From left, Nualtong Dhitavat, Nattavut Trivisvavet, Toon Mahadumrongkul, Chudaree Debhakam and Nukoolkit Aeamla-or.
Trocadero Group, the exclusive distributor for Issey Miyake watches led by chief executive of Marketing Toon Mahadumrongkul, recently hosted an exclusive event to launch the new series of creative watch “C” by leading Japanese product designer Ichiro Iwasaki.
Born in Tokyo in 1965, Iwasaki started his career at Sony Design Center, afterwards moving to Italy and working at several design studios in Milan. After returning to Japan, in 1995 he set up Iwasaki Design Studio in Tokyo and has been collaborating with manufacturers both within and outside Japan, involved in highly versatile product designs. He has been awarded a large number of major international awards.
“C” is from Issey Miyake Watch Project, which for its 14th series, offered Iwasaki the challenge of taking on a chronograph design. Trying to achieve a quality watch in a conventional style but with a beautiful face, he sought a high level of readability through delicate numerals and markers.
“I thought that the more thoroughly I tried to re-establish a ‘real’ chronograph, the more beautiful it would be. I removed unnecessary elements to isolate the pure chronograph, and found that lines and numerals became more conspicuous as they are in musical scores and mathematical formulas,” said Iwasaki.
“Pure lines and numerals exist beyond time, place and gender. This is the image of the chronograph I was looking for, a chronograph of lines and numerals.”
The product characteristics adhere rigorously to the essence of a timepiece. The dial face consists of lines and numerals only, with the hour and minute hands ticking time slowly above it. For the time to be readable in any circumstance, luminous hands are used.
Reflecting the stoutly framed image of the Issey Miyake brand, the collection presents moderately genderless one-size watches combined with bands of various materials and colours. The simple, light body fits and rests comfortably on any size wrist.
Incorporating the keyword “DAY” into the design concept, Iwasaki set out to make a watch that anyone would want to wear at any time in any place. Anchored by the two dial colours, the basic choice is black or white. The user can change the band with various options to enjoy wearing the watch longer. Replacement bands will be sold separately.
Launched in 2001, the Issey Miyake Watch Project has produced watches under the overall direction of Issey Miyake through collaborations between globally-renowned designers, including Shunji Yamanaka, Harri Koskinen, Tokujin Yoshioka, Naoto Fukasawa, Ross Lovegrove and Yves Behar, and Seiko Nextage.
Issey Miyake ‘C’ by Ichiro Iwasaki, with a white face and leather strap.
The ‘C’ with a black face and metal bracelet.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.