Vinyl Record Automatic Watch combines retro designs into a distinctive timepiece

Although smartwatches bring a ton of functionality to our wrists, mechanical watches still continue to have a very strong following. There is just a sense of beauty in the way the tiny gears work together with precision and accuracy to tell the time, something that both digital watches and smartwatches are unable to reproduce. There is also one other design aspect where smartwatches fall short: the ability to have unconventional and sometimes even weird cases and dials.

Yes, smartwatches have a nearly infinite number of choices when it comes to watch faces, but because of the technologies involved, they mostly come in square or circular shapes only. Mechanical watches, on the other hand, can play around with different designs and themes, as demonstrated by this rather unusual timepiece that makes it look like you’re playing a vinyl disc on your wrist.

Designer: AndoAndoAndo

Of course, it isn’t producing any tunes, unless the subtle tick-tock of gears is music to your ears. This eye-catching and head-turning watch just happens to look like a tiny turntable strapped to your wrist, which is all that’s needed to make you the center of attraction while the novelty lasts. More than just the painstaking and meticulous work involved in producing the small parts for this watch, what’s even more impressive is how it tries to stick to the theme, even when it means potentially confusing the wearer.

Unlike other retro watch designs that simply try to look like a turntable to a minimal degree, the Vinyl Record Automatic Watch takes it to heart even when it comes to actually telling the time. There is no hour hand, for example, and the “A” on the record label serves that purpose instead. The minute hand is shaped like a tonearm, but one that’s bent exactly like a real one. This admittedly makes telling the time at a glance a bit tricky but also like a fun exercise.

The attention to detail is beyond impressive, such as the concentric grooves on such a minuscule disc. The design of the turntable didn’t just come out of thin air either but is actually inspired by the design of the Panasonic Technics SL-1200. It’s powered by a Miyota 9039 Premium automatic movement, making it a solid timepiece except for the fact that telling the time isn’t its primary talent, ironic as that might sound. It is, instead, meant to shout to everyone within viewing distance just how much you love mechanical watches and retro designs.

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