Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash must love designs from its fans, because it just completed yet another concept submitted from designers at home hoping to make their dreams come true. The Kisai Uzumaki watch is nothing like our previously reviewed Kisai Stencil, however. The display is purely round the clock, and models itself after the Japanese name which literally translates to the word “whirlpool.”
Since Tokyoflash opened its Design Studio Blog in February 2010, the Kisai Uzumaki is the sixth selected design chosen to enter mass production. The spiraling vortex display separates the hour and minute into the outer and inner rings, with an actual hand ticking around the face to denote seconds. The body is also made to be extra durable with a stainless steel strap. A custom made acrylic lens encloses the display and has intruding grooves to connote the sense of a whirlpool. As time moves, it looks as though the swirls slowly spin its course. The digital face also has a backlight to glow in the dark and is designed to be unisexual for any fashionable accessory lover.
“Unleash your inner circle. Don’t miss any time, even a second,” writes Firdaus Rohman, the winning designer based in Malaysia. “The Uzumaki watch concept brings Tokyoflash style in the heart of those who prefer the convenience mechanism of conventional time keeper.”
As with all fan designs from Tokyoflash, the watch will be sold in a limited edition quantity and is currently undergoing a launch sale for the next 36 hours. Knocking $30 off the retail price, you can buy the Kisai Uzumaki watch for $100 in black or silver straps with blue or green backlighting. The watch has a warranty for one year, and its battery will last you for equally as long before needing a change. It might not have a smart apps feature, but it will look nothing like any other watch your friends own.
Would you wear the Kisai Uzamaki watch, or is the design overly complicated for your personal taste? Let us know in the comments, or check our Best Watches list to see if other style suit your needs.
For more pictures of the Kisai Uzamaki, visit the Tokyoflash official Flickr page or view the demonstration video below.
