Eco-Drive DOME
- Designer
- Shoji Misono
- Year launched
- 2010
- 12 categories
- 07 / Groundbreaking Advancements
- Commentary
Wearing Clean Energy from Light
There is a philosophy behind Eco-Drive that light is clean energy that shines everywhere and equally on everyone. At the time of development, the mission assigned to this product was to help people understand the appeal of Eco-Drive, which is powered by that clean energy. The Eco-Drive dial absorbs light and transmits it as energy to the movement. We expressed that absorption and conversion into energy with a dial in a DOME shape, and completed the product by covering the power unit inside the crystal—including the dial—with a uniquely developed pearl painting exterior. This is the Eco-Drive DOME.
RELATED
Pursuit of New Value
To highlight the value of CITIZEN’s core technology, the light-powered Eco-Drive, a total of eight concept models were unveiled between 2009 and 2012. The models were selected through an in-house competition. The only rule was that they had to be 'powered by light.' With no other restrictions, designers were free to propose new products from a completely blank slate. The models were announced on a grand scale at BASELWORLD, the world’s largest watch fair held in Switzerland, drawing significant attention. Furthermore, the initiative did not end with the unveiling of the concept models; efforts were made to mass-produce them with their original designs as much as possible. Four of the announced models were produced in limited quantities, and their technology and design codes had a major influence on subsequent models.
Abstract Movement
This model takes on the challenge of embodying the theme of "wearing clean energy from light." To express the abstract concept of "cleanliness," elements that would complicate the shape, such as the bezel, have been removed. The surfaces are divided within the same plane, integrating functional components into a unified mass. Additionally, when using a multifunctional chronograph movement, as many printed indicators on the dial as possible have been eliminated. Instead, the design utilizes the recognition of shapes through reflections from transparent molded parts, and by layering vapor-deposited transparent components, it creates reflected shapes and shadows. Finally, printing is applied to floating parts, making the print appear to drift within a luminous space, thereby expressing the theme of "energy of light."