christo logan's good + evil omen watch carved from stainless steel

good + evil omen balances disparate geometries

Brooklyn-based architect and product designer Christo Logan unveils his first timepiece, the Good + Evil Omen. Born out of a chance encounter with the owner of a watch factory, Logan’s departure from architecture results in the watch consolidating several disparate components, including the strap, dial, crown, crystal, hands, and logo, to reconcile their haphazard geometries in a cohesive whole.

Omen’s unconventional D-shaped frame, aligning seamlessly with the strap, is carved from a block of stainless steel with a diamond-like carbon coating. Within, it embeds a circular face with a single-piece 3D dial that incorporates hour markers with cuts in the rings. A Swiss quartz movement further ensures a slender, compact form, enhanced with a sapphire crystal set into a stainless steel case to withstand the effects of active use. Meanwhile the matte sandblasted finish, juxtaposed with polished chamfers around the front face, adds a touch of sophistication.

all images courtesy of Christo Logan

christo logan ventures into watch design

Departing from traditional approaches, Christo Logan sought to incorporate the crown into the overall design from the outset, rather than treating it as an appendage. This decision led to the flattening of the watch’s right edge, facilitating the integration of lugs and the strap, enhancing the watch’s asymmetrical appeal while ensuring functional coherence. In this position, the strap’s right edge continues along the edge of the case, while it’s left edge sits on an axis with the center of the dial. The resulting inverted D outline was strengthened by making the watch’s front face entirely flat such that, like the crown on the right side, the embedded circle sits flush with its enclosure.

The goal of consolidating components was equally employed with the face of the watch while keeping it functional and legible. Instead of applying indices to a flat surface, the architect utilized the volume inside the case, devising a single-piece 3D dial that incorporates hour markers as part of a raised pattern. Echoing the inherently circular and physical natures of analog clocks, the rings in the center grow taller towards the outer edge as permitted by the mounting heights of the hands. Notably, Logan’s branding solution sees the logo doubling as the seconds hand, its visible rotation meaning that the red-orange ‘plus’ serves as brand identifier, seconds counter, and operational signifier all at once.

a single-piece 3D dial incorporates hour markers with cuts in the rings

In terms of functionality, Christo Logan designs the Omen watch is designed to serve as a durable daily driver. Powered by a reliable Ronda quartz movement, it boasts set-and-forget reliability and convenience with a slender profile that allows it to easily slip under cuff. Like the rest of the watch, the hands and quick-release straps are composed of blended circles and rectangles. The first production run will begin immediately at the conclusion of a Kickstarter campaign, available here.

Logan’s branding solution sees the logo doubling as the seconds hand