born.

Project Duration

The project started its design in China in December 2020.
In May 2021, the first draft of the design was completed, and the revision stage started.
In September 2021, the design draft was confirmed. Further research and development was carried out and the sample production stage started.
In February 2022, the preliminary sample was released, and the design details were further improved according to the sample.
The project is still in progress, and the basic version is planned to be launched in December 2022.
While still looking for a suitable supplier to further improve the sample. The UN Blue will be sold as a limited edition.

Operation Flow

After a long term tracking test of watch reading habits, we found that the flat case and flat glass are inconvenient to read. The UN Blue optimizes this experience in its design by tilting the angle of the case and the glass by 5.5°, so that the dial is perpendicular to the line of sight, making it easier for users to quickly focus their eyes and read the time quickly. In order to be as convenient as possible for users, UN-Blue adopts a detachable watch strap design. The Velcro leather strap is light and comfortable, easy to take off and put on, showing a more functional style; the rubber strap is designed to be one-piece considering that it can fit the wrist and be comfortable to wear. At the same time, a zigzag design added on both sides of the strap is used to fit the the wrist and reduce the burden on the wrist, which makes it more wearable. The design of the see-through case back of the large view enhances the visualization of the mechanical movement, and users can intuitively feel the mechanical charm of its movement.

Image Credits

Image #1:Creator Chen Zilong
Image #2:Creator Chen Zilong
Image #3:Creator Chen Zilong
Image #4:Creator Chen Zilong
Image #5:Creator Chen Zilong