Watch design is often discussed in terms of case shape, complications, and materials. But a crucial part of what makes a watch a "watch" is right before our eyes: typography on the dialThe few millimeters of lettering squeezed between the hands carry the brand's identity, the aesthetic sensibilities of the era, and even the production culture. Good typography subtly enhances the watch's character; bad typography can make even the best idea look cheap.
The subject of this interview stands precisely at this intersection: design, illustration and typographyHaving drawn since childhood, she encountered clocks in her design education and fell into a rabbit hole with a Urwerk advertisement; then she specialized in font design and continued her work. horological typography A name that shapes the world around him. Through his "One Hour Watch" project, he trained both his discipline and his eye by drawing a watch every day; today, as a designer working with established brands like Fears and independents like MING, Habring², and JN Shapiro, he seeks intention and purpose even in the smallest details of the dial.
This interview explores everything from what a ruthless rule like "draw a watch in an hour" teaches designers, to where brands stumble in dial typography; from how independent designers approach what we call "spirit," to the broad perspective followed by the GPHG Academy. If you've started not only seeing the logo but also the curve of the lettering when looking at watches, you're in the right place.
1) Design, typography, and watches: how do these three intersect?
You have a background in design and typography, and at some point you found yourself right in the middle of the watchmaking world.
What was the first moment when illustration, typography, and horology truly intersected for you? Do you remember a specific hour, image, or moment that drew you down this "rabbit hole"?
Reply:
I've been drawing for as long as I can remember; however, my introduction to watches and typography came during my undergraduate studies in design. My mother saw an advertisement for Urwerk and said, "Take a look at this." After examining it, I became completely obsessed. My interest in typography, more specifically typeface design, began after I finished my studies. I attended an introductory typeface design workshop and found the process incredibly enjoyable. A few years later, I felt I had reached a crossroads regarding whether to focus primarily on watch design or typeface design. I eventually completed a master's degree in typeface design in the UK, but placed horological typography at the center of my work; thus, I combined the two interests.
2) The "Clock in an Hour" rule: Draw within one hour.
You give yourself a maximum of one hour each day to draw a clock. It's a fun rule, but also quite ruthless.
What did this time constraint teach you about good watch design and your own creative process?
Reply:
The One Hour Watch project started as a way to practice drawing and learn more about horology, as I found myself physically distanced from the industry. Setting myself a time limit provided a good balance: enough time to properly “render” a concept, but not so much that it consumed the entire day. Doing it every day wasn’t perhaps the best choice for my mental health, but it kept me constantly focused on thinking about horology. Since mid-2022, I’ve no longer been producing One Hour Watch drawings every day; however, I still enjoy it very much when I have the opportunity to return to the series.
3) Typography on the dial: Where are brands going wrong?
You have formal training in typography and you also talk about clock typography.
In your opinion, where do watch manufacturers most frequently make mistakes in dial typography? On the other hand, is there a watch whose typography you find "almost perfect"?
Reply:
In the watch industry, typographically speaking, things started to deteriorate as a result of the quartz crisis (or, depending on the perspective, the quartz revolution), the shrinking of the industry in Europe, and the increased access to “free” digital desktop publishing fonts like Arial and Times New Roman. Brands that used to source typography from traditional suppliers were able to use digital fonts instead. Today, thanks to precision manufacturing, many digital fonts can be legible on watch dials; however, the default digital typesetting software used in design for the last few decades wasn't designed to handle such small typography well. Therefore, the text is often compressed or over-spaced relative to its size; a definite drop in quality compared to the past. In the last few years, however, watch typography has begun to receive more attention as a new “area of interest.” Brands like Nomos, A. Lange & Söhne, anOrdain, and clients like Fears, where I work, particularly emphasize the use of bespoke typography.
For "almost perfect, if not 100%" watch typography, I recommend mid-20th-century watches with unrestored (original) dials. Modern design processes may capture or even surpass the typographic quality of the 1950s and 60s; however, you'll find that the dial makers of that era possessed a natural understanding of how to produce typography appropriate to the watch dial. Furthermore, the typographic forms that took shape during this mid-century period possess a character unique to the world of horology and still strongly influence contemporary watch typography.
