Affection

Design Competition 2023 | Hand to hand

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2025.08.19

I believe that a watch is something that can reflect one's individuality and convey the atmosphere of its wearer. Perhaps because of my profession, when I meet someone, the watch they wear often stays in my memory. It feels like a part of their expression, and when the watch suits them well, it makes me happy, as if the watch is being cherished.
Since a watch is chosen out of many by some special connection, it goes without saying, but I hope people will use their watches for a long time with care. With that in mind, I thought of a watch that can be 'repolished'—a design that evokes feelings of affection and gentleness, making you want to treasure and repair it for continued use.

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To make repolishing easy, I considered the design based on the points of 'solid material (without plating)' and 'a structure that is easy to disassemble and a shape that is easy to polish.' Early on, I decided on a direction with a solid stainless steel material that is easy to polish and a shape with removable end pieces. When the end pieces are removed, it becomes a perfectly round shape, allowing for flawless buff polishing. The result is a simple, warm, and rounded form.

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The end piece connecting the case and band is designed to evoke the impression of a crafted artifact. I was inspired by the Paris end piece of CITIZEN's first women's watch, the K model (right in the illustration). The soft R-shaped curve of the end piece part gives a delicate impression.

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The dial is designed to convey a sense of care and to express a relaxed spacing. The white mother-of-pearl is decorated with etching that is not overly ornate. The four applied indexes have a softly polished, bud-like form. The eight round applied indexes also have a plump, droplet-like three-dimensionality thanks to their R-shaped curve that wraps around to the back.

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For the crown, I wanted something decorative and elegant, with a modern onyx texture and a classical claw setting. Its gently rounded shape is meant to evoke a sense of happiness.

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The case back is shaped to feel pleasant against the wrist. There is a sense of unity that makes you want to stroke from the glass to the case back, and it has a smooth, charming appeal.

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I want the case back engraving to be something that can be added at any time, allowing the owner's handwritten message to be engraved as is, preserving their feelings.

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This is a watch with a gentle impression that makes you want to keep it close. I designed it while imagining a scene where, by repolishing, it remains beautifully radiant forever, is passed on to someone else, and gently embraces the wearer when picked up. This is a proposal for 'Designing Emotion,' where affection deepens as you share history together.

CREDIT

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