There are a few iconic Seiko watches that can make heads turn. The H-Timetron from the late 90s being one of them. No wonder then, the timeless classic – designed back in the day with consideration of affinity and a sense of technology – is a motivation for a designer to interpret the watch in 3D. The contemporary interpretation of the Seiko H-Timetron digital watch is as close as it can be in representation, functionality, digital display, and style.

The idea of the H-Timeteon kicked off two decades back with the vision to develop a new brand of watch targeting young people. Going through the renders, chief designer Hiramatsu was impressed by a dot-matrix caliber that reminded him of an old PC from his childhood. Immediately, the dial and the complete structure of the Timetron with dot matrix display were born and developed by Seiko.

Designer: Artem Rudenko

Undoubtedly, groundbreaking tech for the time, the matrix display was the main highlight of the watch, which was well complemented by its accompanying polyurethane strap. The modern take on the watch carries that look and feel with clean lines, vibrant color palate, and a minimalist composition.

The idea of visualizing the H-Timetron in 3D is more than just recreating the watch. The project intends to reintroduce the timeless Seiko H-Timetron classic watch to the Gen-Z. The 3D design preserves the retro charm of the display and the aesthetics. The letter “h” in “h-timetron” is said to stand for happy. And this representation of the iconic watch would really make many in the modern audience happy to own one.

The minimalistic recreation displays the concise digital dial with green matrix typography. The time, date, and other functions displayed on the liquid crystal dial rest within a case with rounded corners and are reminiscent of the PC in the 80s, which essentially gives the watch its distinctive personality. The watch comes in a vibrant teal finish from dial to strap with a contrasting center pusher. On pushing the orange button, the watch changes the size of the characters displayed, while the other two – on either side of it – can help change modes and different settings on the watch, which may include alarm, reminder, stopwatch, and even health tracking, maybe!

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The devices and gear we own today are vastly different from the ones our grandparents owned. Back in the day, products could be pulled apart, tinkered with, and repaired without much of a fuss. Radios lasted decades, toasters from that era still work today, but the devices of today are a little too complicated to repair or tinker with. In fact, the companies that make these devices don’t even want you looking under the hood – try tinkering with a Tesla car and the company can remotely disable your entire vehicle for tampering. Mess with an Apple phone and its warranty gets voided. If you bought a Spotify Car Thing, regardless of your efforts, the company is planning on bricking the device globally at the end of this year.

The reality is that we aren’t intimately familiar with the stuff we own today, and it’s time we changed that. The folks at Rotate Watches believe the only way to change this is to make tinkering more accessible. This beginner-friendly 50+ piece kit lets you build your own working, automatic watch movement from scratch. Modeled on the Seiko NH36, this kit has everything you need to be an amateur horologist. A guide helps take you through the various processes, and at the end, not only do you have a working watch that you can keep on your table to tell the date and time, but you also inherit an innate understanding of how timepieces work… and that’s just priceless, isn’t it?!

Designer: Rotate Watches

The Seiko NH36 is a popular and reliable automatic movement known for its accuracy and durability. With a diameter of 29.36mm and a height of 5.32mm, it’s a compact powerhouse featuring 24 jewels for reduced friction and a smooth operation. This kit includes the movement itself, along with a set of specialized tools to handle the delicate watch parts. Screwdrivers, tweezers, finger cots, and pliers are all included, ensuring you have everything you need to handle the intricate components.

One of the highlights of this kit is the beginner-friendly guide. Rotate, the company behind the kit, understands that watchmaking can be intimidating for newcomers. Their detailed instructions break down the disassembly and assembly process into clear steps, accompanied by numbered pictures for easy reference. The guide goes beyond just the mechanics, explaining the purpose of each piece and offering helpful tips and tricks throughout the process. For those who prefer a greater challenge, Rotate also offers the option to receive the movement disassembled. This allows experienced hobbyists to dive right into the reassembly process, testing their watchmaking skills.

The post DIY kit lets you build your own Seiko watch movement from scratch… and it works! first appeared on Yanko Design.