Uniform Wares watch brand pops up during London Design Festival
Anyone looking for a well-designed mechanical watch with an equally nice price-tag should head down to Uniform Wares' temporary shop in London's Shoreditch next week.
The watch brand, part of an intriguing new wave of British watchmakers, has created an exhibition there to run during London Design Festival. The show, called 12:24, will include commissioned works by Anthony Burrill, Ed Ward and Erica Dorn.
'We wanted a way to showcase our passion for contemporary art and design but in a way that was relevant to our watch brand,' says brand co-founder Patrick Bek. And so they enlisted a group of their favourite graphic artists and illustrators and asked them to create a print inspired by a 'pivotal moment' in time.
It's only three years since London-based product designers Oliver Fowles and Patrick Bek set up Uniform Wares, which is now creating mechanical and quartz-driven watch designs. The pair first discovered a mutual passion for watches and clocks while studying furniture design at Bucks New University.
Of particular influence were the British brands Smiths Sectric and Gents of Leicester, famed for their electric wall- and desk-clock designs, hugely popular in schools, offices and other municipal environments in Britain during the 1950s. The simple, graphic design of Uniform Wares' timepieces is, in part, a fond homage.
'Coming from a product design background, we have always wanted to show during the London Design Festival but felt that just creating a temporary shop displaying watches wasn't enough,' says Bek. 'Commissioning these 12 artists to create work inspired by time has resulted in a thought-provoking and beautiful series of work. We couldn't be happier with what they've done.'
The resulting prints will be exhibited next to a Uniform Wares watch from the current collection, the hands of which will be set to reflect the hour the artist has illustrated. A limited-edition run of 24 of each print will be available for purchase alongside the watches during the exhibition and online at the Uniform Wares website,
www.uniformwares.com
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Caragh McKay is a contributing editor at Wallpaper* and was watches & jewellery director at the magazine between 2011 and 2019. Caragh’s current remit is cross-cultural and her recent stories include the curious tale of how Muhammad Ali met his poetic match in Robert Burns and how a Martin Scorsese Martin film revived a forgotten Osage art.
-
‘Type Archived’: a must-have manual for hot metal enthusiasts and linotype lovers
A new book provides a stunning visual tour of traditional typefounding and offers a definitive account of London's legendary Type Archive
By Anne Soward Published
-
Pierre Jeanneret and Edward Armitage: tracing design inspiration in Chandigarh
British designer Joe Armitage set off for Chandigarh, India, to trace his grandfather Edward’s footsteps and recreate a photograph of the latter’s ‘Armitage’ lamp. A trail of intrigue around its inspiration lay in wait, as he reveals
By Joe Armitage Published
-
Los Angeles’ best fine-dining restaurants
LA boasts a creative food scene driven by some of the world’s most innovative chefs. Browse the Wallpaper* guide to the city’s best fine-dining restaurants
By Kevin EG Perry Published
-
Take a look at the big winners of the watch world Oscars
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is the Oscars for the watch world – get all the news on the 2024 event here
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Why are watch designers so drawn to brutalism?
Watch brands looking for ways to break the conservative mould look to brutalist architecture and 1970s design codes
By James Gurney Published
-
Classic watch designs to last a lifetime
When considering which watch design to invest in, disregard trends and consider classic pieces characterised by timeless design
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
Browns and Mad Paris rethink Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Watch customisation specialist Mad Paris has developed two new versions of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak for Browns
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
Time for an eco-friendly watch?
Some of the more eco-friendly watch materials being embraced by sustainably-minded watchmakers include recycled steel, bioceramic and cork
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
Boundary-breaking Chanel watch is tweaked for a new generation
The Boy.Friend Skeleton appeals to both men and women with its distinctive octagonal silhouette
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
On the button: Chanel's perfectly hidden timepiece
The ‘Mademoiselle Privé Bouton’ watch is everything but off the cuff
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
Sound bite: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s contemporary art celebrates acoustic watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre and Swiss artist Zimoun have collaborated on an artwork to commemorate the 150 year anniversary of its first minute repeater
By Hannah Silver Last updated