MODULAR, SPINE-INSPIRED WATCH FOR INTUITIVE REPAIR
Vertebrae is a watch band I designed for the luxury market, reimagining the link-style band through the human spine. Crystal “bone” segments and flexible TPU “cartilage” connect through Lego-style positive and negative joints, with gold accents adding a lustrous finish. The result is a band that is sculptural, minimal, and made from recycled and found materials.
The Problem: Link-style watch bands never fit my wrists comfortably because they wouldn’t move with me, flexing in only one direction. Luxury watches are also built to last, but rarely built to be repaired.
The Solution: I looked to the spine for inspiration. Through analog sketches, I explored the spine’s 360° mobility and the way each vertebra is individual yet part of one system. Rigid crystal segments act as bone and flexible, recyclable TPU acts as cartilage, so the band flexes like a spine. Because every piece snaps together, any single piece can be swapped out without replacing the whole band.
