Innovative Timepieces

In primary school you learned to read time from a dial with an hour hand, minute hand and second hand. You probably were able to read it even earlier using a digital watch, if there were any in your younger years. But in this era of haute horlogerie and “gadget” watches, there are many more innovative ways to display time.   

Here are  totally wild timepieces that will make you look twice (or even more than twice) to see what time it is. These small works of art, which range from affordable to out-of-this-world expensive, are the ultimate conversation starters.

Seiko Think The Earth Wn-2

The Think the Earth Wn-2 watch is definitely one of the watches that makes you perpetually wonder how it works. The small globe is a replica of the real globe, at a scale of 1:580 millionth of the actual planet Earth. Cool thing is that it rotates at the same speed as the real Earth (yes, counter clockwise, and one full turn takes 24 hours). Two small indicators display hours and minutes.

Kisai Sensai Pure Led

This watch from the future -- or at least it looks like a timepiece from the future -- shows time through a bunch of red, yellow and green LEDs, and it's a watch meant for people who are proud to be a computer geek. We won’t be wearing one, but if you do, you'll definitely be making a statement.

Devon Works Tread 1

Don’t let the fact that Devon creates denim, leather goods, cars and bikes scare you. This piece of art uses a lot of moving belts to display the hours, minutes, seconds, and the power reserve left in the battery. That’s right -- a rechargeable battery! This watch runs for two weeks when it is fully charged.

Seiko Active Matrix EPD E-Ink

If you are a child of the ‘80s, you will remember the portable LCD video games by Game & Watch, who had these cool titles licensed by Nintendo. This Seiko Active Matrix EPD e-Ink reminds us of those Game & Watch handhelds, but this time with less plastic and a sharper display. This Seiko can display the time with playing cards on the e-Ink screen, along with a whole bunch of other features.

Dingemans Mechanische Horloges Jumping Hour

Watchmaker Fred Dingemans from Holland is a one-man show, and so is his Jumping Hour watch. This industrial-looking timepiece will definitely start conversations if you are around people who love mechanics.

MCT Sequential One

The Sequential One shows time in a way you probably haven’t seen before. Rotating shutters and rotating discs make sure you are looking at “the works” each time you check your wrist.

Audemars Piguet Star Wheel

If you want to read proper time, buy a Royal Oak. If you want to work for it, check out these Star Wheel timepieces by Audemars Piguet. Unfortunately, they’re out of production, but we're sure you can find one somewhere.

Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical

Though it sounds like a Spanish-built SUV, this watch mind-bends with all the chains and gears in plain view. No less than 1,352 tiny parts were employed to show you three drums telling you hours, minutes, seconds, and the power reserve.

Harry Winston Opus XI

You have to see this watch in action to actually believe how it works. With the Opus XI, Harry Winston found a very complicated way to show hours and minutes only. It could be a Decepticon, though. 

Urwerk UR-110 "Torpedo"

This watch looks like it can transform from a watch into an Autobot in a split second to protect you from those evil Decepticons. Like a real Autobot, it has an oil-service indicator on the dial -- as well as the actual time, of course.

  

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