RVNDSGN: The Novel Model 1 Timepiece Collection

As with any crowdfunding campaign, I also like to understand the who before I delve into the what. It makes the decision as to whether I would want to contribute to the campaign or not a whole lot easier. In fact, even if the product itself is exemplary and above reproach, if the who doesn't win me over, then I might as well be looking at the most defunct and obsolete piece of whateverness there is. On the flip side, if that same piece of defunct, obsolete whateverness is backed by a who that has utterly won me over, then I would be the proud owner of said defunct, obsolete whateverness. My thought process isn't as dramatic as that, but you get my drift. 

So, who is RVNDSGN?  And who is the person behind the brand? RVNDSGN is the product design firm founded by one Zach Raven. Zach is a prolific visionary who has pioneered a rather impressive collection of career stats. A veteran of 18 years in the design industry, 35 international design awards and an eye for practical creativity. With a design portfolio as deep and as extensive as Zach's, you would be remiss to think that this project would be anything but astoundingly impressive.

Enter the Model 1. Already the winner of no less than five international design awards, including the coveted Red Dot and Good Design prizes, the Model 1 combines Zach's eye for detail with a rather novel and highly unusual way to display the time. 

The Model 1 boasts a very interesting incremental time display that displays the hours, quarter  hours and date in indices that begin with the circle closest to the centre of the dial for the hours, the middle circle for the quarter hours, and the outer circle for the date. The minimalistic approach extends to the missing bezel, crown, hands and date window, as well as a newly design invisible lug system that is absolutely ingenius. 

Zach noted himself drawing inspiration from the likes of the Horizon by Ikepod, the UR-102 from Urwerk and the Legacy Machines from MB&F while designing the Model 1 -- and while toiling away for the last 5 years and spending thousands upon thousands of hours of designing and redesigning the Model 1, its final iteration is just sublime. 

Powering the Model 1 is a modified version of the Sellita SW200-1. This inexpensive workhorse of a movement was the first choice for Zach, as it employed many of the variables that he needed to execute the piece's unique time display. The finishing touch is a proprietary Sequential Quarter-Hour Module which enables the Model 1 to display the time and date in such a novel way.

The RVNDSGN Model 1 is a spirited project that is as adventurous as it is exciting. I liken it to something along the lines of a conservatively designed steampunk timepiece, and it's one that I really hope to see succeed. 

To back this incredible project head to their Kickstarter campaign.

And for more information or if you want to ask Zach or the RVNDSGN team anything, you can check out their website.