Wearables

The Ora Unica hides time inside a doodle

The Ora Unica hides time inside a doodle
The Ora Unica is an ordinary watch made extraordinary by its unusual face
The Ora Unica is an ordinary watch made extraordinary by its unusual face
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A graphic revealing the secret to telling the time using the Ora Unica
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A graphic revealing the secret to telling the time using the Ora Unica
The black leather strap and stainless steel case offer a minimalist housing for the unique face
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The black leather strap and stainless steel case offer a minimalist housing for the unique face
The Ora Unica is an ordinary watch made extraordinary by its unusual face
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The Ora Unica is an ordinary watch made extraordinary by its unusual face
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The Ora Unico from Nava Design may just be an analog watch, but it's an analog watch that looks like no other on the market. The stainless steel case and leather strap are nothing out of the ordinary, but the face is truly unique. So much so that those who don't know its secret may not be able to read the time.

Designed by Denis Guidone, the Ora Unica is, in many ways, a champion of minimalist design, with the case and strap doing nothing but a perfunctory job. The focus, therefore, is all on the face, which features nothing but a black background and a white squiggle. However, the squiggle isn't a design quirk, instead being used to tell the time.

A graphic revealing the secret to telling the time using the Ora Unica
A graphic revealing the secret to telling the time using the Ora Unica

The short inner arm of the squiggle signifies the hour, with the longer outer arm counting the minutes. This means it isn't the easiest watch in the world to read, and that billing is aided by the distinct lack of numbers running around the outside of the face. But, once your eyes adjust, it's simple enough to figure out roughly what time it is.

The Ora Unico is available to buy for US$180. For that asking price you get a watch which is guaranteed to turn heads and leave strangers puzzled when they ask for the time. It's even waterproof to 30 meters (98 feet), although wearing the Ora Unico would be about making a fashion statement as much as wearing just another timepiece.

Source: Nava Design via Watchismo

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2 comments
2 comments
Brett Johnson
I don't get it. In just one day there would be 22 additional loops when the minute hand rotated 24 revolutions to the hour hand's 2 revolutions. Two days: 44 loops more than shown. How the heck does the squiggle move without winding itself up?
Slowburn
Gee I wear my watch face out so other people can read it.
@ Brett Johnson If you look closely you will notice that part of the squiggly line is a perfect circle.