OVERVIEW
Inspired by the poetic motion of sand in an hourglass, Sandglass Watch reimagines how we perceive time—not as digits or ticks, but as a quiet emergence. Designed as a conceptual side project during my time at Pilotfish, this watch invites users to slow down, reflect, and watch time unfold—literally.
CONCEPT & INSPIRATION
In Western culture, the hourglass symbolizes time’s impermanence and quiet gravity. I was drawn to this metaphor for its emotional resonance. Rather than designing another timepiece that delivers instant information, I wanted to create one that introduces pause—a moment of slowness in a fast world.
When the user presses the crown, an electromagnetic field activates fine magnetic powder within the face of the watch. Over a few seconds, the particles gather to form the current time—subtly, poetically. The display form may vary (analog or digital), but it’s the formation process—the visible passage—that defines the experience.
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
This project remained in the conceptual stage, but the design process was grounded in research. I studied magnetic display technologies, ferrofluid behavior, and user scenarios where “waiting for time” could evoke delight rather than frustration.
The casing design was kept minimal, with a soft curvature and tactile metal crown to emphasize the ritual of activation. Through storyboarding and visual simulations, I explored how this quiet transformation could feel meditative, even meaningful.
A Pause IN TIME
This project remained at the conceptual stage, but it stands as an exploration into how design and technology can reshape our emotional relationship with time. Rather than racing against the clock, Sandglass Watch asks:
What if reading time became a moment of stillness?
PROJECT INFO
— COMPANY
Self-Initiated Side Project
— ROLE
Concept Creator
Designer
Interaction Storyteller
— YEAR
2013
As a side project born out of curiosity and passion, I led every stage of its creation—from conceptual framing to visual design and interaction logic. I initiated the metaphor-driven narrative, researched material and technical feasibility, and developed two interface variations that showcased time in emerging visual forms. I storyboarded the user journey, crafted renders to visualize interaction, and built the emotional rationale behind the design.
This project was also a philosophical exercise for me—as a designer exploring not just what a product does, but how it feels to live with. Sandglass Watch allowed me to blend aesthetic sensibility, storytelling, and human-centered thinking into a unified, poetic vision.