Invisible, Minimalist Luxury Watches: Future Trend
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Invisible, Minimalist Luxury Watches: Future Trend

By patrick_y · Mar 21, 2023 · 32 replies
patrick_y
WPS member · Horological Meandering forum
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In a thought-provoking exploration, patrick_y challenges the WatchProSite community to consider the enduring nature of minimalism and its evolution into 'invisible luxury.' His post delves into how reflective designs, from architecture to a unique Bulgari timepiece, embody a 'Neo-Minimalism' that blends seamlessly with its environment. This discussion invites readers to ponder whether this aesthetic is a fleeting trend or a permanent fixture in the world of art and design, influencing future horological creations.

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"Fashions fade.  Style is eternal."  The quote by acclaimed French haute couture designer Yves Saint Laurent is in itself a lasting one.  Is Minimalism a fleeting fashion or a style with permanence?  

I'd argue Minimalism is here to stay.  The concept originally came from the USA and Japan, but was popularized during the mid 20th century thanks to the Bauhaus movement and a whole slew of furniture designers (such as Eames), architects (such as Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe), and even artists (too many to list, think Mondian, Donald Judd, even Rothko wasn't officially a minimalist but his work touched the minimalist genre)  whom supported the sleek designs of the 1950s.  A continuation of the minimalism theme can be invisibility...  

Invisibility?  Do you mean like Wonderwoman's invisible jet?  No, not like that.  Photo Credit: Wikipedia.

These future products aren't actually invisible.  But they're reflective in a way that allows them to blend in with their surroundings and make them harder to see from a distance.  


Sejima's invisible train concept is an example.  As the train races through the countryside, its metallic surface gives the train an albedo that almost reflects its surroundings giving it a sort of camouflage that makes it difficult to be seen from a distance.  Photo credit: Dezeen.com m


Tadao Ando's buildings are a perfect example of modern minimalism.  Some of his buildings are even designed to blend into the landscape.  Photo from CNN.

A mirror can sometimes be made of water.  Reflection pools of water act as a mirror in architecture all the time.  Mies Van Der Rohe's German Pavilion building in Barcelona, Spain.  Picture from Wikipedia.




In Saudi Arabia, an entire "invisible" concert hall was built in the desert, covered in polished panels that makes it almost appear invisible.  Photo from Guinness World Records.


New Yacht Concept from Forakis Design (Picture Credit: Forakis)



Bulgari's Sejima watch featured a very clever watch that had a mirrored dial and a crystal with little silver dots on it that made the time invisible at certain angles.  It might be impractical as a watch, but is High Art as a concept and as an art form.  Also notice, there is no Bulgari logo on the dial.


Does this design appeal to you?  Would you consider this an extension of minimalism?  Perhaps we could call it Neo-Minimalism?  And do you think this is style with permanence?  Or a fashion that will quickly fade?  Please, wax poetically on your thoughts about the future trends and designs as they pertain to art and design (don't limit yourself to watches).  I look forward to reading your thoughts and discussing this likely future trend with you.  

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The Discussion
MI
MilDiver
Mar 21, 2023

And a great link to our hobby with the Bulgari.

AU
AuHavrePro
Mar 21, 2023

and do think of it as a lasting style that has been with us for decades, and that will continue having a strong enough presence to last centuries if not millenia.... As Armani once said - 'Style is a way of being'........ Van Der Rohe is easily among my favorite architects, the ATMOS inspired by his Barcelona 'German House' is still a firm favorite of mine........

CH
Chicolini
Mar 21, 2023

I shall re read it when time permits. Thank you for it!!!

LM
lm6
Mar 21, 2023

Personally I very much like Bauhaus-inspired and minimalist design. It is never out of fashion - you can't go wrong with it. And I do not refer only to watches but design in general: architecture, interior design, cars and other things.

PA
patrick_y
Mar 21, 2023

The post was really inspired by just a lot of mirrored architecture and the boat I have seen the past few months and taken notice. The watch was really secondary but couldn't be forgotten since the watch was memorable to me when it was launched. Thank you for your commenting and for reading. It's not a normal post for WPS, so I had to make it very short. I hope that our readers like these kinds of "conceptual" posts that don't address the subject about watches directly, but the world in which ou

PA
patrick_y
Mar 21, 2023

Thank you for reading! I just happened to be seeing a lot of these kinds of these mirrored concepts lately and I thought it tied in a little to the watch world.

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