Watch the Hours Blink: Shinshoku Watch
Nowadays, it seems like watch brands compete for the most features on a model. One watch can have as many gizmos on the face as there are seconds in one minute. Simplicity will always have a place in my heart, though. But with modern gadgets rolling in, simplicity takes a whole new makeover. Simplicity now means something isn’t overly decorated, but that doesn’t mean that something is simple at all. Take this gadget for example. The Shinsoku looks like an ordinary metal bracelet except it’s not. This is actually — a watch.
Shinsoku is a model by the company famous for out-of-the-box watches, Tokyo Flash. Shinsoku’s industrial design makes it a cut above the mundane rest. The band is made of stainless steel punched with holes. Out of all the holes, 29 contain LEDs of varying colors, which are used to signify time. The sparklies you see on the pic are not mere design (though they do offer aesthetic pleasure) but what actually makes the Shinsoku a watch. The LEDs come in three varieties — All-Green, All-Red and Multi-Color. For the multi-color version, the red LEDs signify the hour, the green LEDs signify minutes in batches of 15 while the yellow LEDs signify each individual minute.
You can still tell the time if you’re using either of the monochromatic LEDs via markings on the bracelet. However, the multi-color version is a bit more user-friendly, don’t you think? The LEDs have a cascade effect every time you query for the time, but a button on the watch skips the display. The Shinsoku can fit wrists up to 8.5 inches in diameter and is available for sale at Tokyoflash for 14,900 yen or $135. Not too bad for a snazzy modern watch. A bit too pricey for me still, but if I do have the money, I’ll grab it up for sure.
