Comments on: Elements of Design in Seiko’s Prospex Kinetic Chronograph http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/ Japanese Watch Enthusiasts Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:48:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Evan http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-39 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:45:26 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-39 Regardless of the compromises in legibility and practicality, I laud Seiko for rearranging the way we percieve time. For this watch, the actual time seems secondary to the chronograph and it is certainly a reflection of the role of wristwatches as timekeepers nowadays. Furthermore, although the 45 minute counter is quite limited in terms of its practicality, the fan shaped retrograde design certainly gives/allows for a much better perception of the relationship of time. Much like the fuel gauge of an automobile, the hand in relation to the dial allows the user to realize more easily how much time is remaining and how much has passed. Regardless of the compromises in legibility and practicality, I laud Seiko for rearranging the way we percieve time. For this watch, the actual time seems secondary to the chronograph and it is certainly a reflection of the role of wristwatches as timekeepers nowadays. Furthermore, although the 45 minute counter is quite limited in terms of its practicality, the fan shaped retrograde design certainly gives/allows for a much better perception of the relationship of time. Much like the fuel gauge of an automobile, the hand in relation to the dial allows the user to realize more easily how much time is remaining and how much has passed.

]]> by: Tempus Fugitive http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-35 Wed, 14 Feb 2007 16:12:11 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-35 Your point is well taken Evan, and I would add that the 45 minute totalizer seems more driven by aesthetic concerns than practical utility for timing. Can't even track a one hour parking meter, for heaven's sake. All the same, I'm very fond of it, because I don't know of another two hour dial anywhere in watchdom (albeit a truncated one). How did that old song go? "We chased our pleasures here. Dug our treasures there." Your point is well taken Evan, and I would add that the 45 minute totalizer seems more driven by aesthetic concerns than practical utility for timing. Can’t even track a one hour parking meter, for heaven’s sake. All the same, I’m very fond of it, because I don’t know of another two hour dial anywhere in watchdom (albeit a truncated one). How did that old song go? “We chased our pleasures here. Dug our treasures there.”

]]> by: Evan http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-31 Wed, 14 Feb 2007 05:52:18 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-31 Thanks for the insight on how meticulously this chronograph is designed. This layout is certainly avant-garde and is a nice harmonization of Seiko's initial "cluster dial" Kinetic chronographs. My one criticism of this layout is that any time between the 25-35 position on the second totalizer seems to be quite compromised and for about 3 seconds after 25 and before 35, the reading seems impossible as the track is upset by the time subdial ring. Seiko addressed this problem on the new Ignition series of Kinetic chronographs by extending the second totalizer circle past the the bottom of the time subdial by just a slight bit. Picture taken off Seiya san's site: Thanks for the insight on how meticulously this chronograph is designed. This layout is certainly avant-garde and is a nice harmonization of Seiko’s initial “cluster dial” Kinetic chronographs. My one criticism of this layout is that any time between the 25-35 position on the second totalizer seems to be quite compromised and for about 3 seconds after 25 and before 35, the reading seems impossible as the track is upset by the time subdial ring.

Seiko addressed this problem on the new Ignition series of Kinetic chronographs by extending the second totalizer circle past the the bottom of the time subdial by just a slight bit.

Picture taken off Seiya san’s site:

]]> by: bryanandersen http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-29 Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:03:09 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-29 This watch won a Good Design "G" mark in 2003, Japan's highest design award. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://photobucket.com/" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting" src="http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/banderjp/Picture2-1.png" /></a> This watch won a Good Design “G” mark in 2003, Japan’s highest design award.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

]]> by: petew http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-3 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:35:29 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-3 We are just starting out....you'll see stuff soon in the coming weeks. Thanks for the kind words. We are just starting out….you’ll see stuff soon in the coming weeks. Thanks for the kind words.

]]> by: BevGlen http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-2 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:36:37 +0000 http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/01/15/elements-of-design-in-seikos-prospex-kinetic-chronograph-draft-by-tempus-fugitive/#comment-2 Your new website looks great! What's next? How often will new articles appear? Your new website looks great! What’s next? How often will new articles appear?

]]>