A Movement Filled with the "Pride" of Engineers
The movement installed, Cal.E210, was designed based on the philosophy at the time of "surpassing mechanical chronographs with quartz functions." Announced at the Basel Fair in 2004, exactly 20 years ago, this movement received high international acclaim. In addition to the chronograph function, all features—including alarm setting and ON/OFF, power reserve, etc.—are realized with hands, totaling nine in all. There are very few watches with this many hands. Furthermore, the number of internal components required to realize these functions far exceeds that of ordinary watches, reflecting the ingenuity and efforts of the design team at the time.
At the time, CITIZEN also intended to showcase its technological prowess to the world. This shares similarities with how automobile manufacturers approach racing. One of the purposes of races like F1 is to feed back the technologies developed in competition to commercial vehicles, thereby enhancing technical and brand strength. This movement was also part of such advanced development, and the technologies cultivated here have been utilized in subsequent movement development. I was attracted by this sense of "pride" in our own technology and wanted to design a watch using this movement.
A Case Shape Like a 3D Puzzle
The case is characterized by the movement-housing section, called the case body, being divided into two parts. Each part has an intricate, puzzle-like shape, and it took considerable time to design the complex protruding and recessed shapes needed for fitting them together.
The cover-like part is painted with pearl pigment, the same type used for painting the bodies of motorcycles and cars. Amid the solid metallic texture, the smooth finish of the painted surface adds an accent.
Another distinctive feature is the three weight-reduction holes in the case. By hollowing out these sections, the push button pipes are exposed, giving the watch a more mechanical and functional appearance. This is also an homage to the weight-reduction holes used in actual racing cars for lightening.
A Dial with Nine Hands
The dial contains a wealth of information, and simply laying out the functions of this movement creates considerable density. Emphasis is placed on a three-dimensional feel, with metal rings arranged on the three sub dials. The indicator ring showing the tachymeter function is divided into separate upper and lower parts, each with a different texture to increase the amount of information. The lime green accent for the power reserve is meant to evoke the electricity stored by light-powered technology.
Expressing "Character" Through Form
To distinguish it from the broader term "design," designers sometimes use the word "form." Interpretations vary by person, but I often use it in the narrower sense of shape and color. One of the major challenges in this project was how to express car-ness and racing-ness through form. Not only for watches, but also when incorporating elements like cars or racing into products, it is common to use concrete motifs such as brake disc rotors, wheels, or checkered flags. This time, instead of using specific motifs, I aimed to evoke the image of a complex mechanical assembly like a car through indirect forms. Expressing a worldview through form is a fundamental skill required of designers, and there is no single correct answer. Through this attempt, I feel I have gained a deeper understanding of the depth of form.