4) From a sketchbook to a real clock
Currently you are working with brands like Fears and independent artists such as MING, Habring², and JN Shapiro.
How does your mindset change in each of these situations?
- When you draw a completely concept watch, just for yourself
- When you produce illustrations for a project that has a strong artistic brief
- When you design a watch that will go into mass production and be worn every day
Reply:
When sketching or designing a watch for myself, I'm completely free to explore a specific concept. Working for others, however, means taking into account what they want to achieve with the watch and where the design should fit within the brand's lineage/tradition (even if it rarely requires rebellion). For example, Fears is a brand with a legacy spanning over a century. When designing a watch for Fears, it's always necessary to place the design within the brand's larger context: taking typographic details from the archives or positioning the watch to bear the name of a previous collection or a significant figure in the brand's history. A strong brief is always critical for a successful design. It's not worth making a watch without a specific purpose; therefore, defining a strong direction from the start always helps.
5) Character vs. readability: How do you balance them?
In watch design, it's often said "form follows function," but collectors often pursue "character" at the expense of pure readability.
When designing a dial, how do you strike a balance between readability, typographic clarity, and the emotional side of “character”?
Reply:
Form follows function, until it's no longer needed. The issue of character and readability is more about the watch's purpose. An illegible toolwatch betrays its own purpose because it fails to make time reading easy. However, a watch where artistic expression is prioritized doesn't need to instantly display the time down to the fraction of a second. Fortunately, most designs can capture both character and readability; only one is usually more dominant.
6) Seeing the design from inside the GPHG Academy
As a member of the GPHG Academy, you get to see a very wide range of products that the industry produces every year.
From a designer's perspective, what distinguishes a well-designed watch from one that simply "shouts" or "plays Instagram"?
Reply:
A well-designed watch always shows intent regarding its purpose: to be a diving watch, to showcase a métiers d'art technique, or to achieve something else… It is always a privilege to see and vote on the watches at GPHG every year.
7) Independent watchmaking and the idea of "soul"
You work closely with independent brands and speak about design and typography at various events.
Compared to larger groups, in what areas do independent artists excel in terms of design language and storytelling? And in what areas do you think they can still improve the most?
Reply:
Independent brands are less dependent on major market trends; in most cases, they are also less bound by shareholder pressure to increase profits. This allows them to focus on creating more unique or exclusive watches, resulting in more interesting pieces that go beyond the "we've revamped the dial color" type of repetition we see every year with big brands. On the other hand, there are so many independent brands today, and the indie market is quite crowded, so growth can be challenging. However, as watch culture reaches a growing audience, independent brands can also benefit from increased scrutiny of their craftsmanship.
8) Advice for young designers who want to work in the watchmaking industry
Many young designers and illustrators want to work in the watchmaking world, but the technical side can be daunting.
What honest advice would you give to someone who wants to go beyond being "someone who draws watches on Instagram" and contribute professionally to watch design?
Reply:
Thanks to social media and a diverse media landscape, entering the watch world and aiming to work in the industry is probably more accessible than ever. However, there's another side to the coin: standing out among your peers is becoming increasingly difficult. My advice to anyone wanting to enter this sector is to refine and clarify their intentions and goals as much as possible. This will make it easier to find a niche where you can contribute and shine.
9) A watch you want to redesign from scratch.
If you could choose between an existing watch from the past or the present and redesign it completely from scratch, which one would you choose and why?
Looking at it from the other perspective: Is there a watch model you could look at and say, "I wouldn't touch a single line on it"?
Reply:
There are some “vintage re-edition” watches that have come out in the last few years; they could seriously benefit from a redesign that better respects their vintage roots. Neglected or poorly reproduced typography is one aspect, but there are other issues as well, such as bezel-to-dial ratios. Overall, many brands have become much better at reproducing pieces from their archives; though, there is still much room for improvement.
One of the watches I admire is the Universal Genève Polarouter Date. The combination of features and form is fantastic; I wouldn't touch it myself. I'm also closely following what Breitling is doing for the modern evolution of UG; I haven't had the chance to see their modern reproductions live yet, but I'm watching them closely.
