While most people are probably dependent on their smartphones and other digital devices to tell time, there are still those who would much rather tell time the old school way: through an actual watch. Those who drive a vehicle and want to know the time through their wristwatch sometimes have a bit of an uncomfortable situation as they need to twist their arm when their hands are on the steering wheel. Award-winning architect Eduardo Souto de Moura has a unique design solution to that problem which he created for Lebond.
Designer: Eduardo Souto de Moura for Lebond
The Lebond Souto Moura watch adjusted to the line of vision of a driver when his hands are on the steering wheel. The watchface was rotated 30 degrees “for optimal visibility on the wrist”. There are no numbers except for the 2 in the middle with a long straight line beside it which serves as the number 1. The other hours are represented by short and slightly longer lines (the latter for 9, 3, and 6) while the minutes are small dots. And if you’re not used anymore to telling time in the analog manner (as kids these days are), it can be a slight challenge.
There’s also a date function located beside the 3 o’clock position but it just shows the number date (hopefully you know what month it is already). In terms of the materials and specs of the watch, it uses grade 5 titanium with a 38.5mm large case with a 7.6mm thickness when the strap is attached. It weighs only 46 grams as they are also aiming for a lightweight device. The case has a micro-sandblasted finish while the caseback has a sapphire insert. It has a power reserve of up to 50 hours and runs at 28,800 VpH/4Hz.
There are two versions of the Lebond Souto Moura watch. The Original Edition has a navy blue Top Nappa leather strap and a matte beige dial. Meanwhile, the Dark Edition has a black strap with a matte gray dial. While it’s designed as a “driving watch”, even if you don’t actually drive but just don’t want to constantly twist your arm when you want to tell time, then this would be a nice one to have if you have around $3,000 to spend on an analog watch.
