Hello everyone,
Following the initial results, the SW288-1a caliber has finally been selected for the rest of the project. This new collection will therefore feature a large moon. You can read about the thoughts and reasons behind this choice in the last article: the caliber chosen for Ariane.
For this next stage, we're now focusing on the central moon disk and drawing the first sketches.
We invite you to part in this second stage and select the first sketch of the Ariane moon disk.
The Four Selected Themes
Now that the caliber has been set, the focus turns to determining the direction of the ARIANE collection. The primary question is that of the moon phase, which will influence the overall design of the model.
Today, we present a vote on the lunar disc, divided into four major compositions: large moon, tiered disc, open-heart disc, and needle disc. Each composition comes in three versions, totaling 12 discs that you can explore on the lunar configurator.
A large Moon revisited
Three designs of a large Moon are offered, all completely open-hearted. These designs are based on three different approaches:
Classic with an aventurine moon disc;
Modern with an asymmetrical moon disc on a grained background;
Metallic with a CNC moon disc and appliques.
The main challenge of the disc lies not in its construction but in its conception. Depending on the chosen approach, different manufacturing methods are considered. Work is done on both the background of the disc and the material of the starry night, as well as on the design of the moon itself.
Slightly modifying the movement to thicken the disc would allow for a deeper exploration. A highly realistic Moon entirely made with CNC and laser engraving is thus conceivable. However, the question of self-sticking stars arises, but there is a technical difficulty of gluing them smoothly and durably.
A Tiered Disc
Three designs of a tiered disc are also presented, also open-hearted. These designs are based on three different approaches:
Modern with a double-reading lunar disc and moon engraving;
Clean with a triple-reading lunar disc;
Metallic with a double-reading lunar disc and floor engraving.
Conversely, the main challenge of a tiered disc lies not in the design of the disc itself but in its construction. The proposed designs are based on a complete rotation (360°) in only 29.50 days (compared to 59 days for a classic moondisc). This choice not to consider a semi-revolution is a matter of readability (of texts and graduations) and opens up the interesting possibility of disc asymmetry.
Beyond the necessary technical innovation (adapting the 59 notches of the disc), this method changes the way the lunar disc itself is presented. Although the lunar disc is not worked on as such, its very design revolutionizes the reading.
An Open-Heart Disc
The design of this open-heart moon discs are based on three different approaches:
Skeleton with a graduated disc;
Modern with two laser-engraved moons;
Metallic with a hollow lunar disc.
In these designs, two main challenges are found: the construction of the lunar disc itself and the decoration of the movement visible under the disc.
Regarding the construction, it is a matter of creating enough connections to ensure the stability of the disc, which is inherently fragile. An entirely 'skeletonized' disc is a strong technical innovation that must be carried out with laser cutting from a raw metal piece. Several tests of resistance and durability must be carried out. Also, the decoration of the movement must be revisited to decorate and/or hollow out the upper part, revealing the mechanisms.
A hand disc
Finally, three designs of a hand disc are proposed. These designs are based on three different approaches:
Skeleton needle disc on aventurine background;
Double-hands disc on a modern background;
Skeleton double-reading hand/moon disc.
For the construction of a hand disc, the issue of the disc stability is encountered. Given the delicacy of the connections, the construction, whether skeletonized or with a double hands, must not compromise the durability and strength of the disc. The choice of material and manufacturing method is essential for its realization.
Finally, it should be noted that if the decoration of the movement is not necessary here (as it is not visible), it is nonetheless necessary to build a solid base under the hollow disc that occupies the graduation. This base must be fixed to the caliber itself and not impede its operation. Here, we find a construction in two or even three stages.
-
Feel free to share your feedback, drawings, and/or ideas to enrich the continuation of the Odyssey!
Wishing you a beautiful creative process and a pleasant weekend,
The Mu:n Team