Posted by Brett Kinkel
Often an object of interaction can become so commonplace that an obvious alteration for improvement can be overlooked…literally. I believe this is the case with wristwatches and The Bradley Timepiece is the solution. “The Badely is a tactile timepiece that allows you to not only see what time it is, but to feel what time it is.” – eone-time.com
Without getting into the philosophical touch points and examination of the fundamental human need to understand one’s present and forecast within our linear (Western) understanding of time – this being our past, present, and future. That being said, I’ll stick to the more tangible benefits of its innovative design.
If you close your eyes and imagine the essential properties that make a watch a watch, most would align on the functions of keeping and telling time. All right. Now keeping your eyes closed, what is your current wristwatch telling you now? Get my point? Of course with many products, as with the concern of watches, we evaluate its functionality by its many facets; accuracy, easy of use, material, comfortability, and aesthetics. Each user will disseminate the value into those buckets and judge accordingly. This makes for a marketplace where producers and buyers can make infinite production and purchase decisions based on preference and affordability.
Through a designer’s perspective, accessibility should always be on the forefront of design when users are reliant on a successful experience. By utilizing a tactile means of telling the time, The Bradley has achieved a unique range of accessibility for its time piece. It’s practicality to service the visually impaired is evident, though its benefits reach far beyond the caregiving market. “Good design is universal, considering everyone – from all backgrounds and walks of life.” eone-time.com
The Bradley utilizes the power of touch and breaks down the design to essential time-conveying features, which is proving to surpass previous wristwatch ideals. Alarms and house clocks that use audio functions to voice the time have been around for years, as well as within wristwatches used to aid the blind in perceiving the time. Though, the feasibility that it’s always an acceptable occasion to have a device speak aloud (i.e. a dark theatre, business meeting, playing hide and seek, etc.) is not practical. Not to mention, if the user is also hearing impaired.
By design, The Bradley has brought things back to basics, yet has also made innovative industrial design decisions for functionality. Its magnetized track and ball component for example, is an exceptionally unique substitute for standard hands, digital display, or brail imprints. The timepiece actually looks archaic in its simplicity as if carved from a stone to cast shadows from the sun’s raise. It’s absent of glass, face hands, numbers, and other stylistically polished nonsense. Of course, this minimalistic approach is mindful to be tactile and allow for efficient reading by its users. In due course, it has a modern appeal and quite fashionable at that.
Considering the timepiece’s universal capabilities, intent to service the impaired, and stylistic appearance; you get a watch that’s truly for any occasion.
For more information on the story behind this timepiece and all its available styles, visit eone-time.com
