There’s a reason why people call it a “watch” and it’s because you have to have the ability to see. Eone Timepieces is look to change all that with the Bradley, a watch that is not only visually appealing but also allows its owner to “feel” the time. And the public agrees that the watch is a pretty cool idea. The company asked for a modest $40,000 dollars on Kickstarter.com and has received well over $300,000 dollars in funding.
There have been cheap “talking” versions of a watch for blind people that have been on the market for some time, but even those cater to people who have the ability to hear. None of these watches have been able to establish themselves as legitimate timepieces.
The Bradley is Different in a Very Good Way
via Gizmodo
Where these watches fail, the Bradley excels. Time is indicated to the user by two ball bearings, one on the inside of the face to indicate the minutes and one on the outside to indicate the hour. The position of these ball bearings is completely internal and unseen, being controlled by magnets. The ball bearings can be easily set back in place if there are knocked off their track.
The hour indicators are designed individually to denote the hours. A triangle is used to denote the twelve o’clock position as well, and the three, six, and nine hours are textured and longer than the smaller time units. This makes the watch easy to read by touch alone.
via Gizmodo
The design of the watch is a sleek titanium design that resembles a Deco sundial in a very cool way. The case is made of lightweight titanium which is also very sturdy. Available straps include leather bands in yellow, olive, and blue, with a stainless mesh available as well.
via Boston.com
Every Timepiece has a Story
The Bradley was named after for Lt. Bradley Snyder who lost the ability to see after sustaining an injury from an IED in Afghanistan. Snyder refused to be pessimistic and trained all summer as a swimmer. The work paid off as he won two gold and one silver medal the the London paralympics in 2012. It was people like Bradley Snyder that inspired the design of this timepiece.
The timepiece is unique in that it is also appealing to people who can see but will often find themselves in situations where they cannot look at their watch. People will be able to tell the time during a boring date or an evening with the in-laws. A reasonable $128 donation will get you one of the first Bradley watches before they hit the shelves.
