Hello everyone,
Today, we wrap up the first chapter of Project Ariane, which kicked off in October 2023!
Ariane Chapter One Summary
More than 3,900 of you voted during the three stages of this chapter. A huge thank you to all!
This project unfolded in three key phases: the launch of an initial draft in October, the design of a moon phase by the end of the year, followed by the selection of a first model in January 2024.
The first watch configurator brought together over 2,800 moonphase watches, with 48% of the votes for a central position and 52% for a lower position, featuring a variety of functions from the chronograph to the date indicator.
Weaving the thread as feedback came in, a new configurator dedicated to the moonphase was introduced in December this time. Nine stylistic variants ranging from classic to minimalist design, including skeleton watches, were offered to the community.
During the 3rd and final stage in January 2024, we presented two distinct sketches, resulting from the synthesis of these two configurators.
Here, we delve into the details of the results from this last stage, concluding the first chapter of creation.
Draft moonphase watch No. 17
Votes | 522 |
Comments | 75 |
Rating | 4.3/5 |
This model captured your attention with a rating of 4.3 out of 5. This watch is distinguished by its two-level moon disk and skeleton construction. You can learn more about the construction of this model in the dedicated article: Closing the first chapter: the two sketches.
Your feedbacks
Julien - 5☆
I find this central disk perfectly suitable for the beautiful "Ariane" project. The idea is original and opens up beautiful prospects. The dial maintains a nice balance. However, the idea of Roman numerals should be avoided: they're no longer in vogue and not sought after by a younger clientele. Also in need of revision: the style of the hands, too traditional for this type of creation. There needs to be a certain coherence. Straight, simple, and unadorned hands would lighten the design. Despite these 2 minor points which are purely my opinion, I like it a lot. I'm eager to see the results and to make progress in this project.
N. Birk - 4☆
I feel the ring of moonphase watch silhouettes would look better in the same dark blue as the moon disk. I worry that the hands will be hard to see in some lighting and making the hour and minute hands blued and the seconds hand chromed seems more legible. And it’s a trick of the crystal, but for a moment I thought the I on the VI indicator was extra tall and that was kind of cool.
Pierre-Henry - 3☆
I regret the absence of notches that would allow the crescents of the moon to appear and disappear. For me, the beauty of the moonphase lies in the evolution of the dial throughout the phase; here, we lose this feature. Thank you very much for your work, which is fascinating :)
Christophe - 2 ☆
The second hand does not fit the spirit of the model at all. There are too many elements for reading the moon cycle (the numbers leave one doubting whether it pertains to the moon cycle or the date). The symbols and the double moons overload the dial.
Alexis - 1☆
To me this IS a best of breed, this lacking visual identité. I had high expectations based on previous project and all beautifull design option when this project started. You shared design from multiple people, many were stunning, delivering a vision, telling a story. I do not get a sense of cohérence , current design does not create a feeling nor build a message, there IS too much information at once. In my personal opinion there are two Key things that made previous model a success: 1 visual identity and 2 Moon Phase were clear and realistic. Current design IS lacking those two this stage. Moon Phase are small without texture. So there are other moons at the center , probably for us to sée bigger moons without some détails. Then there is a third Moon information in thé form of the day in thé cycle Moon. That is 3 information without a wouaou effect , no sense of luxury. I would have prefered a clear identity: a Travel watch, a chronometer, a Moon Phase, multiple complications, but only one identity. Here i feeling like i have a pizza with a bit of meat, cheese , chorizo, sausage, salomon, pine apple hoppi'g it would please all. Let sée how design evolves
Draft moonphase watch No. 73
Votes | 370 |
Comments | 55 |
Rating | 3.4 / 5 |
This model received a rating of 3.4 out of 5, significantly lower than sketch No. 17. Its disk is made on a single level and consists of three distinct parts. Unlike a classic moon phase, the graduations are not on the dial but are directly engraved on the disk. An index, in the form of a red triangle located on the dial, then indicates the age of the moon.
A hollowed-out dial thus reveals three moon windows, offering multiple readings of its phases. This approach did not convince you, and therefore, this model will not be retained for the next stage of the adventure.
Vos retours
Stefano - 5☆
Beautiful. It would be great to use a creative lume application, for the time there could be a full lume at the outer chapter ring ending before the chemin de fer, and then lume on the lunar text ink, and finally lume on the lunar surface illustration and on some of the single stars..
Alexis - 4☆
This design as an identity, IS simple to read and os clearly a Moon Phase. I like thé blue seconds, nice twist. I wish design would be more sleek , with a slightly simplified dial as it looks too similar to previous project. Nice design though !!!
Benoît - 3☆
Much more legible than No. 17, but this double moon is disturbing and highlights the weakness of the 59-tooth wheel: the need to have two moons. A full moon occupying the entire disk would be more poetic because the real moon is unique.
Ruben - 2☆
I think this one is way less elegant than the Ariane 17, but it has a certain charm. Maybe you could try to change the color of the indication de la phase de lune in like red of a more soft color. Maybe you could also change the hands to leaves or Dauphine.
Nadir - 1☆
Another dress watch like the previous series, a chrono would have been nice. I'm not a fan of the always visible moon; I find it pointless for phase reading, and a disc calendar would have been nice. A watch I won't be getting because it's really just a duplicate of the first creator series.
What's next ?
The creation of a collaborative collection involves constant exchanges between community votes and technical constraints. For reasons of schedule, logistics, and cost, we opted for the SW288 caliber last November, as detailed in the article The Choice of Caliber.
However, in light of the new opportunities detailed in the article "Preambles to Chapter 2," we wish to inject new momentum more in line with your feedback and our ambition. Draft No. 17, mentioned earlier, is not abandoned, however. We continue feasibility studies to carry on its development for an edition postponed to 2025/26.
You can find the conclusions we have drawn from this first chapter, and the next steps to be taken, in the preamble to chapter 2.
Mu:n Team.